Community Forums

Dutch Star Don · 05-19-2016, 10:03 PM

People forget that before you could buy a hitch online, you went to a hitch shop and had one made. I had several built when I was younger. Eckhart started out welding up hitches. The premades aren't any stronger, just more easily mass produced.

I weld everything on my coach with one exception....hitches. The same shop did my Monaco and I towed my 6K truck for six years with that hitch. I'm pretty sure I could go mud womping with the beads he put on this hitch and the last one.

Adam Hunter · 05-20-2016, 09:37 PM

I have no doubt it would be strong.

Some welders (people) are better than others and some offshore steel can be real crap to weld. At the hands of someone skilled and with a quality receiver I get your point.

I guess I was just wondering what the general consensus was about modifying a hitch used for towing.

Thanks though for responding.

TJ · 05-21-2016, 08:42 PM

Looks like I won't be following DS Don's lead after all. I got a chance to look the hitch situation over today and found that I had forgotten that I needed a 4" rise, not a drop. There's no room on the top side of the existing receiver to weld a new one, so I am stuck with using the riser hitch. Darn!

newmarpusher · 05-21-2016, 08:59 PM

Just an FYI for all those using a drop or rise receiver. You can tighten up the "slop" in the connection with one of these:

http://blueox.com/products/tow-bar/b...u-bolt-design/

Sent from my iPad using iRV2 - RV Forum

mpm2433 · 05-22-2016, 09:17 AM

I need that! I'm using a 6" riser to accommodate my lifted jeep on 37"s. I flat towed it from Houston to Moab without issue. just want to tighten things up

Sky_Boss · 05-22-2016, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

I don't like using drop down hitch assemblies to correct tow bar height. Below is a photo of what I did to my previous coach and now the Dutch Star. I went to Harbor Freight and picked up a 12" bare receiver. I removed the hitch from the Dutch Star and took it to a local hitch shop. ....

Nice work! BTW...I think you were extremely smart to remove the hitch for the welding work. Funny things can happen to electrical systems when welding on the coach is done.

vsheetz · 05-22-2016, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky_Boss

Nice work! BTW...I think you were extremely smart to remove the hitch for the welding work. Funny things can happen to electrical systems when welding on the coach is done.

Yes agree. Too easy for something to go awry when welding on the coach. Removal and taking the hitch easier for everyone. Allows the welder to have it on his bench rather than laying on his back to do the work.

mel s · 05-22-2016, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCGibson

What should the height difference between the coach hitch and the toad be? I haven't hooked up our new Ventana with our Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk yet. We had to use a riser with the Tiffin Allegro we had. Both coach hitches should be about the same height, shouldn't they?

JCGibson
The "Safe Zone", (as recommended by Roadmaster), is anywhere between 3" higher and 3" lower than the center-line of the receiver hitch on the MH.... (measured when the MH is at "ride height" and both the coach and the toad are parked on level ground).

Mel
'96 Safari

Dutch Star Don · 05-22-2016, 01:22 PM

On my Monaco, the hitch was part of the engine mount and was welded on, plus all of the electronics were in the front bay of the coach, so I was more comfortable with having the additional receiver welded onto the coach.

For ease, and safety, I decided to remove this one, which also gave the welder better access to it.....he could flip it and turn it. Now the down side.....there are eight bolts on this hitch and one on each side is in the middle of the square tubing frame. Removing and replacing those two caused a little "blue air", but luckily the bolts stay in place and hang down.

I had carpel tunnel surgery on the left hand April 10th and the right hand May 11th and luckily they were working better for this R&R, but my wife was still yelling at me......you shouldn't be doing that so soon after surgery....still have the stitches in the right wrist.....life goes n and the surgeon did a good job.

TJ · 05-22-2016, 04:29 PM

That's why air ratchets and impact drivers are such great tools. No more beating up your arms, wrists and hands; just let the air tool do the work.

Dutch Star Don · 05-22-2016, 06:27 PM

I was using air tools! I was a mechanic for several years in my younger days and it took all my tricks to get to those two bolts, including magnets and tape! :-)

imgoin4it · 05-23-2016, 01:42 PM

For those that have to use a drop or rise receiver I highly recommend a hitch tightener or immobilizer. I use two. One on the drop receiver and one on the tow bar. I like the extra length because the connect points on the tow vehicle, Chevy silverado, are wide and would put the truck very close to the coach without the extra length. The two tighteners were put on at the blue ox factory and make everything rock solid.

Dutch Star Don · 05-23-2016, 01:59 PM

I use the Roadmaster "Quiet Hitch" product. It takes a few minutes to put on and take off, but I only do it at the beginning and end of each trip. I never leave the tow bar on. It comes off and goes on a short dolly I made and into my shed.

Roadmaster Inc. - Tow Bars, Braking Systems & RV Accessories