Overtight weight distribution brackets bent frame....

Top of frame distorting is from the upward angle of the bracket bolts.

twodownzero wrote:

nharinton wrote:

twodownzero wrote:
I would probably leave it the way it is. It's a shame that someone did all that damage. If I wanted to fix it, I would probably drill and tap the other side of the frame and use a large diameter bolt to "push" the dent out and then weld the hole closed, grind smooth, and paint.

Why not ainpky patch it up?

Because thickening and strengthening the frame in that one spot is going to create a stress riser that could potentially cause more problems than it solved. I'd cut out the entire section and weld in a patch of comparable thickness before I'd plate over it and create that stress riser.

Gotcha. Didnt think about that. Guess in the spring i will replace the whole tongue sections. For now just need to take it to get the tank empty and then bring it to storage for the winter. Wont be more then a few hours pulling it

From the pictures of the bent Reese snap up bracket, this looks like the classic Reese snap up bracket failure from heavy tongue weights when the bracket is not bolted on.

It has occurred many times before on loaded tongue weights of 1,000# and over. In certain turns, the loads on the inside WD bar go real high. The heavy tongue weight coupled with 1,200# or higher WD bars has been known to spring open the top of the snap up. If they are bolted on, then this does not happen. If and when you bolt them on, make sure the bolt is touching the top of the hole in the bracket so it can't slip down.

I used, 5/16" carriage bolts that fit in the square punched holes to bolt mine on. Your vintage may or may not have the square holes, then just add them as round holes size to size with the bolt.

Page 5 shows the bolting if yours does not have the holes. They just do not go into why you need to bolt them on and what the issues are if you don't. https://www.reeseprod.com/support/installation/N66022.pdf

You should get your tongue weight when loaded checked so you know what it is.

I agree, fix the frame as leaving it like that is a problem that sooner or later will become a problem.

From here, by the pics and the amount of cracked paint and rust under the top of the bracket, this problem existed a while ago. If you just bought it, you inherited the problem from a prior owner. I do not think this was caused by over tightening the bolt.

Hope this helps

John

PS,. Reese now offers a heavy duty snap up with gussets welded on the side. I myself would still bolt it on.

I've seen this happen with a poorly adjusted WD hitch. If there are not enough links under tension, turning corners results in the bracket being dragged along the frame by the WD bar.