Should Holes of Trailer Hitch be Plugged to Prevent Corrosion

Updated 03/16/2021 | Published 03/12/2021

Question:

Would it be good to put a rubber cover on both open ends of an empty 2 trailer hitch receiver to keep road debris and water out? What about blocking the unused hitch pin holes? Other than using hitch pins, are 5/8 rubber hole covers available? Thanks -

asked by: Phil S

Expert Reply:

I can totally see why that seems like it would help but unless you could ensure that the seal was watertight you'd end up allowing moisture to get into the hitch tube but not able to easily evaporate which would then make potential corrosion even worse due to prolonged exposure to moisture.

Best option is keep the holes open, keep the hitch reasonably clean, and rinse off any salt exposure as soon as you can. Also don't be afraid to hit the hitch with spray paint to cover up paint chips as well.

expert reply by: Jameson C