Leave Hitch In Receiver?

[rback33]

Ive gotten hit twice in 26 years of driving, once in the front, once in the back. Thats not toooo bad is it. The front hit did $1100 damage, the back did $0 because of the hitch. I was sitting still at intersections both times.
That doesnt include the hit and run I commited as a drunkin teen.

So you were sitting still and got hit from the FRONT? That musta been a lousy thing to see coming and not be able to do a darn thing about...

 

[sandman2234]

Wife got hit in the rear end this morning by a youngster with a new license. The p/u has a small dent in the chrome rear bumper, and the front end of his S-10 was destroyed. He did manage to drive it off, but only home since he was only blocks from the house.
I always leave it in, just in case...
David from jax

 

[fire72]

I'm one of those who leaves the ball mount in the reciever. I tow very frequently, and I've learned over the years to pay attention to where my shins are while in back of the truck. I'm not too worried about it rusting in place, since I have to change back and forth between the 2" and 2 5/16" balls fairly frequently. I did have one experience years back when removing the ball mount from the reciever on one of my employer's mowing trucks took a torch, a sledgehammer, and several guys sweating for half an hour.

I stay away from lockable hitch pins. I just don't see the need where I live. When I bought my truck, it had a decorative hitch cover mounted with a locking pin. The lock was too corroded to function, so I had to get out a grinder and cut the pin to get it out. I could see needing a lock in areas with more theft, but not where I am.

 

[RayH]

So you were sitting still and got hit from the FRONT? That musta been a lousy thing to see coming and not be able to do a darn thing about...

Yea, there wasnt much I could do. I tried to get it in reverse but wasnt fast enough. The guy had the green and was making a left turn from the cross street and ran right into my front driver corner. Said he didnt see me sitting there. I dont know, the guy was about 100 years old, he probably didnt see me.

 

[ShookFarm]

I have a friend who changed my mind on this. Up until I met him, I always removed my receiver bar with 2" ball and tucked it away in a denim bag (sewn up pants leg) slid under the rear bench of my Sierra. He stated he'd been rear ended a couple of times. The first time it was the replacement of his tailgate and chrome rear bumper out of his pocket due to the loser who hit him not having insurance. The second time, it was replacement of a $15 hitch ball (bad scuff mark/gouge in the ball).

It's not happened to me - yet! Yet being the key word. But, if it does, maybe it will save me the cost of a replacement tailgate and bumper. I use a locking pin and clean it and keep it lubed as well as covered as theft happens fairly frequently in SE Missouri. Locking pins and receiver bars are cheap compared to my deductible!!!!

 

[schmism]

I keep mine in 24/7 with a lockable pin so it doesnt dissapear.

ive had 2 people rear end me.

I have about a 5" drop version so it acts like a big captin hook.

both times the impact is a bounce... so first you drive the hitch in deep, then you pull it out takeing full bumpers, grills, radiators everything with it.

damage to me 0.

cost for being stupid and not paying attention... big!

I love to see the look on there face...

 

[Bird]

It seems a number of people like to leave the hitch mount in the receiver in order to do as much damage as possible to any vehicle that should rear end them. Not me. If having it in there prevents or minimizes damage to my vehicle, I can go along with that. But I have no desire to see the damage increased to anyone who should rear me. If they have insurance, then their own cost is the same (their deductible), but their insurance company has to pay more, and the more the insurance companies have to pay out, the higher all our premiums will be.

And what about the folks caught in the middle; i.e., you stop at a stop light, the car behind you stops also, but one behind him hits him hard enough to knock him into you. Will you be proud that your hitch mount increased the damage to an innocent person's car?

 

[Slamfire]

I have seen in some catalog I forget the name of a fiberglass rod that wraps around the hitch, and offers enough resistance to keep your shin off the danged thing. It is suppose to be bendy enough to keep your skin intact. If I ever see it again, I'm gonna buy one. ;-)

 

[jayhaitch]

Why do some of you use grease to keep the ballmount rust free instead of a spray type lube (WD-40 etc)? I've gotten covered in old grease a few times replacing the ball mount, so started spraying them. Much cleaner.

 

[IslandManMitch]

If you live in Florida you had best pull it out for a good greasing on occasion or it will become a permanent part of your bumper.

 

[Highbeam]

JH, If you're referring to greasy balls then there ahve been long threads about that. I keep a layer of grease on mine just like I would lube a ball joint on a car.

