Draw Tite receiver hitch bending frame on MH

[bgsc]

Have a 2003 Winnebago Adventurer with the 8.1 and 22.5 tires we are towing a 2004 Jeep Liberty with a Blue Ox Aladdin tow bar and a Blue Ox Appollo brake system we are using a 6 inch drop on the hitch to line up with the tow tabs on the Liberty have only had this hitch for just over 1 year and towed approx 10000 miles with it, just noticed that were the hitch attaches to the frame of the coach it is bending the "C" section of the frame down. The Jeep has a weight of 3900 lbs and is lined up even with the tow bar when on a level area, anyone else had this problem? what did you do to correct it?
The original receiver hitch that came from the factory on the coach had 6 1/2 bolts put thru 5/8 holes in the frame and I found 4 of those bolts broken when I was hooking up my Jeep, Winnebago's answer was they felt it was ok to put 1/2 bolts in a 5/8 hole (I feel that little bit of slop over the miles will end up wearing thru/or weakening the bolt until they finally break) they then stated that there should be no more than 8 inches from were the hitch is pinned to the motor home to the swivel point on the tow bar. This is next to impossible when you have to use a drop on your hitch.
Any help would sure be appreciated

[wa8yxm]

Bending it down.. I could see up, but not down

With the Aladin tow bar you are basically putting no weight (Well less than 100 pounds) on the tow bar, that should not bend things

The only thing I can think of that could bend it would be torque.. It would be twisting the frame though, not bending it.. and ... What's more... I tow 4,000 pounds of chevy with my Workhorse and the dealer put in a 13 inch drop (We only needed six inches) no evidence of damage.

You may need to adjust the aux brake system.. Of course. you ahave a brake in a box. where I have the US-gear Unified Brake Decelerator. My system kicks in when I press the pedal.. Your system kicks in when the jeep starts to slow down.

[Route 66]

Drop hitches can multiply forces drastically and cause hitch failures. We have had several members experience this.

IMHO a 1/2" bolt in a 5/8" hole is definitely a bad idea. Too much play, especially since you are experiencing problems.

I would think the frame needs to be reinforced.

[bgsc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 Drop hitches can multiply forces drastically and cause hitch failures. We have had several members experience this. IMHO a 1/2" bolt in a 5/8" hole is definitely a bad idea. Too much play, especially since you are experiencing problems. I would think the frame needs to be reinforced.

Thanks for your input, the Draw tite hitch I have on there now uses 5/8 bolts (grade-8) the bolts are holding but the mounting plates that fit against the frame are bending, and all I am towing is a 3900lb Jeep??? have the 6 inch drop on to match up with the 19 inch tow tab heights, it appears to me that I will have to distribute the stresses over a larger area by extending the mounting plate area were it attaches to the frame, will check this with the draw tite dealer does this make sense to you?

[Route 66]

Yep.