ASA Glamis
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Full Member
Joined: 03/19/2007
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Might want to think about some self locking nuts on the hitch bolts.
I have replace all mine with self locking grade 8 nuts.
2007 Jayco Seneca 35GS
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Georgi
Kelowna BC Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 08/06/2005
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Can't have these posts too often. The guy beside me just told us tonight he had 3 soft bolts shear right off 2 weeks ago. He replaced them with grade 8s and red loktite. I'll be checking again tomorrow.
2000 Beaver 40' Patriot Thunder
Cat C-12 Allison 4060
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BigRabbitMan
Dixon, CA
Senior Member
Joined: 07/02/2005
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The above is why my hitch is welded to the motor home - no bolts. It is also why my cables are attached to the frame on both vehicles.
BigRabbitMan & DiamondGal
Dixon,CADiamond Gal's T-Tapp fitness site
76 FMC #1046, Gas Pusher W/Chrysler 440-I
Edelbrock MPI fuel injection, Allison 545
Toad: Red '87 4x4 Subaru Brat, Lorance IWay 500c
DataStorm Satellite internet / I am here-click to see
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Deen
Vancouver, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 12/07/2000
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I had to drive our MH from WA to MI to the Spartan factory to get the front axle replaced with a higher rated unit. While there Spartan discovered that my hitch bolts were loose. They replaced them with higher rated ones and torqued them down.
My breakaway lanyard is attached to an aircraft cable through the frame of the MH since I knew if the hitch went nothing would stop the toad if the lanyard wasn't attached to the MH.
Deen - Vancouver, WA
'02 Dutch Star 4090 (41+', triple slide)
435/1200 ISC Cummins/Banks PowerPak
'08 Honda Civic/dolly
'05 Honda Odyssey/dolly
NRA Benefactor Life Member
FMCA f47302s, Life Member: Good Sam,
Newmar DP Owners Group
51st yr of RV'ing
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D.R.Bain
Michigan
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Joined: 11/14/2006
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One time I had a hitch installed I thought the subframe on the MH looked a little flimsy, and had planned to hook up the horse trailer, empty of course, and drive the 10 miles to get the subframe beefed up for hauling the trailer. When I got to the guy that did the welding the rear bumper of the motorhome was nearly dragging on the ground. Found out the receiver was only rated for 1000 pounds instead of the 10000 it was supposed to be.
Recently, I had to tighten up the ball on the hitch, the nut had backed off about half way.
Bottom line check everything everytime.
Dan, 2007 Damon Daybreak 3270
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campercajun
Central Texas Hill Country
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Joined: 08/09/2007
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And some people say there is no GOD......
2003 GMC Sierra Crew HD; 6.0L; Prodigy
2006 Thor Tundra 30RL-DSL; Reese Strait-Line & Dual-cam HP
2001 Honda Elite Scooter
Jim & Gayle Bryant
Murphy's Law: "Anything that CAN happen, WILL."
Bryant's Law: "31 years of RVing? Probably already HAS."
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jomarfl
Tampa
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Joined: 01/27/2007
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Wow, amazing. Guess that one is going on the checklist now.
Papa John & Mother Mary
Living The Good Life In Tampa, FL
Retired Military, USAF
2008 Fleetwood Fiesta LX, 34N w/bunks
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Rangerdave
Austin Texas
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Joined: 07/04/2008
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every check list includes a small box with a torque wrench and the 1 lug socket and the other sockets i need to make sure i'm all tight and secured
2002 Gulf Stream Ultra Supreme-Demco Kaddy SS Toader Camry
2 peeps 2 poops and lots bbq!
No Fuss Flush
Ever stop to think, and forget to start again?
I feel like I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe.
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Joeycockerspaniel
Cumming, GA
Senior Member
Joined: 10/17/2006
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On the bolts, according to the manufacturer they are grade 5. I am shipping the hitch back to them so that they can perform some tests to discover what happened. I have been under there any number of times. I would think I would have noticed if the bolts had been missing before. My BIL, a mechanical engineer for the railroad, thinks they sheered off. I really don't see how they could have unbolted themselves. MAybe if they had been loose, then they would have more readily sheered. That sort of makes sense to me. Still no one knows presently what happened.
On the grade of bolt, I asked the maunfacturer's rep about putting on some more stout bolts, grade 8. He checked with his engineers who said that the hitch was designed with grade 5. I said, "I know, but in view of the fact that my grade 5 bolts failed, may be they ought to look at it again? He came back and said that they wanted to go with the grade 5 bolts because those are the bolts that they tested the hitch with. Again, I said, "Well, I tested mine with grade 5 bolts and they failed." Still, they wanted to put on the grade 5 bolts. I know that if I installed anything other than what they specified, then the liability would be my own. For this reason, I went with their recommendation. The replacement (free by the way) is bolted with grade 5 bolts.
On the question of where the toad was with respect to the motorhome, we were on dead flat ground. The toad was about 5-6' behind where it would have been iof still attached. I cannot imagine wha the driver of the 18 wheeler behind us thought as he watched us pick the hitch off the ground and place it in the truck bed. Bet he's never seen that before!
Hank & Winde
Cumming, GA.
2006 Forest River Charleston
CAT C7
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dav5942
Stuart, FL
Senior Member
Joined: 05/24/2004
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I'm no expert but from looking at the pics that sure does not look like a 10,000lb. hitch IMHO! We have a 6,000lb. hitch that is by far beefier and better connected to the coach. If you note most of these failures have been with coaches pulling the heavier toads(4500lbs. and up).
2007 Newmar 42' Mid Engine w/Fatboy,ATVs-in Garage,lifted Jeep(s) in tow, Hog Valley Florida(a diamond in the rough),'09 Alaska again!
2007 Tour Alaska Fishing '08 Tour Grandchildren Newmar Mid Engine
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