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Ball size for hitch


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Hi there,

I have a question about ball size.  Does the ball on the receiver hitch have to be 2 inches or can it be 2 and 5/16th of an inch?

 

Thank you!!!

Margaret.  Oliver Legacy Elite II, 2017 (Jasmine).  Nissan Armada 2018.  Hull 179.  

 

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24 minutes ago, wyodoc86 said:

Did you mean 1 7/8 " ? 

 

Hi Wyodoc, No, actually, I meant 2 5/16". Oops.  Thanks!  I will edit.

Margaret.  Oliver Legacy Elite II, 2017 (Jasmine).  Nissan Armada 2018.  Hull 179.  

 

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Just now, Margaret said:

Hi Wyodoc, No, actually, I meant 2 5/16". Oops.  Thanks!

It can be a 2-5/16” ball only if your Bulldog hitch has been upgraded from 2”. 

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Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved Storm, Maggie, Lucy and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge)

2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4 

 

             801469912_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-I.jpg.26814499292ab76ee55b889b69ad3ef0.jpg1226003278_StatesVisitedTaliandSteve08-23-2021-H.jpg.dc46129cb4967a7fd2531b16699e9e45.jpg

 

 

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The ball has to match the size stamped in the Bulldog coupler. The normal one used is 2”, but Oliver has been installing some larger customer supplied 2 5/16” couplers prior to delivery. Yours is probably 2” but you should visually verify.

Welcome to the forum.

John Davies

Spokane WA

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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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Oliver supplied the 2 5/16 coupler we had installed on our build. They charged me something like $250 to make it happen...I just had to ask for it. One of the few custom upgrades still available. 

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Albert & Terri Sterns

Paonia, Colorado

Elite II Hull #1125 Standard Floorplan / 2017 Ford F250 gas

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1 hour ago, MobileJoy said:

Has anyone had a problem or failure with the 2" hitch? I see posts on upgrading, but I've not seen a solid reason to do it.

I’ve never heard of any failures of the Bulldog 2” coupler on an Oliver trailer.  But some owners upgrade to get a bigger safety margin on the weight rating.  The 2” Bulldog is rated at 7,000 lbs., same as the Oliver Elite II GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of 7,000 lbs.   The 2-5/16” Bulldog is rated at 12,500 lbs. but there are other critical parts of the trailer such as the axles that are a limiting factor as well for the GVWR.  The Dexter axles used on the Elite II are rated at 3,500 lbs. per axle (see photo of the axle label below), so two axles gives a weight limit of 7,000 lbs. for the trailer.  Some owners that travel very heavily loaded have also upgraded the axles on their Oliver along with upgrading the Bulldog coupler.

8C059DFF-A308-4DA2-B22D-89DE347F2DFF.jpeg

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I've never seen an Oliver with the 2 5/16" upgrade coupler and ball when seeing other Oliver's when camping. For me personally I would stick with the 2" setup and the extra load ratings would not be needed for me, but if I have a 2 5/16" setup on my 3/4/1ton truck I go with the 2 5/16" setup for convenience. There is no end to upgrades for these trailers, so if it works for you, then do it. 

trainman

 

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2019 RAM 1500, 5.7 Hemi, 4X4, Crew Cab, 5'7" bed, Towing Package, 3.92 Gears.

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The wear on the Andersen hitch ball may be significantly reduced; it depends on how well the under side of the coupler was manufactured, and how tight the chains are adjusted…. My 2” Bulldog was pretty rough, and even the brand new replacement had blobs of weld splatter too!

I towed “Mouse” about 5000 miles with a dead weight hitch behind a HD Ram and the 2” ball still looked OK. I switched TVs and installed an Andersen setup. 

My small Andersen ball was pretty much wrecked (and the very deep groove occasionally locked up and made a loud banging noise) after just a thousand miles. After installing the large ball and coupler it took about 18,000 before I started seeing similar wear. The ball does indeed need to be lubricated, even though it is advertised as grease free, or you will end up with a rusty mess. Plus the larger safety margin makes sense to me. I don’t overload but do tow on rough back roads. Even if I had a dead weight hitch the bigger ball would make me worry less about something happening in the boonies.

A replacement Andersen ball and friction sleeve retails for about $80. The coupler itself is less than $100. Plus labor charges if you are not comfortable going the job. So $250 installed by Oliver seems fair to me, IF they give you back your smaller unused parts to resell! 

https://olivertraveltrailers.com/forums/topic/2139-bulldog-coupler-destroys-anderson-ball/

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

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SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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4 hours ago, AlbertNTerri said:

One of the few custom upgrades still available. 

I have a silly question concerning which department installed your 2 5/16" Bulldog coupler.  If the 2 5/16" coupler was installed in the production department, I would consider that an upgrade.  If it was installed in the service department, I would consider that a modification.  In the past, the Oliver production department would not install the Bulldog 2 5/16 coupler as an upgrade when building a trailer.  That modification was completed in the service department.  The reason I point this out is because there have been complaints on this forum about Oliver’s production policy of no longer allowing custom upgrade’s as they did in the early days.  And when I read your post above, I thought it might set an unrealistic expectation for someone thinking of ordering an Oliver.  So can you clarify which department installed your coupler?

