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Old 05-02-2019, 10:46 AM   #81
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THOR #11130
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron1Z View Post
If that were me first I would turn it over to my insurance company then my attorney.

Straight lines are shorter. This is a Thor/LCI issue and I'd bet a stale doughnut with a bit out if it against $100 they will get right on it. Thor has enough skin in the game they will make LCI do back flips. There was a couple threads posted recently showing hitches ripped along this bend. We need to find those posters and have them send those pics in as well. Strike while the iron is hot!!

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Old 01-31-2020, 11:14 AM   #82
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THOR #1469
How about an update

Here is one of the serious flaws with this forum. Folks have the initiative to come into the forum and post issues such as defective hitches all day, every day. They do not however have the initiative or motivation to come back into the forum and notify readers about the resolution or corrective action for the problem.

How many folks reported this issue to Thor and then came back and posted what the resolution to the issue was? Did Thor react, did LCI react, did they tell you you're on your own, warranty expired. I know, I never received a recall on the hitch on the Challenger and it was the same way but never broke. But then I rarely towed with the Challenger.

Then to top that off, a year or two later someone posts a topic and someone responding to the post posts a link to that original posts that lists problems with no solutions. I bring this up because this thread was recently linked to an issue on towing in another thread with new posts.

Weak, extremely weak.

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Old 01-31-2020, 12:19 PM   #83
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THOR #1020
Follow uo

I have been a contributing member for a number of years now. And I also get a bit upset when folks don't come back and follow up and let us know the outcomes. The outcomes are as important oftentimes as the issue.
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Old 01-31-2020, 12:43 PM   #84
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THOR #11130
This is usually a sign that the problem was nothing but a loose nut behind the wheel. People don't like to admit when the are wrong.
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Old 01-31-2020, 02:14 PM   #85
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton View Post
This is usually a sign that the problem was nothing but a loose nut behind the wheel. People don't like to admit when the are wrong.
Gritz, I agree with you, however, there are posts in the thread that deal with how the flanges or brackets on the LCI hitch are bent at different angles causing apparent stress points. That is not user error or stupidity yet the original poster does not return with the resolution or info on the discussion with Thor or LCI. That to me is laziness or apathy.

When I was on active duty, two statements always rang true.

1. If it's not inspected it's neglected
2. Failure to follow-up is failure

Posting resolutions and outcomes is, in my opinion, the follow-up to the initial posting.
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Old 01-31-2020, 02:27 PM   #86
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At the least: it indicates good manners...
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Old 01-31-2020, 02:32 PM   #87
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Agree totally...I didn't go back and re-read all of the posts but I remember suggesting a "fulcrum" possibility...too low of a drop hitch causing the forward and rearward stress to act more like a pendulum opposed to a straight force horizontally on the hitch. This is a known issue. Also, extended hitches reduce capacity. We all have hitches and plan to tow in some manner...thus 5 pages of posts here. It truly would be helpful for the OP to come back in and explain what the resolution is/was...if any. My guess...it was something other than the hitch and it's intended design. If this thread is still in his CP...he should come back and finish what he started.
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Old 01-31-2020, 03:58 PM   #88
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Here's my theory to just about everything in life:
Half of the people on this forum are of less than average intelligence. (this is LAW. If you're offended, guess which group you're in. 8-)
Segregate them, and half of that group is of less than average intelligence in the less than average intelligence group. Now do it again.
This makes for 1 in 8 people being comparative babblers regarding any particular subject.

Depending on the topic, I could be in any of the groups at any moment.
However : this rule not only applies to me and my knowledge or lack thereof of cardiovascular surgery or microprocessors built after the 8086(yes, I can build a nandgate from toothpaste and a flashlight but I never remember black to red and white to black), but it applies to some people's ACTUAL lack of intelligence and ability to relate a screwdriver to an ice pick.

And
The picture is a very old quote. This is nothing new. Rude and stupid people now have a better voice where if they don't use all caps, they blend in well... For a while at least.

The lack of follow up is rude and selfish.
Worse are the questions which in their entirety say:
'which light bulb do I use on my DRV?'.

