stuck receiver hitcth...

[dan z]

So as the topic states, my receiver has been locked into position for 2 summers and I have tried tying it up level with a tree. Another truck. Sledge hammer. Anythibg that I've tried has not done anything except rattle the rust of the truck.

Any ideas...

[MattL]

I had the same thing happen several years ago on my last truck. What I did was heat it up with a torch, hooked it up to a tractor and got plenty of tension on the chain, then hit the receiver with a sledge hammer. It popped right out. I tried almost everything prior to that, but the torch was what did it.

[herefish101]

Heat is all that will work. Mapp gas might be hot enough, but i'd go for oxy acetylene. It'll pop right out.

[graybeard2]

I had one in my little Nissan a few years ago I never did get out. Tried the sledge hammer,tension,heat and everything else you mentioned plus even made a big slide hammer and tried that. Mechanic at work said he would get it but he was wrong. It stayed with the truck.

[Jcup]

I leave mine in all year every year. Just incase some texting fool decides to rear end me. I've seen hitches save a lot of damage to your vehicle and also cause a lot of damage to the one doing the rear ending.. Just sayin.

[MinnesotaMike]

Mine was rusted in also but I was able to get it out with a sledge and plenty of hammering. Once out try to get a rust prohibitor and clean out the receiver. I take mine out now when I don't need it. No problems since.

Good Luck ,

Mike

[MNice]

I leave mine in all year every year. Just incase some texting fool decides to rear end me. I've seen hitches save a lot of damage to your vehicle and also cause a lot of damage to the one doing the rear ending.. Just sayin.

When I leave mine in, I see a lot of damage to my shin

[bobbymalone]

When I leave mine in, I see a lot of damage to my shin

I just logged in to post the exact same thing. You beat me by less than a minute.

[BoxMN]

I leave in all year long, but take it out a few times and lube it up so it won't stick. I need different drops for pontoon and boat, so I must take them out a couple times a year at the least. Wife hates the shin smacker, but was happy it was in when she got rear ended, and our truck was fine, but the other car had hole in grill

[Jcup]

"When I leave mine in, I see a lot of damage to my shin"

LOL so true!

[rundrave]

but was happy it was in when she got rear ended, and our truck was fine, but the other car had hole in grill

had the same thing happen, and I leave mine on in case it ever happens again. I got rear ended on a off ramp while I was stopped at a red light. Didnt hurt my truck or hitch at all (i had the welds inspected)

The car didnt fair so well (the hole to left of the license plate is where the hitch punched through and continued on through the entire radiator):

[John478]

Spray it down with penetrating oil a few times over a couple days. I think you’ll be amazed how easy it comes out.

I always lube mine down with grease before I put it in. Helps prevent this from happening in the first place.

[EBass]

I was rear ended a couple weeks ago. The Jetta hit the hitch and never made it to my bumper. He was going slow though, but still. Mine is in, but I take it out every month to clean it out and spray some WD40 in there.

[PurpleFloyd]

An air hammer can do the trick most of the time

[Down Deep]

This comment won't help you until you get the hitch out, but when you do buy and use some Never-Sieze. The Never- Seize will prevent corrosion from locking up. My company has a fleet of large vehicle and the maintenance people use this on all front ends, lug nuts and anything else they want to have fastened tight, but come off when it needs to.

[dan z]

I'll try the things mentioned thanks folks.

[Gordie]

Heat up with a torch I what I did.

On another note I was just informed that it is illegal to drive around with the receiver hitch in your vehicle unless you are towing something. I guess it has to do with how much damage it causes to the vehicle that is behind you if they hit you.

Now I don't know if the above is true or not, but if a vehicle hits you from the rear is it not there fault anyways

[Brad B]

I have never been stopped for leaving mine in. if a person rear ends you they were not in proper control of what they were driving thus they should be at fault. how could they hold you accountable if you are the one that gets hits. now if you back into someone with it in then you would be responsible for the damage. at least this is what common sense would say but I guess what matters is what the courts would say if a case got that far.

[John478]

Just a little FYI for those of you that do remove your receiver hitch when you’re not using it. NEVER store it in the passenger compartment of your vehicle. If you are ever in an accident, expressly a roll over, you don’t want that thing flying around in the cab.

[Might_B_A_Pike]

BP Blaster, it can be picked up at any auto store

[BoxMN]

Just a little FYI for those of you that do remove your receiver hitch when you’re not using it. NEVER store it in the passenger compartment of your vehicle. If you are ever in an accident, expressly a roll over, you don’t want that thing flying around in the cab.

Have a friend whose older brother got in an accident back in the 80's, and he had speakers in his rear window area... one came forward, hit him in the head, and... he still breathes, but that is about it, he is functionally gone... so yep, good advise to keep the insert stored away.

[my4x4yj]

A little research reveals that there is a law in Iowa and Illinois but not yet in Minnesota, however there may be local ordinances against the insert left in and nothing attached to it.

[BLACKJACK]

When I leave mine in, I see a lot of damage to my shin

I have two inserts, one with a 1 7/8 ball on it and the other with a 2 inch ball on it, that way I'm not constantly changing balls, I just change the insert. One is always in the truck, I want something to hitch my tow rope to, whether I'm the puller or pullee.

As far as hitting my shins, it only takes a time or two, and most people learn to walk around it, I know I have. And generally, if I'm around the back of the truck, the tailgate is down, no problem.

I also had a car rear-end me in a parking ramp, didn't phase my truck but sure left a nice hole in her grill.

[Pleasant]

I leave mine in most of the time, if it does stick I spray it with some JB-80 slides right out.

[harvey lee]

Heat should get the job done.

I take mine out for several reasons.

It saves on my knees and legs from bumping into it. I also pull it when not in use and when it goes back it, I clean off the dirst and rust with a wire brush. I also spray it down with a rust preventer.

Never an issue doing it this way.

[Ufatz]

Well fellas, for what its worth, I know a couple of people who have received some serious injuries from falling over that hitch sticking out. One man buggered up his shoulder so bad it will never be the same and another man just about wreced BOTH knees.

Take the dam thing out when not towing!!

[MuskieJunkie]

To all the people that said it will aid in a crash - the hitch and ball makes up about 10 square inches of surface area, that is not even going to slow down a 3,000+ pound vehicle barreling into the back of your truck. Plus it's made of thick steel so it's not going to absorb any energy from the crash, just transfer it to your bumper.

[Big Bobber]

Pull mine every time I drop the trailer. Never had one stick yet.

[RumRiverRat]

I had my receiver and insert anodized, never have to worry about rust again.

[Savage Brewer]

I agree with never leaving it in the truck. Other than it is amusing to see a hole in someones bumper because they were following too close.

Some states it is illegal to leave your hitch post in the receiver when not in use.

Also like Muskie Junkie said it really wont protect you in a crash.

I have scarring on my shins from hitches, I hate it when people leave them in, and don't get me started about parking lots. Parking spaces already small, and then someone leaves a hitch inserted sticking 10" out the back...

As far as getting the stuck one out, good luck, something like that gets rusted on four sides, it is a b#$%h to get out. Helped a friend remove his, I think we ended up using a torch, sledge hammer and any other tool we could find. Thought for sure we were going to set his truck on fire. At one point we figured it would be easier to remove the receiver entirely and replace it with a new complete hitch.