your 03 hitch reciever

[MLee]

has any one had, or noticed any fatigue, or frame cracking on the 03 trucks yet at the frame mounting (end of frame rails) and/or the bumper sagging, where the receiver is attached, to the end of the frame rails, that use a "bar distributing hitch", I'm a told by a hitch manufacture that this new frame will not support this type of hitch, and the chain type of adjustable hitches work better because they apply less stress on the frame and the receive.

i would be checking this out if i had a new truck, doesn't't look to me that it would support the rating that has been advertised.

just a piece of advice from the guy that makes and designs hitches.



Marv.

 

[jkeyes]

Sounds goofey to me. Who told you that? Was it "Pards" per chance? I have an uncle that pulls a big trailer with his '03 and has had no issues.



Jason

 

[MLee]

i just posted this as a heads up, this came up at the SEMA show, and was discussed as to the longevity of this set up, by attaching the hitch to the end of the frame rails, and no provision for further attachment up the frame. just a heads up to watch for, my 95 developed cracks in the sane area that the 98--99 did, but DC would not honor a replacement because it was not on the recall list. just some thing to watch for over time.

no it was not pards. how ever pards is a good outfit to do work on you truck. (not affiliated with the afore mentioned shop. )



Marv.

 

[Prairie Dog]

I remember a story in the TDR news letter about a couple of Dodge mules they used to pull 14,000 lb flatbeds around the country to test the trucks operation. That would have revealed this kind of problem. Since nobody in the 3rd gen forum has had this happen, I have to think it's just saleman talk.