2" 1UP hitch post doesn't fit 2" Oliver bike receiver 😵

[GlacierGirl]

ACK! We just received our new 1UP Super Duty 2-bike rack. Our new-to-us 2021 Oliver E2 came with the additional rear bumper bike rack 2" receiver. Our new 1UP bike rack came with a 2" hitch post. But the 1UP post will not fit in the 2" Oliver receiver!! We sprayed W40 in the Oliver hitch receiver, and put LOTS of pressure on the bike rack post, but apparently the Oliver receiver is just the tiniest fraction of an inch too tight. We hesitate to attempt filing down the inside of the receiver, as that could weaken it. And the 1UP hitch post is very heavy-duty something... steel?

Any suggestions? Please!

Barb

[Jason Foster]

Never heard of anything like this.  Do you mind adding some pictures?  Also, can you tell what kind of 2-inch hitch it is (brand name, etc)?

[Zodd]

I just got the heavy duty 2” and it fit my receiver as expected. Mine is an after market receiver though. About to try it out on our first trip. Is the anti-wobble bolt already tightened on your rack by chance? 

[bugeyedriver]

Will the 1UP not enter the receiver at all, or not slide in far enough? Have you been able to try it in some other 2" receiver to compare?

Edited May 13 by bugeyedriver

[rich.dev]

@GlacierGirl I believe the 2” Oliver receiver was not stock on your 2021 LEII, Oliver switched to the 2” receiver late 2024 models, previous to that it was a 1.25 or 1.5” I think. Do you have an after market receiver? Like @Jason Foster said, maybe post some pictures. 

[Mountainman198]

I do not believe Oliver offered a 2” receiver option again until just recently. Definitely not offered in 2021. If you bought yours used, perhaps prior owner had the smaller sleeve pressed out in hopes of using a 2” shank, however as I recall, there have been posts about owners trying this only to find out that the i.d. Was not large enough.
 

Please post pics so others can weigh-in. 

Edited May 13 by Mountainman198

[MAX Burner]

This question is not meant to insult, but did you ensure the keyed allen bolt that tightens the stainless steel ball on the 1Up shank is loosened?  If not, you'll not be able to insert the shank.... 

A picture of vernier calipers measuring the ID of the Oliver receiver would be very helpful.

[GlacierGirl]

To all of you gracious responders: thank you!!

I should not have posted until we are back home with said bike rack and receiver. We are near Grand Junction, CO, where Alcan Spring installed our new 5-leaf springs and 5200# axles yesterday. ☺️ I will take photos and re-measure the receiver when we return. I have a feeling, however, that we sloppily measured the receiver, assuming it is a 2" one.🙄 We certainly want to keep the 1UP rack.... Anyway, I'll humbly update you all in several days.

Barb

[Patriot]

18 minutes ago, GlacierGirl said:

We are near Grand Junction, CO, where Alcan Spring installed our new 5-leaf springs and 5200# axles yesterday.

Congrats on your new running gear. We have the exact same set up and are very happy. Lew and his crew at Alcan are pros and really do a great job. 
Well worth the trip and time to have this install done right. 👍🏻

[GlacierGirl]

35 minutes ago, Patriot said:

Congrats on your new running gear. We have the exact same set up and are very happy. Lew and his crew at Alcan are pros and really do a great job. 
Well worth the trip and time to have this install done right. 👍🏻

Thank you! Yes, we have much confidence in both the gear AND in Alcan's products and installation. After having one of our original springs break, I'll no longer cringe in the future after we hit a major pothole or bump. I agree; Lewis and his crew get 2 thumbs up!

[GlacierGirl]

On 5/12/2025 at 8:32 PM, GlacierGirl said:

Our new-to-us 2021 Oliver E2 came with the additional rear bumper bike rack 2" receiver. 

Boy, were we sloppy in measuring! Again, it was because we assumed we had a 2" receiver for the Oliver. Mike Sharpe at Oliver says we have a 1 1/4" receiver there. 🙄 Feeling stupid. 

In March 2024 @TimD installed a receiver from Amazon, and others followed suit. I wonder how those are working out.

Barb

[Steve Morris]

Barb, in July 2023 I replaced the OEM receiver with the Reese model linked below. It required new holes drilled in the crossmember, but being aluminum, that was easy. I also went larger, using 1/2” stainless fasteners rather than the 3/8” U-bolt. 
 

I chose this receiver over the dozens of other cheap reception Amazon due to the base plate wrapping up over the end of the tube. This would prevent the entire rack and bikes from falling off if the third world weld failed. (A not uncommon complaint in other reviews.)

https://a.co/d/9CyCaF6
 

It has been hanging back there for almost two years now, towing the trailer with bikes on the 1-Up rack over 11,000 miles. My rack with bikes is likely 10-20 pounds over Oliver’s recommended load. 
 

Here’s a link to the post where I described the process:

Edited May 14 by Steve Morris

[GlacierGirl]

@Steve Morris, I've read and reread your posts on the aforementioned previous thread, as well as this one, and that Reece receiver seems like the way we need to go! You mentioned using 1/2" stainless fasteners designed for "high pressure applications". If we go to our local Home Depot, what do we look for to identify fasteners specific to high pressure applications?

Barb

[Jason Foster]

19 minutes ago, GlacierGirl said:

@Steve Morris, I've read and reread your posts on the aforementioned previous thread, as well as this one, and that Reece receiver seems like the way we need to go! You mentioned using 1/2" stainless fasteners designed for "high pressure applications". If we go to our local Home Depot, what do we look for to identify fasteners specific to high pressure applications?

Barb

Looks like a grade 8 stainless. 
 