 

[jayhaitch]

Found the greasy balls thread And I thought this was a family station......

 

[neverenough]

Do you leave your hitch in your receiver or do you pull it out and store it?
I always leave mine in. Today I noticed some rust on the receiver pin and it got me thinking.

When I had my '99 PSD that I bought a year and a couple months old, the previous owner left the hitch in the whole time he owned it (I'm guessing). I hooked a chain to the hitch and a cemented steel post. High range-low range 4x4-first gear-light running start, no matter what I did, I couldn't get it out. Ended up replacing the whole receiver. I live in the "rust belt", but still, over time they will rust into place quite solid, no matter where you live. It just might take a lot longer down south.

 

[patrick_g]

Right on Howlin Wolf, I have hit my shins some hard licks and never a stolen ball but have done some serious damage when rear ended. Never a problem hurting my truck frame. I have a Class V 14,000 lb receiver adapted down to a "standard" 2 inch receiver. Some guy hit me at about 10MPH when I was stopped for a light. It bent his Chevy truck bumper bretty bad, ruined his radiator, shoved a fender into (and ruining) a front tire, and he had to be towed. I got a non essential cosmetic scrape.

I haven't noticed piles of debris next to my hitch but folks tend to give me more space and not crowd me. My drawbar is forged one piece solid steel and pretty heavy.

Pat

 

[TwinWillows]

I leave my hitch in all the time & have learned to watch my shins. A tennis ball sometimes covers the ball when it's greasy.

 

[stevenf]

This is an innocent reply to leaving your reciever hitch in place and most likely there is an issue overlooked by those of you that leave yours in. Its not if someone will bump it, its when I had a poor old gal following me on the way to work and every light she'd hit me it is 6 lights before my parking lot on about hit number 3 I got out and asked her if she realized she was doing awful damage to her car by hitting my hitch she just smiled and nodded on the sixth hit my receiver hitch penetrated her new caddy thru the grill and radiator and she followed me into my parking lot and appolgized, said she couldn't see to well. I called her a wrecker as all the radiator fluid was pouring out of her car. I called my insurance company just to let them know it took place in case this woman tried to file a claim and also had a police report filed, the insurance folks told me that any time a hitch ball is struck it and the frame attachment bolts should be replaced because of internal fractures on the hardened steel shank and ball. Do ya'll replace your hitch ball and frame bolts everytime someone bumps your reciever hitch just to make sure you don't get to watch your new tractor go sailing past you the first time you have to stop fast. Put me in the camp of removing your reciever hitch when not in use.
Steve

 

[Dargo]

You guys seem to get hit alot.

I always leave mine in now after taking two hits from behind without any damage. The last hit was from a Ford Aerojunk. My drop hitch went through his grill, radiator, and cracked his block. He was sited for DUI and his vehicle was totalled. I received zero damage.

 

[Highbeam]

"My drop hitch went through his grill, radiator, and cracked his block."

Holy smokes, that's great. I am about convinced to try and leave my non-WD hitch in the receiver just from reading about the experiences here in this thread. I hope my shins can take it. Will drink extra milk.

 

[slaveToHorses]

Having been involved in racing...I don't want anything on my truck that is likely to get engaged with another vehicle, in the case of an accident. I want that other vehicle to bounce off and be gone.

Low speed accidents are one thing but high speed is quite another.

I am with Bird. I get no pleasure out of other people's damage. I had a mustang self destruct into the rear of my old 92 chevy 3/4t. No ball in the receiver and not a scratch on my bumper, much less the truck. If I had the ball in I would have had to replace the ball and it would have done even more damage to the car

Plus not having the hitch in lets me back up closer to stuff, like walls, sidewalks...

 

[JamesH]

When we lived in CA we had to move into an apartment for awhile. Parking outside was very limited. I removed my rear bumper and installed a rear roll pan with a hidden hitch behind it. I did this mainly to get the few extra inches of clearance so I could park the truck in the attached garage. It is a full size GMC extended cab short bed BTW.
The license plate flips down and the receiver is right there. So I pull mine out everytime when I am done with it.
A week before we moved out of CA a girl in a Yukon hit my wife in the rear while she was stopped at a light. Did about $2K of damage. Punched a hole through that roll pan and displaced the bed altogether.
My 2 year old was in the back seat all buckled up just like she should have been. The girl could not have been going more than 10MPH if that. But did you know by law the insurance company has to pay for a new car seat? Damaged or not.
Regards,
James