ProPride 3p hitch
I bit the bullet today and ordered my new ProPride 3p 1400 hitch. Whadaya think? DW grabs the dash every time the trailer sways with the other friction bar sway control and we're thinking of getting a...
Forum Discussion
Golden_HVAC wrote:
If you have the stock GMC hitch, it will have a round bar from one side of the frame to the other, (drivers to passenger side) and is made of thinwall tubing, then heat treated to give it some strength. With time, these crack, and the Hensley or Propride hitch will put additional stress on the stock hitch.
So if you have a stock hitch, replace it soon, or it will come off suddenly, and require trailer and hitch replacement as well.
At least check the hitch closely for cracks, or rusty lines, and perhaps have it inspected by someone. It might be a poor hitch, that allows the weight distribution bars to wiggle, that is the root of your problem.
One Rv.Net member measured his hitch with and without the weight distribution bars on. He found he back end of hitch is moving about 0.040" when the bars are tightened. With the replacement hitch, it did not move a significant amount.
Fred.
Golden HVAC, I have to respectufully disagree with your analogy of the added stress on a stock hitch/receiver with a 3P Hitch. Unlike a standard WD hitch, where the WD bars are attached to the hitch head, the 3P's WD bars are attached to the hitch box of the 3P itself. With that said, and taking into account that the WD would be similarily transferred to the TV, it doesn't make sense that there would be extra stress exerted to the stock hitch. If someone who is experiencing cracking in their stock hitch, they should have it addressed immediately. That's a safety issue and I would go so far as to find out if anyone else is/has had the same problem. This may be a defect in the design of those GM hitches. I have an '07 Suburban with the hitch that is inegrated into the bumper and it is welded together to make up the bumper and receiver than six bolts (three on each side) attach it to the vehicle frame. I have had no issues with it, other than GM didn't do anyone any favors by making it 24 1/2" off the ground. That's a whole other story though. I just thought I would share my two cents worth here. I think were all going to have differences of opinions on this but that is what makes these blogs work so well.
