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How did I do this? - Bent Ball Mount

CaptainLarry
Explorer
Explorer



Hey Guys,

My buddy showed me his cheap Harbor Freight load compensation hitch because he thought the ball was causing wear on his mount. I paused and said, the whole thing looks bent to me.

My questions to you are, it does look bent, right? And how would one do this?

I guess I'm thinking going over a tall RR crossing might have this effect.

Larry

Moderator edit to fix picture URL's

44 REPLIES 44

Sportsmen
Explorer II
Explorer II
capacitor wrote:
I have not read all 5 pages so I'm not sure if this has been mentioned. When I bought my first trailer they said to disconnect the swaybar before backing especially if jack knifing. Could this be the reason?



Backing up with friction sway bars tightened down can damage a hitch. I ruined one doing that. Had to replace the hitch. FWIW
2016 Jayco Jay Flight 27BHS 6210 empty, 8200 GVW
2016 F250 CC 6.2L(gas) 3:73 diff (3157lb. payload)

Jackathan
Explorer
Explorer
Yes, capacitor. I always got out and removed the sway bar before backing into a site.

capacitor
Explorer
Explorer
I have not read all 5 pages so I'm not sure if this has been mentioned. When I bought my first trailer they said to disconnect the swaybar before backing especially if jack knifing. Could this be the reason?

SDcampowneroper
Explorer
Explorer
CaptainLarry wrote:
SDcampowneroperator wrote:
. My guess with bending down of the 2 5/16 " main ball mount and the left lean ( possible a also forward lean? ) of the left friction sway brake mini ball is that too sharp of a left jackknife turn bottomed out the left friction sway brake which would pull on the main ball, push on the mini ball. causing both to bend their mounts as shown.
From my welders and fabricators point of view, it is not a fault with the hitch, Maybe just too sharp of a turn, the sway brake rear mount set up too close on the tongue to allow fullslide action before ending its stroke.
This would cause one to bend down, the other up and sideways proportionally to the forces.


Thank you SDCamper, I trust something like this has happened. I'm a little perplexed how the heavy ball mount bent so much when the mini-balls really did not. Maybe the tongue load played in. I've since noticed my same hitch (different make - same factory) has a little bend too, but not as much. And I certainly back mine with the sway bars occasionally - like at a gas station, but I usually turn off the anti-sway function when I
get to a campground to minimize the groaning. I did not know to go ahead at that point and remove it, so I will start doing that. I've also not knowingly jack-knifed excessively, but well, maybe I have done that too. I know this has helped my friend a lot. Thanks for the input.
The difference you could see is in the difference in height. As the mount material is the same, with the mini balls shorter on un gusseted base, the main 2" ball is taller by a factor of 2 or more, has more forces applied to it when the conditions of a ' end of stroke' of the friction sway brakes. This could expailn why both were bent,
Engineering and design are arguably done well with equal forces trending to deform each mount, but not to failure, breaking of mounts or ball shanks.
To my experience the friction sway brake recievers were set up too far forward. on the tongue to allow sharp turns, the owner was not educated on removing them before making hard turns. Its so easy, so wrong on a longer TT to turn sharper in forward and in reverse than the hitch is set up for. Not just the sway bars also for the equalizers.
Todays preference for shorter wheelbase tow vehicles also comes to mind. With the tighter turning radius on shorter WB tow vehicles, the trend to longer TT RVs, when backing the unit sharper angles of turns happen quickly,
I think at this time OP and his friend have what they need to know, he had - has a good hitch no matter who made it, its set up and EDUCATION of its use is why they posted to this forum.
Blame on its manufacture is misplaced

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
Previous post that said the ball shank was undersized for the hole in hitch is a good chance.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

CaptainLarry
Explorer
Explorer
SDcampowneroperator wrote:
. My guess with bending down of the 2 5/16 " main ball mount and the left lean ( possible a also forward lean? ) of the left friction sway brake mini ball is that too sharp of a left jackknife turn bottomed out the left friction sway brake which would pull on the main ball, push on the mini ball. causing both to bend their mounts as shown.
From my welders and fabricators point of view, it is not a fault with the hitch, Maybe just too sharp of a turn, the sway brake rear mount set up too close on the tongue to allow fullslide action before ending its stroke.
This would cause one to bend down, the other up and sideways proportionally to the forces.