I don't care much about Grammer or spelling. If I can't recognize an idea due to common misspellings or idioms I can't extrapolate, their vs there... that's me being the 1/8th.
I care when someone gets defensive about their insanely and inanely worded question, or was so selfish as to not offer a cure for all else to see.
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Old 11-26-2020, 12:34 AM   #89
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I happened to me

I had no idea this was a thing. but thank YAH I was going slow when my hitch let go. I had been traveling 55-65 MPH for a few days..and at a red light a guy yelled out of his truck that I was "dragging"...as I pulled over the hitch let loose all the way and slid into a ditch after banging into the rear of my RV. I am so glad nobody was hurt..the break away cable was attached to the hitch..and that trailer would have been a missile if it broke on the highway. I called AAA to get the trailer, just to find out they cover nearly every type trailer EXCEPT one towing a car...go figure. I was able to get the trailer back with the help of a friend and will be figuring out a repair with a local shop soon....any advice on how to repair the missing "chunk" out of the frame would be appreciated. I was thinking to just get the sheared metal welded back in, then add another bar of metal to the frame and weld it in, then bolt a new class 5 hitch to it... any and all input appreciated.
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Old 11-26-2020, 01:16 AM   #90
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I just looked at my hitch and it looks like its mounted the same way as yours, they have 6 bolts ( 3 on each side ) bolting the hitch to a short angle adapter and the adapter bolted to the frame extension with just two grade 5 bolts on each side, I haul a single axle boat trailer with my Axis and its no where near the weight it looks like you are hauling, I would do some serious modifications if I were hauling the max weight the hitch is rated for, I am not at all impressed with the way the frame is extended or the way the hitch is mounted, make sure you only use grade 8 hardware and use hard washers and self locking nuts, I would replace all the hardware that is on that hitch now, there is a weak link in every chain so you need to up grade the way the hitch is attached to the frame. my frame extension is just 3/16 and has no bottom flange, my guess yours is the same, you should also weigh your trailer and see what the tongue weight is.
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Old 11-26-2020, 03:08 AM   #91
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Shannon
A good welding shop should be able to beef up your frame so that will never be an issue again. I would go with Class 5 receiver also. That is a really big trailer you are pulling behind your RV. Make sure RV is rated for the load of your trailer. Some RVs have very low towing and tongue weight ratings.
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Old 11-26-2020, 04:13 AM   #92
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Double R View Post
Attachment 12252Attachment 1Attachment 1

