W/D head elongation

if you break down and buy another WDH get a different kind. I bought the four point sway model and like them even more than the round bar models I've had.

Check where the tubes are welded to the head "frame". You may find them cracked. Mine did, after aboot 6 yrs, and were even more oval'ed out!! Cequent replaced the entire hitch with a newer model. There were also cracks in the upper welds, though not as severe. It looks to me that there has been lube in the past as you can see the dirt sticking to the area around the release clips.

I posted about this back in Oct 2013, you may be able to find the posts, but I don't think the pics will show up.

If you find cracks, you might consider giving Cequent a call, and letting them know what is happening. Even if they don't do any replacement, they will have another report of a problem for their records.

Mine wore out after 7 or 8 years of towing a 11K+ lb toy hauler around even though mine were greased. I had about 75K miles on the original head.

I didn't notice my head was worn until I got a heavier TT and needed heavier bars, then I got a new head. I was about 15 years old and I never used grease on them.

I have had the new bars and head about 3 years and they have had no grease either

Mine did the same even though they were greased. I found it was cheaper to buy the entire Harbor Freight WDH than pieces to fix mine. By chance, the spring bars were the same diameter, so I continue to use the old spring bars and hangers with the new head and stinger. My old head and stinger are now adjusted to a different height and I use it for dead tongue weight pulls of lighter trailers.

I did not catch my egged out holes until I dropped a spring bar going over uneven terrain. I was going slow and had the window open, so I heard it drag on the ground.

BarneyS wrote:
Looks to me like there was a complete lack of lubrication on that head. I would replace it with another one and this time use some heavy wheel bearing grease on the bars and start out with some in the sockets also. That head, or a similar one, is still sold under a variety of brand names

It appears as what you have is a classic case of no grease on the bars.
Barney

Do you think it is safe for a couple more <100 mile trips before I bite the bullet and get a new head and bars?

Looks to me like there was a complete lack of lubrication on that head. I would replace it with another one and this time use some heavy wheel bearing grease on the bars and start out with some in the sockets also. That head, or a similar one, is still sold under a variety of brand names

It appears as what you have is a classic case of no grease on the bars.
Barney