tow receiver recall

[jscott]

There is a recall for some 98/99/00 trucks for a crack in the tow receiver. A crack appears in the bend of the receiver near where it is bolted to the frame. Mine is not part of the recall but it is cracked. I suggest all do an inspection.



To determine if your truck is in the recall, call 1800 853 1403 for recall information. They will need your vin number. Chrysler custormer service is 1 800 992 1997. My dealer suggests I call for a good will warrenty at the latter number.



UPDATE: Customer service had the dealer replace my receiver. Although the rep suggested this was the exception, I believe it is a common practice. They don't want the recall widen I suspect.

 

[klenger]

Welcome to the TDR jscott. You might want to work on you signature so that we can see what you got.

 

[Batman]

Welcome aboard!

I had a 99 1500 Ram that had the recall. They bolted on some brackets (mine wasn't cracked). I would definately contact DC.

 

[Dave Fritz]

FWIW: Recall #872 is posted for those who want more details about the problem and repair.



Dave

 

[Archive]

There might be some leeway with the dealers as to whether they add on the brackets or totally replace the hitch. I took a good side view picture of my truck hooked up to my 31' travel trailer to do a quick show and tell with the service writer about how much weight I tow. When I returned that afternoon to pick up my truck, they had installed a brand new hitch. I hope maybe this approach will work for everyone else too.

 

[DHawthorne]

I took mine in and they said it was not covered. Mine is cracked on both sides in the radius. Called the NHTSA about the recall. They said if you Vin was not affected and I wanted to persue it, that I would have to refile a complaint. I'm just going to have my welder fix it.



Dave

 

[rickhans]

There have been a lot of postings since the recall. You may want to search on "Recall" and see what comes up. In my opinion, it is not worth the risk to attempt to "repair" the hitch. Mine also cracked both sides. I went and purchased a class IV and had it installed. I believe the total cost for the Draw-tite was around $250 installed. I took the old hitch to the dealer and DMC sent me a check for the new hitch. Chrysler does not have a class 5 hitch. Their class 3 apparantly was insufficient to handle the tongue weight that you quite often have when towing with the 2500 Diesel. The truck could handle much more tongue weight than the hitch.

I towed heavy trailers with a class 3 on my '83 1/2 t diesel Suburban for 15 years until I bought my Ram and the hitch still looks as good as new.

 

[CCahill]

I just don,t get this hitch thing... ... Why the hell does DC put a wimpy hitch on a truck thats capable , from the factory of towing more???? In fact , if you look at the brochure,they say our trucks are capable of towing somthing like 13K..... Yhen why do they give us these wimpy hitches????? I just don't get it!!!!



Colin

 

[Archive]

CCahill, ... . I agree 100%.

 

[DHawthorne]

I'll take the hitch off the truck and put it on the table for the welder to work. He'll weld it up after prep, dye check the crack, drill stop the end and weld it with 8018. (80psi tensile rod)



Want I should do is replace it, take it to QC Labs in Orlando and have them do (1) hardness testing, (2) Metal urgy, (3) Tensile testing, and (4) charpy testing. Take the results and compare them to known standards and chase DM with it. I'll bet it was mexican steel which is known for flaws and failures.



Dave

 

[rickhans]

correction: I mistyped. I purchased a Draw-tite

class 5 hitch, not class 4.

 

[MLee]

the hitch thing recall

i know what you guys are going through, i posted an alert about the older 2nd gen trucks 94/95s cause mine was cracking in the same place, checked with dealer NOT on recall. this was first of august, replaced it with an after market. latter i was told they would go 50%-- of $280. 00, my after market was a good buy $90. 00 from the parts dept@dealer. i also went to the "nhts" web site and made a post there also, you a can make a complent there with those people, they are suppose to investigate if they have 20 or so complents on the same item. so I urge the TDR group, if you have an unresolved problem from the dealer that deals with safety(like these hitches) they won't fix, we need to get the feds on it. sorry i'm so long winded, this got my eyrr up. my pennys worth. go to www.nhts.gov(ithink)

 

[Eric Horne]

Well, all this talk about cracks and mexican steel sent me under the truck last night. One side of my factory hitch is cracked about an inch from the rear of the truck. My truck is a 97 one ton from mexico. I will see what the dealer says when I go in for my hood latch recall, but will most likely just go buy a class 5 receiver. Thanks for bringing this topic up jscott. The NHTS idea is something I will look into also. Eric

 

[MLee]

class 5 hitch

eric, the class 5 hitch sounds like a good idea the dealer will not have one, and don't be to upset when they tell you "its not coverd under the current recall". but do, and i urge all the ram owners to check out that hitch for cracks, and go to the nhts webb site and make a compant dc should be made to understand that they have a problem on the erlyier years. its still a saftey issue. i figure " out of sight out of mind" . just do it. my pennys worth.

marv.

 

[DHawthorne]

One more last two cents, the dealer told me I must have put to much weight on it. I asked him if he really knew want he was saying. He replied yes. I told him that a heavy load would put that area in compression and not cause a crack since it was loaded, and not in tension. He got kinda red faced and mumbled away.



Dave

 

[DiTrani]

Problem Solved?

Anyone know if the class 4 hitch is the same on the new Rams ('02) with tow group?

 

[MLee]

hitch again

d hathorne:

we'll, the dealer has got to put the blaim some where, and were the goat, guilty untill proven inocent, right? there rated for 5,000 lbs pull 500lbs on the ball. it just don't figure. maybe these guys get a commission all they save. try another dealer in your case. your proebley still under warrenty. tell them to quit belly acen and install it. my pennys worth.

marv.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Originally posted by DHawthorne

I told him that a heavy load would put that area in compression and not cause a crack since it was loaded, and not in tension. He got kinda red faced and mumbled away.



Dave

ROTFLMAO, did he sleep through high school physics??? Where do they hire these people? From GM???