rusted receiver removal.

[Skyco]

Just taking the drawbar out every month or so and cleaning it up and/or hosing it down with WD40 has worked for me for 30+ years...
Most of the time I'm swapping drawbars around enough anyway for different trailers it isn't a problem.
As for welded receivers and metal strength some may be be heat treated after welding, so no telling what one is doing to the properties using a lot of heat or welding on it...I know at least one receiver I've had over the years had a label it was heat treated and don't weld on it...

 

[Diamondpilot]

The simple fix is to use the receiver the way it was intended and take out the bar after each use. I have 6 bars that I have to use on a weekly basis going from no drop to 6" drop, 2" balls and 2 5/16" balls, solid and hollow, ect.

Chris

 

[Scooby074]

lube it with penetrant for a week then get at it with a sledge! beat it up/down , left/right till it loosens. Thats how i get mine out when they rust in place. you can also try a undersize pin with a trailer to loosen things up too.

last time i got it out, i sandblasted and painted it with POR. I also grease the hitch up when i change it out. Seems to be working well.:thumbsup:

 

[The Haymaker]

The simple fix is to use the receiver the way it was intended and take out the bar after each use. I have 6 bars that I have to use on a weekly basis going from no drop to 6" drop, 2" balls and 2 5/16" balls, solid and hollow, ect.

Chris

Is that in the instructions?

 

[aczlan]

Is that in the instructions?

It is in the Subaru Impreza ones See http://www.subaru-parts.com/_instructions/44StrailerHitch0329.pdf (page 3)

Aaron Z

 

[The Haymaker]

It is in the Subaru Impreza ones See http://www.subaru-parts.com/_instructions/44StrailerHitch0329.pdf (page 3)

Aaron Z

Now that I've done the sarcastic part. Good sense tells me not to leave it in there, but I just never got around to it. It won't happen again, that's for sure. I don't want to have to paint the receiver again!

 

[mjncad]

The simple fix is to use the receiver the way it was intended and take out the bar after each use. I have 6 bars that I have to use on a weekly basis going from no drop to 6" drop, 2" balls and 2 5/16" balls, solid and hollow, ect.

Chris

I have one of these ADJUSTABLE TRI-BALL MOUNT ,1-7/8",2"2-5/16", CHROME BALLS. (1802225) - Welcome to Buyers Products Company I got at Northern Tool. I don't tow often, and when I do it's usually a rental, so it's a crap shoot as to what I'm going to get. I've used this ball-mount to haul home a mini-excavator.

I'm happy with it.

 

[firemanpat2910]

my insert is solid aluminum light weight and rust free.I keep it on the truck 24/7 with a stainless steel interchangable ball in all 3 sizes. To the O P I would replace the hitch and get insert and start over. we arent talking about alot of money or much work to replace and even if you get it out I imagine it would be very hard to clean all the rust out of the inside of the tube Down here we learn at an early age never walk too close to the back ok a tuck!! hitches, vices, fishing poles, antlers, something is bound to bang, scratch or hurt you.

 

[Diamondpilot]

A neighbor down the street had it happen. Even the ATF and kero didn't work. The back of the hitch was sealed so he took two steel plates and covered the pin holes with a large clamp. He then installed a zirk into the end and filled it with grease figuring the pressure from the gun would push it out but no luck. He finally drilled a hole just shy of 1/2", just small enough so a 1/2" bolt would go into it but there was no extra room. He cut the threads of of a 6" long bolt, wiggled it just far enough into the hole so it wouldn't fall out and started beating on it with a sludge hammer.

He said it made a mess but came out. I never really thought about it but he said there's a lot of mechanical advantage between the surface area of the 1/2" bolt to the 2" square draw bar.

Seems like a lot of work for a old rusted hitch when you can get a new one for about $100 delivered.:confused2:

Chris

 

[Scooby074]

my insert is solid aluminum light weight and rust free.I keep it on the truck 24/7 with a stainless steel interchangable ball in all 3 sizes.

Im curious about this hitch... Sounds like the perfect thing for me. We get tons of rust from both road salt and ocean spray.
[I havent seen a aluminum hitch before:thumbsup:

 

[mjncad]

Im curious about this hitch... Sounds like the perfect thing for me. We get tons of rust from both road salt and ocean spray.
[I havent seen a aluminum hitch before:thumbsup:

I've seen aluminum ball-mounts; but not aluminum hitches.

 

[JoelD]

Just went through this

over 2 hours of sledging

if I had to do it over again I like the shop press idea

the smaller pin and trailering also makes a lot of sense

pulling the hitch off the truck should not be a big deAl as long as the bolts and nuts are not badly rusted

Joel

 

[Scooby074]

I've seen aluminum ball-mounts; but not aluminum hitches.

Yes, i was referring to ball mounts (drawbar), not hitches I mistyped A completely aluminum hitch would be interesting (and very pricy)

Are aluminum drawbars available an adjustable configuration? I have a few trailers and need that capability.

EDIT: eek: I found an aluiminum adjustable.....$195 on etrailer..... I think ill stick to steel lol

 

[wedge40]

FYI.. I'm having the old hitch removed and replaced with the new Draw Tite 4100 series on the 16th.


Wedge

 

[brandoro]

Around here it is against the law to have anything protruding more than a few inches past the bumper. That would include any trailer drawbar I have seen. Between that and the likelyhood of pounding your shin or knee against the drawbar I just take mine out and throw it in the toolbox when I'm not pulling a trailer. The only one I have had rust in is the drawbar with three sizes of balls welded on that I use with the tractor. It had only been used to move my deck trailer for years (2-5/16") but a couple of weeks ago I moved a small travel trailer (2") for a neighbour and had to pound it out with a dead blow hammer to switch it. Reminds me, I need to wirebrush that and lube it up so it comes out easier next time.:thumbsup:

 

[wedge40]

Around here it is against the law to have anything protruding more than a few inches past the bumper. .:thumbsup:

Ah but that is reason I kept it on. I drive the truck mainly in the winter, and people around here drive like idiots when the weather is bad. We have lots of freezing rain, which in turn means icy roads. I leave the receiver on because when some is following too close and can't stop they get the hitch and not my bumper. It has worked a few time so far. It sound's like up north I could be cited for this, but so far no problems here.


Wedge

 

[Cretebaby]

I have had to cut them off with a torch.

Explain how you get it out when you cut it off?:confused2:

I believe if you cut one off then you would really have a bigger problem.

 

[DanD78]

Wedge40 did you ever get it out? All kinds of advice, just wondering

Dan

 

[merrickvilleguy]

some penetrating oil and a sledge has worked for me in the past ... just make sure to take the pin out first ha!