Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Towing receiver hitch problems

September 04, 2014, 01:19:33 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 148451

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On our travels this summer, I meet a metal fabricator who works for the company that does LDs steel work, such as frame stretching and roll bars. He told me that there have been problems with the bolts that hold on the towing receiver loosening and/or snapping off.
In more severe cases, the bumper itself can be bent and even break apart. I have seen this myself on a few LDs.  Art's (older fossil) LD  bumper ripped apart from towing his Jeep. The bumper required major surgery and reinforcement.

The receiver is secured to the bumper with four bolts, the front two being 3/4" diameter vs. the forward ones that are a smaller 1/2" diameter.
The problem is mostly seen on rigs that use hitch adaptor that raise the attachment point for the type of towbars that stay on the RV.
Example http://www.etrailer.com/Accessories-and-Parts/Roadmaster/RM-048-6.html The fabricator said the receivers are designed to resist down-forces but not for heavy up-forces, On the receiver, when the adaptor is used to raise the hitch, a lot of leverage is applied to the smaller rear bolts under hard braking.

What to do? First, make sure the existing attachment hardware is in good shape and torqued to SAE specs.
Our LD's receiver came with grade-5 bolts. They can be upgraded to grade-8 hardware.
The rear 1/2" bolts can be replaced with 3/4", after the holes are enlarged.
1/4" steel backing plates can be made to help spread the load over more of the bumper.
If any distortion, bending or cracking is noticed in the rear bumper, get to a trailer-hitch shop and have it repaired and upgraded before towing.
If you tow a heavy vehicle and use a hitch adaptor, that raises the attachment point, consider reinforcing things before damage can occur.
Also consider upgrading the bumper attachment hardware too. We almost lost our rear bumper several years ago when the stock hardware failed, while towing the Jeep..
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157605167526411/show

Larry

Re: Towing receiver hitch problems

Reply #2 – September 05, 2014, 12:24:36 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 148482

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Larry, do you have pictures if the hitch reinforcement that is explained in the LD Companion? In particular, I'm trying to picture the doubler that you mention. I tow an 85 CJ-7 using an 8" inverted drop receiver so your recent post has me wondering. Thank you.  Larry in Monument, CO 2008 24' FD

Re: Towing receiver hitch problems

Reply #4 – September 05, 2014, 02:26:10 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 148486

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Thank you, Larry. My drop receiver is a Blue Ox, and I had a machinist drill a new hole for the pin to shorten the distance that it sticks out past the bumper. I got an okay from Blue Ox on that mod. I can get a shorter part that goes from the tow bar into the receiver, also Blue Ox, to shorten the assembly by another 4". The whole set up runs dead level. I plan to do your suggested work on the existing hardware and then beef up the hitch per the article in the companion. I'd really hate to tear up the rear end of our rig or see the Jeep going down the road on its own. Right now it pulls very nicely.  Larry in Monument, CO 2008 24' FD

Re: Towing receiver hitch problems

Reply #6 – September 06, 2014, 10:31:27 am

Yahoo Message Number: 148502

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Does anyone have any pictures of a receiver installation that replaces the bumper hitch?  I have an appointment with a custom hitch shop to have them give me an estimate for installing a replacement hitch.  I am curious as to how the hitch mounts to the frame.  Thanks

Steve

Re: Towing receiver hitch problems

Reply #8 – September 07, 2014, 10:49:09 am

Yahoo Message Number: 148514

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IMO the fact that LD has always installed a hitch attached only to the bumper and not the frame tells me LD does NOT encourage towing or carrying more than a minimal load.

Bob Siegel Santa Fe New Mexico

Re: Towing receiver hitch problems

Reply #10 – September 07, 2014, 04:51:23 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 148518

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"I'm suggesting beefing up the connection between the receiver and the bumper to offset the stress caused by raised hitch adaptors, something the original design did not take into account."

In addition to the previous posting, the bending and breaking problem is increased with some hitch-mounted tow bars, the type where the two telescoping arms stay on the RV.
Many of these tow bars have long shanks, placing the pivot point much farther away from the bumper, compared to a coupler or ball hitch. Extra length means greater leverage and stress on the bumper and  receiver. Having as short a tow bar shank as possible, with adequate clearance so the toad does hit the RV in tight turns, is worth pursuing especially when towing a heavy-weight vehicle and or towing down a lot of rough roads.
The majority of us tow vehicles at or near the 4000-lbs bumper/receiver capacity.

Larry