do I have the dreaded weak GM OEM hitch?

Thanks for all the responses, you guys are thorough! I posted some photos below. Even though mine is a 2008 I can't see much difference between mine and Burbman's broken one.

Someone asked what the tongue weight was, it's between 750-800 lbs depending on loading (sherline verified).

Will probably look to a new hitch sooner than later as it's a small cost to avoid a big problem on the side of the hwy!

I also went with a Tork-Lift on my 03 2500HD.

I came across a used with Tork-Lift's extensions for a price that I could not turn down.

When I started towing the first thing I changed was the weak hitch. Installed a Torklift hitch and you won't have hitch problems, ever!

Thought you might appreciate a better picture:







Ben, I have a whole series on my PB album, here's the link.

I had mine replaced last year for about $400 installed.

This is, as is for most of life, not an absolute

Meaning that since quite a few have failed...does it mean that they all will...

Meaning that since some have had no problems...does it mean that no one else will...

The GMT800's the worst of this architecture where the torque tube (cross tube)
is supplemented by the bumper...or as the designers 'thought' it would work out

But in doing so, they lessened the torque tube's wall thickness and
reduced the transfer area's cross section (the torque tube bracket to
TV frame rail). That then has less 'meat' to do it's job and allows
the torque tube to bend downwards (both the reduced wall thickness
and bracket)

Toss in admitted poor production and quality control during 'some' of
the production runs...has the welds not penetrate well or at all

Even the GMT900's have some poor production and quality issues, but
they seemingly are small and only one has been reported that I know of


This is the GMT800 and the first to report it was Burbman



This thread shows a member who 'thought' he'd reweld it and during his
prep of grinding it down to bare metal found this...where the OEM weld
did NOT penetrate (fuse the two parts together)
New body style Chevy hitch questions. w/pics...GMT800


Notice the void between the two parts that should have been fused
together. Invisible and that for those who say they 'will keep an eye
on it'...


This is the same spot, but with more ground away


This is my analysis back then and still think so. Why 'keeping an eye'
on it won't see the water/rust damage until it is too late...



This is the only picture of a GMT900's weld crack that I've come
across, but not looking... :E




This is the first image by John Barca showing the GMT900's receiver
and how it ties into the RV frame...with those designed in stress
raisers for crash crumple zone duties
2007 2500 Suburban towing question


Why the GMT900 receiver is only rated for 1,000 lbs tongue with WD


Bottom bubble points to the bracket stress raisers...reduced cross
section as a designed in 'first' point of failure(s)




Back to the OP's receiver...noodle this: a decent or traditional
receiver is in the $150 to $200 buck range...plus about an hours
remove/replace time

Then if you do change it out...weigh them both against each other
The traditional design will weigh considerable more than the OEM...

You choice, but if me, I'd change it in a flash

The hitch looks like all GM hitches. I have a 2004 which supposedly is one that could fail at any moment. The hitch had years of use without any sign of a problem. I have read all the reports and looked at as many pictures as I could find of the hitches that have failed. What stood out to me was that most of the failed hitches also had a great deal of rust. Many of them also seemed to be running with heavy tongue weights. I do have a heavy tongue however my hitch has never shown any sign of rust. What I have noticed is that there was a great deal of flex when I jacked the TT to engage the spring bars. Having towed the same TT over the same roads with two different trucks I noticed the GM actually would have more porpoising action while driving over a rough road. I attributed it to the flex I was seeing while hooking up. With that in mind and for my own peace of mind I bought and installed a Curt class 5 hitch. While hitching up the first thing I noticed was that there was no flex. I have only taken one trip since installing the new hitch. Driving a route that in the past would give me noticeable bounce I found that with the new hitch my ride and therefore towing experience was much better. After selling the OEM hitch on Craigslist my out of pocket expense for the hitch and new wiring plug was minimal (less than $100), peach of mind - priceless.

If the OP's receiver looks just like the one in the pic, I don't see what's different from the problem hitches going back to '00.

To the OP, how heavy is your trailer? The primary issue with this receiver is using a WD hitch with heavy 1000 lb+ tongue weights. The design allows the receiver tube to flex, eventually breaking the welds by repeated "tin-canning". One symptom of potential failure is the inability to level the rig with the WD hitch over time. In other words, the same number of links on the WD bars don't get the rig as level as they did when it was new. The reason is that the receiver is flexing, and absorbing some of the WD energy that is supposed to be sending weight fore and aft to level the rig.

Many have reported a more solid ride and less bounce after replacing the factory receiver with an aftermarket.

I would say inspect the entire assembly regularly for cracks and stress and be aware of how the rig levels with WD applied. Alternatively, as Barney notes, you can replace the whole thing fairly inexpensively and be done with it.

The infamously bad one was on GMT800 pickups and SUV, 2000-2007 "Classic" pickups. 2007.5+ are solid as I have never read of a failure.

The new body style in 07 brought the end to the problem hitches.
Dave