Trailer hitch

[DeepBusch69]

Just a reminder to check your trailer hitch for cracks or missing bolts once in a while.  I was at the gas station (and that takes a while) so I crawled underneath to look at the hitch.  Two 1/2" bolts were broken off or missing.  Easy fix NOW, not so good on the road when the whole hitch lets loose. 

[dsrace]

Wow, I have never seen the bolts broke off on reciver hitches! At first I thought you were speaking about the trailer hitch head, then I downloaded the pic.  I assume thats on the coach and not a pick up? Any ideas why that happens? I should check the on on my pick up again.  Its been a few years since I installed it.

[fabr]

If the broken bolts were carriage bolts like the other one in the pic .............  That would explain the why they broke. Carriage bolts,at best ,are grade 2 soft crap. If it were me I would change all the carriage bolts and replace with grade 8. If a shop installed the hitch they likely impacted them tight and over stressed the bolt resulting in the failure at some time in the future.

[DeepBusch69]

Yes DSrace this is on the coach. 

Fabr, I put this Curt hitch on 13 years ago when I bought the M/H, it only had a 5k hitch and when I took that off, the holes were wicked oversize.   This is a 10k Curt hitch and those were the bolts that came with it.  Obviously I will replace all 6 (3 each side) with some new grade 8, I'm sure the others have been way overloaded now and probably already have micro-cracks growing in the thread roots. 

Safety chains don't do much good when they leave the chat room with the hitch      

[fabr]

WOW,it came with carriage bolts. Just wow. I guess 13 is your lucky number. Glad you caught it. Just curious,did you use an impact or just your Popeye arms? 

[dsrace]

I swapped out my oem hitch on my pick up with a curt class 5. That ss minnow toyahuler had a tough weight of 1500 lbs empty and the oem hitch was only rated for 1000 tw with wdh system. The new HD class 5 is rated for 2000 lbs tw with wdh.  That hitch came with carriage bolts that had wires to guide them in hard to reach holes. I bought grade 8 and drop the spare tire and its carrier plus a few other items so it was easy to get too.  I will still check when I am around the truck next though as that is always a good idea.


Glad you caught that cause that could real ugly real fast!

[DeepBusch69]

So I have a choice of grade 8 bolts (on the right, from TSC), F911 bolts (middle) or 12 point bolts.  Tension is my main concern, not shear.  The 12 point are sourced from US, Japan or S. Korea.  I am guessing hoping that the threads on the last two were rolled, not cut threads.  Any suggestions?  thanks

[dsrace]

So I have a choice of grade 8 bolts (on the right, from TSC), F911 bolts (middle) or 12 point bolts.  Tension is my main concern, not shear.  The 12 point are sourced from US, Japan or S. Korea.  I am guessing hoping that the threads on the last two were rolled, not cut threads.  Any suggestions?  thanks

Sadly I don't have a suggestion. I would think a grade 8 bolt of decent quality would be enough. I do wonder if there is enough frame flex ( in your coach ) that is breaking the bolts? Are there any signs of stress in the hitch welds etc etc? The very fact that it has happened more then once is why I wonder. Is there a possibility of drill 2 new holes to add 1 additional bolt per side?

[fabr]

If it were mine I would use the standard GR8 bolts. I would size then so that no threads were in the shear area .To do so will require longer than needed bolts and likely require either multiple washers under the head and/or under the nut. Cut off the uneeded extra section of threads. I did all my suspension heim bolts that way.  I actually made spacers as needed but you get the idea. Doing this removes any bending/flex loads from the thread root. That,IMO, is what broke those bolts.

[dsrace]

Out of curiosity, how much tongue weight do you have? I know your not running over the limit and thats not whats breaking the bolts......just curious how close to the limit you are.

[DeepBusch69]

DS - I think I may have too much tongue weight.  I need to weigh it all when I load it up.  I keep adding spare parts and tools, maybe too many.

fabr - I will get some longer bolts, I always do that for the buggy, thanks

[dsrace]

DS - I think I may have too much tongue weight.  I need to weigh it all when I load it up.  I keep adding spare parts and tools, maybe too many.

fabr - I will get some longer bolts, I always do that for the buggy, thanks

i have a weigh safe hitch i can bring to the dunes with me. it has a scale built into it for weighing tongue weight. pretty accurate or atleast imo with in 50 lbs or better.

[DeepBusch69]

Thanks DS, I borrowed this from a friend.  Pretty cool little guy.  I will weigh the tongue weight in a few different configurations, then I want to weigh these two puppies 

[dsrace]

there are several very imformative articles online discussing the " how to " methods for weighing cannon balls such as those. my guess would 3 to 6 lb range?? 

[fabr]

need a melon scale