I figure you should get something for your pain and suffering.....

 

In PA it's illegal to drive with the hitch connected and no trailer..... Now if someone could help me get my rust welded one out that would be great.

 

I've lived in PA all of my life and been driving trucks here for 30+ years (with drawbars in the hitch a lot of the time) and have never heard that one before.

Robert, glad there were no injuries and it looks like the EX held up pretty well. Is Beetlegeuse a little bent to one side or is that a trick of the camera, I know some of those multi pin changeable drawbars are a little wobbly with the extra joints in them. (I know my adjustable one has some play in it.)

 

Come to think of it.. I've never seen it on paper.. Just always heard it. Oh well...

 

YEEEAAAHH!! Beetlegeuse (of course, pronounced "Beetlejuice") for those who are scratching their heads at the clip...

Honestly I think it all came down to reaction times. I was slowing preparing to stop at the line, I think she was slowing as well. The car in front of me panic stopped (she could have easily made it through the light before the red hit)...I had my reaction time and my braking...so she would have seen me slowing normally, so she slows normally expecting to stop right behind me, then suddenly the *** end of my truck rears up and she tries to stop a good 2 car lengths earlier than she thought she would have and just couldn't do it.

Add in it was over 100 at the time (first time this year), so who knows how greasy the road is at that stop light (add in a few more feet of stopping distance).

I think this was truly just an accident - not anything tied to texting or what not. Now the car in front of me (that arguably started the whole thing)...that's another story. How she went from "I'll make the light" to "oh crap I gotta stop NOW" I don't know, but it sure lends itself to how distracted drivers act if you ask me.

 

I grew up in PA as well and my dad left his in all the time, so if that's a law, I think it's one of those that only gets called up if you are being a PITA to the officer.

Not that I can see. The bumper and the center trim doesn't have any marks on it, and this type of hitch has a bolt (can't really see it in the photos) you tighten to put pressure on the pins, so the only wobble comes from the main receiver pin...those extra two are so tight you can't twist them around.

If there is any damage, I'm worried it might be pushed down. The bumper I don't see any change in angle or bent in at the middle or twisted down at all, I think that might be an illusion from the shadow angle...but again, I'm not a frame specialist so I'll let them tell me how it fared. From what little I could see looking up under the bumper, both of the vertical sections of metal between the square tube on the receiver and the bottom of the frame are straight (not bent in or flexed at all). I'm hoping that the tail end of the frame isn't what gave (if anything gave at all).

Fingers crossed!

 

Robert, glad you and the Ex made it through so well.

I would have thought with a hitch that mean looking folks would give you an even larger following distance..
So what pads/rotors do you use.. clearly they stop well.

 

Is your neck ok? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambulance_chasing

 

Wish I knew...they were on the truck when I bought it.

 

love the hitch...love the neons black eye much better!

 

Neon didn't fair too well.

 

Im sure she was texting or at least looking at her phone......like shes doing, in the middle of the road, without a care......(stopping now before I get myself in trouble...)

 

Reminds me of this lil car that went under my hitch a few months ago.

 

i never got pics of it, but 6 years ago i had a jeep liberty decide to "kiss" my 02 pickup.

doing 60 mph.
the hitch knocked the engine and trans rite out of it, and put it under the car.
the front bumper was even with the windshield, the front tires were under the front seats.

did $5,400 damage to my truck. destroyed the hitch, but not the frame.

 

Update:

1: Never, never, NEVER try to deal with an insurance company named "Anchor General Insurance". This was the other drivers insurance company and they have ZERO desire to deal with those people who their drivers hit. They didn't even come out to take pics until 11 days after the accident...gave up dealing with them direct and went through my insurance that offered me an appointment at the body shop the same day I told them I was going to go through my company.

2. Took the truck in today to get the frame checked. After tweaking the lift to hold a truck that big (needed some adapters that they only use once or twice a year) they observed no obvious issues...moved it to another unit with lasers attached to measure the frame points...no bent frame!

He does see the hitch itself is bent and suggests replacing the bolts that hold the receiver to the frame (I think he said there are 8 bolts and plates). I'm interested to see if they can find the 10k rated bolts or if they will need to go with the 12k rated set. Since its Saturday the Ford dealer parts group didn't call them back before closing to get an estimate in when they can get the new bolts in. He is also putting in for the insurance to replace the hitch, but they can't find the exact model - they find them with 3 ***** that "spin", but can't find any that have adjustable height AND the three ***** with the hook. I told them I'd be happy with just the three - that I'd just buy a hook and have a shop weld it on the open spot for me.

Quite a relief that there isn't any frame damage...now just hoping they can get all the parts in and installed before Thursday since I need the rig back for the 4th.

...plus, its embarassing to have to park the black Kia Soul they gave me as a rental where the beast normally goes. I'm afraid the neighbors will think I actually own it.