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07-15-2014, 10:15 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Hitch receiver issue
The hole for the pin that secures my WDH to the Hidden Hitch receiver is becoming elongated on one side of the receiver.
Anybody else experienced this and have a solution to prevent it from getting worse?
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-15-2014, 11:14 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Canyon Lake, Texas
Trailer: 2015 19 "Past Tents", 2021 F150 Lariat 2.7L EB
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
The hole for the pin that secures my WDH to the Hidden Hitch receiver is becoming elongated on one side of the receiver.
Anybody else experienced this and have a solution to prevent it from getting worse?
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This might be of interest:
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Class A Motorhomes: Receiver Hitch Pin Hole Repair
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"You can't buy happiness, but you can buy an RV. And that is pretty close."
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07-15-2014, 11:34 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
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Thanks. I'm thinking I'll wait until it's really a problem, and then add some weld as was suggested about six posts down in that link. It's taken six years for me to notice.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-16-2014, 12:04 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Carlsbad, California, California
Trailer: 2003 Scamp 16' SOLD , 2008 Airstream 19'
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That is odd it is only elongating on one side unless your pin is tapered or worn. Install a new pin and see if the drawbar will move in and out. You may have to weld up the hole on the sloppy side and ream it to fit the pin. I don't know what a hidden hitch is, but if access for reaming is limited you could just overlay the bad hole with a thick washer fit to the pin welded to the receiver. The washer need not be round, so you could use a short piece of 1 1/2" x 1/4" flat bar to make the washer. 3/8" thick would be better, but make sure you can still install the clip on the pin, due to the extra width of the receiver.
Russ
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07-16-2014, 12:09 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
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Hidden Hitch is a brand.
The hole is elongated at the bottom on one side. Should have shot a pic today. I'll see if I can do that tomorrow without unhitching.
Can likely blame it on the washboard on the Skagit River Road.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-16-2014, 12:19 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Portland, Oregon
Trailer: 2002 Escape 13'
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ruscal
That is odd it is only elongating on one side unless your pin is tapered or worn. Install a new pin and see if the drawbar will move in and out. You may have to weld up the hole on the sloppy side and ream it to fit the pin. I don't know what a hidden hitch is, but if access for reaming is limited you could just overlay the bad hole with a thick washer fit to the pin welded to the receiver. The washer need not be round, so you could use a short piece of 1 1/2" x 1/4" flat bar to make the washer. 3/8" thick would be better, but make sure you can still install the clip on the pin, due to the extra width of the receiver.
Russ
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With the hole elongated I suspect that the receiver is a softer material than required for the application. I'll bet you can buy another receiver tube, torch the old one off and weld a new one in it's place cheaper than having any machine work done.
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07-16-2014, 12:26 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
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I'll try to shoot a pic and post tomorrow morning.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-16-2014, 01:04 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: North Van., British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19, sold; 2019 Escape 21, Sept. 2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ruscal
That is odd it is only elongating on one side unless your pin is tapered or worn. Install a new pin and see if the drawbar will move in and out. You may have to weld up the hole on the sloppy side and ream it to fit the pin. I don't know what a hidden hitch is, but if access for reaming is limited you could just overlay the bad hole with a thick washer fit to the pin welded to the receiver. The washer need not be round, so you could use a short piece of 1 1/2" x 1/4" flat bar to make the washer. 3/8" thick would be better, but make sure you can still install the clip on the pin, due to the extra width of the receiver.
Russ
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Ditto what he said
I can appreciate the link showing a bushing machined and installed but I agree, a "washer" whether round or flat stock, welded on would be simple to do and probably last a long time.
Ron
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07-16-2014, 02:21 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Carlsbad, California, California
Trailer: 2003 Scamp 16' SOLD , 2008 Airstream 19'
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hotfishtacos
With the hole elongated I suspect that the receiver is a softer material than required for the application. I'll bet you can buy another receiver tube, torch the old one off and weld a new one in it's place cheaper than having any machine work done.
