An oblong hitch hole

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

When we first arrived in Maine during our great adventure, I noticed on my truck hitch that the hole to where you put the pin in to hold the hitch in was slightly oblong. If looking at it from the drivers side, it would be right at the 10 o'clock position. It didn't grow anymore with our trip back but that concerns me quite a bit. I've never seen that happen before. Has anyone else seen this before with your trucks?

Edited September 4, 2023 by Jettech1

Another JR · September 4, 2023

Are you looking at it with the pin and hitch in place and the trailer connected (seeing a gap at 10 o’clock) or are you looking at an empty slightly egg-shaped hole?

And when I say empty hole I mean like that hole you have in your heart for a new 2024 10 speed gasser with the fancy touch screen!

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

4 minutes ago, Another JR said:

Are you looking at it with the pin and hitch in place and the trailer connected (seeing a gap at 10 o’clock) or are you looking at an empty slightly egg-shaped hole?

And when I say empty hole I mean like that hole you have in your heart for a new 2024 10 speed gasser with the fancy touch screen!

You all never fail to crack me up!! Ok, so let me add some more info here...lol...the right side of the hitch is still perfectly round. Thinking out loud here for a minute, I'm wondering if that is caused by my E2 WDH? I have it set up perfectly. I'm just wondering, thinking, that that might be a result of my bars being too tight. I don't know...I've measured and measured several times. I know I have it set up perfectly. But when I look at where that wear is, to me, it kind of points to too much tension on my bars...Ok ok. I tend to overthink things at times...but...

Another JR · September 4, 2023

Just now, Jettech1 said:

You all never fail to crack me up!! Ok, so let me add some more info here...lol...the right side of the hitch is still perfectly round. Thinking out loud here for a minute, I'm wondering if that is caused by my E2 WDH? I have it set up perfectly. I'm just wondering, thinking, that that might be a result of my bars being too tight. I don't know...I've measured and measured several times. I know I have it set up perfectly. But when I look at where that wear is, to me, it kind of points to too much tension on my bars...Ok ok. I tend to overthink things at times...but...

I too was thinking it might have to do with loads from a wdh. So you have looked at it with the pin out and are definitely seeing elongation? Are you seeing actual wear in one area (as opposed to maybe it was a bad hole from the factory)?

The good thing is that metal is probably ideal for a weld and re-drill repair if it becomes necessary.

Plus, I heard the holes on the new 2024s are rounder.

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

16 minutes ago, Another JR said:

And when I say empty hole I mean like that hole you have in your heart for a new 2024 10 speed gasser with the fancy touch screen!

Nooooo, the more I read about that 10 speed, the happier I am with my 6 speed. Now that fancy touch screen would be nice but damn, people are complaining about that too being unreliable and sketchy at times....yeah I'm good with my poor mans custom model...lol..

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

2 minutes ago, Another JR said:

I too was thinking it might have to do with loads from a wdh. So you have looked at it with the pin out and are definitely seeing elongation? Are you seeing actual wear in one area (as opposed to maybe it was a bad hole from the factory)?

The good thing is that metal is probably ideal for a weld and re-drill repair if it becomes necessary.

Plus, I heard the holes on the new 2024s are rounder.

Look at the pic, tell me what you think.

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

3 minutes ago, Another JR said:

Plus, I heard the holes on the new 2024s are rounder.

And here comes Pryme and everyone else.... lol....

Another JR · September 4, 2023

29 minutes ago, Jettech1 said:

Look at the pic, tell me what you think.

Sorry, I didn’t see the pic when I first viewed this. I think my phone was still loading it.

That hole definitely looks like it’s getting worked. Looks like wear at both 10 and 12 o’clock. Unfortunately the picture as I see it on the forum is a little blurry.

I assume you are being careful to load your wdh bars symmetrically. The question is why one side and not the other. Could be the original holes were not perfectly aligned and the left one is getting most of the load.

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

4 minutes ago, Another JR said:

Sorry, I didn’t see the pic when I first viewed this. I think my phone was still loading it.

That hole definitely looks like it’s getting worked. Looks like wear at both 10 and 12 o’clock. Unfortunately the picture as I see it on the forum is a little blurry.

I assume you are being careful to load your wdh bars symmetrically. The question is why one side and not the other. Could be the original holes were not perfectly aligned and the left one is getting most of the load.

The bars are perfectly aligned and adjusted. The right side hole is perfectly round. To me it screams my left bar, of which is perfectly adjusted too is too tight. I don't know how that's possible. It was like that when we got to Maine, it did not grow more coming back another 1600 miles. It was the first segment of our trip that that happened. Perhaps a little metallurgy is involved here and my hitch on the truck wasn't properly heat treated??? Maybe??? I don't know, perhaps I'm making a big deal out of nothing. It will probably look like that at 300k miles as well.

Another JR · September 4, 2023

I would keep an eye on it and see if it is stable now. Also, I’d suggest talking to an experienced hitch person if you have one nearby. They may be able to tell you, “yeah, that happens because …”

However, if he tells you it’s because your truck isn’t a 2024 10 speed gasser with the fancy display, he’s probably pulling your leg and is a forum reader.

Edited September 4, 2023 by Another JR

Another JR · September 4, 2023

When I said holes might be misaligned I meant the holes in your truck’s receiver, the sleeve if you are using one, and the ball mount. If any of those weren’t drilled straight, one hole on the truck receiver could be taking more load in some high load condition. I didn’t mean the wdh bars were misaligned in some way. If you loaded the chains similarly, any difference in bar loads probably isn’t the issue.

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

9 minutes ago, Another JR said:

However, if he tells you it’s because your truck isn’t a 2024 10 speed gasser with the fancy display, he’s probably pulling your leg and is a forum reader.

And there it is!! LMAO!!

Another JR · September 4, 2023

1 hour ago, Jettech1 said:

Nooooo, the more I read about that 10 speed, the happier I am with my 6 speed. Now that fancy touch screen would be nice but damn, people are complaining about that too being unreliable and sketchy at times....yeah I'm good with my poor mans custom model...lol..

I’m definitely with you in liking my 6 speed “trouble-free transmission.”

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

8 minutes ago, Another JR said:

I’m definitely with you in liking my 6 speed “trouble-free transmission.”

So far so good. I did see the highest temps I've ever seen going over the poconos. 207. It cooled right back down to normal once we were over them to a normal 185. But it never gave me a problem at all. I would set the cruise on 70, it would downshift into 5th at 65, then it would downshift again to 4th at 63. I rarely had it downshift into 3rd gear. It did several times but very rarely. Typically 4th gear would get us back to 70 with no problem.

Jettech1 · September 4, 2023

Now this might help others a thing I learned along the way. The best time to put your truck into tow haul mode is around town. Going around town in tow/haul mode is the best. On the highway I just shut it off. Not needed at all. Reason is the tow haul mode keeps the gears longer of which helps around those unknown towns. It's more comfortable to have it activated when going slower. On the highway, shut it off. Not needed at all.