Thank you SDCamper, I trust something like this has happened. I'm a little perplexed how the heavy ball mount bent so much when the mini-balls really did not. Maybe the tongue load played in. I've since noticed my same hitch (different make - same factory) has a little bend too, but not as much. And I certainly back mine with the sway bars occasionally - like at a gas station, but I usually turn off the anti-sway function when I get to a campground to minimize the groaning. I did not know to go ahead at that point and remove it, so I will start doing that. I've also not knowingly jack-knifed excessively, but well, maybe I have done that too. I know this has helped my friend a lot. Thanks for the input.

Sportsmen
Explorer II
Explorer II
Backing up with friction sway bars tightened down can damage a hitch. I ruined one doing that. Had to replace the hitch. FWIW
2016 Jayco Jay Flight 27BHS 6210 empty, 8200 GVW
2016 F250 CC 6.2L(gas) 3:73 diff (3157lb. payload)

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
Bedlam wrote:
That hitch pictured does appear to have damage from jack knifing the trailer rather than a material failure.


OOPS, yep. I see that now that I look at the photos again. It's been jack-knifed in both directions multiple times
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
dodge guy wrote:
Seeing as how they are using thin stamped steel and not forged like all others I can see why it would bend.


THere's multiple brands of hitches that look identical to this one, which isn't made out of "thin stamped steel"

CaptainLarry wrote:



It's likely the identical looking hitches marketed by different companies are all made in the same factory overseas.
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

CharlesinGA
Explorer
Explorer
There are some things I simply would not buy, or depend on, from Harbor Freight................

Charles
'03 Ram 2500 CTD, 5.9HO six speed, PacBrake Exh Brake, std cab, long bed, Leer top and 2008 Bigfoot 25B21RB.. previously (both gone) 2008 Thor/Dutchman Freedom Spirit 180 & 2007 Winnebago View 23H Motorhome.

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
I have used a Harbor Freight 10,000 lb WDH for the last seven years with no problem towing my enclosed 8000 lb trailer about 7,500 miles per year. My previous Reese version of this hitch (which was rated for 12,500 lbs) wore out the L-bar sockets towing 11,000 lbs in about eight years averaging about 10,000 miles per year.

That hitch pictured does appear to have damage from jack knifing the trailer rather than a material failure.

Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
CaptainLarry wrote:
I did ask him to remove the ball. It was wiggling when I saw it but he did not have the tools to remove it at the time.


He appears to have used a reducer bushings on the ball shank. It looks like a 1" ball shank. Most WD hitch heads have a 1 1/4" hole for the ball shank.

Video: Reducer bushings on hitch balls are EVIL!!
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
Bumpyroad wrote:
JIMNLIN wrote:
The OP didn't ask for opinions concerning the hitch brand. Bashing the hitch brand or its the brand products sure doesn't help the OP with his question.


I would look at a new hitch with the same part number and see if it looks the same.

This website needs a no brand bashing rule like one of my non rv forums that is ham radio/electronic Communication devices/etc. They have a no tolerance policy. One bash and your history. Its a great forum to learn without the "my brand is best and the other brand is junk" that is a fact of life on the website.


from reading this thread, it appears to me that this was operator error. started out as "bashing" if this meets the definition, but after discussion, operator error.
bumpy


It doesn't matter what it is! If someone comes along and finds this thread then all he bashing is good to keep someone else from making a dangerous mistake.
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Explorer II
Seeing as how they are using thin stamped steel and not forged like all others I can see why it would bend. There are some things I would buy cheap/harbor freight, and other things you buy the best. A hitch (or any type of safety item) is not one of them I would skimp on
Wife Kim
Son Brandon 17yrs
Daughter Marissa 16yrs
Dog Bailey

12 Forest River Georgetown 350TS Hellwig sway bars, BlueOx TrueCenter stabilizer

13 Ford Explorer Roadmaster Stowmaster 5000, VIP Tow>
A bad day camping is
better than a good day at work!