Check your hitches.....This is NOT good!

[Liquid Courage]

We drug the boat down to Long Beach last weekend for the SCOPE poker run. When we got back I was cleaning the truck and saw the hitch looked a little slanted. I checked under the truck and saw this!!!!!
Thank GOOOOOOD it didn't come completely off while towing. I checked with our local trailer place and to slap a new hitch on it'll be 4 hundred. Not bad, but sh!t, I don't want to shell out 4 hundo for something I don't (or didn't) need!
My wife (god love her) said, "hey, call the hitch manufacturer and see if they'll cover it" due to her structural steel background and noticing the mounting points looked weak. I was like, yea right! they're going to tell me to pound sand. Hitch is at least 2 years old and there's nothing saying I didn't violate the load rating except my word.
Spoke to them (putnam hitches) and they were SUPER cool (so far) guy said they've updated their hitches to guseted hitches instead of bent steal (exactly what my wife was talking about) due to past failures. Guy helping me said, I would get a call back to confirm they'll send me a new hitch but he was locating the hitch closest to me to send to me. So, knock on wood, so far so good. We'll see.
It's nice having a wife thats smarter than me SOMETIMES
I figured, upgraded class V hitch 15k carrying 16k dist weight and 1700 tongue weight. 1 ton GMC dually crew cab 4 wheel drive. You'd think I was well covered! NOT!
Let this be a lesson to all of you....GO CHECK YOUR HITCHES!!!
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41173&stc=1&d=1192505275
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41174&stc=1&d=1192505275
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41175&stc=1&d=1192505275

[SOCALDETAIL1]

Nice Cig! It would of been ugly:eek:

[riverroyal]

if the truck frame bent after the hitch cracked.It looks like it was trying to 'twist'

[Jordy]

Wow, that's scary. Could have been very bad!!! :eek:

[Havasu Hangin']

I put a Reese Titan on as soon as I got my truck...it's just a little piece of mind.
BTW...I had someone cut me off this weekend. The trucks anti-lock kicked in, but the boat was still jack-knifing me at 55MPH. :jawdrop:
The trailer brakes eventually came in (seemed like FOREVER)...and straightened me out. Very scary- glad I had the Class V and some boweye straps on the boat.

[McIntyrelocal]

that thing looks like its been broken for quite some time your very lucky that probably wasnt the first time youve towed with it like that. must have some good karma:)

[SOCALDETAIL1]

that thing looks like its been broken for quite some time your very lucky that probably wasnt the first time youve towed with it like that. must have some good karma:)
Yup it has some rust.

[MBlaster]

Holy crap I would have freaked too.
You are indeed lucky.

[Liquid Courage]

I do have good karma...:D
However, I live on the beach. I just took the pics tonight, it happened two weeks ago. exposed metal rusts in 24hrs on the beach!
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41178&stc=1&d=1192506250

[SOCALDETAIL1]

I do have good karma...:D
However, I live on the beach. I just took the pics tonight, it happened two weeks ago. exposed metal rusts in 24hrs on the beach!
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41178&stc=1&d=1192506250
Nice backyard:D

[BadKachina]

I do have good karma...:D
However, I live on the beach. I just took the pics tonight, it happened two weeks ago. exposed metal rusts in 24hrs on the beach!
http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41178&stc=1&d=1192506250
I hate you..............
;) :D

[Liquid Courage]

Nice backyard:D
Thanks...It aint bad:D

[Jordy]

I do have good karma...:D
However, I live on the beach.
Tank=BALLER!!! :D :D :D

[Liquid Courage]

I hate you..............
;) :D
I love you!:D
Thus my good karma:idea: :D

[BadKachina]

Tank=BALLER!!! :D :D :D
Yeah, but a true baller would slap some Konrad conversions on that tank.;) :)

[Liquid Courage]

Tank=BALLER!!! :D :D :D
I'm play pimpin....no baller:D

[BadKachina]

I'm play pimpin....no baller:D
I wanna be you for a day.:)

[Liquid Courage]

Yeah, but a true baller would slap some Konrad conversions on that tank.;) :)
I do like the konrads....But the speed master 3a's have worked VERY well for us. #6 internals.....I lay the throttles down and drink my martini on the way to the islands:D

[3 daytona`s]

by the looks of the rust on the break has been aproblem for some time:idea: IMO you were very lucky. I hate to think of possibilities. Go To Vegas:)

[Liquid Courage]

by the looks of the rust on the break has been aproblem for some time:idea: IMO you were very lucky. I hate to think of possibilities. Go To Vegas:)
I do actually think the problem was there before the scope poker run. I think towing down to the run full of fuel (225 gal) just intesified the prob.
I do feel lucky. I don't even want to think of what would've happend if all the mount points let go. CRAZY! that thing wouldv'e dug in, hooked and rolled. Huge pile up....not good.

