reese hitch

Submitted: Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 17:55

ThreadID: 80058 Views:2186 Replies:4 FollowUps:9

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Hello all, Im new to all of this so forgive me with my terminology. I have a reese hitch? towbar which is way too high for towing. I want to remove it and use an adjustable option(im sure most people know what i mean). The problem is that once i have taken the pin out, it is totally unmoveable, no matter how much i try to move it. There is nothing else holding it in place. Im guessing that it has 'welded' itself in place, although i dont really know. What are my options in regards to removing the towbar section. As I said, sorry about my terminology. Grant

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Reply By: Matt(WA) - Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 18:11

Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 18:11

G'day Grant,

Id take the pin out and spray some wd40 around the throat of the receiver. Give it a fair bit and repeat after a hour or so. Then give it a tap with a decent hammer. Also check that there isn't a bolt underneath that it tightens up to the hitch to stop it rattling. If there is undo this also.

Matt

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AnswerID: 423923

Follow Up By: Busy Bee - Thursday, Jul 15, 2010 at 21:38

Thursday, Jul 15, 2010 at 21:38

yes I was caught out by the anti rattle bolt. Still needed some hefty work with a hammer though.

The only time I made a mistake was when I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken.

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Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 20:18

Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 20:18

What vehicle is it in and did you put it in yourself.

What do you mean by too high.

Is it just a straight tongue or a proper HR towing hich with level bars for a van

If its the latter if you have the long part down it should fix most situations.

Some receivers have a rounded corner and can jam the tongue if its not been ground off to match.

A screen name is nice so we sort of know who it is we are talking to.

Cheers

AnswerID: 423946

Reply By: GerryP - Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 20:31

Tuesday, Jul 13, 2010 at 20:31

Hi Grant,

Don't know which vehicle you have, but with some you are able to get underneath and get to the 'other end' of the receiver. If so, give it a liberal spray front the front and perhaps, if you can get to it, use a drift and a hammer to drive it out.

Good luck
Gerry

AnswerID: 423948

Reply By:- Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 18:22

Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 18:22

thanks for the suggestions guys. Well, I have soaked it in wd40 for a period of time, Ive used the club hammer with varying amount of force, different angles, from the back, to no avail, its not budging. There are no other bolts holding it in place, just the pin, which obviously I have removed. Grant

AnswerID: 424041

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 18:27

Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 18:27

Who put it in in the first place, you or was it there when you bought it.

Go to a panel beaters and try a shock hammer on it.

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Follow Up By:- Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 18:35

Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 18:35

Hi Graham, it was on there when I got it, a 97 hilux. When I say too high, the ball sits over 500mm from the ground, its too high for a small trailer. I was thinking of putting in an adjustable unit.

FollowupID: 694467

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 19:05

Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 at 19:05

Try what I said or some heat on the outside.

Could you use a screen name as so far you have

"Name not found", "replied" and "posted"

All defaults if you dont put a name in.

Makes it more friendly even if my remarks may not appear so.

Cheers

FollowupID: 694471

Follow Up By: Member - Royce- Friday, Jul 16, 2010 at 18:54

Friday, Jul 16, 2010 at 18:54

I've had this problem before.

A couple of suggestions.

1. Heat the towbar around the tongue. A touch or two with a welder or a gas torch if you have one. Then give it bash or two.
2. Belt it in, before you belt it out with a sledge hammer.
3. With pin removed hook it up to a bluddy big tree by chain etc..... careful, do this thoughfully because it can fly any direction..

FollowupID: 694651

Follow Up By:- Friday, Jul 23, 2010 at 00:29

Friday, Jul 23, 2010 at 00:29

After 2 and a half hours with a mate we managed to get the towbar out!. We tried the heat then sledgehammer option first, but it wouldnt budge at all. I finally decided to cut the towbar off, use a hack saw and cut the section of towbar that wouldnt come out longways, then more sledgehammer and cold chisels to pry the bugger out.

FollowupID: 695408

Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, Jul 23, 2010 at 07:23

Friday, Jul 23, 2010 at 07:23

Did you cut the piece that came out or the piece that staye on the car.

Modifying that bit in any way ruins the bar as it can be then deemed illegal because of that.
I wanted to weld a bigger plate onto mine to hold the D shackles and was told that "any" alterations were illegal.

Im sure its done But!!!!!!!!!!

FollowupID: 695416

Follow Up By:- Friday, Jul 23, 2010 at 20:04

Friday, Jul 23, 2010 at 20:04

I cut the internal section off flush with the outer piece, fed a hacksaw blade through the opening, hooked the hacksaw back together, cut down the length of the internal section then cold chiselled the internal piece out. A bit of efort and sweat and she eventually came out. I picked up a new adjustable reese hitch today, all is good.

FollowupID: 695492