Stuck Towhitch
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, VA
Stuck Towhitch
Howdy all. I've got a funny little problem. I bought a '97 Ranger w/ 2.3L, 5 spd and it came with a towhitch. "Wonderful," I thought. Just in case I need to tow something. I never bothered to take it off, or even try, because I was just parking in my driveway. Well now I've moved and I have to parallel park on a crowded street, and I find that spearing someone's bumper with my towhitch is a lousy way to make friends in a new town!
So I tried to take it off, and it looked kinda rusted and it wouldn't come out. So I squirted some WD-40 on in there and gave it another shot. Still nothing. So then I got a hammer and screwdriver and started trying to bang it out. Nothing. I finally got so fed up that I chained the towhitch to a big tree and tried to yank it off! All I did was break the chain!
Anyone got any other ideas for getting this thing off?
Also, I've got another random question: how do I know if I've got a short-bed or long-bed? I've got the regular cab, but I can't find any information on the dimensions of long/short beds.
Thanks!
Nick
So I tried to take it off, and it looked kinda rusted and it wouldn't come out. So I squirted some WD-40 on in there and gave it another shot. Still nothing. So then I got a hammer and screwdriver and started trying to bang it out. Nothing. I finally got so fed up that I chained the towhitch to a big tree and tried to yank it off! All I did was break the chain!
Anyone got any other ideas for getting this thing off?
Also, I've got another random question: how do I know if I've got a short-bed or long-bed? I've got the regular cab, but I can't find any information on the dimensions of long/short beds.
Thanks!
Nick
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 538
Likes: 2
From: Florida
The hitch insert is held in place with a pin. Did you pull the pin? Good thing the chain broke or else you might have bent the truck frame. Take it to a hitch place (u-haul if nothing else is around) and let them remove it if you can't.
Standard (or 'short') bed is 6', long bed is 7'. If you had a long bed, it would be quite obvious when comparing the look of your truck to others.
Standard (or 'short') bed is 6', long bed is 7'. If you had a long bed, it would be quite obvious when comparing the look of your truck to others.
I'm not that dumb . . .
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 219
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis, IN
Wow! That is incredible that it would not come out when chained to a big tree. Geeze! I used to have the same problem.....It ended up the hitch insert i had was a little deformed. It was hard to put in.....had to bang on it with a sledge hammer or something. And to get it out, i had to tow-strap it to a big tree, just like you did. But when I tow-strapped it, it came right out, no problem. If you can't get it out with the chain, I can't imagine what would get it out. Did you use a large chain, or some dinky one? But yeah, I'd take it to a hitch place and ask them. They would probably know.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 856
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City, Missouri
I had the same thing with my Nissan Pathfinder. The guy before me never ever took the bar and ball out. I used lube, heated it with a torch, drilled the pin out, and did the chain and tree thing. I bought a new hitch, when I had it put on, the guy at the trailer shop said they get those occasionally and can't get them out either, they replace them. So if you don't think you'll ever use the hitch, take it off cuz that bar and ball probably aren't coming out. 
