leaving wdh on tow vehicle

[Kathy_V]

I am new to RVing. I have a Keystone Bullet 2070 with a wdh and sway bar system. Not sure of all the technical terms, but I think I got that right. 🙂 My question is, as a woman taking that wdh hitch on and off my tow vehicle, a 2016 Nissan Frontier, is a little more than I can handle alone. Is it okay to leave that on my truck, using a hitch lock I am thinking, while I am traveling? I would have help removing it when I return home. The longest it would be on my truck would be a couple weeks or so. Also, if it is okay to leave it on any tips or suggestions about the bars/chains and keeping them in place (do they swing around while moving if not hitched?) and preventing them from dragging? Thank you! Kathy V.

[APT]

ScottG wrote:
I always take the hitch off the truck because I cant afford to ruin anymore jeans. Or kneecaps.

Same here. Was worse when my children were smaller, but exposed grease means my child will touch it somehow. When I unpack some of the things I store in outside storage access in the RV, I replace with the WD bars and ball mount.

[LarryJM]

KD4UPL wrote:
I'd leave it on. Do be aware that for some ridiculous reason it is illegal in certain places. (What's this country coming too?)
sch911 mentioned VA. I've lived here for 40 years and that's news to me. I have a tow ball in just about every hitch I own all the time and I've never had anyone question it.

I've also lived in Va for 35+ years and like you what sch911 mentioned is news to me too. Even if illegal I doubt one would get much more than a "FIX IT" type ticket or warning if noticed.

Larry

[bikendan]

Kathy, it would help if you brand and model of your WDH.
Or post pics of it.

I have a 4pt Equal-i-zer and I leave the hitch in the receiver and the weight bars under the trailer's A-frame.

[Kathy_V]

Haha! Good to know those locks are so secure, Old Guy!

[old_guy]

they do make locks to use to give you a slight feeling of security. I some how lost my keys for ours and I took a pry bar ad a hammer and hit it once and it popped right off. so that may give you feeling of them not doing any good. I bought a new lock and haven't mentioned this to anyone, so don't look guys

[Kathy_V]

Thank you so much for all of this information! Great advice and very helpful. Durb mentioned removing the bars. Is that a fairly easy process? Not sure how to do that. I will have to take a look at my hitch and see how if I can figure that one out! 🙂 I did not know it was illegal to leave the hitch on in some places so that is good to know as well. Thank you again for taking the time to reply and share your advice.

[RinconVTR]

They dont nick name them "stinger" for nothing! OUCH!

But its a personal choice.

I take mine out because I dont want to run into it of course, but more importantly I don't want it damaged by other vehicles.

[ScottG]

I always take the hitch off the truck because I cant afford to ruin anymore jeans. Or kneecaps.

[WNYBob]

I just reviewed the DMV driver's manual here in NY and it states that it is illegal to leave a ball hitch in the receiver of a vehicle!

Never heard that being enforced, but if in a crash back there you are open to legal liability.

[KD4UPL]

I'd leave it on. Do be aware that for some ridiculous reason it is illegal in certain places. (What's this country coming too?)
sch911 mentioned VA. I've lived here for 40 years and that's news to me. I have a tow ball in just about every hitch I own all the time and I've never had anyone question it.

[sch911]

Believe it or not it's illegal to leave it in place for MA, VA and PA. Good thing you're in FL.

[Durb]

I always left the hitch on the truck while camping. The bars stayed with the trailer. I wrecked a couple pair of pants from grease from the hitch ball while accessing the truck bed. Got a foam ball cover that fixed that problem.

[1492]

Moved from Forum Technical Support

[MWJones]

You DO have to remove the bars . Lay them in the back of your truck. I leave my hitch ball assembly on all time. ( Getting to old to be handling that beast)

[Jack_Diane_Free]

I put mine on in April and take it off in October.