Twice now, (to my knowledge) my hitch insert has saved me from getting rear-ended.

Well, technically I still got rear ended, but there was no damage.

I leave the hitch insert in all the time. Mostly because with the reverse vehicle aid sensors attached to the rear bumper on my 06 F350 I was concerned that women using the bumper-car-method to parallel park would damage the sensors. (women drivers no survivors)

Anyway... Just the other day I was stopped at a red light and some no-brain in a Geo wasn't paying close enough attention. I actually only barely felt the contact, but the truck moved forward a foot or so ( I didn't have the brake on hard)

I got out to look. No damage at all. nothing twisted or tweaked...

His front bumper had a NICE PUNCHED OUT HOLE the shape of my Hitch insert/ball.

He leans out his window and said "Sorry, I was stopping"

I just looked at him and said "not fast enough"

Anyway... I think I'll be leaving that hitch insert in full time.

On a side note:

Does anyone know how resilient those reverse vehicle aid sensors are? Can they Withstand any kind of impact? They look fragile.

 

Well i can tell from the two backup accidents i've had they are very resilient, backed in to my house distroyed the house and bumper (sensors no damg), backed into a telephone pole wrapped the bumper and rear quaterpanel around the pole sensors once again no damage , some reason those little hunks of plastic just don't break (on my truck anyway). Two bumpers replaced so far zero sensors. Oh maybe i need a hitch insert sticking out about three feet

 

Ahh... BerkshireCorverit - I'll bet they don't work at all! You keep backing into stuff.

 

I can't help but ask, how did you not see your house? Did you think you were in a forward gear and punch the gas or what?

 

Wellllllllllllll i was plowing back blading both times, at night with whiteout conditions, i know poor excuse, but really i back so much when plowing my 400x500 ft parking lot and the 1 mile driveway that i just don't pay attn. to the sensors, Costly mistakes but just don't learn from them , but i did learn one thing over the years from 9 trips to the body shop and 1,000s of $$$$. Wait to spring and have the truck done all at once , much cheaper that way.My body guy hates it, (he said he was wondering how long it would take me to figure it out to wait til after snow season then hes says not bad 5 years) Used to run to the shop everytime i had a scratch he luved me still does ,2001 still looks like i just got it. not even a tiny scratch. But the snows just starting, haven't let him down yet don't think this year be any different, Average winter bodywork $2.500 easier just to replace whole sections, seems he always knows what parts to have on hand for me, wonder why? all the parts needed when backing into things. Best thing yet he warrantys his work as long as i own the truck !!! sure he does he knows i'll be back in the spring for the same work . Used to brag to the wife 25 years safe driver awards with the big rig, now she calls me mr safe driver not! oh well whats money when your having so much fun playing back-em-up smack-em-up. oh ya you think this is bad you ought to see me on rented dozers, backholes and bobcats but thats other stories for other post another time another place , stay tuned to the contin.......... of story the many crashes of BC

 

My back up sensors continued to work after being rammed in the rear while I was traveling at 60 mph and the little Pontiac was zooming along at around 75 mph. It changed the angle a bit, but I'm not real sure how they worked before. See, I had just taken delivery on the truck and was 10 miles away from the dealer when I got hit. Truck suffered about $2500 in damage, the Pontiac left the sceen on a roll-a-way.

 

I do not know about the sensors but I want to tell you about my encounter with a miny van. I was pulling out of a parking spot, I looked but did not see anything but there happened to be a miny van there. I hit it broad side, I did not feel much other than guilt but I pushed the van over and caved the side in. I did $3000.00 damage to the van and my SD had a scratched signal light and I had to realign my front bumper. Now that is a tough truck (bad owner).

 

I leave my hitch in too. I've been rear-ended twice and it saved my truck both times.

 

Same here. I leave the draw bar in all the time just for that reason. Have had my last two trucks rear-ended a toal of 3 times and each time the vehicles that hit me never made it past the draw bar and the extension. The only exception to this was the last time. My wife got rear-ended by a guy in an '84 1 ton Chevy. The draw-bar went through the grill and radiator and actually stopped at the engine block. Had to replace my bumper and tail gate, but no other damage to the truck.

 

I usually leave my hitch in also, But when I have to plow, commercial lot, many cars parked in it, I take it out,,last thing I want is a hole in some ones grill, or car from my hitch ! Lots of close backing and maneuvering in this lot, and that hitch sticks out a good 10" or so.

My gf was driving my 04 Explorer,,she stopped at a stop sign,,,this no-mine blond in another Explorer, rear-ended her slightly,,she says',,,,," WTF",,gets out,,hmmm no damage,,the 2" reciever sticks out just past the bumper, and saved it from damage,,I wonder what the other Explorer's front marker plate looks like, ? LOL

 

With all my backup mishaps, thats it! the hitch is going back in i've read enought bye bye bodyshop (maybe i'll have a wedge welded on the end)

 

The only drawback to leaving your hitch in is the intermitent throbbing in your knee when you slide past it in the dark.

 

Been there done that. That will make a grown man cry!

 

and the wife just laughs....and laughs.... "See, if you would take it out that wouldn't happen."

 

i ALWAYS leave a drawbar in my receiver, in fact in the winter i put the heaviest drawbar i have in there even though i dont even tow with that one. it just happens to be a solid shank weight distributing unit that has a frontal area of about 6 inches square because of the way the outriggers clip into it. ive been slid into 3 times with it on 2 different trucks, but never more damage than a black can of krylon could fix.