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stress cracks in trailer hitch


Guest Corvette Bill

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Guest Corvette Bill

Over the weekend I was preping my Surburban for the Louisville trip and part of the prep was checking the tourqe on the hitch receiver bolts thats when I noticed stress cracks on both side near where it bolts to the frame.

This is a factory installed class three hitch on a 3/4 ton truck.

So a word of warning to everyone make sure to not only check the mounting bolts but give the whole hitch a good going over.

I have ordered a class 4 receiver that I will be installing before Louisville trip.

Bill

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Guest billybird

I'm glad you caught that; averting a potential dangerous situation. Now, have a safe trip to Louisville.

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Several years ago while towing back from Hershey the trailer seemed loosey and goosey. I gave it a quick look over twice but nothing was apparently wrong. when I disconnected the trailer I found the ball nut had backed off about a 1/4" and the ball loose. The ball nuts on my receivers are now put on with lock tite, self locking nuts, lock washers, and have a hole drilled through with a cotter pin...............Bob

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Not to wish it upon anyone but you truly have not really towed until you have a trailer or trailer wheel try to pass you! I once had a bobcat trailer wheel pass me on a four lane state highway. For a moment I actually wondered where it came from. The equipment was owned by my employer who did not take his equipment as serious as you need too.

I'm only proud to say no one was hurt.

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Guest Corvette Bill

In 1996 I was heading to Fla. with a 31ft. travel trailer with tandem axle, traveling 65mph on I95 in NC. when the leaf springs snaped right in front of the rear axle which allowed the two trailer tires to come together and lock up it was lots of white smoke and rubber burning smell till I got to the shoulder. From that day on I learned that all parts of your truck and trailer needs inspected for safety sake. You could see where a couple of leaves had been cracked for a while before the last one broke.

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Ex wife was towing someone elses horse trailer with 2 horses aboard down the interstate at twilight. She turned on the headlights and the trailer brakes locked up at 55 mph. Plug had been wired wrong. Luckily she had the presence of mind to turn off the lights quickly.

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A few months ago a friend lost his entire open trailer and vehicle he was hauling as the welds broke on the trailer that attached the A-square tubing / tongue. Luckily no one was behind him when it let loose. It was an aluminum trailer and my guess would be that the heat from welding effected the overall strength of the aluminum weakening it.

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A few months ago a friend lost his entire open trailer and vehicle he was hauling as the welds broke on the trailer that attached the A-square tubing / tongue. Luckily no one was behind him when it let loose. It was an aluminum trailer and my guess would be that the heat from welding effected the overall strength of the aluminum weakening it.

Ron, are u saying the tongue was aluminum?...............Bob

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