Rear-ended / How Strong Is The Hitch?

[TwinTip]

Today while stopped at a traffic light, a person rear-ended me. This was while the light turned green and nobody moved, except for the person in the car behind me of course. It was at very slow speed but I could certainly feel it.

 

Fortunately, I hope, I had a cargo platform/hauler attached to the hitch of my truck (Yukon 2003) which took the beating (not much happened to it but as it is made out of plastic, it broke in one corner).

 

At a first glance, everything on the truck looks good. No damage to the bumper and/or hitch (I have the OEM heavy duty hitch). My concern is if there could be something more to it than just looking at each component and not seeing a problem with it.

 

So the question is, should I have the dealer check on the hitch or is the hitch strong enough to sustain such a hit without causing any damage to it? I do tow a boat and a cargo trailer also and don't want to be stranded because the hitch breaks.

[bartlanz]

I wouldnt have it checked, but I back into stuff with my hitch all the time... I use it as a pre bumper...

[BurbanZ71]

If really paranoid get it checked out - since the hitch is attached to the frame the stress goes right to the frame.

 

You could put a convert a ball cushioned ball mount on - they are supposed to help with rear enders & even out trailer bouncing. Got mine here

[c4cruiser]

Today while stopped at a traffic light, a person rear-ended me. This was while the light turned green and nobody moved, except for the person in the car behind me of course. It was at very slow speed but I could certainly feel it.

 

Fortunately, I hope, I had a cargo platform/hauler attached to the hitch of my truck (Yukon 2003) which took the beating (not much happened to it but as it is made out of plastic, it broke in one corner).

 

At a first glance, everything on the truck looks good. No damage to the bumper and/or hitch (I have the OEM heavy duty hitch). My concern is if there could be something more to it than just looking at each component and not seeing a problem with it.

 

So the question is, should I have the dealer check on the hitch or is the hitch strong enough to sustain such a hit without causing any damage to it? I do tow a boat and a cargo trailer also and don't want to be stranded because the hitch breaks.

 

Does the person that hit you have insurance? I would get the truck inspected by a collision repair shop that your insurnace company recommends or uses. They can decide (not sure if the dealer would know enough about collision damage if they did not have a body shop) if there is any damage and you can file a claim with either the other party's insurance or your own.

 

While there may be no apparent damage to the hitch itself, the bolts that attach it to the frame and to the bottom of the bumper are what takes the energy. The receiver tube is welded to the bar so there is a chance that the weld may have some signs of cracking and it may be worth having the hitch removed and magnafluxed.

 

A good quality replacement hitch is only around $150 to $200 so it may not be worth the trouble and worry compared to bolting a new one on your truck. Maybe the guy's insurance company will buy it for you if you tell them you won't file a claim.

[ryank1]

The problem is the hitch is very stong and usally will not bend, but the frame will. I have seen many trucks that appeared to be fine after a hit to the rear, but upon closer inspection the frame was tweaked.

[superbee]

Definitely go to a frame shop and have them buy you a new hitch. It's just not worth the dangers involved.

[Ape0r]

It all depends on the severity of the impact. A level of stress placed on any material that is greater than that materials endurance limit (the amount of stress that it can take with an infinite number of loadings without busting) will lower that endurance limit (meaning that it will take less stress to bust it after an impact), meaning that while it may be fine for many years to come, having been hit does increase the probability of that sucker fatiguing and breaking down the road as a result.

 

I wouldn't worry if it was just a bump. Any more than that, have him buy you a new one. Try to score an aftermarket one if you can, the OEM hitch is weaker than most aftermarket designs. May as well upgrade if you decide to replace it.

[kroc33]

I was rear ended last year and the adjuster included a new hitch in the repair estimate. He said anytime a hitch takes a hit in a collision they recommend replacement. I don't tow anything though so I put the money towards a set of nerf bars.

[cambo]

The problem is the hitch is very stong and usally will not bend, but the frame will. I have seen many trucks that appeared to be fine after a hit to the rear, but upon closer inspection the frame was tweaked.

