BNielsen's 2000 Chevy K3500

[Sean Buick 76]

FYI always cross the trailer chains so they form a X. If the trailer comes off the ball they will act as a cradle and catch the tongue and keep it from hitting the ground. I had this happen once as I had forgot to engage the lock, the chains being crossed saved the day! Also if the chains are too long then twist them to shorten them up.

 

[termite]

Also if the chains are too long then twist them to shorten them up

Yeah, let's try not to twist the chains to keep them from dragging. In the unfortunate event they are loaded, the twists cause loading in ways that increase the likelihood of chain failure. -per the yearly training I had for 6 years at a previous job using overhead cranes daily (and from my pops background in construction).

Either shorten the chains properly or rig the slack up in a more suitable fashion that won't affect the chain's functionality in the instance it is called to duty.

 

[BNielsen]

Cab and chassis rails are spaced at 34", I think the pickups were quite a ways off of that. Plus the rails are tapered on a pickup.

The pickup hitch is 32" wide on the cross tube, the C&C one is 34", probably just wind up reselling this one and trying to procure the proper hitch.

FYI always cross the trailer chains so they form a X. If the trailer comes off the ball they will act as a cradle and catch the tongue and keep it from hitting the ground. I had this happen once as I had forgot to engage the lock, the chains being crossed saved the day! Also if the chains are too long then twist them to shorten them up.

Always do, I'm hyper aware of making sure everything is latched and rigged up properly

Yeah, let's try not to twist the chains to keep them from dragging. In the unfortunate event they are loaded, the twists cause loading in ways that increase the likelihood of chain failure. -per the yearly training I had for 6 years at a previous job using overhead cranes daily (and from my pops background in construction).

Either shorten the chains properly or rig the slack up in a more suitable fashion that won't affect the chain's functionality in the instance it is called to duty.

I had no idea twisting them up would cause the potential for failure, I twist them up a couple turns on each just to keep the slack up off the ground; I guess I have something new to be paranoid about. Probably gonna knock the keepers out and re-rig the chain to a proper length where I won't need to twist them anymore

 

[Sean Buick 76]

There is a big difference between rigging a suspended load and safety chains I wouldn’t sweat twisting them personally but each to thier own.

 

[termite]

There is a big difference between rigging a suspended load and safety chains I wouldn’t sweat twisting them personally but each to thier own.

Main difference in my eyes is one is normally loaded, the other ideally never sees a load.

Probably gonna knock the keepers out and re-rig the chain to a proper length

I'd prefer this method but a few zip ties just to take up the slack enough to keep it from dragging works as well. Pretty sure they make "cradles" for the slack to hang on that go on the hitch with the ball to reduce dragging too.

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Interesting about twisted chains.... noticed this year when renting a trailer from Uhaul, that they have changed the hitching hardware a bunch. Lots faster and easier to hitch or unhitch....
Look closely at the picture and you see coiled up cables with snap clips, and the actual hitch has a gravity clip/latch instead of the bolt and nut they used to have.

 

[BNielsen]

I've struggled to find a replacement hitch; I had a couple leads on B&W hitches but nothing worked out. It's getting annoying, I wish I had the money for a new one but I can't swing $300 on a replacement hitch.

I decided to throw the (what I thought was) the original hitch on, I was getting ready to prep it for a fresh coat of paint and I noticed an outline on what looked like a sticker? Weird, I could tell the hitch had been painted kind of sloppily but didn't think much else on it, curiosity got the best of me so the mineral spirits came out and went to work with a rag and elbow grease.

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Well. This makes things slightly easier, it's not a B&W, but it is a Class 5. I tried googling it but I can't find anything on it, anyone have a clue? Everything "Hidden Hitch" brand is mostly car stuff, class 3 is the heaviest I've found. I should've figured the truck would've had an aftermarket hitch with all the other stuff it was hosed down with.
I guess I'll be touching up the paint and getting this hitch installed, I need to get some new hardware for it but I'm hoping to have both the front and rear hitches back on the truck this week.

 

[Supercharged111]

Doesn't a hidden hitch go with/behind a roll pan?

 

[BNielsen]

Doesn't a hidden hitch go with/behind a roll pan?

Hidden Hitch used to be it's own brand I believe; at least my research has led me to believe that, I think DrawTite got a hold of them sometime in the mid-2000s. Hidden Hitch still makes stuff, but as far as receivers go they don't make anything bigger than a Class 2.

 

[someotherguy]

Hidden Hitch used to be it's own brand I believe; at least my research has led me to believe that, I think DrawTite got a hold of them sometime in the mid-2000s. Hidden Hitch still makes stuff, but as far as receivers go they don't make anything bigger than a Class 2.

Correct, "Hidden Hitch" is simply a brand name, not a hitch type. Several brands offered a hitch made for going behind a roll pan; the last one I got was a Draw-Tite.

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Richard