Edited May 15 by Jason Foster

[Steve Morris]

1 hour ago, GlacierGirl said:

@Steve Morris, I've read and reread your posts on the aforementioned previous thread, as well as this one, and that Reece receiver seems like the way we need to go! You mentioned using 1/2" stainless fasteners designed for "high pressure applications". If we go to our local Home Depot, what do we look for to identify fasteners specific to high pressure applications?

Barb

Here's a copy of my order from McMaster Carr for the fasteners

 

I inserted a thin tough plastic pad between the hitch and the crossbar. This is to help avoid galvanic corrosion between the steel and aluminum.

Let me know if you need more details,

[GlacierGirl]

7 minutes ago, Steve Morris said:

I inserted a thin tough plastic pad between the hitch and the crossbar. 

Perfect, @Steve Morris. I appreciate those specifics. The only place I can think of to get a thin, tough plastic pad is the one that came with and is under our Anderson leveler. I'd better leave that one alone! Where did you get yours?

Barb

[Steve Morris]

4 minutes ago, GlacierGirl said:

Perfect, @Steve Morris. I appreciate those specifics. The only place I can think of to get a thin, tough plastic pad is the one that came with and is under our Anderson leveler. I'd better leave that one alone! Where did you get yours?

Barb

I was editing while you posted. Here are direct links:

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/131/3654/97619A440

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/131/3613/92790A254

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/131/3697/92147A033

https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/131/3684/91525A336

 

I had a hard sheet of nylon about 1/8" thick or probably a little thinner that I used. No idea where it came from. Even a thick plastic notebook cover (not the kind with embedded cardboard) would work to break the connection.

As an aside, I long ago stopped using fasteners from Amazon, Home Depot, Lowes, etc for anything other than minor projects. Just because it says grade 8 on that Chinese box, doesn't mean it really is. I've twisted the hex off of Home Depot grade 5 5/16" bolts with a 1/4" drive socket in a tight location, so I was definitely not over stressing it. McMaster~Carr is more expensive, but they have a generations old reputation of carrying quality components. Many have ASTM, SAE, and various other agency data sheets included with the order. I'm just not comfortable hanging $10k in bikes and rack from $10 worth of questionable fasteners.

[GlacierGirl]

I greatly appreciate hearing your opinion, @Steve Morris; especially since my husband and I are ignorant about such things. I'm going to follow your advice and copy what you did. I'm going to the McMaster-Carr website right now. Thank you so much.☺️

Barb

[GlacierGirl]

We are home and remeasured our Oliver rear-bumper hitch that will not allow the 1UP 2” bike rack to be inserted. It seems that the 2” Oliver hitch receiver is literally a hair’s width too snug. @Jason Foster, here are photos of our hitch and receiver. @Zodd, @MAX Burner and @bugeyedriver, the anti-wobble bolt was not tightened, and the plain ole square end of the 1UP shank would not even begin to enter the receiver. It looked like it should, but was a teensy tiny bit too snug to allow entry.@rich.dev and @Mountainman198, it is, in fact, a 2” Oliver receiver. Perhaps it was a special request by the original owner?? 
So, with all that being said, do we dare file down the inside of the Oliver receiver… or the outside of the 1UP shank? By the way, the 1UP shank fits fine in our tow vehicle’s 2” receiver.

Suggestions, please.🙏

Barb

Edited May 17 by GlacierGirl

[Jason Foster]

1 hour ago, GlacierGirl said:

We are home and remeasured our Oliver rear-bumper hitch that will not allow the 1UP 2” bike rack to be inserted. It seems that the 2” Oliver hitch receiver is literally a hair’s width too snug. @Jason Foster, here are photos of our hitch and receiver. @Zodd, @MAX Burner and @bugeyedriver, the anti-wobble bolt was not tightened, and the plain ole square end of the 1UP shank would not even begin to enter the receiver. It looked like it should, but was a teensy tiny bit too snug to allow entry.@rich.dev and @Mountainman198, it is, in fact, a 2” Oliver receiver. Perhaps it was a special request by the original owner?? 
So, with all that being said, do we dare file down the inside of the Oliver receiver… or the outside of the 1UP shank? By the way, the 1UP shank fits fine in our tow vehicle’s 2” receiver.

Suggestions, please.🙏

Barb

That is the new style 1 1/4 inch that is missing the interior. Someone tried to make it work but a true 2 inch reciever is 2 1/6 inches. 
 

[GlacierGirl]

20 minutes ago, Jason Foster said:

That is the new style 1 1/4 inch that is missing the interior. Someone tried to make it work but a true 2 inch reciever is 2 1/6 inches. 
 

".. a true 2 inch receiver is 2 1/16 inches" - that's interesting!!!

[Jason Foster]

1 hour ago, GlacierGirl said:

".. a true 2 inch receiver is 2 1/16 inches" - that's interesting!!!

Yes. They add a bit of clearance because the hitch is 2 inches. If both the receiver and hitch were 2 inches with no variance, you would have difficulty getting the hetch in place. Kind of like you are having now. 

[Jason Foster]

What you have there is an incomplete receiver. Remove it and install the one @Steve Morrisrecommended. That is what I am going to do. 

[GlacierGirl]

1 minute ago, Jason Foster said:

What you have there is an incomplete receiver. Remove it and install the one @Steve Morrisrecommended. That is what I am going to do. 

Looks like that will be our route, too. I’m glad @Steve Morris walked the road ahead of us. ☺️

[Jason Foster]

Just now, GlacierGirl said:

Looks like that will be our route, too. I’m glad @Steve Morris walked the road ahead of us. ☺️

Lots of good people on here.