[BadKachina]

I do like the konrads....But the speed master 3a's have worked VERY well for us. #6 internals.....I lay the throttles down and drink my martini on the way to the islands:D
Damn, martini's and shit...........:jawdrop: :D

[boat boy]

Having a little knowledge of Structural Steel myself. It looks as though the roll at the bend may have been too tight. I've seen these crakes before in bent plate where the material is rolled to tight and the seam splits, not to mention the fact you launch in salt water and that could add to your problem.

[czarmarz73]

Bolt on hitches are crap, I only use welded custom fit hitches. Check out www.eckharts.com If you decide to use them when you take it in you can see all the old broken ripped apart bolt on units they have from customers that upgraded to there. Cheap insurance if you ask me.

[Liquid Courage]

Bolt on hitches are crap, I only use welded custom fit hitches. Check out www.eckharts.com If you decide to use them when you take it in you can see all the old broken ripped apart bolt on units they have from customers that upgraded to there. Cheap insurance if you ask me.
Well, I'm going to take them up on the updated hitch. Though, when I install it I'm going to put an extra plate along the frame rail to re-enforce. Then, I'll be checking regularly;)

[JetBoatRich]

Could have been real bad, good catch:D

[r erfert]

Do you also happen to tow a big trailer out in the sand dunes?
just courious becuase I've seen a few hitches fail from all the bouncing around getting to the sand.
Well on a lighter note you now know one more thing to look at before you tow.

[Liquid Courage]

Do you also happen to tow a big trailer out in the sand dunes?
just courious becuase I've seen a few hitches fail from all the bouncing around getting to the sand.
Well on a lighter note you now know one more thing to look at before you tow.
No, I don't tow any other trailer. But the large swooping bumps get pretty crazy while towing. And yes, def. will be checking the hitch from time to time from now on. That's my point to this whole thread. If 1 person catches something after looking at this thread and checking their hitches, then that's 1 more accident averted.

[Liquid Courage]

Well, to my pleasant suprise I found Putnam Hitches sent me a brand new hitch today.
I must say, I have to seriously give props where they are due. One phone call explaining the problem. They asked me my name and address and in less than a week the new hitch was shipped. Pretty amazing considering they didnt ask to see the other hitch, ask for any paperwork on it or any other information. If anyone has a Putnam hitch, rest assured they are a great company to deal with.

[WYRD]

With a back yard like that, who needs a trailer. Just "beach" it:D :D

[reb939]

http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41175&stc=1&d=1192505275[/QUOTE]
Is this the same CIG that Powerboat Magazine did a restoration project on?

[SOCALDETAIL1]

Well, to my pleasant suprise I found Putnam Hitches sent me a brand new hitch today.
I must say, I have to seriously give props where they are due. One phone call explaining the problem. They asked me my name and address and in less than a week the new hitch was shipped. Pretty amazing considering they didnt ask to see the other hitch, ask for any paperwork on it or any other information. If anyone has a Putnam hitch, rest assured they are a great company to deal with.
Great customer service:)

[H20 Toie]

http://www.***boat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=41175&stc=1&d=1192505275
Is this the same CIG that Powerboat Magazine did a restoration project on?[/QUOTE]
That's the one.

[77charger]

On my chevy i have had to retighten the bolts a couple of times.I usually check once a year but going to do it before every trip it only take s a few seconds to check.
I know the chevy hitches aint the best but its the bolts that are coming loose here and there i usually only tow a 7k toyhauler or a 21 ft boat.

[Biglue]

Well, I'm going to take them up on the updated hitch. Though, when I install it I'm going to put an extra plate along the frame rail to re-enforce. Then, I'll be checking regularly;)
That's what I was thinking too. The frame looks like it's been tweaked pretty good too. Glad to hear it was not a problem....worse problem.

[Riomouse911]

Another thing to check every few months is the nut that holds the hitch ball on the tongue.. I had one come loose in 1999 while towing and the trailer came unhitched on a 25 mph street (I had just gotten off the 60 fwy). The chains caught the free riding trailer, then the trailer hit the pavement as the bow of my old boat went into the tailgate on my (then) new F250.
Ooops on my part, I should have checked... glad nothing hurt your boat, it's really a nice one.

[BoatPI]

That looks like a factory GM hith receiver? Of course GM does not make it. ??

[Liquid Courage]

That looks like a factory GM hith receiver? Of course GM does not make it. ??
Yes, it does "look" like the factory hitch but it is not. It's actually a lot beefier.

[sleekcrafter]

Even when you are within your weight rating for your hitch, when using a dropped hitch, you you may exceed it's capacity from the extra leverage.
Good move to the class V hitch.