Remove your hitch.

[schmism]

I bet that's exciting when it lets loose.

 

[3930dave]

With time available...... Soaking with your favourite metal juice....

or/and

Lots of Heat (OA torches).....

Lots of Pull (took two 4x4 trucks pulling inline (dry pavement) on one hitch at my buddy's shop one time....) ......

Lots of Pounding (sledges).......

and, like Chris said, the hitch can still just go to scrap as a one piece item.....

This problem (up here) can lead to people saying "Oh well", and just pulling with a smaller-stuck-in-place ball.

It's a whole lot simpler/safer/cheaper to just pull the drawbar.....

Rgds, D.

 

[wawajake]

I just change the ball , why buy two drawbars when I only need one , and its there when I need it . I paint it every second year .............

 

[s219]

That is pretty amazing to see, thanks for posting the pictures. I remove mine when not in use just because I know I will bang a shin or knee sooner or later.

 

[3930dave]

I just change the ball , why buy two drawbars when I only need one , and its there when I need it . I paint it every second year .............

Whatever works, safely, is all that matters. (Just a general statement.... I'm not implying that you are doing anything unsafe by just changing balls Wawa. That said, would I want the average consumer today changing balls on a drawbar - No.).

Pulling different trailers, I need a different rise on the drawbar - for that reason alone I won't tolerate a fused-in-place drawbar.

Rgds, D.

 

[ruffdog]

I tow a variety of different trailers that require different type inserts so I always pull the insert and keep a light coat of marine grease on everything so no rust forms.

 

[brokenknee]

I believe they are illegal to leave in full time in Saskatchewan for that reason ,the guy behind won't be as lucky but if he just tapped your bumper neither would be hurt.

Not illegal to leave in, in MN; that being said if the hitch or ball obscures your license plate in any way that is illegal. I know an officer that has and will write that citation. Some may just use it for PC to make the stop.

 

[JBourquin]

I tried to pull mine out the other day, been in there since last fall. The hitch itself is loose, can move it up and down. The key cylinder on the pin on the other hand has rusted so bad I can't even get the key in it to unlock. Guess I'm gonna have to hacksaw through the pin.

 

[Bigfoot62]

I tried to pull mine out the other day, been in there since last fall. The hitch itself is loose, can move it up and down. The key cylinder on the pin on the other hand has rusted so bad I can't even get the key in it to unlock. Guess I'm gonna have to hacksaw through the pin.

Hacksaw may not work. Some of those locking pins are made from hardened steel. Use a grinder to cut one end off.

 

[3930dave]

I tried to pull mine out the other day, been in there since last fall. The hitch itself is loose, can move it up and down. The key cylinder on the pin on the other hand has rusted so bad I can't even get the key in it to unlock. Guess I'm gonna have to hacksaw through the pin.

If you haven't already, try blowing out some of the crud from the cylinder with compressed air, soak with your favourite metal juice, and repeat - for as long as you have patience..... works sometimes..... at least well enough to release the lock once.

Yet another good example of the "fun" we get to have in salt country......

For light duty security (kids w. no tools) I use a pin with a tiny hasp, takes a small padlock, which seems to stand up OK for occasional use. I think it was a Reese part (?).

Good luck, grind safe if it comes to that....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

Not illegal to leave in, in MN; that being said if the hitch or ball obscures your license plate in any way that is illegal. I know an officer that has and will write that citation. Some may just use it for PC to make the stop.

My truck is long enough that the weight-distributing drawbar head I use will hang over the borderline of a downtown parking spot. Esp. in one jurisdiction that is notorious for issuing parking tickets (for anything/nothing), I make sure to take that drawbar off, the odd time I'm downtown with the truck.

Rgds, D.

 

[Soundguy]

Not illegal to leave in, in MN; that being said if the hitch or ball obscures your license plate in any way that is illegal. I know an officer that has and will write that citation. Some may just use it for PC to make the stop.

guess towing a trailer would obscure your vehicle license plate too eh?

 

[D7E]

Not illegal to leave in, in MN; that being said if the hitch or ball obscures your license plate in any way that is illegal. I know an officer that has and will write that citation. Some may just use it for PC to make the stop.

I believe it is illegal here . Tickets for it are common , Saying that ...when i sold my 1999 F150 i had to pull it out with the backhoe

 

[Markcuda]

Here is what I use, indestructible.

 

[JBourquin]

If you haven't already, try blowing out some of the crud from the cylinder with compressed air, soak with your favourite metal juice, and repeat - for as long as you have patience..... works sometimes..... at least well enough to release the lock once.

Yet another good example of the "fun" we get to have in salt country......

For light duty security (kids w. no tools) I use a pin with a tiny hasp, takes a small padlock, which seems to stand up OK for occasional use. I think it was a Reese part (?).

Good luck, grind safe if it comes to that....

Rgds, D.

I did try picking some crud out of the lock, it's pretty solid. I may have caused it. I tried packing the mechanism with never seize before putting the pin in and cap back on. That stuff hardened up so bad I might as well have packed it with JB Weld..

I'm thinking if I smack the lock side with a sledge enough I may just shatter the locking cylinder and pull the pin from the other side. Won't hurt to try anyway.

 

[3930dave]

I did try picking some crud out of the lock, it's pretty solid. I may have caused it. I tried packing the mechanism with never seize before putting the pin in and cap back on. That stuff hardened up so bad I might as well have packed it with JB Weld..

I'm thinking if I smack the lock side with a sledge enough I may just shatter the locking cylinder and pull the pin from the other side. Won't hurt to try anyway.

A penetrating oil may do a good job of softening up the NeverSz - easy enough to try.

Rgds, D.

 

[JBourquin]

Well, got my pin out. Kinda disappointing though, only took about 30sec. All I did was smack the lock towards the front of the truck with a ball-peen hammer. Spun the pin 180* and hit it again. Took a total of about 4 hits to snap the lock side of the pin right off. Doesn't really reassure me on the security of these things. Needless to say, if someone wants your hitch, they're gonna have it. Only thing these locks do is keep honest people honest.

 

[Soundguy]

that's all any locks or chains or doors and gates do.. keep honest people honest.. and keeps the opportunists out.

the determined guy with a roll off truck and a bag of tools will take what he wants..

 

[newbury]

Well, got my pin out. Kinda disappointing though, only took about 30sec. All I did was smack the lock towards the front of the truck with a ball-peen hammer. Spun the pin 180* and hit it again. Took a total of about 4 hits to snap the lock side of the pin right off. Doesn't really reassure me on the security of these things. Needless to say, if someone wants your hitch, they're gonna have it. Only thing these locks do is keep honest people honest.

I've started using a lock on the hitch pin also, but mainly for stopping some joker at a rest area pulling my hitch pin while I'm in the restroom. After further thought it may be better to just carry spare hitch pins and make sure I always check the pin before pulling off.

 

[JBourquin]

I'm thinking I'm gonna go to a hardened bolt w/a nyloc nut or double nut. If someone takes the time to remove it, they can have it.