Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

SShink · 3K+ Club

How to free up a rusted in trailer hitch receiver?

Derek69SS · Founding Member

With the pin out, hook a chain around a large stationary object, loop it around the ball, and let the truck do the work. :)

SShink · 3K+ Club

Derek69SS wrote:
With the pin out, hook a chain around a large stationary object, loop it around the ball, and let the truck do the work. :)

Didn't I see that done in the movie Hollywood Knights except done to a cop car's rear axle!?!?

Derek69SS · Founding Member

SShink wrote:
Derek69SS wrote:
With the pin out, hook a chain around a large stationary object, loop it around the ball, and let the truck do the work. :)
Didn't I see that done in the movie Hollywood Knights except done to a cop car's rear axle!?!?

That was American Graffiti... You shouldn't need to go quite that fast

John D · 2K+ Club

Hit it with some PB Blaster over a few days (put cardboard down on the driveway), then do Derek's trick.

Chris R · 2K+ Club

Remove the lock and spray in between the reciever and the tongue as well.

bowtie · Secretary

In between PB blaster applications, a solid tap on it from each angle too so it helps break free and gives more area for the spray to work.

ron fuller · Active Member

Sounds like a good opportunity to do tug of war with the Chevelle!

67ss · 1K+ Club

I have been here before and here is what I ran into. Once I got it out the inside of the hitch is so rusty you cannot get a new receiver to go back in the hole again. Maybe yours won't be this way hopefully.

Lost in the 60s · President

67ss wrote:
I have been here before and here is what I ran into. Once I got it out the inside of the hitch is so rusty you cannot get a new receiver to go back in the hole again. Maybe yours won't be this way hopefully.
Bring it over here. We'll chain the pickup to my New Holland tractor and the hitch to the Pete. I'm bettin' it will come out...
Then we'll fire up the pot blaster and sand blast the reciever clean inside.

dashboard · 2K+ Club

And if it doesn’t come out, Stan will have an extended bed pickup.

Bungy L-76 · Active Member

I have the exact same problem with my Suburban. I sprayed it with PB Blaster and hooked one end of my tow strap to the ball and the other end to my other Suburban. After a few "yanks" (each one with more gas) my 3 inch tow strap broke in half. The ball is still in there.

Dave Seitz · Mega Poster

Blow the crap out from around it first and behind if possible. Use PB, Deep Creep, Liquid Wrench, whatever your flavor is and let it soak in. Hit it with a torch on the outside of the receiver after a few days of soaking, then another shot of penetrant. Repeat a few times and then give a tug or two, I have seen it done with candle wax to seep in as well.

Lost in the 60s · President

Stan, I'll be working around here tomorrow morning. If you want to run up here, we'll heat, tap and pry till it comes out. Promise, I won't yank with the Pete...

SShink · 3K+ Club

Lost in the 60s wrote:
Stan, I'll be working around here tomorrow morning. If you want to run up here, we'll heat, tap and pry till it comes out. Promise, I won't yank with the Pete...

Thanks for the offer Mitch, but I've been in Texas most of the week and have some catching up to do around the house tomorrow so that I can make it to the Anoka show.

We'll have to do it one of these weekends though.

Pushrod · Active Member

hey Stan, i worked at the hopkins hitching post installing hitches for a couple years in the early 90s that insert may never come out guys would come in and pay us to remove the insert and usally we ended up gas axing the old hitch off to install a new reciever hitch. good luck, the guys have the right idea but sometimes good old rust might as well be a weld. if you end up buying a new reciever frame call Rigid Hitch in Burnsville Mn the are a wholesaler but will sell to you if you order ahead and pick -up at the will call desk. it helps if you go on-line first to find part #. i believe youre truck uses the R3-0860, should be about 220 bucks. good luck

pushrod

SShink · 3K+ Club

Thanks everyone for the creative ideas.

Sounds like the receiver is in to stay.

Does anyone know if there are any laws about driving around with the receiver installed without towing anything? For some reason, I would be the guy that get's pulled over for goofy law like this...

Lost in the 60s · President

SShink wrote:
Thanks everyone for the creative ideas.
Sounds like the receiver is in to stay.
Does anyone know if there are any laws about driving around with the receiver installed without towing anything? For some reason, I would be the guy that get's pulled over for goofy law like this...
No law against leaving that shin banger in there but if you want it out, I'll get it out. You may need to buy a new reciever but they are under $30 at Northern.

John D · 2K+ Club

I think Illinois is the only state I know of with an "unused hitch" law... some meter-maid cracked her shins on one, and went on disability forever or something. They passed the law shortly after.

4-door Chevelle · Super Poster

Though it is a lot of work I have never not been able to get one out. Good old lube in a can, heat and a hammer .. as well as many attempts quite often on different days and it will come out.

bowtie · Secretary

A few Chritsmasses ago, my dad actually asked for a hook insert for his suburban because he'd been bumped twice into his hitch drawbar and ball. He wanted the hook to cause more damage kind of like punishment for the idiots.

SShink · 3K+ Club

bowtie wrote:
A few Chritsmasses ago, my dad actually asked for a hook insert for his suburban because he'd been bumped twice into his hitch drawbar and ball. He wanted the hook to cause more damage kind of like punishment for the idiots.

I have to confess that during the winter I like knowing it's back there in case I get rear ended!