What do the truck and trailer gurus think of this?

[20 20]

I noticed some folks say it's illegal to leave the ball assembly in so they take them out. I don't leave the ball section in mine because of thieves

 

[ray66v]

It also bent the frame mounted tow hitch assembly and tweaked the frame of my truck

I have spent my life in the business of repairing just this sort of damage.

 

[HHR]

It appears that you are more likely to get whiplash if you leave the ball mount in the receiver.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah_EeZeB-GY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[JB4310]

It appears that you are more likely to get whiplash if you leave the ball mount in the receiver.
YouTube - ‪Superbumper Ball Mount.wmv‬‏

At first I was thinking yeah that makes sense, because you are bypassing the soft crumple components, transferring the shock load straight to the frame, and on to you.

But then I thought about it and really that would only be true if you got hit with a solid component on the other vehicle, like a snow plow frame etc. but if a regular soft front end vehicle hit you, your hitch is gonna stab thru the soft part until both vehicles fully mesh together.

So I would say yes a greater risk, but IMO not as high a percentage as stated in the video. I would add that even with the insert out you are still at a slightly greater risk, because the hitch frame really stiffens up the rear of the vehicle.
That video would be more effective if he explained why you could be at greater risk. The logic is legit.

JB.

 

[Qapla]

... I don't leave the ball section in mine because of thieves

I have a locking pin on mine so I don't have to worry about thieves.

Since I pull a trailer on a regular basis, I do not remove the stinger each time I take the trailer off - unless I need to change the ball size - then I put in the right sized ball for that trailer and leave that one in until I need a different size.

As for causing more damage to other vehicles in a wreck ... I have not really noticed that many cars that have their bumpers at the exact same height as my hitch - you can look at that when in a parking lot.

I don't really concern myself with people hitting their shins on the ball when they walk past my truck in the parking lot - for two reasons:

1) They shouldn't be walking so close to the back of my truck that they would hit the hitch

2) I usually back into spaces - much easier to get out that way.

Since I carry several stingers/slides for my truck, I have a place for putting them. When I do swap them put, I just exchange one for the other and keep them all in the back of the truck (not going to put those dirty,rusty,greasy things in the cab.

I have parked next to cops and even DOT many times and have never had any of them mention it being illegal for me to have the ball sticking out.

 

[tractorboy5500]

A trailer hitch is not designed to receive and absorb crash impacts.

A hitch is a heavy solid object, in many cases during a crash, a trailer hitch will transfer impact forces away from a bumper, which is designed to do precisely what this device is doing, to the vehicle in ways that cause significant damage to the vehicle.

Because a standard hitch cannot collapse, combined with the fact that they are mounted low, they tend to be bent downward, resulting in all the areas of the body/frame the hitch is mounted to be bent in the same direction.

This kind of damage tends to be more expensive to repair, than if the same vehicle was struck without a hitch at all.

If the hitch has a draw bar on it when it is struck, there can be more damage to the vehicle than if it had been removed, as it adds leverage to the downward bending forces.

The Superbumper could perhaps help absorb minor impacts. But, I would be concerned in a harder impact, the additional length and width this device adds to the equation, would cause even more damage to the vehicle frame.

I vote no.

Totally disagree with you, I was rear ended "hard" I have a 08 Dodge dually with factory reciever and bumper had my ball mount in. I was hit by a chevy 2500, They estimated I got hit about 60 mph. I was at a stand still and saw it coming, I had a suburban in front of me stopped to turn left, I wasnt sure if they had kids or not, so I stood on my brakes to keep from hitting them to hard if I did, but I missed them by inches. After the louds *** impact, His engine was up under his seat and all front end sheet metal was all folded up under his truck, only thing that was left out front was his two frame pieces and some of the front bumber. And took his left wheel assembly off from the frame.
The rear end of my 3 month old truck was way more intact then what I felt from the impact, the bed of my truck was part way in the cab, broke the left leaf spring from the axle, almost took my fuel tank off and spare tire rack, both sides of my truck was badly damaged with the rear bumber folded up inside the bed on both sides, and the rear bumber between the frame and the reciever hitch stayed intact with no breaks on the reciever frame, what it looked like the reciever and the frame together help keep each other intact.
My wife came picked me up but the driver of the other truck had small injuries but was taken to the Hospital.
2 1/2 months and $16,800 of insurance money latter I got my truck back, they installed a new reciever because the paint didnt hold up from the impact :confused2:
The body shop had a 4 wheel alignment done and all reading was good and nothing was adjusted. And guess what, the idiot that hit me didnt have insurance:ashamed:
Oh, I couldnt really tell if the ball mount done any more damage than if I didnt have it in or not

 

[Trafficman]

Believe me, my 3 way hitch makes for a great deterrent against tailgaters. :thumbsup: One look at thing staring at them & they back off.
T-Man. :thumbsup:

 

[ray66v]

Totally disagree with you, I was rear ended "hard" I have a 08 Dodge dually with factory reciever and bumper had my ball mount in. I was hit by a chevy 2500, They estimated I got hit about 60 mph. I was at a stand still and saw it coming, I had a suburban in front of me stopped to turn left, I wasnt sure if they had kids or not, so I stood on my brakes to keep from hitting them to hard if I did, but I missed them by inches. After the louds *** impact, His engine was up under his seat and all front end sheet metal was all folded up under his truck, only thing that was left out front was his two frame pieces and some of the front bumber. And took his left wheel assembly off from the frame.
The rear end of my 3 month old truck was way more intact then what I felt from the impact, the bed of my truck was part way in the cab, broke the left leaf spring from the axle, almost took my fuel tank off and spare tire rack, both sides of my truck was badly damaged with the rear bumber folded up inside the bed on both sides, and the rear bumber between the frame and the reciever hitch stayed intact with no breaks on the reciever frame, what it looked like the reciever and the frame together help keep each other intact.
My wife came picked me up but the driver of the other truck had small injuries but was taken to the Hospital.
2 1/2 months and $16,800 of insurance money latter I got my truck back, they installed a new reciever because the paint didnt hold up from the impact :confused2:
The body shop had a 4 wheel alignment done and all reading was good and nothing was adjusted. And guess what, the idiot that hit me didnt have insurance:ashamed:
Oh, I couldnt really tell if the ball mount done any more damage than if I didnt have it in or not

As I have said, I could post the sky is blue on here, and someone will disagree.

No two accidents are exactly the same, due to variables like sizes of vehicles, amount of braking forces used which tend to pull the front of the striking vehicle down, speed, and angle of the hit.

You are talking about one vehicle, and I am talking countless vehicles I have repaired in the last 35 years.

Note, I said, "Because a standard hitch cannot collapse, combined with the fact that they are mounted low, they tend to be bent downward, resulting in all the areas of the body/frame the hitch is mounted to be bent in the same direction". The key word in this statement is "tend", this means there is a tendency for this to happen, but it does not mean it happens every time.

Your results are not typical. What I illustrated is.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

...the sky is blue...

I disagree.

Today it's more of a grey (gray?)

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have a locking pin on mine so I don't have to worry about thieves.

I have cut no fewer than 10 of these things off and only one for a lost key. Rust and corrosion will do havoc to the lock assembly. Guess it depends on your road/snow conditions.

Chris