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08-20-2015, 06:55 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Bridgeton
Posts: 41
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My hitch receiver cracked.
So while I'm returning to Michigan from my winter stay in San Diego my reciever hitch cracked. I'm towing a 2014 Shockwave T24FQ MX Toyhauler & my tow rigg is a 1997 GMC Suburban 2500 with 454 vortec - heavy duty.
I didn't realize what had happened at the time but was aware something not good had occured as I noticed upon refueling the truck that the trailer tounge & ball assembly seemed to be a little lower than what me eyes were used to. Not much mind you but maybe an inch.......... At the time I chalked it up to 'inspect all down there when I get back 'home'.... hitch, shocks, springs, etc. blah blah blah........
Well when I got 'home' and got the trailer situated & settled back in on my piece of boondock heaven I looked 'downunder' and noticed a small but 2" long crack on the passenger side of the receiver and thought WTF! I dropped the Burb off at my mechanic and let him know bout the crack and that I needed a new hitch blah blah. The next day he calls me and asks me to drop by he's gotta show me sumpthin' and when I get there he shows me that the truck frame has buckled where the receiver is attached and that's what caused the hitch receiver to crack........ he continues that my burb needs to be sent to a frame repair fabrication shop where they can cut, fit, & weld reinforcing plates to get the strength back in the frame.
Bottom line 18 years of Michigan's winter salted roads had finally taken the toll on my 1997 Burb. I told my mechanic to forget it. It was still good to drive for me to work out of but don't tow anything. The next week I bought a brand new 2015 Ford F-250 Superduty that I'll use exclusively to tow my Shockwave till the Burb completely dies.........
Thanx........INTJohn
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08-20-2015, 07:09 AM
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#2
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Georgia Rally Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: GA
Posts: 24,458
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Your lucky to make it home with out incident. Yep ruff roads and salt will it your lunch. Later RJD
__________________
2020 Shasta Phoenix SPF 27RKSS (sold)
2018 Dodge Ram 2500 6.4 3:73 gearing. Traded 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0, 4:10
Traded 2015 30WRLIKS V-Lite
Days camped 2019 62
Days camped 2020 49 days camped 2021-74 2022-40 days 2023 5 days
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08-20-2015, 07:22 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Plains, OR
Posts: 253
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I'm surprised about the frame being buckled, but the receiver being broke is not a shocker. It's been pretty common in GM vehicles for years.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
2007 Chevy Duramax EFI Live and other supporting mods.
2015 Wildcat Maxx T26BHS
Nights camped 2015....23
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08-20-2015, 07:24 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,748
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Heck, that would have been one funny utube video!
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08-20-2015, 07:29 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Idaho
Posts: 2,058
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonkatoy77
I'm surprised about the frame being buckled, but the receiver being broke is not a shocker. It's been pretty common in GM vehicles for years.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Really! Wonder why since GM does not make them, and the other companies probably use the same source. Just curious
__________________
Trailer: Lifted 228BH, heavy duty springs and Yokohama tires DELAMINATED ROOF
TV: 2016 GMC Sierra Z71 4x4 CC, SLT
Spare TV: Two Alaskan Malamutes
Living somewhere in ID; previously lived in Moab UT; previous to that, don't ask!
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08-20-2015, 07:44 AM
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#6
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Who Dares, Wins
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 7,063
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My father's ford 350 cracked as well and his mechanic said 8d it was common for them as well... I think it is just a thing that can happen to any vehicle under the right circumstances. But the op's sounds like it was the frame that caused the failure. I used to drive a diesel 2500 suburban for work. They were beasts.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
__________________
Pat, Jen, Heather & Sapphire, the head mouser.
2015 Chevy HD D-Max
2022 Impression 315MB
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08-20-2015, 08:39 AM
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#7
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Shenandoah Valley of Virginia
Posts: 9,280
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Just curious, how much weight was the receiver hitch rated for ?? There should be a sticker somewhere on the hitch that shows that.
What brand of WDH was used ??
__________________
Chap , DW Joy, and Fur Baby Sango
2017 F350 Lariat CCSB, SRW, 4x4, 6.7 PS
2017 Grand Design Reflection 337RLS
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08-20-2015, 08:53 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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After (18 yrs) of Mich.salt you are hard pressed to have a Hitch Assy.let alone a Sticker! Youroo!!
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08-20-2015, 09:44 AM
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#9
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Who Dares, Wins
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Chester County, PA
Posts: 7,063
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Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
After (18 yrs) of Mich.salt you are hard pressed to have a Hitch Assy.let alone a Sticker! Youroo!!
