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My new hitch

Willie B ยท 2021-10-26 20:34

I improved my hitch. The original hitch when I bought the earlier truck 16? years ago, was mounted to the dump body. I never liked it, it caused some problems. Seemed to flare up when an extra son was using a borrowed trailer with no trailer brakes, carrying a 22000 LB telehandler down a steep mountain. Truck body dumped & dragged the receiver, bending it. I was pleased nobody got hurt. I made a new rule: no more borrowed trailers down steep mountains with no brakes carrying 22000 LB telehandlers. I also added a pin lock at front of the dump body. I never liked the hitch geometry, & when Mader brought up the subject of proper hitches, I inspected & found cracks. New hitch is attached to the truck frame, not the dump. Ring is 27? inches forward of the old one. My toughest critic says tongue is low. 2" lower at front of bed than at rear. Ring can move in increments of 4.5", I don't see the value of going that far. Moving the pintle on the hitch plate will yield level trailer. It has been a tough project, welder wouldn't work!

Replies3
  1. #1petepilot2021-10-26 20:57

    I know a couple that fit that description

  2. #2CM19952021-10-27 09:18

    Looks good. When you were describing the hitch attached to the dump bed in another thread I had a hard time thinking how that would work. I'd lower the ring on the trailer and pick the tongue up 2.5". Prefer a trailer tongue a little higher than lower. You've got enough truck to handle that trailer.

  3. #3Willie B2021-10-27 11:04

    Most dumps don't extend much past the hinge. This one is 14'+. It benefits from some weight behind the pivot, but I don't believe it was ever a good idea to mount the hitch there. Trailer tongue has 4.5" height increments. I feel 4-1/2" will make it too high. Moving the hitch on the truck about 2-1/2" makes more sense to me.