OK I admit I should have been checkin my hitch better....Pulled a friends trailer today it was loaded heavy "overweight" I normally don't pull tag alongs.....anyways guess I found the roughest set of railroad crossings in the state.....next the trailer was walkin sideways so after a hairy stop I found my hitch had let loose.....why because of rust after a close look the front side of my hitch was rusted thru and broke

I had noticed that my hitch looked rusty but at that time it was surface rust (1 year ago in the northern states) seems all that salt on those northern roads killed my 9 year old hitch

Just putting out a look see.........maybe y'all should look at your hitches if y'all run on winter salt roads

 

Glad you are okay. Pre trip my Friend, pre trip.

 

A rusty ball on your hitch creates several problems. I know I have put a million miles on trailers using rusted ball hitches, but it only takes one time to see the error of your ways. even surface rust on a ball can cause it to enlarge just enough to get stuck on the trailer and you can't pull if off without using a jack under the trailer tounge. it will go on because of the weight of the trailer but won't come off. I was also getting some work done at a local trailer shop when they towed in a car, on a roll back trailer pulling a boat that because of the enlarged ball size, from the rust, the ball welded itself to the hitch from the friction heat. the trailer tounge was twisted in all directions. I would never have dreamed it if I hadn't been there.

 

Was it the ball or the hitch receiver on the truck that let go? Didn't DC have a TSB on their hitch receivers cracking a couple of years ago?

Casey

 

It was the hitch that let loose it tore apart close to the where its welded to the frame rail mount.....the metal was rusted thu....my guess was because I spend last winter in Pennsylvania and they use alot of salt on the roads plus the age of my hitch was the cause of this

Today I get a new hitch.... Titan Receiver Hitch Class 5....I don't pull tags very offen but for the price I got this hitch I couldn't pass it up

 

You might want to check with your dealer. I am almost positive that DC had a fix for that hitch problem and it might be covered. A hitch should not fail because of road salt or for that matter age. Good luck.

Casey

 

i usually put a dab of grease on the ball anyhow to prevent shavings and heat and rust welding. but good points none the less. with summer coming good idea to check the lil things!

jiMMy

 

Casey the fix was for 1999 Rams.

 

Well, my memory is good but not quite perfect.

 

Got the new Titan Receiver Hitch Class 5 on today.....nice hitch and price $180.95 installed

 

Pappyman,

Glad it all worked out for the best, nobody hurt and you with a new hitch for a song and dance

I am pulling the boat to the marina Saturday, think I will grab the creeper and look it over real good

Thanks for the tip, can't be too careful!

 

Gonna have to take a look at mine as well. I always kinda figured they were bullet-proof but now ...

Thanks for the heads up ... glad you didn't get hurt.

PISTOL

 

I was working on a friend's truck and looked over the welds on his hitch assembly...he had 3 cracked welds and was hauling a 25' TT! We pulled that sucker off and I laid down some nice hot beads of 7018 to make it all better. When you check for cracks you have to look pretty hard because lots of times it'll start as a hairline crack that's barely noticeable. Get under there w/ a small wire toothbrush to clean off all the welds and look closely w/ a flashlight.