Bent Hitch on my Truck

[Ga_Boy]

I was hauling logs the other day, had about 7,000 to 8,000 pounds on my trailer.  When I got home to unload, I noticed my hitch was bent down, then it hit me.

I let the execavator operator load me to far forward, these were some big Red and White Oaks

DanG it, DanG it,  DanG it. :( :(

Now I gotta get my hitch fixed. 

Not sure if this one can be strightened or I gotta replace it.  Anyone done this before?



Mark


DanG it, DanG it, DanG it. 





Mark

[JimBuis]

I have straightened out a hitch or two.  The main question is what kind of hitch is it?  You'd also need to check for cracks that may have been created during your haul.  Look closely at any welds in the hitch.  If there are any cracks, I would not attempt it unless you are a welder.  Absent any cracks, you may be able to straighten it.  Do you have any pictures of the hitch and showing just how bad it is?  You can sometimes straighten one by putting on a heavy load in the truck and jack up the back of the truck using a hydraulic jack under the hitch.  If you try this, you need to make sure the truck is sitting on level concrete or similar hard surface with nothing around it in case it falls off of the jack.  Don't have any kids or close bystanders around either.

With some pictures, suggestions would be easier to make.  Whatever, you do......BE CAREFUL! :P

[Ga_Boy]

Jim,

Great minds think a like.  My first thought was to put my 20 ton jack on the hitch and start jacking.

I'll take some pictures tonight and post. 

Here is what I have:  2004 GMC K3500, factory class IV hitch.

If you can picture the recever coming out; this thing is bent downward about 5 to 10 degrees.



Mark

[Dan_Shade]

the only problem with straightening a bent hitch is stress-strain hardening, it would probably be ok, but it may (probably will) weaken the strength of the hitch.

hard to tell what kind of safety factor is in the hitch in the first place. 

Is it useable the way it is, or does it just look really bad?

You can probably get a new hitch for your truck pretty cheap.

[Ga_Boy]

Dan,

The hitch is useable for now, too me it just looks bad.  I try to keep all my equipment is A1 condition. 

I am leaning towards putting a class V on my truck, I checked prices this morning, they run about $200.

I am seeing two varients, square tube and oval tube designs.  Is it personal perferance or is there a differance in these two materials?


Mark

[Ironwood]

I ripped a class III out of the back of my  old F250 High Boy. Now I make sureto beef things up, including load dispersion plates on the top side of the frame were the bolts go through, which seems to be the main difference in ther class 3-5. Never can be enough metal back there!

  On the tube style, no preference unless you are going to do some alteration then the sqare is easier to work with. The other thing I freaquently do is HEAVY winching, keep that in mind as well as the forces generated are completely of a different nature.

                        REID

[Doc]

$200 bucks is cheap compared to what it might cost you if you straighten that hitch and it fails on you WITH A LOAD ON IT.

Save yourself alot of hassle, your neck and possibly someone elses, and get an upgraded hitch....

Doc

[Kevin_H.]

I have the factory hitch on my 97 chevy, The problem I had when I bent mine is that it also bent the frame where the hitch bolts up.

the hitch on mine bolts to the bottom on the frame, I think the ones that bolt to the side of the frame will stand up a little better.

[etat]

I know what I'

[Captain]

I'll echo kevin and say check the frame...

Captain

[Ga_Boy]

I don't think I bent the frame, the bumper and the step is still level to the ground.

I crawled underneeth and did not see any signs of the frame bent.  This hitch bolts to the side of the frame rail.

Now, ain't real sure what a tell - tell sign of a bent frame is.

Anybody got any clues?




Mark

[Gilman]

When it sparks driving down the road?

[Ga_Boy]

When it sparks driving down the road?

:D :D :D 8) 8) 8) :D :D :D

[Doc]

After hauling that giant planer home I bet Gilman knows all about sparks and roads. :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Gilman]

Color safe bleach is a scam. :D

[Ga_Boy]

Took my truck back to the dealer for them to fix some other stuff.  They checked out my hitch while they had my truck.

The dealer response was; I need to replace my bumper.  I could not believe I was hearing this.  A few days later the dealer called back to follow up on my satisification with the service.  Told them I was not happy about the response on my hitch and they were to do a visual inspection of my brakes; I noted metal to metal grinding.  For the brakes all they did was a test drive, that was a week ago and I ain't herd squat back.  So much for customer service.

I'm gonna order a class V hitch, this will raise my towing limit to 12K pounds and level the bumber.

I have not found the digital optimize program for pictures yet.  I on a new box at home and need this to up load my pictures.  As soon as I get my hands on this program I will get some pics up.



Mark