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Rusty receiver hitch


skier_88

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Hey Crew!!

I haven't removed my reciever hitch in a long time and now it is stuck. (I know what a fool, but its an old farm truck) I have been spraying PB Blaster, as much as i can, to try to free it up. As well, using a sledge and pounding the heck out of it. This is my first intense day to try to get it to come out. Does anyone else have any ideas short of finding torch and heating it up? How long would it take the PB Blaster to have an effect? I moved it maybe 1/8 in. today. Any tips would be appreciated.

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i would NOT recommend wrapping a chain around it and dropping it in gear.

i watched my neighbor take the rear window out of his truck when the chain snapped as he hammered it!

lucky it didn't take his head, too.

it was entertaining though so if you decide to try it make sure to take videoYahoo.gif

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Drop the spare tire and pound it out from the inside with a thick piece of rebar or similar and the sledge. Blast it with PB & WD40 the night before and let it soak in then give her hell.

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If you can't access the back side like Ramman said, here's what I recommend to my customers:

1) NO GUARANTEES. Everything you try may not work and I don't do this for anyone. This is your deal.

2) PARK the truck a reasonable distance from a tree or solid object. TAKE THE KEYS OUT AND PUT THEM IN YOUR POCKET.

3) Tie a ratchet strap or come-along around the tree (use a tree saver, of course) and SNUG it up. This is for tension only, you will have to beat the ball mount out of there, or heat up the hitch being aware of plastics, chrome, lights, paint, and other fixtures that may be damaged by heat.

4) Hit the ball mount side to side and then top to bottom, and vice versa.

5) Pray.

6) Repeat as necessary.

7) DISCONNECT FROM THE TREE.

8) Remove keys from pocket and drive truck away. Probably with the ball mount still stuck.

NEVER TRY TO USE THE TRUCK'S POWER TO PULL.

Good luck.

Edited by jk13
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I keep thinking of the scene from the jerk where Navin hooks up the church to the lowrider's bumper because they are trying to use a stolen credit card and the lowrider drives away, towing the church with it.

navin.jpg

In sum, I'd suggest hooking the receiver to a church and attempting to drive away.

Edited by shawndoggy
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If you can't access the back side like Ramman said, here's what I recommend to my customers:

1) NO GUARANTEES. Everything you try may not work and I don't do this for anyone. This is your deal.

2) PARK the truck a reasonable distance from a tree or solid object. TAKE THE KEYS OUT AND PUT THEM IN YOUR POCKET.

3) Tie a ratchet strap or come-along around the tree (use a tree saver, of course) and SNUG it up. This is for tension only, you will have to beat the ball mount out of there, or heat up the hitch being aware of plastics, chrome, lights, paint, and other fixtures that may be damaged by heat.

4) Hit the ball mount side to side and then top to bottom, and vice versa.

5) Pray.

6) Repeat as necessary.

7) DISCONNECT FROM THE TREE.

8) Remove keys from pocket and drive truck away. Probably with the ball mount still stuck.

NEVER TRY TO USE THE TRUCK'S POWER TO PULL.

Good luck.

please add FUEL TANK to the list 'o things to be aware of lest you blow up navins' church.

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please add FUEL TANK to the list 'o things to be aware of lest you blow up navins' church.

Might be his only shot at removing the ball mount. Probably still be stuck.

There are only two trucks off the top of my head that have fuel tanks behind the axle, and they're both gov't motors anyway.... :whistle:

Edited by jk13
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martinarcher

Might not be the best way, but my buddy left one in his beat truck for years. A heavy tow strap around the tree tethered to the ball. 4X4 low range and a slow steady pull = free ball mount. of course we blasted it with a can of WD40 and tried the sledge first, but when all else fails....Whistling.gif

I thought about the torch, but the fuel tank is RIGHT behind the ball mount on his truck. If you've got some clearance the torch might not be a bad bet with the sledge.

Edited by martinarcher
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I had this problem with one of our work trucks. I actually sprayed it with PB and then took a sledge and beat it in almost as far as it can go. It freed up then I just tapped it back out. May work for you, but may not.

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martinarcher

I had this problem with one of our work trucks. I actually sprayed it with PB and then took a sledge and beat it in almost as far as it can go. It freed up then I just tapped it back out. May work for you, but may not.

Don't miss! Unsure.gif

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After I pulled the pin, it came right out......unbelievable :rockon:

Anyways, after I created this topic, it made me mad. So after spending every few hours spraying it with PB Blaster and taking the sledge I decided to do it again. I hit it a million times with a few blisters to show. About every 20 whacks I would spray it some more. Finally got it to budge. I was able to get it moved enough to get a few good whacks on the ball and got it to come out. After looking in it, it was full of rust chips and I have no idea how it ever came out. Tomorrow I will clean it all out, sand and paint. It won't be stored in the receiver anymore. I claimed the old 99 Silverado and getting it back into shape, to look nice again.

After all of the pounding with the sledge, my neighbor comes out and says "my receiver is stuck too" I just said good luck, it sucks. I'm not volunteering to do that :rofl:

Looking for a tailgate if anyone knows of one.

Edited by skier_87
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It was one of those things that I knew needed fixed and I never done it. It makes me sleep better at night. :rofl:

I change between 2in. and 2 5/16 often and I knew as soon as I needed to switch, I wouldn't have it fixed.

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martinarcher

After I pulled the pin, it came right out......unbelievable :rockon:

Anyways, after I created this topic, it made me mad. So after spending every few hours spraying it with PB Blaster and taking the sledge I decided to do it again. I hit it a million times with a few blisters to show. About every 20 whacks I would spray it some more. Finally got it to budge. I was able to get it moved enough to get a few good whacks on the ball and got it to come out. After looking in it, it was full of rust chips and I have no idea how it ever came out. Tomorrow I will clean it all out, sand and paint. It won't be stored in the receiver anymore. I claimed the old 99 Silverado and getting it back into shape, to look nice again.

After all of the pounding with the sledge, my neighbor comes out and says "my receiver is stuck too" I just said good luck, it sucks. I'm not volunteering to do that :rofl:

Looking for a tailgate if anyone knows of one.

Sweet! Glad you got it out! Rockon.gif I don't blame you for not volunteering for the neighbors! LOL.gif One is enough!

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It was one of those things that I knew needed fixed and I never done it. It makes me sleep better at night. :rofl:

I change between 2in. and 2 5/16 often and I knew as soon as I needed to switch, I wouldn't have it fixed.

...just a thought... maybe after cleaning spray the two mating pieces with cold galvanizing rather than paint??? It's really just a zinc rich paint, but it is used to touch up when field welding pre galvanized pieces together. (like a handrail..) I guess you could paint the ball mount on top of the galv paint...

Glad ya got it out!

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This thread, along with many smashed shins is why I always take my receiver out when I'm not using it. It only takes an extra 2 mins to grab it along with the trailer adapter from under my back seat.

Glad to hear you got it out! :thumbup:

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Glad you got it out you worked your butt off sounds like. Here is for further reference what I have found out works best for me and my customers. Soak it down with Wd 40 or PB plaster or what ever you have. What happens is rust binds the receiver and hitch together. One of the best ways is to put some preasure on it and try a air chisel to vibrate the rust loose it works faster that beating your brains out. Very noisy but works fast.

The best product that I found but hate to use is anti seize it is very messy.

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