Thieves love those trailer hitches!

[Deere Dude]

Traveling through Kentucky we dropped our fifth wheel off at a park and went to town. It was dark when we came back to the park which was about 5 miles from town and I thought I could see a glow off and on in the rear of the GMC Dually 4x4 truck. I was driving about 55-58 mph. After a little bit I told my wife to see if there was somebody in back of us and she said no. After looking more closely in the mirror it seemed like a little car was on my bumper, so close you couldn't see the car. I wanted to tap the brakes to let him slide under the truck a bit but I knew I didn't have a stinger in so I nixed that idea. Eventually I slowed gradually to 40 and he passed. When we got to our campsite in Florida I noticed a stinger with a 20,000# pintle loop on it laying in the weeds, probably from a utility worker of some sort, so I kept an eye on it. That thing is solid steel with a heavy duty plate on it for the hook. When I left a couple months later that came with me, and is on my truck almost all the time now. In the parking lots, I always park away from people, but they always seem to find me, but that pintle is impossible to miss so they stay back a little ways now.

 

[Soundguy]

So if someone stops properly behind you, and then gets rear ended hard enough to knock him into you, you want to be sure and do the maximum amount of damage to an innocent motorist. That's a really nice attitude to have, isn't it?.

that's what the car insurance policy from the guy that did the hitting is for.

I don't see a moral problem leaving a hitch in. I have a farm. I'm probably pulling a trailer MOST of a week.. if not for home.. for work. I don't feel the least bit bad about leaving it in. The last person to hit mine was staring at the gps on his phone. No negative karma gained if there is no intent to cause wrong, even if a wrong is caused.

ps.. if he's stopped far enough behind me.. and is rear ended HARD enought to move into me. my hitch into his hood is probably of no concern vs the back of his vehicle being flattened.

 

[texasjohn]

Drat, now you got me worried! I've got 4 vehicles with insert hitches and often leave the hitch in...guess I'll worry more about them...never lost one so far...

 

[Kernopelli]

Can you share the rational on it being illegal in IL to leave the hitch in? I'm curious.
Mine stays in, with a lock pin. I have the interchangable ball system ( 1 7/8, 2, 2 5/16- it works well), and have had no issue with the receiver freezing in the hitch. I know the hitch is there, and don't bang into it. I do take the gooseneck ball out, so that it isn't in the way when hauling flat stuff like plywood.

My understanding was that it was pushed by the insurance lobby. Hitches cause more damage in rear end accidents supposedly. Good 'Ol Illinois.....Chicago rules the state and laws w/fines rule us! I Think it started Jan 1,2011 and is a $128 fine although I have never heard of anyone being cited locally, here is how it reads Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance

625 ILCS 5/12-614 new


Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Illinois Vehicle Code. Provides that if any portion of a motor vehicle hitch containing a ball mount and hitch receiver extends more than 4 inches beyond the motor vehicle's rear bumper, then the ball mount must be removed from the hitch receiver when the motor vehicle is not being used for towing. Provides that if any portion of a motor vehicle hitch extends more than 4 inches beyond the rear bumper of the motor vehicle and the hitch is composed of a single assembly that cannot be easily removed from the vehicle, then the ball of the hitch must be covered with a red cover. Defines "ball mount", "hitch receiver", and "motor vehicle hitch".


.

 

[Soundguy]

If you get rear ended from speed with a drop hitch in, it is a good way to do serious frame damage due to the huge moment arm involved I've seen crashes where the truck would have probably been better off with no hitch in. Especially if the cars bumper beam connects with the hitch. The hitch becomes a crowbar and your frame folds up like a pretzel

Dave

i have a tri and a 4 way mount as well. it's not a drop.. just a straight out. it is not one of the HF cheap ones for 5k it's spendy.. and yeah.. I use it as a step as my 350 and 450 are too tall to normally step into from the back

 

[Soundguy]

If you get rear ended from speed with a drop hitch in, it is a good way to do serious frame damage due to the huge moment arm involved I've seen crashes where the truck would have probably been better off with no hitch in. Especially if the cars bumper beam connects with the hitch. The hitch becomes a crowbar and your frame folds up like a pretzel

Dave

that's why I don't use a drop hitch.. only the straight out ones. and since it is a ford rcvr.. they aren't deep either.. so it is a short tounge. the rcvr on my old dodge and the yukon will swallow a LONG tounge ( yuck.. that just sounds bad ).. but the fords won't take but a few inches ( oh boy... getting pg13 here.. )

 

[timswi]

that's why I don't use a drop hitch.. only the straight out ones. and since it is a ford rcvr.. they aren't deep either.. so it is a short tounge. the rcvr on my old dodge and the yukon will swallow a LONG tounge ( yuck.. that just sounds bad ).. but the fords won't take but a few inches ( oh boy... getting pg13 here.. )

This might be a first...A thread shut down for discussions about receivers and stingers...You were heading rapidly to NC17 :laughing::drink:

 

[coobie]

Guess that depends where you live and what they use on the roads. Also the lock brand and style have something to do with it. I have cut off my fair share.

I will pass and just take it out like intended.

Chris

I live in southern Michigan but I do take mine off also when not in use.I use fluid film spray.coobie

 

[Soundguy]

This might be a first...A thread shut down for discussions about receivers and stingers...You were heading rapidly to NC17 :laughing::drink:

well... I'm sure it won't be the first thread I've ever posted in that eventually got shot down.. er.. shut down..

 

[cockeyedMFer]

Better hope she doesn't read these threads. :laughing:

You've heard of trophy wives? I'm a trophy husband....but my trophy says Runner Up
She just hasn't figured out that she got the short end of the deal yet!