I was the guy that started the GM hitch discussion back in 2003 after this happened:
Compare that to the aftermarket Kolussus:
On my truck there are 8 bolts holding the receiver, 3 on each frame rail and the two you can see in the pic going to the bumper. Not hard to change, bolts are easy to get to, but you will need a floor jack or similar to hold the new receiver in position while you attach, there things are heavy!
I thought this design looked cheesy when I bought the truck, but I figured, hey I'm no engineer, I should be OK if I stay within the ratings....wrong! I commented to the dealer that it looked like the hitch broke going around a turn, and the answer I got was "they aren't designed to handle stress like that." I pointed out that the towing section of the owner's manual says nothing about towing in a straight line only.....I filed my NHTSA report and moved on.
Suggest that if you decide not to swap the receiver, inspect it regularly for stress cracks.
This has been my view lately, I'm replacing all of the brake fuel lines with stainless, the salt water finally got them. Hope to get the RV out somewhere this summer.