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Haha! How true.
__________________
Pat, Jen, Heather & Sapphire, the head mouser.
2015 Chevy HD D-Max
2022 Impression 315MB
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08-20-2015, 09:56 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 627
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I found a cracked hitch mount on mine shortly after we bought it.
I bought my 2001 Mirada last fall. I discovered a cracked angle bracket that the hitch was mounted to. It appeared to be old and I suspect most likely resulted from the previous owners maybe overloaded the hitch tongue weight (maybe one of those motorcycle carriers that plug into the hitch)
Anyway, I welded the crack and installed a 1/4 think angle bracket over the existing bracket to add additional reinforcement.
Cracked Trailer hitch mounting bracket | 2001 Coachmen Mirada 300QB
..
__________________
2001 Coachmen Mirada (Ford F53 6.8L V10) - Toad 2003 Saturn Vue
It won't do MACH 2, but I can get a sandwich and take a pee.
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08-20-2015, 03:34 PM
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#11
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 24
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Congratulations on the new F250
Quote:
Originally Posted by intjohn
So while I'm returning to Michigan from my winter stay in San Diego my reciever hitch cracked. I'm towing a 2014 Shockwave T24FQ MX Toyhauler & my tow rigg is a 1997 GMC Suburban 2500 with 454 vortec - heavy duty.
I didn't realize what had happened at the time but was aware something not good had occured as I noticed upon refueling the truck that the trailer tounge & ball assembly seemed to be a little lower than what me eyes were used to. Not much mind you but maybe an inch.......... At the time I chalked it up to 'inspect all down there when I get back 'home'.... hitch, shocks, springs, etc. blah blah blah........
Well when I got 'home' and got the trailer situated & settled back in on my piece of boondock heaven I looked 'downunder' and noticed a small but 2" long crack on the passenger side of the receiver and thought WTF! I dropped the Burb off at my mechanic and let him know bout the crack and that I needed a new hitch blah blah. The next day he calls me and asks me to drop by he's gotta show me sumpthin' and when I get there he shows me that the truck frame has buckled where the receiver is attached and that's what caused the hitch receiver to crack........ he continues that my burb needs to be sent to a frame repair fabrication shop where they can cut, fit, & weld reinforcing plates to get the strength back in the frame.
Bottom line 18 years of Michigan's winter salted roads had finally taken the toll on my 1997 Burb. I told my mechanic to forget it. It was still good to drive for me to work out of but don't tow anything. The next week I bought a brand new 2015 Ford F-250 Superduty that I'll use exclusively to tow my Shockwave till the Burb completely dies.........
Thanx........INTJohn
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Congratulations on the new F250 You will enjoy it. I just bought one myself. The 6.7 is quiet and strong!
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08-20-2015, 06:09 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Bridgeton
Posts: 41
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Thanx to everyone for your responses. Yeah - the problem was/is the rear 3 feet of the frame & hitch receiver have a really bad case of salt cancer......
My mechanic said it would cost about 1000$ to reinforce the frame and then cost of new receiver. I new sometime in the next couple years I was going to need a new truck as my burb has 290,000 miles on it ,etc. I'll still be able to use it for my work and hopefully get a few more years out of it and keep miles off the new F-250. Will just use that for towing my Shockwave. Also, I didn't get the diesel but the 6.2 gas - couldn't bring myself to spend the 8000$ xtra for diesel when I no longer need to tow 15000 pounds around anymore........
Thanx again for your responses, etc...............INTJohn
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08-20-2015, 06:28 PM
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#13
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Georgia Rally Coordinator
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: GA
Posts: 24,458
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tonkatoy77
I'm surprised about the frame being buckled, but the receiver being broke is not a shocker. It's been pretty common in GM vehicles for years.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Only if you live in the Northern states that use a lot of salt will this issue arise. I Have never seen this in all my years owning a Chevy truck cause I have lived out side the danger zone of salt. Later RJD
__________________
2020 Shasta Phoenix SPF 27RKSS (sold)
2018 Dodge Ram 2500 6.4 3:73 gearing. Traded 2015 Chevy 2500 6.0, 4:10
Traded 2015 30WRLIKS V-Lite
Days camped 2019 62
Days camped 2020 49 days camped 2021-74 2022-40 days 2023 5 days
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08-20-2015, 06:38 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Bridgeton
Posts: 41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aceinspp
Only if you live in the Northern states that use a lot of salt will this issue arise. I Have never seen this in all my years owning a Chevy truck cause I have lived out side the danger zone of salt. Later RJD
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EZackly.......and I live not far from Lake Michigan where we get about as much lake effect snow as Buffalo NY. Sometimes it seems like Eleven months of winter and 1 month of poor skiing........
