I used a cordless sawsall to cut through a ball that wouldn't come off my bumper. Got about 4/5ths of the way through it with the saw and then whacked it with a BFH. Came right off.

 

Well all-rightey then, if the FD can't get in there and cut it out next week, we'll break out the sawzall!

 

That was a thought, but I'll have to get a set of vice grips to keep the lock from just spinning once the bit bites into the cylinder. Figured cutting it off might actually be less frustrating (and dangerous). I like sparks, I hate tool throw-back.

 

They beat me to it. I too was gonna tell you to use a sawzall.

A sawzall will cut through 4" cast iron sewar pipes so I don't think a small hitch pin lock bar would be a problem.

Stewart

 

Drill the lock out. Should open right up.

 

i know im late to the party but i just used my battery powered sawzall .. 30 seconds

 

as a plumber i do this daily with the new milwaukee hackzall

 

 

Those locks are cheap crap. A punch to the lock and some 2lb sledge hammer blows will probably break it off. A heavy cold chisel and some hard hammer hits may have the same effect.

Nothing beats having oxygen and acetylene tanks for stuff like this though. They are always my plan b.

If you have a sawzall, home Depot sells Diablo brand carbide tipped blades that will rip through grade 8 bolts and hitch pins. Nail a couple pieces of wood together to space the sawzall off the hitch far enough that the blade doesn't go back too far and hit something, it gives the saw something to work off of.

 

When I bought my truck it came with the hitch installed and rusted in place.

Over the course of the next few weeks me and the squad tried everything we could think of to get it out and failed miserably. We finally pulled the plug when the sledge hammers, chipping guns and whatever other tools we used were getting damaged and the only thing we managed to do is break off one end of the pin.

It took a large cutting torch head and a good 30 minutes of sparks and flames everywhere (and setting the bumper plastic on fire) to get the pin out.

One of these days I'm going to try the hitch around a light pole or tree and see if the Ex can help pull it out.

This is what was left of the hitch pin



Here's the new hitch pin coated in anti-seize. One of these days I'm going to try to remove the hitch. Knowing me it will be hours before I need to tow something...

 

You cut through 4" cast iron with a hackzall???

riiiiiiiiiight

Maybe it's the cast iron in Canada.

 

Blade and technique make all the difference. I have cut much 4inch cast drain tile with a saw all and a cast iron blade. Sure a snapper works much better but one must make due.

 

If we don't use a cast iron blade it takes MUCH longer and kills the metal blades.

The hackzall is not meant for that type of work. At times we use the hackazall for purposes it was never designed for simply because of the size and you can get it behind a wall but that's also why we go through a few of those a year.

/end thread hijack

 

30 minutes? Damn. I could cut an excursion in half length wise with a torch in 30 minutes. Lol.

DO NOT try to yank it out with a pole or tree. It will rip the hitch off the frame. Cut it off leaving some sticking out. Use a long sawzall blade to slit it from the inside and then a chisel to curl it inwards. Use penetrant generously.

Edit. From the pics that might be a solid ball mount. That's tough.

 

Yeah, That looks to be a solid drawbar.........Heat on the hitch, (but not too much, don't get it glowing or even close), lots of penetrating oil squirted in the gap (it will smoke a lot but the cooling process will draw the oil into the seem deeper) and a lot of love with a 4lb or so mini-sledge. I agree on not trying to jerk it out via a tree.