Should've used the Search Button

[Campo]

Well I found out that I should've use the search button and did a little research...

After doing my TT/Add-A-Leaf/War lift, I went out and got my 31x10.50 Goodyear Workhorse tire's, I also had the spare replaced..

Well Yesterday I was at WallyWorld and they had a Reese tubular hidden hitch on sale for $75.00 so I bought it , I installed it today, It look's good, I like it.

Then I tried to put the spare back under the truck... I doesn't fit. So I tried to bend the retaining piece that is over the rear diff hoping it would fit, Well I did fit, but I rub's on my shock's :frustrate .

Then I figured I could do some grinding on the hitch to make it move alittle more to the rear... NO WORK'Y

So I took the hitch off and decided to paint were I grinded and take it back. (I didn't grind more than 1/8")

Well I was putting the spare back in and, guess what... the end of the rod that fit's into the cable roller thingy, fell off, not on the floor, but in the hole in the body :fire:, I've been sitting out there for 4 hrs with magnet's, and grabber's and jacking the truck one way then the other to get it so I can get it out, I've done everything but cut into the body rail.. (it's still in there)

So then I decide to use the search button.. Just guess what I discovered..

My spare won't fit with that style hitch..... (*&#$^$%#... )

Now I know..

So the point of this is before you do anything use the search button and research...

 

[GJarrett]

When I was carrying my spare there and bought a Hidden Hitch, it would not fit either, but the place that was the problem was the 1/2" or so that the square receiver stuck in front of the tube. I ground the excess off and made the square receiver tube flush with the round tube and the tire fit fine.

 

[Alto]

Mine Fits fine! I just have to put the aft part of the tire in first.

I also read that some have let some air out to fit! Mine is aired to 40psi but then again mine fits fine.
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones! Try using some wire and stick Gum, Tape, ect. To get that out!

 

[Campo]

well as far as the cranking rod, I'm gonna contact a few member's who are parting out X's and see if I can get one, instead of fighting that thing out..

Gerald, you ground down the square tube flush with the round one? How has it held up being yanked on? I thought about doing that to but was afraid the first time it got yanked on or was pulling something it would brake there...

 

[Paul]

Campo -

I aired down my 31" spare to fit behind my receiver hitch. I have an air compressor to get it back up to highway pressure, but barring the compressor, you could always just carry a can of "Fix-a-Flat".

Good luck with the cable . . .

Paul
'91 Sport

 

[GJarrett]

Tony, I don't know why you would think that would weaken it. I didn't grind away any weld, just the excess material that was sticking out into the spare tire area. No loss of strength whatsoever and no problems. It worked fine.

It was a tight fit though. As has been suggested, if your vehicle is tighter than mine, I'd take air out and then have a means to re-air it back up if you need to.

 

[Campo]

Gerald the reason I thought that is because, the way the Reese hitch is designed is that the square tube is the center and the round tube part is welded on either side of the square tube like (round)[](round) so if I ground it down to match the tubing it would create a weak point on the back side of the hitch... I used to be a welder, 5yrs ago and to me that is a weak point... the remaining 1/2" of tubing and 1/4'" bead on the back is added reinforcement.

I graduated from Manhattan Area Tech College (K-State affiliate) for welding in 91 and was a welder for the Rail Road, Piping and Ship building industry until I learned my current trade of computer's...

So the way this hitch is built, I think if I grind it to match (flush)the round tube, It creates a weak point. because it is basically two round tubes welded to a piece of square tubing in the middle, if I grind off the weld on the back side it removes half of the weld on the hitch, thus the hitch is half of the strength originally designed for....

that's the way I see it ( but I could be wrong)

 

[GJarrett]

Oh, okay. I bought a Hidden Hitch brand and I guess maybe the tube is bigger on it. And I didn't have to grind down flush with the tube. I ground it down, but stopped before I got to the weld, because I didn't want to weaken the weld.

Anyway, I pulled lots of stuff including a large 16' U-Haul trailor loaded to max gross when I moved to another state, and lots of other stuff, and nothing happened at all. Also, the first one I ground I gave to Gofast and he's done fine with that one.