Mossey

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Mike and Krunch   Lutz, FL  
2017 LEII #193 “the dog house”

 

 

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30 minutes ago, mossemi said:

the 2 5/16" coupler was installed in the production department, I would consider that an upgrade.

Hello,

FYI, The 2 5/16 coupler is now listed as on option on the 2023 build sheet.

 Kirk

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Kirk and Carrie Peterson

Twin Falls, Idaho

2018 Ram 3500, with overland conversion: Rooftop tent, water, stove, Battle Born batteries, lockers, onboard air, raised air intake, Warn winch. 

2023 Elite 2, twin beds, delivered December 5, 2022 Truma package, lithium platinum package.
Hull #1305

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52 minutes ago, Kirk Peterson said:

The 2 5/16 coupler is now listed as on option on the 2023 build sheet.

Thanks, what is the cost? Do they charge anything extra for the matching Andersen?

And it is about time! Where is that disk brake option? 😀

Can you scan that build sheet and post it?

John Davies

Spokane WA

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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1 hour ago, Kirk Peterson said:

FYI, The 2 5/16 coupler is now listed as on option on the 2023 build sheet.

Thanks Kirk!  I guess I would have known that if I was shopping for a new Ollie.  I am naturally attracted to shiny objects, so I try to avoid looking at sales brochures.🙈  Do you know if that was an option in before 2023?

Mossey

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Mike and Krunch   Lutz, FL  
2017 LEII #193 “the dog house”

 

 

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For what it's worth, I have towed approximately 4500 miles with my trailer. I noticed a "gravelly" rattle noise develop recently. I replaced my receiver and ball and the noise went away. I see some wear on the replace 2" ball from Bulldog. I do not have Anderson as my tow vehicle does not recommend weight distribution hitches.

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2022 Oliver Elite II Hull#1047 "Saunter"

2014 VW Touareg TDI

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59 minutes ago, John E Davies said:

Thanks, what is the cost? Do they charge anything extra for the matching Andersen?

And it is about time! Where is that disk brake option?

The cost for the 2 5/16 bullbog coupler is $300.

2 inch Andersen no-sway is $850

2 5/16 Andersen no sway with 2 5/16 bulldog coupler is $1200

From OTT for 2023 E2:

Quad Shocks on dual Dexter leaf spring Nev-R-Lube axles with “Nev-R-Adjust” 10″ electric brakes: Standard
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Kirk and Carrie Peterson

Twin Falls, Idaho

2018 Ram 3500, with overland conversion: Rooftop tent, water, stove, Battle Born batteries, lockers, onboard air, raised air intake, Warn winch. 

2023 Elite 2, twin beds, delivered December 5, 2022 Truma package, lithium platinum package.
Hull #1305

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46 minutes ago, mossemi said:

 Do you know if that was an option in before 2023?

The 2-5/16 Bulldog coupler was not on the build sheet for the 2022 E2. You had to know about it and ask for it. 

Kirk

Kirk and Carrie Peterson

Twin Falls, Idaho

2018 Ram 3500, with overland conversion: Rooftop tent, water, stove, Battle Born batteries, lockers, onboard air, raised air intake, Warn winch. 

2023 Elite 2, twin beds, delivered December 5, 2022 Truma package, lithium platinum package.
Hull #1305

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Kirk and Carrie Peterson

Twin Falls, Idaho

2018 Ram 3500, with overland conversion: Rooftop tent, water, stove, Battle Born batteries, lockers, onboard air, raised air intake, Warn winch. 

2023 Elite 2, twin beds, delivered December 5, 2022 Truma package, lithium platinum package.
Hull #1305

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Kirk and Carrie Peterson

Twin Falls, Idaho

2018 Ram 3500, with overland conversion: Rooftop tent, water, stove, Battle Born batteries, lockers, onboard air, raised air intake, Warn winch. 

2023 Elite 2, twin beds, delivered December 5, 2022 Truma package, lithium platinum package.
Hull #1305

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On 7/16/2022 at 2:14 PM, ScubaRx said:

It can be a 2-5/16” ball only if your Bulldog hitch has been upgraded from 2”. 

Thank you, Scuba!

Margaret.  Oliver Legacy Elite II, 2017 (Jasmine).  Nissan Armada 2018.  Hull 179.  

 

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On 7/16/2022 at 2:14 PM, John E Davies said:

The ball has to match the size stamped in the Bulldog coupler. The normal one used is 2”, but Oliver has been installing some larger customer supplied 2 5/16” couplers prior to delivery. Yours is probably 2” but you should visually verify.

Welcome to the forum.

John Davies

Spokane WA

AD29D67C-C635-40C8-9C73-7B3AB79C3F01.jpeg

Very useful, John, thank you!  

 

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Margaret.  Oliver Legacy Elite II, 2017 (Jasmine).  Nissan Armada 2018.  Hull 179.  

 

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12 hours ago, Kirk Peterson said:

image.jpg

Thanks for posting, I haven’t done it yet, but if you check all the expensive options, what is the total price for a fully specced out LE2? Mine was “moderately” equipped five years ago for $62k 😳

John Davies

Spokane WA

 

SOLD 07/23 "Mouse":  2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: https://olivertraveltrailers.com/topic/john-e-davies-how-to-threads-and-tech-articles-links/

Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.

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