Ah I couldn't tell by the picture very well and thought the actual weld was cracked. So this is a whole different issue entirely, my bad.
An interesting observation after my first season towing
- Thread starter Off2Mtns
- Start date
Ah I couldn't tell by the picture very well and thought the actual weld was cracked. So this is a whole different issue entirely, my bad.
A better pic ain't gonna be much, guys. There is no discernable stress cracking or other visible naked eye flaws, just the missing paint. The location and fact of no other similar paint issues in nearby locations or welds is what flagged it for me. Certainly hope it is just a crummy paint job, but it'll be a little while before I can pull this and investigate further.
wfo9
New member
So why are you concerned if there is no crack? If you look at other spots on the truck. like front UCAs, shock mounting tabs.. you will see very similar cracking of the paint (or will eventually). This is very normal IMHO. Steel flexes under load...
Ron4RNevada
New member
If in doubt just have it re-welded at that spot.
However, it looks pretty good to me.
However, it looks pretty good to me.
Because it is worth being cautious based on the fact that this is a high stress zone, paint is missing here and in no other spots on the same component, older models with similar hitches are excluded from using a WDH, and I don't generally carry a mobile welder to field repair a failure nor do I have any interest in watching a 3500# big white fiberglass apartment on wheels fall off the back of my truck.
That is the great thing about a community like this though. We can all benefit from one another by way of shared experiences, knowledge, observations, etc from those who've gone before or are around us.
wfo9
New member
Because it is worth being cautious based on the fact that this is a high stress zone, paint is missing here and in no other spots on the same component, older models with similar hitches are excluded from using a WDH, and I don't generally carry a mobile welder to field repair a failure nor do I have any interest in watching a 3500# big white fiberglass apartment on wheels fall off the back of my truck.
That is the great thing about a community like this though. We can all benefit from one another by way of shared experiences, knowledge, observations, etc from those who've gone before or are around us.
I agree, it is worth discussion. I just don't think it is unusual for paint to chip/flake off steel on a highly leveraged spot. There are plenty of spots on the structure of the truck where this happens and it is normal.
The picture looked like there was an actual crack, which I think confused some folks even though your words said there was not....
b407driver
New member
Forget that, go all out and replace it with a GX460 hitch and call it good. Pretty sure it bolts right in.
Chrisinvermont
Member
Interesting. What would be the advantage? I've got to do something about mine.
OP, I would certainly have it inspected by some who knows what they are doing but it's probably bad paint and rust. Here's
mine which is a 2010.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
philsey
New member
There you go, that right there ^
OP, you are suspicious of that receiver, and in your mind this is not going to go away as long as you have it.
Great idea [MENTION=144051]b407driver[/MENTION]
My .02.
Last edited:
e60ral
Banned
Interesting. What would be the advantage? I've got to do something about mine.
OP, I would certainly have it inspected by some who knows what they are doing but it's probably bad paint and rust. Here's
mine which is a 2010.
Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
mine started to rust after a couple months
hit it with some POR-15 though and it looks good now, the POR-15 hasn't even scraped off when i've dragged it on rocks
Chrisinvermont
Member
That's my current plan for the fall, clean up this and some spots underneath with the POR-15. Hadn't thought of bolting on a new one or using the GX hitch. Probably stick with the POR 15 as it's more than just the hitch that I want to hit. My towing is just utility trailer around town, heavy when I get mulch or gravel but the trips are only a couple of miles. Mostly the hitch is used for bike rack.
