Trailor hitch stuck

[Optikalillushun]

How does one go about removing a rusted fast hitch inside a trailor hitch on the frame? i have this problem and i keep walking into it at night even though i painted it a bright color.

i tried the forceful route, no good. i dont have a oxy/fuel torch but i have a small propane hand held.

 

[subway]

assuming you took out the pin

you mean you already tried chaining the reciever to a tree and pulling away? or using a come along....just stay out of the way.

i would heating it up to break the bond, just be careful with the wires and tank back there.

 

[Agnem]

Lots of PB plaster over a long period of time, and a BIG hammer, or dent puller.

 

[Optikalillushun]

aint got nuttin strong enough to hook to hehe. BTDT. the pin came right out.

ill keep soaking it in PB blaster. think a propane torch will generate enough heat to be effective?

 

[Double-S-Diesel]

had one in a van like that, ripped the hitch off the frame before the insert came out.

try soaking in PB then take a trailer for a ride down a bumpy road, that will loosen it up.

 

[Full Monte]

Haven't heard of the PB stuff, but Kroil works well for penetrating/dissolving rust. I never thought of it, but maybe leaving an insert in the receiver long term isn't such a great idea because of potential rust-welding. The tree idea sounds OK, but I think you have to shock this thing to get it loose and a tree would tend to dampen the shock. Wrapping a chain around the ball and running it to a buddy's hitch might work, as long as you don't pull off the buddy's hitch. I think "pulsing" by taking out the slack on the chain backing off and doing it again, rather than pulling would work best. Use a lot of the oil overnight first.

 

[rubberfish]

Had one like that myself a few years back.
A slow easy pull won't cut it. You need to
be forceful. Like a BMF'n hammer, or a chain
and a light pole or something of the sort. Be
patient but persistent and it'll come loose.
But a come-a-long or a recovery winch will
just pull your truck around all over the place.

 

[Andylad13]

propane wont do much. unless you can use oxygen with it. they sell them at home depot and other stores. when you mix the oxygen with propane you can hit 5500* mapp gass is more, and of course the good ol acytlene will hit 6300*.

 

[reklund]

Soak it in Kroil or PB Blaster for a week or two, and then put a blunt nose tip on an air hammer and touch it to the reciever hitch itself and the stinger. Hit it pretty good to vibrate the rust some, then hook a slide hammer to the ball with a chain or the like, and give it a few good pulls with the slide hammer.

Repeat until it comes loose...it could be a while.

Ryan

 

[h2odrx]

Mine is the same way rusted tight. i need to get it out too. let me know what works.

 

[riotwarrior]

Take out the ball....bolt a chain like 15-20' Grade 70 in place of the ball and walk back as far as you can holding the chain.

Once your back as far as you can hold start to play Crack the Whip up and down as well as side to side with the chain.....it makes for an excellent slide hammer...and should help to loosen things up. I have yanked many stubborn axles with this technique.

One more thing....may be a good idea to attach a short rope or something to the chain near the hitch and frame so if it does come out while whipping it it about, it wont come crack you in the NTZ or worse the head.

Soaking may loosen but it can also swell the rust too....so you may want to try pressure washing it after soaking and then more soaking and so on to try to help force out some rust....just a thought.

 

[snatchal]

About 20 years ago I was trying to remove a Reese hitch that was rusted into the receiver on my full size Bronco. Big hammer and penetrating oil could not get it to bust loose. I also had a 16 inch diameter pine stump that needed removal in my back yard. Figured I could kill 2 birds with one stone, something would come loose. The top of the stump was about 5 feet above the ground. I wrapped a 36 foot long chain as high as I could to get more leverage on the stump. Started out pulling easy. No go. Pulled a little harder. No go. My wife and my buddy were watching and they remarked that the bronco was kinda wimpy. Backed up to the stump in 4 low and let 'er rip. Yup. Back tires came 3 feet off the ground.
Stump still there, hitch still there.
After the little woman stopped the bleeding on my forehead, I noticed the 4 inch drop hitch was now almost straight and the receiver was bowed an inch.
Ended up installing a new receiver and the buddy brought over his back-hoe for the stump.

 

[LUCKY_LARUE60]

About 20 years ago I was trying to remove a Reese hitch that was rusted into the receiver on my full size Bronco. Big hammer and penetrating oil could not get it to bust loose. I also had a 16 inch diameter pine stump that needed removal in my back yard. Figured I could kill 2 birds with one stone, something would come loose. The top of the stump was about 5 feet above the ground. I wrapped a 36 foot long chain as high as I could to get more leverage on the stump. Started out pulling easy. No go. Pulled a little harder. No go. My wife and my buddy were watching and they remarked that the bronco was kinda wimpy. Backed up to the stump in 4 low and let 'er rip. Yup. Back tires came 3 feet off the ground.
Stump still there, hitch still there.
After the little woman stopped the bleeding on my forehead, I noticed the 4 inch drop hitch was now almost straight and the receiver was bowed an inch.
Ended up installing a new receiver and the buddy brought over his back-hoe for the stump.

Love these type of stories.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Just remove the whole hitch, receiver and all.

If it is rusted in there that bad, the receiver tube is most likely compromised.

The one on the old junky truck at work is so badly frozen in that I figure the receiver would rip off the frame, before the hitch ever slides out.

There has probably been fifty-gallons of PB-Blaster squirted on it over the last year, and ten-million jarring blows with the big hammer.

It hasn't budged.

One of the guys slid a brand-new hitch into his receiver a few months ago; he, also, has been in on the attempts to remove the stuck one.

I suggested he paint the shank with anti-sieze, like all of mine are.

He said " it ain't gonna be in there no longer than a short trip " ; I noticed yesterday that it was still there and still no anti-sieze; serve him right when it also freezes up; I can't wait to say " I told you so ".

 

[Optikalillushun]

Just remove the whole hitch, receiver and all.

If it is rusted in there that bad, the receiver tube is most likely compromised.

The one on the old junky truck at work is so badly frozen in that I figure the receiver would rip off the frame, before the hitch ever slides out.

There has probably been fifty-gallons of PB-Blaster squirted on it over the last year, and ten-million jarring blows with the big hammer.

It hasn't budged.

One of the guys slid a brand-new hitch into his receiver a few months ago; he, also, has been in on the attempts to remove the stuck one.

I suggested he paint the shank with anti-sieze, like all of mine are.

He said " it ain't gonna be in there no longer than a short trip " ; I noticed yesterday that it was still there and still no anti-sieze; serve him right when it also freezes up; I can't wait to say " I told you so ".

this was going to be my solution, just remove the hitch all together. the PO used to move his parents small camper around and pull a small welding trailor so he left it in. i have no need to the actual hitch or reciever, just nice to have incase one of my throttle ****** friends gets mired in some muck at the local wheelin spot.

i have a hitch for a 1996 F-150, its a class 5...wonder if i can get it to fit.