1987 GMC Safari Trailer Hitch Adapter

What Are Truck Hitch Adapters Used For?

Hitch adapters are a popular accessory for those who frequently tow. Whether you’re looking to adapt a smaller/larger ball mount or accessory to fit a different-sized shank, space your gooseneck hitch further away from your short-bed-equipped pickup’s cab, or retrofit 5th wheel rails to the gooseneck hitch in your bed, RealTruck has the hitch adapter for you! 

Hitch Adapter Types

There are several hitch adapter styles, and we carry the most popular types on RealTruck, including:

Adapters/Reducers

These hitch adapters allow you to adapt your vehicle’s receiver to another size; for example, installing a ball mount with a 2-inch shank into a 2.5-inch hitch receiver or vice versa. Hitch adapters come in various sizes and constructions, including one and two-piece versions. One-piece adapters provide one tier of adjustment (i.e., from 2.5 inches to 2 inches), while two-piece adapters accomplish two tiers of adjustment with an additional sleeve (i.e., 2.5 inches to 2 inches or 1.75 inches). 

We also offer vertical adapters to convert a vertical receiver to a conventional receiver, riser adapters to elevate the receiver height by approximately 6 inches and drop adapters to lower the receiver height.

Extenders

Extenders elongate your vehicle’s hitch receiver, extending it approximately 8 inches behind the original location! These adapters are best to improve clearances for trailer or hitch-mounted accessories. They’re available in hollow and solid shank constructions and come in multiple sizes. 

Gooseneck

Gooseneck hitch adapters are used to convert your truck’s gooseneck hitch to 5th-wheel rails to accept most 5th-wheel hitches. 

Truck Hitch Adapters FAQs

Q: Do hitch adapters reduce tongue weight capacity?

A: Unfortunately, yes; this is a shortcoming of all hitch adapters, as most reduce your vehicle tongue weight capacity by 50 percent to account for the added leverage/strain on the factory hitch receiver. 

Q: Are hitch adapters safe? 

A: Yes! Hitch adapters are completely safe if used appropriately and according to manufacturer specifications. 

Q: Are Dual hitch extenders safe?

A: Yes! Dual hitch adapters are safe when used according to manufacturer specifications. While you obviously won’t be towing two trailers, dual hitch adapters are a convenient way to load a hitch-mounted accessory while towing a small trailer.