archer39

Anyone ever have their receiver get stuck in the hitch? I don't know how long it's been in there but the previous owner said it was in there when he got the truck. I have tried spaying it over the course of a few weeks. I beat it to death with a sledge hammer and heated it with a torch until it was red then slammed it some more. Ran out of oxygen today in the torch so i had to stop. Anyone have any tricks or tips on getting this thing out. O yea i also hooked it up to my buddy's Chevy and pulled it across the drive way.

archer39

also, it is a pintle hitch so there is a nice place to hammer on so i was getting good hits on it.

2500

sounds like it's stuck solid!!!

this probably will work... take entire receiver hitch assembly off.

then use a solid steel square stock in a 35+ ton press to push out.
a sledge hammer against square stock should work too

GAmes

Or, take entire assembly off and buy a better one. The Dodge receivers are weak anyway.

archer39

are the back side of most receivers solid (as in not hollow)? I was thinking about cutting hold in the back of the hitch where receiver is and trying to hammer on that way. i guess if that does not work i will have to get some more oxygen and cut the bolts off and put it in the press.

archer39

unless if dodge uses reese hitches it is not the factory hitch. The truck is a 93 so i don't think they came from factory with one anyway.

Need95-00CTD

Buy a new receiver... thats all you can do. I hooked my 95 up to a telephone pole, and drove away thinking it would break free, 9 stitches later (I bit through my lower lip) I still didn't have the hitch out... I hit the steering wheel with my face as I slammed the truck against the strap attached to the pole. I was amazed nothing broke, but if yanking it out with another truck doesn't work, nothing will.

2500

most receivers are hollow.. allowing you to drive hitch back out.

one advantage pressing has over hooking up a strap/chain. a press will put force directly down vs pulling puts side force, which helps hold hitch in place.

use lots of penetrating oil, leaving overnight. before pressing.

longhorn

I just bought a 1 ton flatdeck dually and am doing the same exact thing.
I sprayed it and have been beating on it with a sledge every time I go by it.
I tied it to a tree and broke 2 chains.
I beat on it somemore...............I WILL WIN!

stumpjumper

try some mopar penetrating oil in a black spray can. it has done wonders for stuck things at work. if that doesn't work, how good are you with a torch, perhaps cut it out?

$oC@l CTD

With trucks that weigh 7000+lbs and a receiver rated at 12000LBS MAX, doesn't it seem like a bad idea to throw such an immediately HEAVY load on the receiver (especially one that seems to be rusted and not at it's "best") such as tying off and trying to jerk that sucker out of there? Say maybe the hitch DOES come out and becomes a projectile...or the chain breaks and becomes a projectile, etc...I don't know, guess I would just go about things differently.

On the other hand, if that hitch is stuck in the receiver THAT badly, it is pretty apparent that you have a corrosion condition and I wouldn't trust ANY ratings of that receiver anymore. I would take it off, cut my losses and get another unit...like you said, no telling how long that thing has been stuck in there and how thick that rust might be.

Diesel_Dan

I would try to cut it out. I bet if you cut a slit in the hitch from the back of the reciever where it is open then you will unload a lot of the pressure holding it in. Then try to beat it out. Have done this to get lots of things apart, pins on heavy equipment a lot. I have even seen it done to a trucks hitch just like I am talking about, worked for my buddy. Good Luck

P.J

Nice admit, that's the best one I've heard since the guy here popped his emergency brake lever (thought it was the hood one), broke his ankle by running himself over and then watched his truck roll over into the neighbors yard.

Ah, the things I wish were captured on video.

Anyway, I'm thinking the previous posters are correct. For the few hundred bucks it will cost, I'd just get a whole new set up. They can be a pain to fight in and out anyway, not mentioning with that much rust build up.

2500

can't go wrong with buying a new receiver... but don't assume just because hitch is frozen/rusted in receiver slot, rest of hitch is bad.

fit between receiver slot to hitch has to be tight by design. this facilitate joint rusting up. this has nothing to do with rest of hitch.

totally agree that trying to yank it out using chains, etc exposes anchor points to excessive forces. now this could destroy your hitch.

solution is really pretty simple.... take hitch off. then press out from back side. if that doesn't work... it's new hitch time

welndmn

I'd try putting a load on it again.
Hook it up to a come-along winch and put some pull on it.
Then I would rap on the outside of the receiver to see if you can vibrate it free.