How to Select a Trailer Hitch
Know your hitch class and tube size before you buy a plug or cover. One and one quarter inch and two inch openings are not interchangeable.
Watch on YouTubeHitch Receiver Plug versus Cover Tips (Canada)
An empty hitch receiver collects road salt, mud, and gravel the same way an open sock collects snow. Soft rubber plugs and decorative covers both close that tube, but they are not the same tool. A friction-fit rubber plug is the quiet parts-counter default for keeping debris out between trips. A harder decorative cover can look cleaner on the bumper and may use a pin, yet it can still rattle if the fit is loose. A lockable cover is worth the extra step when the receiver sits overnight in shared parking or when you want one more deterrent against someone borrowing the tube. This page keeps those jobs honest, points at live CURT covers we stock, and links the deeper rubber-versus-plastic, cover-versus-lock, and rust-care guides already on this store. No invented legal cutoffs.
Built for Canadian receivers that see salt. Free shipping on CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts when the SKU is live on this store.
Pair this page with
rubber versus plastic hitch cover tips,
hitch cover versus hitch lock, and
hitch rust and salt care.
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 class selection, install habits, wiring basics, and ball-mount height before you dig into the product cards below.
If an embed does not load, use the YouTube link under the card.
Trailer Hitch Installation Techniques
A clean open-back receiver is easier to flush after winter. Install habits still matter even when you only hang a rack.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Connect a Trailer Wiring Harness
Covers do not replace wiring care. Keep the trailer plug dry and greased on its own checklist.
Watch on YouTubeHow to Choose a Ball Mount and Trailer Ball
Ball mounts come out. Covers go in. Size the cover to the empty tube, not to the ball mount shank you just removed.
Watch on YouTubeSoft rubber plugs versus decorative covers
A soft rubber plug is the everyday answer for an empty tube. It friction-fits into the receiver, keeps salt and mud from packing the corners, and pulls out with a twist when you need the opening again. On this shelf, CURT 22272 covers a two inch tube and CURT 22271 covers a one and one quarter inch tube. Both are simple rubber covers that do the winter job without drama.
Decorative covers trade a little more presence for the same basic job. CURT 22750 is a black steel two inch tube cover that mounts with a pin and clip. It looks finished on the bumper and still blocks debris, but it needs that pin hardware and can chatter if the fit is lazy. CURT 21728 is a two inch rubber cover with a four-way flat holder, handy when you want the tube closed and a place to park the trailer plug between trips.
Material choice still matters in Canadian salt. Soft rubber stays quieter and seals better against grit. Harder plastic or steel can look sharper and take a pin, yet it can also trap moisture if you never pull the cover to rinse the tube. For a deeper material comparison, open rubber versus plastic hitch cover tips.
CURT 22272 two inch rubber cover
Everyday soft cover for an empty two inch Class 3 tube. Friction fit. Keeps salt and mud out between trips.
Open live 22272 product →Parts-counter note. Match the cover to the tube you actually have. Class 1 one and one quarter inch openings use 22271. Two inch openings use 22272, 21728, or 22750. Do not force the wrong size.
When a lockable cover is worth it
A plain rubber plug keeps weather out. It does not stop someone from pulling the plug and using your receiver. A lockable cover or a dedicated hitch lock is worth it when the vehicle sits in shared lots, street parking, or anywhere an empty tube is an invitation. The cover-versus-lock page walks that choice in more detail. On this tips page we keep it practical: weather plug for the driveway, lockable hardware when the van or car spends nights where strangers walk past the bumper.
We are not inventing a legal rule about when you must lock a receiver. That is a risk call for your parking situation. If theft deterrence matters more than weather sealing, start with hitch cover versus hitch lock and pick live lock hardware that fits your tube size.
How to keep the tube honest through Canadian winter
Step 1Size the cover
One and one quarter inch or two inch. Measure the opening, then open the matching CURT cover.
Step 2Plug empty days
Soft rubber is the default for salt and mud. Pull it before you insert a mount or rack.
Step 3Rinse when you can
Open-back receivers flush easier after a salted week. See rust and salt care for habits that last.
Step 4Lock when needed
Shared parking and overnight street spots are when a lockable cover earns its keep.
Soft plug
Everyday weather seal
Friction-fit rubber for empty-tube days. Quiet. Fast. Sized to the receiver.
- CURT 22272 for two inch tubes
- CURT 22271 for one and one quarter inch tubes
- CURT 21728 when you also want a four-way flat holder
Decorative cover
Finished look
Steel or styled covers close the tube and clean up the bumper line. Pin hardware matters.
- CURT 22750 black steel two inch cover
- Pin and clip not included on that card
- Watch for rattle if the fit is loose
Lockable path
Deterrence, not magic
A lockable cover is about access control. Weather sealing is still a separate job.
- See cover versus hitch lock for the deeper split
- No invented legal cutoff on this page
- Pair with rust care after salted roads
Live CURT covers we stock for empty tubes
These SKUs are live and available on this storefront today. Match the tube size before you buy.
Class 1 plugCURT 22271One and one quarter inch rubber receiver cover for empty Class 1 tubes.
Class 3 plugCURT 22272Two inch rubber receiver cover for empty Class 3 tubes.
Rubber with holderCURT 21728Two inch rubber cover with a four-way flat holder for the trailer plug.
Steel coverCURT 22750Two inch black steel tube cover. Pin and clip mount. Confirm hardware on the live card.
| Topic | What we tell shoppers |
|---|---|
| Soft rubber first | For salt and mud, a friction-fit rubber plug is the everyday default on empty tubes. |
| Decorative covers | Steel or styled covers finish the bumper look. Watch rattle and pin hardware. |
| Lockable covers | Worth it in shared parking. See cover versus hitch lock. No invented legal cutoff. |
| Material deep dive | Rubber versus hard covers get more detail on rubber versus plastic. |
| After salt | Pull the cover and rinse when you can. Habits live on rust and salt care. |
Related guides worth opening next
Rubber versus plasticMaterial choice for covers in Canadian weather.
Cover versus lockWhen weather sealing is not enough deterrence.
Rust and salt careHabits that keep the receiver from rotting out.
First tow checklistPull the cover, pin the mount, then walk the trailer.
Parts-counter summary: size the cover to the empty tube, prefer soft rubber for everyday salt and mud control, use decorative steel when you want a finished look and accept pin hardware, reach for a lockable path in shared parking without inventing a legal cutoff, and rinse the tube after salted weeks. Free shipping on live CURT towing gear from Lots of Parts across Canada when the SKU shows available on this store.