Attached is a photo of it. Left side sheared off bolts still attached to frame. Right side stayed attached and bent down a gouged into road.I would love to up grade but I’m stuck in a small town in Montana 2000 miles from home. I’ll take what I can get to get out of here
Small town MT .. If a farming/mining community, there will be machine shops/welding shops in the area....they are self sufficient and can fabricate whatever You need I suspect..
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Old 11-26-2020, 03:30 PM   #93
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BASSMAN View Post
I just looked at my hitch and it looks like its mounted the same way as yours, they have 6 bolts ( 3 on each side ) bolting the hitch to a short angle adapter and the adapter bolted to the frame extension with just two grade 5 bolts on each side, I haul a single axle boat trailer with my Axis and its no where near the weight it looks like you are hauling, I would do some serious modifications if I were hauling the max weight the hitch is rated for, I am not at all impressed with the way the frame is extended or the way the hitch is mounted, make sure you only use grade 8 hardware and use hard washers and self locking nuts, I would replace all the hardware that is on that hitch now, there is a weak link in every chain so you need to up grade the way the hitch is attached to the frame. my frame extension is just 3/16 and has no bottom flange, my guess yours is the same, you should also weigh your trailer and see what the tongue weight is.
The problem is not the bolts. In the photo above (post89) the bolts are still there, the frame mounting plate itself has torn away. Photo below is hitch tearing the frame on a Sprinter, posted on another forum. This frame extension is made for Thor by MorRyde. Again the frame failed from the back while braking..
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Old 11-27-2020, 02:49 PM   #94
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Wow.
Sorry for your issues and hopefully noboby is injured with this situation.
We bought our Super C for the sole reason of towing our 7000# boat.
Addmitidly we do travel at highway speeds that seem extreme but legally most of the time.
This could be disastorous if not caught in time.
I will need to inspect ours after winter storage.
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Old 11-27-2020, 03:04 PM   #95
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Without re-reading each post :
Have any of the folks with busted hitches mentioned how much their trailers weighed?
(And how much weight was on the tongue?)
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Old 11-27-2020, 05:03 PM   #96
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All hitches are rated for STRAIGHT LINE pull. Using a drop or riser will SERIOUSLY degrade the hitch capability. What rips the hitch mounting apart is the twisting torque on the hitch caused by drop. To my knowledge there are no hitch ratings when a drop is used. My suggestion is you should consider the hitch rating degradation by 30% with a 4" drop and 50% using a 6" drop. I would recommend relocating the hitch rather than using any drop over 6". I am no longer a licensed professional engineer, so take these as recommendations only.
MorRyde's engineers probably do not consider what happens to the hitch and coach's frame if a drop is used instead of a straight bar. The hitch's max tongue rating is a hint of hitch's capability to adsorb the twisting force of the drop.
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Old 11-27-2020, 05:11 PM   #97
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Thanks for this information.
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Old 11-27-2020, 06:56 PM   #98
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beau388 View Post
All hitches are rated for STRAIGHT LINE pull. Using a drop or riser will SERIOUSLY degrade the hitch capability. What rips the hitch mounting apart is the twisting torque on the hitch caused by drop. To my knowledge there are no hitch ratings when a drop is used. My suggestion is you should consider the hitch rating degradation by 30% with a 4" drop and 50% using a 6" drop. I would recommend relocating the hitch rather than using any drop over 6". I am no longer a licensed professional engineer, so take these as recommendations only.
MorRyde's engineers probably do not consider what happens to the hitch and coach's frame if a drop is used instead of a straight bar. The hitch's max tongue rating is a hint of hitch's capability to adsorb the twisting force of the drop.
The straight-line pull would be part of the reason for the rating. A panic stop and the force applied by an unbraked tow vehicle would be the major consideration. If the towed vehicle had a properly operating brake system a drop hitch should not matter even in a panic stop but even a 2000 lb unbraked vehicle will provide massive torque on a receiver using a dropped hitch.

Even a towed vehicle using a properly operating inertia-style braking system will provide a large torque on the receiver on initial braking until the towed vehicle braking system kicks in. Now add a poorly operating braking system on the towed vehicle and you can easily get into trouble with a drop hitch.

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Old 11-27-2020, 11:59 PM   #99
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 16ACE27 View Post
The straight-line pull would be part of the reason for the rating. A panic stop and the force applied by an unbraked tow vehicle would be the major consideration. If the towed vehicle had a properly operating brake system a drop hitch should not matter even in a panic stop but even a 2000 lb unbraked vehicle will provide massive torque on a receiver using a dropped hitch.
A hitch rated at 5000 lbs is not rated for a tow that is not braked??? Didn't know that .......

In the cases presented the hitch did not fail, the frame did. The frame metal tore at the bend, likely a design problem.. 4 cases that I am aware of. 2 Challenger ( Ford) failures, apparently one had a 2" drop, the Thor and Coachmen Sprinter chassis fails did not have drop extensions.. Reading the posts, failure occurred during braking but not hard braking,, (But maybe at some previous point?)
In 2017 Tiffin had a recall in their hitches, The bolts remained intact but tore through the frame metal,,,
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Old 11-28-2020, 05:05 PM   #100
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THOR #2812
Just saw this response on IRV2 forum.. Frame/hitch attachment failures are not new'

"Also be aware that the first Views/Navions on the NCV3 chassis had a very weak frame extension and people had trouble with the hitch literally tearing the frame extension loose from the chassis. https://www.sprinterstore.com/ manufactured a beefy reinforcement for the frame extension for these early NCV3 View/Navion, however they no longer market that product as demand dropped to nothing over the years"
.
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