OT-Receiver Hitch Lesson Learned

mgriff543

Member
I needed to switch to a pintle setup recently and had to remove the ball that had been seized in there for several years. I was surprised to find the tube on the ball mount had corroded to 1/16" thickness in places. Live and learn, I'm not going to store the ball mount in the hitch anymore.
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I've seen a few rust in that couldn't be pulled
out. But never thought of them getting thinner and
being a safety issue. I'll remember your lesson
too. Thanks for sharing.
 
You can get a ticket here for not taking them out. Not that I do.
Had one that I had the truck tied down and a winch on the ball
and still had to use a Jack hammer on it.
 
Reminds me I should take the receiver out of my truck next time I drive it. Was getting a little tight until we pulled some loaded chopper wagons and a large manure spreader from the dealer& back. Nice and loose now. I bought a shock absorbing hitch many years ago already that just allows the hitch to move 1/2 or so in either direction (rubber on either side of the steel bushing the pin goes through) and it really helps soften those sharp hits from towing something with a hitch pin.

Donovan from Wisconsin
 
That's just another good reason not to leave them in,
in some states it's a violation. They are hard on
shins, other vehicles and my truck won't fit in the
garage with it in!
 
Another thing to consider is metal fatigue. I had this hitch on my truck for several years and I'll admit my 18 ft flat bed was probably over loaded fairly often. The guy behind me at a stop light got read ended, he hit my small trailer and accordioned it but I barely felt it. The hitch snapped off along the embossed hex stamp.
If this had been cracked there would have been rust in the break. The shock of the impact snapped it.
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For what it's worth, I replaced the busted hitch with a heavy duty forged hitch that was designed for "real" useage.

TSC did offer a replacement for the busted hitch but I'll never use that type again.
 
I have heard of DOT cops making you pull the hitch to make sure it is a solid piece. Mine are solid and not hollow.
Richard in NW SC
 
I never leave the ball mount in the receiver when not being used.

Doing so is very inconsiderate to others, both drivers and pedestrians.

Dean
 
Watch the end plates too in the rust belt. Dad found his were almost completely rusted away. The scary part was he had just towed a heavy trailer the day before; it was only by some miracle that the hitch didn't tear off the truck.
 
If the hitch looks that bad I'd hate to see what the rest of the truck looks like underneath. Brake lines, frame.
 
I always pull mine out.
Get tired of banging my knees and shins into it or
getting grease all over my pants. Plus, I have had
one stolen once. I just put it in a plastic bag
and either store it in a box behind the seat or in
the trailer that uses that hitch.It's a cargo
trailer, so I lock the doors.
 
I have a stack of rusted out hitches in the scrap pile with ball
mounts seized in. Usually the lower part of the cross tube in the middle goes
first.

Usually can't get those ball mounts out once they have been in a
year or even just a winter here. We tried to get a 1" one out of our
car, 12 ton jack chained on, sledge hammer etc. Had to heat the
tube red hot and pound on the ball mount out.

It had been in one winter and was greased before install.
 

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