Thanx........INTjohn
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08-20-2015, 06:50 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Waynesville
Posts: 14,428
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intjohn,if your bumper pull trailer weights (15000lbs) your in (5th wheel area)! The old Burb with 290000 miles did real good! Youroo!!
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08-20-2015, 07:12 PM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by intjohn
So while I'm returning to Michigan from my winter stay in San Diego my reciever hitch cracked. I'm towing a 2014 Shockwave T24FQ MX Toyhauler & my tow rigg is a 1997 GMC Suburban 2500 with 454 vortec - heavy duty.
I didn't realize what had happened at the time but was aware something not good had occured as I noticed upon refueling the truck that the trailer tounge & ball assembly seemed to be a little lower than what me eyes were used to. Not much mind you but maybe an inch.......... At the time I chalked it up to 'inspect all down there when I get back 'home'.... hitch, shocks, springs, etc. blah blah blah........
Well when I got 'home' and got the trailer situated & settled back in on my piece of boondock heaven I looked 'downunder' and noticed a small but 2" long crack on the passenger side of the receiver and thought WTF! I dropped the Burb off at my mechanic and let him know bout the crack and that I needed a new hitch blah blah. The next day he calls me and asks me to drop by he's gotta show me sumpthin' and when I get there he shows me that the truck frame has buckled where the receiver is attached and that's what caused the hitch receiver to crack........ he continues that my burb needs to be sent to a frame repair fabrication shop where they can cut, fit, & weld reinforcing plates to get the strength back in the frame.
Bottom line 18 years of Michigan's winter salted roads had finally taken the toll on my 1997 Burb. I told my mechanic to forget it. It was still good to drive for me to work out of but don't tow anything. The next week I bought a brand new 2015 Ford F-250 Superduty that I'll use exclusively to tow my Shockwave till the Burb completely dies.........
Thanx........INTJohn
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All that miles in what seemed like a good vehicle why buy a Ford? I have a 2010 gmc Sierra 2500HD that pulls my Toy hauler with power to spare. Just wondering? But I am not a Ford fan.
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08-20-2015, 07:17 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: MA
Posts: 1,830
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Sounds like the burb has been good to you. Can't complain about that.
Sounds like you got a nice new truck to boot.
Vin.
__________________
2015 HW296
2006 HW256 (previous pup)
2013 Chevy Tahoe
Equalizer WDH 10000#
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08-20-2015, 07:43 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Southern New England
Posts: 862
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290k and 18 years, the suburban had a nice long life. Don't know if they use the Calcium Chloride pre-treatment in MI but in New England, that stuff eats cars and bridges.
__________________
2017 GMC Yukon
2018 Roo 23 ikss
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08-20-2015, 07:57 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: North Plains, OR
Posts: 253
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aceinspp
Only if you live in the Northern states that use a lot of salt will this issue arise. I Have never seen this in all my years owning a Chevy truck cause I have lived out side the danger zone of salt. Later RJD
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Salt or no salt, I'm still surprised. I would have thought the hitch would have let go before a frame buckling. The hitch and the frame are being exposed to the same salt, and the hitch is the weak point. Just do a Google search and you will see what I mean about GM hitches being weak.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
__________________
2007 Chevy Duramax EFI Live and other supporting mods.
2015 Wildcat Maxx T26BHS
Nights camped 2015....23
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08-20-2015, 08:37 PM
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#20
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Bridgeton
Posts: 41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EHeki81
All that miles in what seemed like a good vehicle why buy a Ford? I have a 2010 gmc Sierra 2500HD that pulls my Toy hauler with power to spare. Just wondering? But I am not a Ford fan.
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lol......actually every pik up I've ever owned has been a Ford.
bought a 1982 new till I bought the burb....... 224000 miles i think
bought a 1991 new 263000 miles sold it a year ago.
Bought the burb new 1997 290,000 and still going strong - just can't tow anthing with it anymore.
This new F250??? future rermains to be seen - it'll be my last truck tho and it should NEVER see a Michigan winter as by Dec 1 I'm in San Diego and don't return to Mich till April 1; so I expect it to easily last for the rest of my healthy life.
Thanx.........INTJohn
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