Hitch reciever rusted on

[copperhead]

HI all,

The PO of my 87 XJ never took the reciever ball off the hitch. After 170,000 miles and many winters, the thing won't budge. The big problem is that it seems to hit just about everything I drive over.

I started spraying it with Marvel Mystery oil last fall and have done about everything I can think of save straping it to a tree or rock and pulling to get it out. My next attempt will be to try and have it cut off. All I have is a grinding wheel and hacksaw, not sure if they will work. Any suggestions?

thanks,

Copperhead
1987 Laredo 4.0 stock

 

[Grizzley]

My next attempt will be to try and have it cut off.

Copperhead
1987 Laredo 4.0 stock

Since your willing to cut it off, why not just unbolt the whole unit first? Then at least you could use heat on it when it's not near the gas tank and you could probably free it up enough to drive it out with a BFH and then just replace that piece with a new one and bolt the hitch itself back in. Should be three bolts on each side that go up into nutstrips.

 

[Cheropair]

If you are trying to get the ball mount and ball off (that is the male square tube and the ball), use a CHAIN and secure to a large tree or something solid. Have someone sit in the drivers seat and GENTLY apply some pull on the chain - automatic in low range / drive at idle works great. Apply a generous application of PB Blaster /WD-40 and hit the outside of the receiver housing with a large hammer. You are trying to get vibrations that combined with the lube will allow the rust and dirt on the ball mount to break loose, resulting in the removal.
If you just want to remove the ball, use a torch to cut it off - you will never be able to save the ball.

 

[copperhead]

Cheropair:
Thanks, I am trying to ge both ball mount and ball off.

Grizzely wrote:

>Since your willing to cut it off, why not just unbolt the whole unit first?

Thanks for the tip on removal. My only concern is that the latch/catch bracket for the rear tire carrier is welded to the hitch and bolted onto the bumper. I'll have to check how accessable the bolts are for the bracket, but could remove it as long as I wasn't planing on going anywhere. Does this set-up sound stock?

Copperhead

1987 Laredo

 

[Grizzley]

I'm not really sure on that. Eagle may know or one of the other old timers. Only stock tire carriers I've seen have the latch assembly that is mounted to the bumper, actually through a hole in it right above the centered hitch. But don't remember it being welded or bolted to it.

Here's a link to MadXJ's site. Go to the tech section and about 1/2 way down the page you'll see a write-up on installing a stock outside tire carrier. See if it looks like yours.

http://www.madxj.com/

 

[Matthew Currie]

I think the chain is a good idea, but also remember that the battle is pretty well won as soon as you get any movement at all - in either direction. So before putting the chain to it, I'd pull the pin, then take a big hammer (hmm... seems that every suggestion I have these days involves a big hammer!), in this case preferably a big steel one like a small sledge, and try banging it in, rather than out. Once it's budged even a little bit, it will just zip out when you use the chain.

 

[copperhead]

Same factory tire carrier. I know it came from the factory with the external tire carrier. However, there are 1/4" plates that go from the latch on the bumper to the hitch. I thought they might be there to reinforce the latch on the bumper.

No luck on getting it out yet, realized I have no good chain here.

thanks for the suggestions. I know this is not a major issue.

Copperhead