Posted 2014-05-03 9:18 PM (#158916) Subject: Check your hitches!
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 373 Location: Texas
A friend arriving into camp after hauling over 100 miles on the highway, was going slow, hit a little dip as she entered camp driveway, and her bumper pull hitch that was bolted to truck came off and her trailer disconnected and stopped as her truck kept going. Safety chains were connected to the factory loops that were part of hitch, so they did NOTHING. PLEASE check the bolts that hold your hitch on to your truck. This could have been a horrible out come had it happened at 60+ MPH on the highway
Posted 2014-05-03 9:48 PM (#158917 - in reply to #158916) Subject: RE: Check your hitches!
Regular
Posts: 60 Location: Alberta Canada
It's funny that this topic should come up. I recently bought a 1993 one ton GMC diesel dually that came with a vehicle safety inspection that it passed with nothing wrong with the vehicle. I proceeded to take it to a second mechanic for another full inspection which cost another $100.00. My husband thought it was a huge waste of money since it came with an inspection and nothing was wrong. The hitch was factory installed and rated to 10,000 lbs. I specifically asked that the hitch, brake controller and wiring harness be carefully evaluated given the age of the truck and the fact that I will be hauling 8050 lbs. the end result is that I got a brand new hitch and brake controller as well as upgraded electrical wiring harness. The hitch was really rusted and my dad pointed out that the weight of the trailer when braking could actually cause the rusted hitch to snap, or the rusted bolts could brake off and the hitch would fallOff. It just wasn't worth the risk and I am super safety cautious so in spite if that first passing safety inspection I decided to upgrade as my life, my kids lives, my horses lives , and my fellow motorists lives are worth more than the cost of replacement parts.
Check your hitches!
