How to Select a Trailer Hitch
Know your receiver size first. A two inch cover will not seal a one and one-quarter tube.
Watch on YouTubeHitch Cover Rubber vs Plastic (Canada)
Wondering whether a rubber receiver cover or a harder plastic-style cover is the smarter buy for Canadian winters? Start with what the empty tube actually needs: keep road salt, slush, and gravel out, cut down on rattle from a loose insert, and decide whether you also want a keyed lock. On this store the live CURT covers we stock for everyday two inch tubes are rubber friction-fit styles, plus a steel tube cover when you want a hard shell. Shoppers often say plastic when they mean any hard cover, so this page keeps the materials honest and practical.
Built for Canadian hitch owners and shops. Free shipping on CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts when the SKU is live on this store.
Related cover and care help:
hitch cover versus hitch lock,
hitch rust and salt care, and
hitch rattle noise fix.
Prefer the full index?
Open the towing guides hub.
Watch these CURT videos first
All four videos are from the official CURT YouTube channel (@curtmfg). Use them for hitch class basics, install habits, wiring, and ball-mount height, then come back to cover and lock choices for empty-tube days.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card.
Trailer Hitch Installation Techniques
After the hitch is on, keep the empty tube covered so salt and gravel do not pack inside.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Connect a Trailer Wiring Harness
Some rubber covers hold a four-flat plug. That is convenience, not a substitute for a proper harness plan.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Choose a Ball Mount and Trailer Ball
When a ball mount is in the tube, you do not need a cover. When it comes out, put the cover back on.
Watch on YouTubeRubber versus hard covers in plain parts-counter talk
Rubber covers are the everyday Canadian answer for most two inch receivers. They friction-fit into the tube, keep slush and salt spray from packing inside, and they are quiet when the truck hits expansion joints. Hard covers, including steel tube covers and the plastic-style shells shoppers ask about, trade some of that quiet grip for a tougher face that shrugs off parking scrapes. We do not invent a plastic CURT SKU we do not stock. What is live here today is rubber for the common friction-fit job, and steel when you want a hard shell on a two inch tube.
Salt is the real villain. An open receiver collects brine, then freezes and thaws all winter. A cover will not stop rust on the hitch body by itself, but it does keep the inside of the tube cleaner so pins and ball mounts slide freely in spring. Pair the cover habit with the rust and salt care notes when the hitch lives under a salted bumper.
Rubber
Quiet grip for winter
Friction-fit rubber stays put without a pin on most empty-tube days and dampens chatter better than a hard shell.
- Good for salted roads and empty tubes
- Easy on and off with gloves
- Some styles hold a four-flat plug
Hard cover
Steel or plastic-style shell
Hard faces shrug off scrapes. Steel is what we stock live for a rigid two inch tube cover. Plastic-style aftermarket shells exist elsewhere; buy only what matches your tube size.
- Tougher face for parking bumps
- Still must match two inch versus one and one-quarter
- May need a pin depending on design
Lockable
When a lock helps
A cover keeps weather out. A hitch lock is for theft resistance and a tighter pin feel. Many owners run both habits across the year.
- See cover versus lock
- Lock when the truck sits overnight in shared lots
- Cover when the tube is empty on the highway
Live CURT covers we stock for this conversation
Open the live cards for size and material notes before you order. Tube size first, material second.
Rubber two inchCURT 22272Friction-fit two inch rubber cover for everyday empty-tube days.
Rubber with plug holderCURT 21728Two inch rubber cover with a four-flat holder for tidy wiring storage.
Rubber one and one-quarterCURT 22271Friction-fit cover sized for one and one-quarter receivers.
Steel two inchCURT 22750Black steel tube cover when you want a hard shell on a two inch receiver.
Receiver lockCURT 23515Keyed hitch lock when cover alone is not the theft story you need.
Quiet kitCURT 22321Anti-rattle kit for inserts that chatter even with a good cover habit.
How to choose without overthinking it
Step 1Measure the tube
Two inch and one and one-quarter are not interchangeable. Match the cover to the opening.
Step 2Pick rubber or hard
Rubber for quiet winter grip. Steel or another hard shell when you want a tougher face.
Step 3Decide on a lock
Weather cover and theft lock solve different problems. Read cover versus lock before you spend twice.
Step 4Kill rattle separately
A cover helps an empty tube. An anti-rattle kit helps a ball mount or rack that still chatters.
| Topic | What we tell shoppers |
|---|---|
| Salt and slush | Cover the empty tube. Clean and inspect in spring. See hitch rust and salt care. |
| Rattle | Empty-tube slap and insert chatter are different. Open hitch rattle noise fix. |
| Cover versus lock | Cover for weather. Lock for theft resistance. Details on cover versus hitch lock. |
| Tube grease | A light film inside the receiver helps inserts and covers slide. See receiver tube grease tips. |
| Receiver size | Wrong size cover is wasted money. Confirm with the receiver size guide. |
Related guides worth opening next
Cover versus lockWhen weather protection and theft resistance diverge.
Rust and salt careCanadian winter habits for hitch hardware.
Rattle noise fixEmpty tube versus insert chatter diagnosis.
Lock versus pinWhen a keyed lock replaces a plain pin.
Parts-counter summary: match the cover to the tube size, pick rubber for quiet winter grip or steel when you want a hard shell, add a lock only when theft resistance matters, and treat salt care as a season-long habit rather than a one-time purchase. Free shipping on live CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts across Canada when the SKU shows available on this store.
