HELP! Hitch stuck in receiver on my truck!

[Will_C]

Like Cap't Bob, I found the hitch rusted on my last truck when I went to take it to the dealer to trade. After 30 minutes of banging, spraying, jacking, and pulling with the tractor, I said to heck with it and left it in. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I needed a deeper drop for the new truck any how!!!!
Will
P.S. Although I will be more diligent about removing the hitch, I have to agree with the posters about the crash protection the hitch provides. Happened to me once, new bumper for my truck, new front grill and radiator for the car behind me!

 

[KubotaSteve]

Leaving the hitch in may be a good idea but now days may not be such a good idea. If you are in a store and someone walks into in, they may try to sue you in this lawsuit happy time. I only put the hitch in when I'm going to use it. Besides, most of our hitches stay with what ever trailer the height is set for.

 

[SPIKER]

I agree about it stops the other car from doing as much damage to you're truck, but one left in does a LOT of damage to a little old lady. took my mom out a bout 1 or so years back and we were walking out through a parking lot she walked around a truck, being a bit unsteady at 80+ yrs old she ended up taking one heck of a wack into ther shin & knee. as well as proceded to fall over the hitch tearing her clothing some and falling onto her arm and twisting her wrist very hard. she is a very indipendant person and wouldn't let someone HOLD HER HAND to walk to/fro places back then. she still has scars on her leg from it. I wouldn't want to sue someone for that but I'm sure there would be a many person that WOULD. you are responceable for you're own stuff even when parked in some wally world lot. anyhow I too have smacked my shinn more than a few times on my own and other peoples hitches. one really pissed me off in a very dark parking lot one night after a movie. these idiots had one of those rear hitch add on carries that stick out about 4 feet! that one sliced up my leg and pants some... and yes I have a harder time seeing in the dark but a black part sticking several feet behind a car/truck is stupid and a hazzard..

MarkM /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif.

 

[bczoom]

I too am with all about removing it for the reasons stated.

For the "getting hit from the back", the bumper and hitch (without the receiver) on a truck should still win against the front of a car. The height difference alone is normally enough to give them a lot more damage. Isn't it still pretty common that in an accident, the person in the rear is at fault anyway?

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Twice I've had people bump me from behind in traffic when I've had my hitch in. Significant damage )</font>

Ditto.. I had some punk kids hit my truck in a parking lot.. completely ruined the front rubber/plastic cowling they had on their car. They tried to park halfway into my space. It was a 2" ball, and and they must have tried hard to hit it.. cause I had the tounge flipped up to make it 2" taller.. so they were trying to park waaaay close.

Soundguy

 

[keeney]

Something I learned from an ME I worked with: "Most mechanical problems can be solved more force or more lubrication".

In the recevier hitch battle, I would go with a triple combination of penetrating oil (applied several times over a couple of days in advance) in combination with an impacting type of force going back and forth in both directions, and maybe some heat to expand the recevier box if it can be done safely away from any nearby gas tank. The key is to go both directions to get the oil a chance to get in there and help loosen corrosion and grit that is wedged in there.

Another helpful thing is to vary the angle of the impact and use some side-impact. This will tend to help the stuck part self-lever itself out and also loosen the wedging grit.

Straight pulling with a strap, cable, or chain is likely to bend other parts of the vehicle or whatever its pulling on. Especially when frustration sets in and attempts are made to jerk the thing loose with a good running start.

A carefully tensioned strap in combination with some hammering while its tensioned may be an effective technique.

- Rick

 

[F100Panel]

Had this happen to me too. Only thing that worked- Block the truck near a tree. Put a come-a-long from tree to hitch. Not a real big tree..... Put enough tension on the come-a-long to bend the tree some.. Hit hitch with hammer & retighten the come-a-long as necessary. The contant pull with the hammering freed mine. Best of luck!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[markct]

a guy a few houses up from me did that to try and get his winch mount outa his front reciever, he hadnt chose the best tree tho and unfourtanatly altho it was a big tree, it wasnt healthy, and he had hooked it about 4ft up to get the best angle to pull the reciever out, well as ya can figure the tree took a fall towards his truck, luckly it sorta went off to one side, only got the front right corner of the truck, still did considerable damage tho

 

[johndeere2210]

Aside from the obvious damage to the shins that have been mentioned before, I take my hitch out after use, put it in a nice padded zipper bag and stow it under the back seat of my truck. This is a lesson learned after donating two drops to some one that needed them worse than I did. Tried the locking pin, but freeing up the lock after a Nebraska winter is almost as bad as having the drop stuck in the receiver.

 

[slydog]

PB Blaster. Best stuff I've found for losening and penetrating. Available at most auto parts places.

Ken