Mike Schriber
San Diego, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/29/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
Well, that should be interesting. Looking at your pictures, I'm not so sure "imminent failure" is the term I'd use.
Mike
LanceinHouston wrote:The NHTSA called me today and have requested my "imminent failure" hitch receiver for testing, which I gladly volunteered since I replaced it already. He also said that he had a few of the failed hitches up in his office and was planning for a possible field trip to see some accident scenes and vehicles. He also said that he had contacted some of the people on this board. It is real apparent that these hitch receivers have gotten the attention of the NHTSA. Thank you everyone who contacted Dan, and again, please e-mail him if you have some proof of these failures. It will make a difference. When I find out more I will post it.....
2006 Damon Daybreak 3276 37' bunkhouse
2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited
SoCal Family Campers
|
BigToe
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 08/01/2005
View Profile
|
Agreed.
Not only that, but conveniently omitted from the photos and the post is the fact that not one, but TWO side plates exist on each side of the hitch, so even if that was a crack (the photos looks like normal weld undercutting to me... but it is hard to tell without a three dimensional perspective, which is why I'm sure that NHTSA asked for the part)... but anyway, even if that was a crack, there is still a whole 'nuther side plate on that side to retain the hitch... and the cross bar itself is routed through cutouts in the side plate, not just welded to them. So the cross tube cannot drop out, nor can it rotate or pull out (due to the other side plate on that side.)
These are the benefits of the GM design, and I'm not aware of any other hitch design available in North America that incorporates double redundant side plates in combinated with a fitted thru cross tube retention. Most hitches, including the more popular replacement hitch, rely entirely on a single weld on each side to a single side plate, and that fitment is often abutted, rather than routed thru.
I'm not saying that the aftermarket designs are inadequate... after all, they are using thicker, heavier materials. But the pictures above, like Mike says, do not suggest "immenint failure". They appear like undercutting to me, and I'm very glad that NHTSA is having a physical look.
The hysteria about GM hitches seems out of control, in my opinion.
Thus far, no evidence has emerged to characterize this hitch as "Dangerous!!!" with three exclamation points, the alarm of which has the appearance of being hysterical. However, the very positive benefit of Lance's efforts is that consumer concerns are being addressed by a governing agency that is neutral (in theory), and hopefully this will either resolve the issue or allay the concerns.
Lot's of people are changing their perfectly good hitches based on post accident photos. Why not change trucks too, after seeing the wreckage?
Mike Schriber wrote:Well, that should be interesting. Looking at your pictures, I'm not so sure "imminent failure" is the term I'd use.
|
chadsalt
GA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/04/2005
View Profile
 Offline
|
the hitch lanceinhouston has is not even allegedly "cracked" in the pin box where everyone is claiming the problem is.......i dont know why the nhtsa is interested in that one at all.
|
LanceinHouston
Houston, TX
New Member
Joined: 09/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Hey, maybe your right. Maybe it is nothing. If the NHTSA says it doesn't warrant further investigation, then it doesn't. BTW, my Silverado is a good truck and Chevy makes a good product. But this hitch thing deserves a good look since so many folks are reporting trouble, including me. Flame off boys, OK?
|
chadsalt
GA
Senior Member
Joined: 04/04/2005
View Profile
Offline
|
no flame intended.
|
|
|
BigToe
USA
Senior Member
Joined: 08/01/2005
View Profile
|
Hey easy now, Lance! No one is flaming anyone around here.
After all, it was you who yelled "FIRE!!!" (rather loudly) in this theater, and folks followed and ran. Some of us need proof. Sounds like you could use some (fire)proofing yourself.
LanceinHouston wrote:Hey, maybe your right. Maybe it is nothing. If the NHTSA says it doesn't warrant further investigation, then it doesn't. But this hitch thing deserves a good look since so many folks are reporting trouble, including me. Flame off boys, OK?
|
BenK
SF BayArea
Senior Member
Joined: 04/18/2002
View Profile
|
If this isn't an indication of impending failure, then what is it?
I think it's already failed, but not catastrophically...yet.
|
LanceinHouston
Houston, TX
New Member
Joined: 09/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
BenK, That is very well put and exactly my point, thanks.....
|
Russ Chastain
Florida
New Member
Joined: 08/23/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
Guys, do you know if a receiver hitch from an OBS (old body style) 1993 1500 will fit my 2001 NBS (new body style) 1500 HD? I may be thanking God that my '93 hasn't sold yet, if I need to pull the hitch off it to replace the cheesy one on my '01.
I didn't like the looks of the '01's hitch, being bolted to the bumper just seems half-a$$ed, but until now I hadn't given it much thought. I'm sure thinking about it now! I just pulled our 28' travel trailer with it last weekend, and trusted it completely. Doh!
Anyhow, any thoughts on fit between NBS and OBS hitches would be much appreciated!
- Russ
|
BenK
SF BayArea
Senior Member
Joined: 04/18/2002
View Profile
|
Russ, don't know, but a few potential problems.
1) is that the spare is now down there and the cross tube is bent to accomodate. The OBS receiver is a straight cross tube and 'might' interfer.
2) The holes in the frame might not line up with the OBS receiver.
3) Price of any of the best traditional receivers is approx $150 bucks, plus
about 1 hours labor to remove/install. The time to drill new holes, etc would
negate any cost savings, IMHO.
|
|
|
