How to Install a Hitch Pin
A plain pin and clip holds a shank in place. It is not a lock — anyone with a spare clip can pull it.
Watch on YouTube →Hitch Cover vs Hitch Lock (Canada)
A hitch cover and a hitch lock solve different problems. One keeps rain, salt, and road grit out of an empty receiver and cleans up the look of the bumper. The other stops someone from walking off with your ball mount, bike rack, or cargo carrier. Canadian winters make the cover tempting. Busy parking lots make the lock worth thinking about. Here is a plain-English way to choose — and when you want both.
Built for Canadian hitch shoppers. Free shipping on CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts.
Dig deeper with the
hitch lock and safety guide
and the
pin, clip, and safety chains guide.
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). The pin and coupler-lock clips show how locking hardware actually works. Selection and technique still matter before you leave anything hanging off the bumper overnight.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card.
Coupler Lock Features
Receiver locks protect what is in the hitch. Coupler locks protect the trailer when it is parked alone.
Watch on YouTube →Anti-Rattle Clamp
Covers do not fix a noisy shank. If the mount rattles on the highway, look at fit and anti-rattle hardware — not a rubber plug.
Watch on YouTube →How to Select a Trailer Hitch
Receiver size (1.25 inch versus 2 inch) decides which cover and which hitch lock pin diameter you need.
Watch on YouTube →When a cover is enough
A receiver cover is a friction-fit plug for an empty hitch tube. It keeps water, salt spray, mud, and gravel from packing into the receiver — a real annoyance after a Canadian winter. It also hides the open tube so the bumper looks finished when you are not towing.
Choose a cover when the hitch is empty most days, you park at home or work, and nothing valuable is left in the receiver. Match the size: 1.25 inch covers for Class 1 and Class 2 openings, 2 inch covers for Class 3 and up. A cover does not lock anything. Anyone can pull it out in two seconds.
When you want a lock
Use a hitch lock when a ball mount, bike rack, cargo carrier, or other shank stays in the receiver and you leave the vehicle unattended — especially overnight, at trailheads, or in public lots. A hitch lock replaces the plain pin with a keyed pin so the shank cannot slide out.
Match pin diameter to the receiver: half-inch pins for many 1.25 inch Class 1 and Class 2 tubes, five-eighths-inch pins for most 2 inch Class 3 tubes. Right-angle heads help when the spare tire or bumper skin blocks a straight lock. A hitch lock still does not secure a trailer sitting on a ball — that is a coupler lock job.
Cover versus lock at a glance
| Job | Cover | Hitch lock |
|---|---|---|
| Empty receiver, weather and looks | Yes — that is the point | Not needed for an empty tube |
| Ball mount or rack left in the hitch | Does nothing for theft | Yes — keyed pin through the shank |
| Trailer parked alone | Irrelevant | Wrong tool — use a coupler lock |
| Rattle on the highway | Not a fix | Not a fix either — see fit and anti-rattle gear |
Live covers and locks we stock
Cover · 1.25 inch
CURT 22271
Rubber receiver cover for 1.25 inch tubes. Friction fit — no pin required.
Cover · 2 inch
CURT 22272
Rubber receiver cover for 2 inch tubes. Everyday empty-hitch weather plug.
Lock · 1.25 inch
CURT 23501
Hitch lock with half-inch pin for 1.25 inch receivers. Chrome-plated, two keys.
Lock · 2 inch
CURT 23519
Stainless hitch lock with five-eighths-inch pin for 2 inch and 2.5 inch receivers.
Lock · right angle
CURT 23504
Right-angle hitch lock for tight bumper clearance on 2 inch and 2.5 inch tubes.
Coupler lock
CURT 23520
Barbell coupler lock for latch-style trailer couplers when the trailer sits alone.
A simple Canada decision path
Step 1Empty most days?
Buy the matching receiver cover. Keep salt and grit out of the tube.
Step 2Leave a shank in?
Swap the plain pin for a hitch lock sized to your receiver opening.
Step 3Park a trailer alone?
Add a coupler lock. A receiver lock does not hold the coupler shut.
Step 4Want both habits?
Cover when empty, lock when loaded. Many shoppers keep both in the trunk.
Also remember the basics from the pin and chains guide: a clip that is missing is as bad as no pin, and safety chains still need to cross under the coupler when you tow. Locks and covers do not replace that checklist.
Honest limits
Cover
Not a security device
A rubber plug stops weather and cleans up looks. It will not slow a theft.
Hitch lock
Not a coupler lock
Keyed pins protect the shank in the vehicle receiver. Trailers need their own coupler lock.
Size
Match the opening
1.25 inch and 2 inch parts are not interchangeable. Measure the receiver before you order.
Expectation
Deterrent, not magic
Good locks raise the effort. They do not make a truck or trailer theft-proof in a dark lot.
Related guides
Hitch lock and safetyLocks, coupler locks, parking habits
Pin, clip, and chainsHookup checklist for Canada
Receiver size guide1.25 inch versus 2 inch openings
Winter towing guideSalt, cold checks, when not to tow
Towing guides hubAll vehicle and topic guides
Shop hitch accessories
Covers, locks, pins, and more — with free shipping from Lots of Parts in Canada.
Open hitch accessories →Prefer the locks aisle? Browse the locks collection, then read the full lock and safety guide.
Lots of Parts · Canada hitch cover versus hitch lock shopping help. No fake reviews, no brochure fluff.
