Rusted solid, any ideas?

[Mac]

Rust up here really does suck! Several of us up have a truck for the Winter just to sacrifice to the Salt Gods. Another place I always use Never Seize or a heavy grease. Good luck!
Dave

 

[Hypnotic Toast]

Why not just take the pin out, tie a rope around a tree and the ball and just tug on it?

 

[fordktpjoe]

It pisses me off when people leave them in. Around here it only takes a couple months of leaving them in to make them permenant.

I agree...we don't have the rust problem here like they do up north, and I NEVER leave mine in.

 

[Slingblade]

Oxy/Acetalene torch and pull hard on it!!

Chris

 

[Hahnsb2]

I removed one from my fathers F250 by strapping it to a tree and driving forward, I don't see how it's too dangerous if no one else is around and if it does go flying it will be in the opposite direction.

 

[ati190]

What would be dangerous is if you chained the hitch to a dead tree with a very weak center.

 

[kamps989]

If I heat it up how should I go about it? My uncle is a fitter and he thinks if we heat it up enough we may be able to collapse it on itself. I dunno if I wanna turn him loose on it tho, that seems like alot of heat.

 

[MAKG]

I removed one from my fathers F250 by strapping it to a tree and driving forward, I don't see how it's too dangerous if no one else is around and if it does go flying it will be in the opposite direction.

One would hope, but if the weak spot is not at the hitch, there could be some safety issues there. For God's sake, don't use a chain....

 

[dmt]

ouch, dmt your frame is rusted real bad, how do you get it to pass inspection like that? I know PA has some pretty stiff inspection requirements.. Judging by the amount of rust on that frame did the owner ever wash the underneath at all?

I just acquired this truck about two months ago. It was inspected back in August. I have no idea how it got by.

I just got the parts to fix her today. I should have it done in a few weeks. I figure I should be able to get a couple more years out of it, but there are other areas of the frame that are a little thinner than they should be.

Sorry for the thread hijack.

 

[Shran]

I'd try ratchet straps and a sledge hammer. My neighbor had one that was almost that bad. We ratchet strapped it to my truck and tightened it up real good, and then beat it side to side with a sledge. Took a while but it came out.

 

[wally]

I think you can buy a whole new reece hitch for around $120 if all else fails.

not to mention you know you can trust a new hitch!

 

[rboyer]

I know PA has some pretty stiff inspection requirements..

HAH!!! You must be getting your inspections at Sears or Walmart. In my county we don't even have emission inspections yet. I know one guy who does inspections faster than it takes you to get a cheeseburger at Mcdonalds. Seriously I showed my buddy where the place was at and when he took his car there he timed it, from the moment he pulled into the garage to the moment he got back in his car was under 2 minutes.

 

[ati190]

rboyer, that's not what i'm saying. If the inspection is legit and thorough, that rotted frame should have never made it through per PA inspection requirements. Meaning if you don't know anyone. I personally don't go to walmart or sears for inspections. But I'm certainly not comfortable driving an unsafe vehicle at any cost. If I have to take it to a garage that is a lick and stick, than it's time to part the vehicle out, or send it to the scrap yard. I also know a few garages that slap stickers on as well. Here in luzerne county you are required to get the emissions (visual testing btw). Quite frankly lick and sticks make me angry. Unsuspecting buyers of inspected vehicles usually are unaware of the problems. By seeing an inspection sticker most people would feel assured there are no major safety issues with the vehicle. Not everyone is mechanically inclined to look under a vehicle and diagnose problems that some other *** let through. I'd much rather take it to a place that follows the law, than one that would push unsafe vehicles through. Furthermore allowing unsafe vehicles on the road is plain stupid, what if the vehicle fails and someone is killed over it? cool isn't it? I think not.

 

[kamps989]

I'd try ratchet straps and a sledge hammer. My neighbor had one that was almost that bad. We ratchet strapped it to my truck and tightened it up real good, and then beat it side to side with a sledge. Took a while but it came out.

hmmm this sounds like it's worth a try. Wish I had some trees around here, maybe I'll just wait till spring and do it up north. Still wondering the best way to heat up the hitch to remove it though.

 

[thegoat4]

Got a farm jack? Put the foot against the lip of the receiver, put the toe on the ball, wrap a rope tightly around the whole mess to keep it from squirting out, and start jacking. Once you get a good load on it, try smacking the crap out of the ball from both sides.

Don't stand in the line of fire.

Whatever breaks needed replacing anyway.