Bent Hitch Receiver Help

[Mammoth Man]

My hitch definitely points down compared to other 4Runners I have seen. I notice it especially when I put the motorcycle hitch rack on the back and the departure angle is even more exaggerated. Does anybody else have this problem or is it just me? Any ideas on how to fix it? I can't tell if the receiver is bent or if it's the actual frame cross piece.

 

[JLTD]

Bought used? If so, I'd say it may have taken a hit at one point.

 

[JAXJeremy]

I've never taken that close a look at mine, but I'd have to say I agree with the above it looks like it's been whacked. Although I'd expect it would have been bent upwards if that was case..

 

[jhguth]

The way the recovery point is scratched in a nice straight line, it looks like it reversed into a concrete wall or something

you can buy a new receiver, check that your crossmember is still straight though.

 

[tjnptel1]

It definitely hit something, it is pointing down.. i think the crossmember is bent, it is unusual for just the hitch to be bent.

 

[LandCruiser]

I've been hit from behind twice and the damn thing doesn't do that, and I also scrape it on the trails. Yours must have taken a big hit. Check your frame before you do anything else.

 

[Fishunter]

The hitch plate bolts to the cross member. You need to check the cross member to see if its bent, if it's still square then just replace the hitch plate.

 

[<<<<]

Do you transport motorcycle on hitch rack? what is the load total weight? I suspect you are surpassing max tongue weight by a mile and overtime the structure bent bouncing over road bumps while loaded.

 

[cbreze]

I might put a jack under the hitch and raising it slowly see if it reverses the bend at all.

 

[Mammoth Man]

Do you transport motorcycle on hitch rack? what is the load total weight? I suspect you are surpassing max tongue weight by a mile and overtime the structure bent bouncing over road bumps while loaded.

It's just a dirt bike. I think it only weighs 270 lbs so that can't be it. So many other members use the same rack.

I might put a jack under the hitch and raising it slowly see if it reverses the bend at all.

I thought about trying that.

Any other bright ideas out there?

 

[Blu42]

I might put a jack under the hitch and raising it slowly see if it reverses the bend at all.

I am no wizard but I would assume something that is meant to pull a large quantity of weight at highway speeds should not be simply bent back into place. Metal fatigue could be a disaster at the worst moment. I would consider having everything looked over like others suggested if you plan to keep using that hitch. At the very least something is bent and in my opinion no longer viable (maybe for holding a cool hitch cover).

 

[Horsethief]

It's just a dirt bike. I think it only weighs 270 lbs so that can't be it. So many other members use the same rack.



I thought about trying that.

Any other bright ideas out there?

I don't know, how far does the bike mount hang off the hitch? the further out it is, the more leverage that 270lbs (plus the weight of the carrier) is exerting. That load bending the hitch sounds plausible.

I suck at math, but I'm sure there's a formula out there that will tell you how much weight 270 lbs is actually exerting at X distance.


As far as bending the hitch back, you can use leverage for that too. Put a long piece of pipe or receiver in the hitch, then jack up on that.

 

[jhguth]

I might put a jack under the hitch and raising it slowly see if it reverses the bend at all.

if it bends from this it's ****ed and you really need to inspect the crossmember and frame, you should be able to jack from the rear hitch and nothing should move