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Steve,
Soft material very well could be at fault. It used to be that you could rely on mild steel to fabricate hitches. I have never had a problem with the pin wallowing the holes in any of my hitches that I can recall. We don't know where our materials come from any more.
The fit of the pin to holes is also an issue. If drilled to far oversize the slop will act like a hammer and peen the metal out of shape when the vehicle stops and starts causing the elongation. I use a 5/8" drill for a 5/8" pin. The pin usually won't go through both holes at first, so running the drill through both sides with the draw bar in place insures the pin will fit.
I don't know how weight distribution hitches affect hole wear, but it seems they would load the pin in one direction keeping it from pounding as much?
Russ
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07-16-2014, 05:54 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
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Try reversing the pin and check in 6 years to see if you now have a matched set.
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Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
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07-16-2014, 07:47 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008
Try reversing the pin and check in 6 years to see if you now have a matched set.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hotfishtacos
I'll bet you can buy another receiver tube, torch the old one off and weld a new one in it's place cheaper than having any machine work done.
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Not betting, but my guess is that you can buy another hitch and bolt it on faster, more easily, more reliably, and less expensively than paying for that welding work. Of course, if you are an expert welder yourself you can save a hundred bucks and have an interesting project by doing this yourself, but the hitch will still need to be removed and replaced.
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07-16-2014, 08:06 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: Box Elder, South Dakota
Trailer: Bigfoot 25' 2018
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gbaglo:
I wonder if a "hitch imobilizer" would help the situation. They are to stop rattles but may help here. I've seen them installed but have no first hand experience.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
The hole for the pin that secures my WDH to the Hidden Hitch receiver is becoming elongated on one side of the receiver.
Anybody else experienced this and have a solution to prevent it from getting worse?
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__________________
Hugh Currin
2018 Bigfoot 25'
2018 RAM 2500 Diesel
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07-16-2014, 08:42 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Trailer: 2017 Escape 5.0 TA
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Most anti-rattle devices would stop the holes from elongating further.
I have had the same issue on my last truck, a 2002 F-250, pulling a heavy construction dump trailer. The ball mount was solid steel and showed little wear, but the walls on the receiver after 12 years had elongated a bit, probably close to 3mm. I did put on lots of miles towing that trailer though, and it weighed a few times more than our light trailers.
The new trucks all use a heavier 2 1/2" receiver which is nice.
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2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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07-16-2014, 10:13 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
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Embarrassing, but here is pic of receiver.
I did paint it with Tremclad a year ago.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-16-2014, 10:19 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Calgary, Alberta
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It doesn't look like your elongation of the hole goes all the way through to the inside of the receiver, and could likely be cause by the curved end on the pin. Do you always put it in from the right side?
__________________
2017 Escape 5.0 TA
2015 Ford F150 Lariat 3.5L EcoBoost
2009 Escape 19 (previous)
“Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” — Abraham Lincoln
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07-16-2014, 10:27 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Kelowna, British Columbia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
Embarrassing, but here is pic of receiver.
I did paint it with Tremclad a year ago.
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I see Tremclad and Krylon Spray Paint now comes in Faux Rust.
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07-16-2014, 10:38 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Bennett
It doesn't look like your elongation of the hole goes all the way through to the inside of the receiver, and could likely be cause by the curved end on the pin. Do you always put it in from the right side?
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I do, because the wire for the break away switch goes through the clip and around the pin and the switch is on that side. Never tried the other side.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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07-16-2014, 02:50 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Carlsbad, California, California
Trailer: 2003 Scamp 16' SOLD , 2008 Airstream 19'
Posts: 107
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Jim's assessment appears to be what you are seeing. The elongation is merely rub from the ell bend in the pin when it rides in the 7 o'clock position. I doubt you are experiencing much clunking from it. If so, you could get one of those tightener dodads or drill and tap the receiver for some set screws to take up the play.
Russ
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07-16-2014, 03:10 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
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Like Russ, I think Jim's on to the cause. Good thinking, Jim
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