I was with a friend of mine and we got rear ended by a honda car in his f350. If it were not for his 3" drop hitch being left in, the driver and passenger would have met the rear bumper up close. Because of that experience, I have no problem leaving my hitch in with a locking pin that won't just fall off if someone hasn't tried to take it off by force. That being said, I always check to make sure mine is still secure before towing and after I unhook because removing the lock is a giant pain in the @$$. If it comes to me not being allowed to keep my hitch in then I will get a HD bumper that is rated to haul a 5 ton trailer and hangs down at the right hieght for my tag along trailer. Just my 2 cents.

I also love the hay spear post above, would be a great deterrent for tailgaters.

 

You're right Bunky. Can't argue with the Bubba attitude.
I'm outta here before the contest to see who can belch the loudest starts.

 

I leave mine in.........I never park anywhere someone will be messing around back there, its a great "step" for getting in the bed, You never know when you are going to have to throw the strap around it and tow a Chevy, Dodge, toyota, etc.

 

I leave mine in for a step, and yes, mine has save my bumper in the past two trucks I had. Put a golfball sized dent in a Dodge 1500 bumper that wasn't paying attention, and took out the radiator on a BRAND new (had like 350 miles on it) Audi A4, again a 20 y/o girl not paying attention. I could give two chits about the jackass that rear-ends me. I'm just waiting for the day I get tagged by a BMW, Mercedes, or Escalade- need someone to pay off my truck LOL.

 

You got it ClydeSdale. What can you tell a man who has already learned all he needs to know?
I don't know whether to or , but I'm done .

Thanks for reminding me that there is still some intelligent life out there!

 

Just keep your eyes open when you are walking too close to a truck so that you don't hit your shins.

 

Wow, I got to this party late.

I can understand why some may want to leave it in, but I always take mine out. In the event of a wreck, the responsible party is going to have to pay for the damages. Whether that's a $150 WD head, a $500 bumper, or more doesn't really matter to me. This is why we carry insurance.

But seriously, the attitude demonstrated by some here about how they WANT to damage somebody's car more because it may have been their fault is childish at best. Seriously, this is 5-year-old temper tantrum stuff. You're gonna FIX THEM, huh? Hate to break it to you, but an accident is an accident. Very rarely is somebody going to hit your truck intentionally. Sure, accidents are often caused by people being negligent, but nobody on this board is perfect. Quit demanding everyone else be! I've been in several accidents in my life, and only one of them was my fault. I never got upset at the other person. Mistakes happen.

On the safety aspect, I believe it's probably safer in most cases to have your hitch in the cab, rather than in your receiver. I don't think that more laws and regulations are the answer, I just think pulling it out is the best thing to do.

Why does society feel the need to force everyone to do things their way?

 

Well guys, I got your message, "F#*% my shins". You're not taking your hitch out even in the Wally world parking lot. Well, that's fine, go ahead be a bubba, I'll try to be more careful. But if you come back to the truck some evening and there's a guy about the size of Trace Atkins (if you don't know who that is you're not really a bubba) sitting on the tailgate waiting for you or one about the size of Jimmy Dickens (same note as above) holding one of those dogs that barks here and bites yonder, well just don't say I didn't warn ya. Cause I will tell you that the hitch has the ability to inflict great pain even if it is an inanimate object. And if it happens to bubba or one of his kids he may not be impressed with your argument that it saves your bumper. Y'all have a nice day, I'm outta here.

 

Come to think of it my hitch will not cause any harm to your shins. You can bang your knee on it pretty good if you are not watching where you are walking though!

 

That law is stupid, I never pull mine out.
I use it almost every day, so why should I have to pull it?

 

nice find, but how does it lift/lower the hay bale?

 

I spend alot of time in supermarket parking lots. I have been paying more attention to hitches since reading this thread. I would have to say the majority of people take them out. I have not seen anybody hit one that is left in as most people are walking about 2-3 feet away from the back of the vehicles. What about the trucks with a larger front bumper and brush guard? Should they remove them because they stick out further than the stock bumper does?

I agree with you crazy, let those who want it in leave em in and those that want them out to take em out. I believe this is part of living in a Free country. The ability to not be regulated on such meanial issues.

PS. Mine is almost always out. I take it out because it rattles and I HATE rattles. The only hitch I have ever hit was my own. I was walking around my truck too close. Then again, it is my truck.

 

I refuse to take mine out, and that's not a "bubba" attitude, it's Joe Blow keeping at least 1 foot away from my truck. The only problem I ever have keeping it in is that i gotta be carefull backing up to another car. I've always thought of marketing a device like that hay spear, but about 1 foot long and pointy- it'll be called "The Penetrator" HAHA. And if someone's a ******* enough to walk into my hitch and wann wait around, we'll he better be tougher that Roy D. Mercer, 'cause I don't go down easy, and when I do I come up a' slicing!

 

I'll check with the local fuzz later. I know one guy that is a real pita so he should know. Most of the ball mounts in NY are rusted tight to the receiver making removal kind of hard. (I know, another reason to remove when not using....)

 

ROFLMAO. Now lets keep it civil.