Thought this was as good a place as any to post this question--I let my '01.5 CTD Ram go about a year ago because it was 2wd and did not even have limited slip and I could not stand to go through another Ohio winter with it--I've had Camaros that were better in the snow. Long story short, I now drive an '02 Ram 1500 4x4 gasser. When I bought it the receiver hitch had a ball mount in it with no pin, but it's rusted in and for the life of me I can not get it removed. I'm tired of my wife and other people banging into it with their legs while walking around the back of the truck. I've hit it with penetrating oil and a sledge hammer numerous times, and today I had the truck in neutral while standing on the brake pedal while my neighbor tugged at it with a heavy chain and his tractor. He was tugging it so hard the rear end of the truck was coming off the ground and the whole truck was scooting back. After all I've done I've only been able to get it to budge about maybe 1/2". Anybody have any other ideas, or is it time to just give in and buy a new receiver hitch (can't have a truck without one)? If I need to replace the hitch altogether, I can't wait to see what the bolts are like to remove.

 

Just keep dumpin the penetrating oil on and keep pullin, it'll come eventually, or get a torch and heat it up...

 

mine was in there so bad it needed to be cut out. I took a chop saw and cut the hitch to where i could split it apart and scraped the hitch.

 

I don't care if I destroy the ball mount as I have a better one I'd rather use anyway but I'd like to salvage the hitch itself (the part that bolts to the frame). The hitch actually looks pretty bad anyway; maybe I will spring for a new one. One thing's for sure, if I do it will be greased liberally to prevent this from ever happening again.

 

Sledge hammer. This tool seems to work wonders on rusted parts.

 

Are you sure with the pin out he didnt run a bead of weld around the hole, Ive seen them stuck but not that bad.

 

I'd offer that you might be spending time for nothing. The true problem may be the receiver, not the head. If you replace the hitch, just impact or cut the bolts and use new parts to attach it.

You did get me thinking on this just now. Since you got it to move with the sledge.........what about cutting off the ball mount and welding on a large bolt. You'd also have to purchase a short piece of heavy square tubing the same size as the receiver tube. Slide the new tube over the head and bolt. Place a small piece of plate over the end of the tube and add a flat washer and a large nut. Put a little torque on the nut and give it a couple (dozen) wacks with a three pounder while applying torque with a wrench and cheater. I'm betting it'll come out.

 

I had one stuck so bad that I had to chain the hitch to a tree and use the truck to pull it out.. After about 3 boosted launches it came out.

 

I had one stuck in the wife's full size Bronco that had been in there for over 2 years. Tried pulling it out with the Cummins while the wife had it in park and was standing on the brake. The only thing it did was drag the Bronco.

Hit the gap around the ball mount with a good amount of PB Blaster and whacked it from side to side with a sledge, still wouldn't budge. Hit it with the PB again and then drove the ball mount into the receiver. Hooked up the Dodge again and it popped right out.

 

The tree or the head?

 

You have to work it both in and out to free the hitch. Most likely it is sand and road grit that has it stuck. Try a pressure washer to wash out as much sand as possible.

 

Thats what I was thinking.. If you can get at it from the front, try and get a bar long enough to pound it out from the front. You will have to drop the spare to get enough space to swing at it.

 

The head... The tree was a big old burr oak.. The first launch I didn't have my seatbelt on. About launched through the windshield

 

Heat Wrench, Penitrating oil, heat wrench, then Use the truck to pull not a tractor. keep the chain or strap level. If the tractor was lifting it was applying the force wrong. Just my .02

 

i had one stuck one time and had to come-a-long it to a tree. tighten it up, wail on it with a sledge, crank the come-a-long, hammer some more, etc.