Hitch Rattle

[foggy1111]

I just took delivery of a new Jeep Overland a week ago....and took a road trip in it on Monday/Tuesday. Nice vehicle!!....but....pulled a trailer for 300 miles. Wow....talk about hitch rattle!! I thought it would drive me nuts. :confused2:

Last nite I did a google search to purchase a solution (I don't want to weld on my receiver or ball mount). I found a product called Hitch-Vice at hitchrider.com

From what I saw and what little I could read about this product....it appears somebody has found a solution. I spent $30 (+ shipping) and have one on the way. Anyone else have one of these?

 

[kevinj]

I can't picture a hitch rattling with proper tongue load. My truck has the 2.5" receiver with an adapter for 2" and it only rattles if I leave it in with no trailer.

 

[foggy1111]

I can't picture a hitch rattling with proper tongue load. My truck has the 2.5" receiver with an adapter for 2" and it only rattles if I leave it in with no trailer.

This is more of a problem in recent years. I have had two SUV's now...both with uni-body.....and the hitch rattle is horrible. Much worse with lite loads and little tounge weight. (Never had a big problem in time gone by either.) I think the tolerances are opened up and the uni-body transmits more noise.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Tongue weight will help but like you have already figured out its the Uni-Body car acting like a big drum and amplifying the noise. We see this all the time.

I have tried just using a 5/8" bolt and snugging it up, wrapping the bar with electrical tape, ect. The best fix is to weld beads on 2 sides. I run 2 parallel beads with my wire welder then grind it to fit snug then hit it with a coat of paint. Just the nature of the beast with a Uni-Body tow vehicle transmitting more noise.

Chris

 

[Newblue]

Expensive drawbars but R&P carriages sells a solution.
Aluminum Receiver Hitch Ball Mount V-5 14000# 2" Drp 1" - eBay (item 370433533285 end time Dec-15-10 18:01:42 PST)

 

[JerryK]

I clean everything up, then shim the hitch with thin pieces of sheet stainless. You have to play around with it little to get the right combination on each side. When you get it snug enough so you can not push it in by hand the last couple inches....take it back apart and spray black satin Rustolem into the receiver and on the hitch...put the shims back in place and pound it in the last few inches with a rubber hammer [when the paint is still wet]. Put the cross pin in and recoat everything with the paint. If you need sheet stainless, keep your eyes open for old pots and pans......or look in your wives cupboards [ when she is gone shopping is the prefered time..... ] You have to hook a chain on it and yank it out someday...but it will not clunk anymore...

 

[Diamondpilot]

I clean everything up, then shim the hitch with thin pieces of sheet stainless. You have to play around with a little to get the right combination on each side. When you get it snug enough so you can not push it in by hand the last couple inches....take it back apart and spray black satin Rustolem into the receiver and on the hitch...put the shims back in place and pound it in the last few inches with a rubber hammer. Put the cross pin in and recoat everything with the paint. If you need sheet stainless, keep your eyes open for old pots and pans......or look in your wives cupboards [ when she is gone shopping is the prefered time..... ] You have to hook a chain on it and yank it out someday...but it will not clunk anymore...

This would be a pain if you are like me and have 3 or 4 different draw bars for different ball sizes and drops.

Chris

 

[bdeboer]

I can't picture a hitch rattling with proper tongue load. My truck has the 2.5" receiver with an adapter for 2" and it only rattles if I leave it in with no trailer.

I was picturing him pulling a small landscape trailer with a ramp gate. My 6x10landscape trailer rattles if empty no matter what truck is pulling it because it is tail heavy due to the ramp.

 

[foggy1111]

This would be a pain if you are like me and have 3 or 4 different draw bars for different ball sizes and drops.

Chris

Exactly. I'm not looking for a permanent mount. I like to remove it when its not needed. (plus I don't bang my shins )

The thing is.....these vehicles cost allot of dough.....and this is a KNOWN PROBLEM.....especially with SUV's. You'd think one of the major car companies or hitch makers could solve this issue....if they just tried a little. ****....maybe they could even make a buck on the solution.

I've looked at every anti-rattle ball-mount made....and passed on most of them cause they all leave something to be desired. (For example....those above, with the little spring loaded balls don't stand up.)

Still, I think what I purchased above is gonna fill the bill. As soon as "brown" shows up.....I will write a report on how it works.

 

[foggy1111]

Tongue weight will help but like you have already figured out its the Uni-Body car acting like a big drum and amplifying the noise. We see this all the time.

I have tried just using a 5/8" bolt and snugging it up, wrapping the bar with electrical tape, ect. The best fix is to weld beads on 2 sides. I run 2 parallel beads with my wire welder then grind it to fit snug then hit it with a coat of paint. Just the nature of the beast with a Uni-Body tow vehicle transmitting more noise.

Chris

I think the tape method works for lots of people Chris. If it had not been so cold I would have done that (it was like -10 below and I didn't have any tape tho). I think wood shims work pretty well too....for a while.

I always wonder if you welded on a hitch or modified it in any way.....and you were in a BAD accident? Law-suit time for some enterprising attorney?