Must remove the hitch?

[Soundguy]

Some of your hitches must stick out way further than mine. Mine only sticks out about 6 inches from the bumper. I can't imagine why someone would be walking past the back of my truck so close than their shin is six inches from my truck. How do they avoid their arm/side rubbing down the length of the tailgate??

exactly.

Heck on my f450, the hitch is actually recessed a few inches under the bumper area, and with a standard drawbar in.. it sticks out only about 4"

 

[ruffdog]

almost sounds like you are a proponent of the 'no personal resposibility- trip and sue' faction unless I'm reading the last few of your posts intents incorrectly?

Actually, you ARE reading me wrong. I take great responsibility in NOT getting sued. If it is a way for people to sue others, I chose not to test the waters by leaving the hitch in. This thread has many opinions on the hitches and why people chose to do what they do. Hey, it's a free country. I am now finding out that it is common for vehicles to get a bent frame from a rear impact. It seems it gets much worse the more of a drop your insert has. The damage can also happen if you are towing and you hit a vehicle and your trailer pushes on the hitch insert. Newer FS trucks get MORE damage because they use longer drop inserts which have more leverage. A common place for the F150 to bend is between the rear axle and the rearmost spring shackle......interesting.

 

[bcp]

I once saw a pickup with those extended drawbars used under long campers, but the camper was removed. The hitch stuck back almost 4 feet. It must have been the only insert he had. That is one that REALLY should have been removed after towing.

Bruce

 

[Soundguy]

Ok, that's why i asked. didn't want to take it wrong if not meant that way.

makes me wonder what the people do with delivery trucks that have those fold up lift defks. there are things sticking out all over. if they are gonna trip on a drawbar.. a lift deck might be a death sentence.

what about those dump trucks with permanent pintle hitches?

why are people walking sooo close to a vehicle that their arms must be touching it for legs to hit drawbars?

Actually, you ARE reading me wrong. I take great responsibility in NOT getting sued. If it is a way for people to sue others, I chose not to test the waters by leaving the hitch in. This thread has many opinions on the hitches and why people chose to do what they do. Hey, it's a free country. I am now finding out that it is common for vehicles to get a bent frame from a rear impact. It seems it gets much worse the more of a drop your insert has. The damage can also happen if you are towing and you hit a vehicle and your trailer pushes on the hitch insert. Newer FS trucks get MORE damage because they use longer drop inserts which have more leverage. A common place for the F150 to bend is between the rear axle and the rearmost spring shackle......interesting.

 

[ruffdog]

sounds like the truck had to back in or pull thru and be going the wrong direction for the drawbar to be between him and another vehicle. who wants to pull thru going the wrong direction? makes it hard to safely pull out.

That is EXACTLY what they are doing and most lots here have that type of parking.

In fact, a gal I know just had the front of her new car messed up because a truck backed into the parking spot ahead of her. The problem was he forgot he had one of those carry-alls stuck in his receiver. Like you said, it's more dangerous parking like that.

I like my life simple with the least headaches. I've never sued anyone and no one has sued me....I want to keep it that way too.

 

[ruffdog]

We have elderly people here that instead of using a walker, they hold onto vehicles as they walk. Truck's tailgate makes the best handle I guess. True, most inserts are short but I do have one that sticks out a good 6" farther than most. I also have some big drop (8-10-12") inserts that stick out a little more. Once I saw a vehicle parked in a lot with one of those RV hitches with the 2 arms sticking out 3-4 FEET!!!!! We get all kinds here.

 

[Loadstar]

How is it different than a mirror? How is it different than if I slip on ice and my head hits your bumper? If someone wants to find a lawsuit they will. I don't care how prepared you are. I am not going to change my lifestyle and be consumed with it. If it is legal for my hitch to be in then it is in.

 

[Soundguy]

That is EXACTLY what they are doing and most lots here have that type of parking.

In fact, a gal I know just had the front of her new car messed up because a truck backed into the parking spot ahead of her. The problem was he forgot he had one of those carry-alls stuck in his receiver. Like you said, it's more dangerous parking like that.

I like my life simple with the least headaches. I've never sued anyone and no one has sued me....I want to keep it that way too.

yup.. backing into an angled parking spot is just a bad idea. puts you against traffic when you want to leave.. and if traffic is heavy.. you might be their a bit!

As to what's in the drawbar holder. i have a pretty good idea where my truck ends and the outside world begins, but i'd be worried about others not knowing where their car ends and my truck begins. i got my right front quarter panel clipped by a mini car backing into a parking space near me. busted their plastic mirror, tore my trim off, dented my front quarter at the flair, and cracked the edge of my lamp assy, luckily in a dry area of the lense that had no lamp behind it. People here are bad about crunching into dually rear fenders. there is a local body shop here that I think is putting their kids thru college fixing pretty much a steady diet of dually fenders. the 2 part ones aren't as bad as the unibody ones.

drivers here for some reason see them things and love backing into them or swinging doors into them..e tc.

 

[Soundguy]

We have elderly people here that instead of using a walker, they hold onto vehicles as they walk. Truck's tailgate makes the best handle I guess. True, most inserts are short but I do have one that sticks out a good 6" farther than most. I also have some big drop (8-10-12") inserts that stick out a little more. Once I saw a vehicle parked in a lot with one of those RV hitches with the 2 arms sticking out 3-4 FEET!!!!! We get all kinds here.

I'm sorry. i'd have to fight that one in court till the plantif and I were both broke and dead.

If your walking skills are so low that you have to hold onto my vehicle to do so.. then you run into my vehicle while holding onto it? I'll defend that lawsuit till the end.

 

[Loadstar]

We have elderly people here that instead of using a walker, they hold onto vehicles as they walk. Truck's tailgate makes the best handle I guess. True, most inserts are short but I do have one that sticks out a good 6" farther than most. I also have some big drop (8-10-12") inserts that stick out a little more. Once I saw a vehicle parked in a lot with one of those RV hitches with the 2 arms sticking out 3-4 FEET!!!!! We get all kinds here.

Oh great so when they slip and their ring snags my tailgate and their finger gets de-gloved I get sued. Maybe I should screw some handicap rails around my truck to cater to the needs of others.