Leave your hitch in the receiver Always

[BigPoppaPeak]

This tip probably goes without saying but..... I got SLAMMED into yesterday by a 1985 Crown victoria. He hit me at about 10 mph and mashed up his grill and bumper. I, on the other hand came out unharmed. Not a scratch on my truck. SO:

Leave your hitch in the receiver - ALWAYS.

[Hair Jig]

Mine has been in the hitch since day 1. Said a few choice words when I hit my shin on it though.......................

[FishinSwabbie]

I saw a Camrey impaled on the rear end of a Dodge a couple of months ago. The truck driver tried to pull free, but just drug the Camrey along with him. It was funny to me, but then it wasn't my car!

[ProcraftMike]

If you decide to leave your hitch installed in the receiver, I would make sure you coat it with grease or something, so the two parts don't rust together. I just purchased a 1992 Cherokee that I don't think the hitch has ever been out of. I couldn't even get the pin out of it. I had to replace the whole hitch assembly.

[CatFan]

In some states, it is illegal to have it mounted when not towing. Not that mine has ever been out.

[Fish TR19]

Anybody know which states? I don't take mine out on my trucks but I do on my Explorer. Just so I can use the back door without hitting my legs on it.

[Bassmeister]

Steve, That thing will bark em shins!!!!

[Orv]

I took mine in shop and sanded the corners nice and smooth!
At lease it doesn't cut me anymore!!

But man it do hurt the shins!!!

[ed396ranger]

I was stopped by a state cop because my hitch blocked the licence plate. He made me remove it or he said he would ticket me for defective equiptment.

[aquasonic]

That sounds like one bored cop. I had two kids pass me at about 120mph on the interstate drag racing. Then I saw a cop with his lights on behind me. I told my daughter that those guys were going to jail. Instead I got pulled over for window tint. He said he couldn't pull over the drag racers because he was on window tint patrol!!!!!!!! Maybe he moved up your way.

[Nasty Canasta]

I believe that Ohio may require you to remove your hitch. And maybe Iowa.

FWIW

[Nasty Canasta]

IANAL (I am not licensed to practice law in the State of Texas, or any other state for that matter.)

In Texas you can be charged with obstructing a license plate. The way the law is written is quite problematic. You could be charged with OLP if there is mud on it. I’ve doubts as to such a situation being upheld in a State District Court, or a County Court at Law. In might fly in a JP, or a municipal court though. In any case I’d demand to have the case heard in a court of record. That way you might be able to get an appeal, and generally JP, and municipal courts are not courts of record.

As to defective equipment...
Sounds like a lot of hot air to me. When towing a trailer, the trailer itself serves to obstruct the rear license plate. That is inevitable. The trailer of course has its own license plate thus satisfying the law. If the trailer hitch is not defective then, how can it be considered defective when not towing a trailer. Defective equipment is not the issue, obstruction of the license plate is. If your hitch was set up as style A, then obstruction was very unlikely, on the other hand if you plate was set up as style B, then the officer may have had a valid reason for the stop.


P__/== Hitch style A where (p) is the ball


P
¯¯ \== Hitch Style B



Modified by Nasty Canasta at 10:46 PM 1/30/2005


Modified by Nasty Canasta at 1:29 PM 2/10/2005


Modified by Nasty Canasta at 1:33 PM 2/10/2005

[Rawthumb]

I've been rear-ended twice, once each in the last two years. It saved me from damage both times, and worked a number on the cars running into me. I did not ever think of it until the first van hit me, and after that I decided that it was worth the risk of theft to leave it in.

[mikemac10]

I got rear ended a couple years ago w/ my hitch in, kid was going 35 when he hit me, instead of pushing my bumper up into my tailgate it just bent down a bit, besides repainting the bumper for some scuffs on it I had less than 200 bucks in damage for replacing bumper brackets/bolts and new bolts for my reciever hitch, the car had over 3,000 in damage. My hitch when right into the radiator, broke the front bumper and screwed up the hood pretty good.

[blair]

Definite benefit to having in in the receiver.......but.......
anyone ever have one stolen? Or do you use a lock??

Blair

[Hair Jig]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by blair &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Or do you use a lock?? Blair </TD></TR></TABLE>

ALWAYS use a lock! I don't trust the pins to stay in! Safety factor if nothing else.

[tailchaser]

i welded mine in place... dont have to worry about theft (i also tacked the ball to the hitch)... truth be told, i welded it originally because there was a little play in the reciever, and i got tired of hearing it rattle around... just lazy and cheap i guess... but i had never removed it in 4 years... so i figured why not..

[Bill H]

During the winter I use a step hitch instead of the trailer ball, lots of protection and looks good too
bill

[srode]

Had the same thing ProcrafMike mentioned happen to my 91 Cherokee. I left it in my 99 Grand Cherokee all the time and didn't have any trouble with it though.

[TNT]

I leave mine in always .. as far as not banging up your shins, ever seen the hitch halo ? I bet you could make one pretty cheap ! ..



I just came up with another Idea !! Get some monster (1/2" thick) coated wire cable. then just tack an end under the hitch, make a loop out like in the photo above, then tack the other end in place .... THEN you have something to slow you down, it will give like a spring, and reduce how hard you may hit the hitch.. whaddya think ?