Cracked Hitch Receiver

[Cornelius]

While doing a walk around inspection, I saw that my tow bar was angled down slightly. I removed the tow bar from the hitch receiver and found two cracks on the interior bottom corners. Not good.

The tow hitch on the Georgetown is a Buyers model #3012019 which does not seem to be listed on their website. The attached sticker says it is rated for 5000 lbs towing and 500 lbs hitch weight. I have been towing a 2 door Jeep Wrangler with a bike rack, so I am within those limits.

Obviously I will need to repair or replace the hitch. I have searched for a hitch for the Ford F53, but can find nothing specific for this chassis. Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions for a replacement? Anyone know what Forrest River is currently using for a hitch?

Thanks.

[MMattox]

I would definitely replace it, the cost of getting it fixed would not be worth it and it would be a difficult fix at that. I would go with a brand name like draw tite or reese. I have had trucks for a long time and have never seen that before. A friend got rear ended and the hitch looked fine but the insurance company replaced it as it is a huge liability. Good job on your part for keeping your eyes open and checking your equipment.

[OldCoot]

Ford Accessories has multiple hitches. Ford Accessories | The Official Site for Ford Custom Accessories | Customize Your Ford

Trailer Hitch Assembly - 2 Inch Receiver | The Official Site for Ford Custom Accessories

[mogman]

Call Buyers. It must be faulty material or fabrication.

[Dodge Guy]

a tow bar has no tongue weight. At least not enough to cause that crack! Have you owned it since new? If not, maybe a previous owner was towing something heavy?

[camaraderie]

I had a Draw Tite Class 4 put on my Georgetown F53 about a month ago. It was pretty much a universal fit model with a heavy duty cross bar and receiver sliding through the two (L & R) attachment plates that were then welded to the chassis. I'm sure any DrawTite dealer will be able to accomodate you and I second the notion that trying a repair is probably gonna be close to the price of a new one and less reliable.

Check here also...something may work for you.
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Spec...ame_Mount.aspx

My gut says that lever motion of the trailer in the receiver over bumps etc. or too much "play" in the hookup gradually let to the stress crack.
Good luck!

[Cornelius]

An update to my first post. It looks like the original owner had backed into something, and the hitch may have had damage that got worse with use over time. The Buyers model hitch that Forest River installed is made exclusively for the RV industry, and is not available for consumer purchase at Buyers dealers. Forest River quoted me $327 for a replacement hitch, plus about $150 for shipping. I was unable to find any other exact fit replacement for the Ford F53 chassis.

I also checked with two hitch and welding shops, and both advised replacement rather than repair. I ended up going with a Curt 13702 class III motorhome receiver hitch from Amazon at $165 delivered. It has the same weight ratings as the original hitch, and came with all the needed hardware. It required some drilling to install, and the end result was fine. The Jeep was towed today with no problems. Thank you to everyone for your advice and suggestions.

[sherman12]

Great job Cornelius and thanks for the follow up to your situation and the fix to it.