I am one of those guys. It bent my frame fairly bad, but the trailer hitch frame didn't bend at all.

[ajaxedman]

I was rear-ended twice in one day, once lightly and the other hard enough to put the trailer ball through the front plastic on the car that hit me, i looked at it and everythings ok. have no problems

[2500HD4X]

I was rearended last Monday. Sitting still at a stoplight, looked in my mirror and said "OH >>>>, here it comes" and braced off my steering wheel. The guy was driving an 02 grand prix and "submarined" the back of my truck. He was looking at the police car behind him instead of the traffic light that I was at. Instant blue lights, the officer saw the whole thing...Of course he had no insurance... It buckled my hitch (the 1/4"

plate on the side of the hitch was rippled), bent the bumper down, scratched the heck out of my spare tire. Never got into the bedsides, it just shifted everything downwards. Totalled his car-the 2" solid pull bar in my hitch went through his radiator and into his engine compartment. He couldn't even open either door on the car. Everybody was OK.

 

I just picked up my truck today at lunch. New bumper, new hitch, 4 wheel alignment and 2 hours on a laser frame machine....and I am out $250 uninsured motorist deductible. No frame damage or tweaks, mostly because he went under I guess due to the height difference. It would have been much worse if we were the same height. I am just glad the frame wasn't damaged.

[asilverblazer]

The problem is the hitch is very stong and usally will not bend, but the frame will. I have seen many trucks that appeared to be fine after a hit to the rear, but upon closer inspection the frame was tweaked.

I am one of those guys. It bent my frame fairly bad, but the trailer hitch frame didn't bend at all.

 

 

Ditto, My frame tweaked right behind the hitch, where there is a hole on the bottom of the "C" channel.

[04z71steve]

if its a heavy duty hitch, i believe the correct term for it is a "linette ring">? and i know that when u have a bobcat and a couple thousand pound trailer behind ur truck that hitch will beat the living hell out of your truck, it all depends on what part of her car hit it, did she have a plastic bumber?

[diehrd]

Today while stopped at a traffic light, a person rear-ended me. This was while the light turned green and nobody moved, except for the person in the car behind me of course. It was at very slow speed but I could certainly feel it.

 

Fortunately, I hope, I had a cargo platform/hauler attached to the hitch of my truck (Yukon 2003) which took the beating (not much happened to it but as it is made out of plastic, it broke in one corner).

 

At a first glance, everything on the truck looks good. No damage to the bumper and/or hitch (I have the OEM heavy duty hitch). My concern is if there could be something more to it than just looking at each component and not seeing a problem with it.

 

So the question is, should I have the dealer check on the hitch or is the hitch strong enough to sustain such a hit without causing any damage to it? I do tow a boat and a cargo trailer also and don't want to be stranded because the hitch breaks.

 

Does the person that hit you have insurance? I would get the truck inspected by a collision repair shop that your insurnace company recommends or uses. They can decide (not sure if the dealer would know enough about collision damage if they did not have a body shop) if there is any damage and you can file a claim with either the other party's insurance or your own.

 

While there may be no apparent damage to the hitch itself, the bolts that attach it to the frame and to the bottom of the bumper are what takes the energy. The receiver tube is welded to the bar so there is a chance that the weld may have some signs of cracking and it may be worth having the hitch removed and magnafluxed.

 

A good quality replacement hitch is only around $150 to $200 so it may not be worth the trouble and worry compared to bolting a new one on your truck. Maybe the guy's insurance company will buy it for you if you tell them you won't file a claim.

 

 

 

 

LMAO ,, someone always looking for something for nothing ,

 

 

"Maybe the guy's insurance company will buy it for you if you tell them you won't file a claim"

 

Just lay on back and check truck , any damage will be pretty easy to see...If there is none forget it happened

[04z71steve]

i'm pretty sure they designed this website so guys could talk about their trucks and ask questions... i'm pretty sure he just felt like getting some advice... whats the hurt in that? maybe u just shouldnt respond to people who you feel u cant help?.... good idea