ADVICE - Aluminum DrawBar

[brianD]

So here's some advice from my recent experience in Metallurgy

About a year and a half ago, I purchased a billet aluminum Anderson Rapid Hitch. The big one with 12" Drop. I also ordered from them the hitch locks, to keep the heathens from stealing it and scrapping it. LOVE the hitch. Very adjustable, and convenient.

A month or so ago, my granddaughter wanted to go for a bike ride. I thought no biggie, I'll put the rack in the hitch and she and I will have an afternoon of riding. That's when the problem revealed itself. I unlocked the hitch, and removed the lock, but I could NOT get the hitch lock out of the hitch. Thinking it was a little rusted, I hit it with a half a can of PB blaster, and we tossed the bikes inside and went for our ride. I got home, and began the saga of getting my hitch out.

I pounded on it with a small hammer, I heated it, I pounded some more with a bigger hammer, I took an air hammer with a tie rod fork and tried to pull it out, I used the air hammer while my neighbor pounded on the other side. it wasn't coming out. Didn't even move at all.

Here's what I learned. Apparently if you leave a solid aluminum hitch installed with a hardened steel locking hitch pin, a chemical reaction occurs over time and they effectively weld themselves together. Yes, I know it was my fault for leaving the hitch installed the whole time, instead of removing it, but pulling the balls off (heh that sounds painful) removed the knee busting threat so I left the rest of it secured to my truck with a locking hitch pin.

Finally after removing the bumper fascia, and going to a body shop, they were able to use an Acetylene torch and 45 min of pounding and got the pin out.

I guess the lesson here is, don't leave your hitch in your truck, and if you do, make sure you don't have a billet aluminum hitch.

[STEVEBRENDA]

I leave my standard steel hitch in all of the time and the pin is always loose.

Here is the problem

make sure you don't have a billet aluminum hitch

Sometimes more expensive is not always better When installed Stainless Steel bolts on my boat lift, thinking they were better than galvanized. The stainless steel ended up gaulding and stripping. The cheaper galvanized bolts would have been a better choice.

[MH Hawker]

The east way is to hook up the boat and go for a 20 mile drive it will loosen right up.

[Heatman]

Galvanic Corrosion due too dissimular metals touching. It's an electronic reaction between the 2 metals. I have actually felt the voltage in a copper line in contact with steel.

[brianD]

Yeah, I admit it's my own vanity and laziness that caused my issue. If I would have bought steel, it my be rusted but not welded, and if I would have removed it, it wouldn't have had the opportunity to weld itself.

I figured I'd try to help someone by admitting my own stupidity...

Oh, and I did try to drive it to loosen it. Didn't budge. that Son of a Was welded tight.

[rockhound]

you mean hitches come out????

never had an issue with the steel or even my stainless steel. never even considered trusting a heavy load with aluminum, the boat might be alright, but i carry other trailer pretty regularly that are very heavy

[Liquid Asset]

Wow I take my hitch out several times a week. I have friends who have had them get stuck in but it took years with steel on steel. I was just thinking of trying to find a 2 5/16 tounge side for my toon trailer so I don't have to switch out my hitch as much. I use a 2 5/16 pintle combo for lawn, skid steer, and dump trailers.

If you spray on some "fluid film "and stick the hitch back in you can prevent it from ever getting stuck again. We use fluid film on all of our plows and salters and it really keeps corrosion under control. This stuff doesn't just wash off like a lot of coatings. You have to wipe it off. The whole back of my truck is coated to protect it from salting in the winter ( even the paint )and I wash the truck all winter long and the film stays. In the spring I use a soft brush to scrub it off and all is well. I know a lot of guys here boat in salt water. If I did I would use the fluid film on everything !

[Cowracer]

GM factory receivers are notoriously snug. I have had to pound the crap out of a steel hitch in my old GMC to get it out, and it was only in place for a couple of months.

Ford factory receivers are notoriously loose. They even make anti-rattle clips for them. The first time I towed an empty trailer with my exy, I thought I broke something from the noise and bouncing.

I don't think its specifically a dissimilar metal thing. I believe its just rust on the inside of the receiver tube. I have an Rapid Hitch Billet Alumnistiger that stays in my reciever for 6-7 months at a time. (I have an adapt-a-ball for different ball sizes) and it slips out easily on the rare occasions where I need to remove it.

Tim

[zoom650]

Thanks for this post. I've got a billeted aluminum adjustable hitch. Kinda late to mess with it now, but I'm checking it tomorrow!