the great hitch debate

S

smokinrod

diesel jerk
Joined
Aug 6, 2006
Messages
1,232
all right , this is a issue we have come up alot at our pulls. what is a Reese style hitch ???? here is what reese's web site says Reese Hitch: The mechanism that is typically mounted to the rear of a vehicle under the bumper. so do you all think that a home made hitch is allowed? even if it goes back to the center of the rear axle? or are all welded up home made hitches illegal?
 
so i guess what I want to know is what is a cheater hitch and why is it a cheater hitch
 
A cheater hitch is one that will move up during the pull. I think what you want to know is what is a Pulling hitch (one that mounts above or to the Axle) and a Reese Hitch.
 
if its home made and still uses uses a 2" receiver then i say it should be legal...but if someone just welds a cross bar between the frame rails with a loop coming off of it somehow...then i say thats illegal
 
Pretty much any hitch that attaches to the vehicle in front of the rear axle, would classify as a trick hitch.
 
I agree dan, so what about a tube going from the gooseneck plate ( behind axle) to a supportby the bumper with a slide in hitch ?
 
Reese style means to me, you can build it yourself, as long as it attaches to the rear frame rails, and is receiver type. (if you take the ring out, and put a ball mount in, can be used for towing)

I dont care how you reinforce it, as long as the braces are behind the rear axle, and dont go down to the axle.

A gooseneck ball if properly positioned should be 4" ahead of the rear axle.
 
boy Jerrod that looks like my shop hmmm , but that is on the center of the rear axle so is it or is it not legal. note that hitch has passed tech at all TTPA hooks all MFSTPA hooks and TS Performance hook last year.
 
That is a tough one. I could see issues arising. The plate attaches somewhere in front of the rear axle right? I would at least hitch it further back by about 2-3 inches. How do the rules read? Cant be in front of the axle or must be mounted behind the rear axle.
 
Put some bolts on top of the hitch so it can't rotate. Then just put a receiver on the end of the bar. At least that would make it a reese style receiver.
 
The only advantage I see is it may stop some flex in the frame. All the leverage is still at the rear. By the rules it would be illegal.
 
So the hitch "reinforcement" has to connect to a point behind the rear axle but the plate it attaches too can extend in front of the axle as far as you wish?
 
it does take a reese insert now , I can slid a ball in it , it is behind the axle and is not attached to the axle.

and Mech , that is not my truck just thinkin of going that route. you should see how well that loads the truck, it pulls the whole truck down even (almost) he doesn't even run axle blocks and it is a reg cab.
 
After looking closer I can see the tube is not attached at the rear. It only rests on the pin. Hell yes that would work well. Legal.. no way!
 
Ive never seen a Reese built like that..... Its out on non Reese style alone.

However, if you came down at the rear with a crossbar, and the brace point was behind the axle and not above it it, yea ok.

I guess my question to all the guys who build a hitch thats slightly not legal, if they is no advantage like you insist there isn't, why did you bother to build it that way?
 
Sledpuller said:
Ive never seen a Reese built like that..... Its out on non Reese style alone.

However, if you came down at the rear with a crossbar, and the brace point was behind the axle and not above it it, yea ok.

I guess my question to all the guys who build a hitch thats slightly not legal, if they is no advantage like you insist there isn't, why did you bother to build it that way?
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Cause it is stronger!:shake:
 
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