Receiver Hitch Storage

[Bib Overalls]

I'm always tripping over my receiver hitches when I am working in the shop and can't seem to find one when I need it. Last night I made these storage hangers out of scrap. Used a horizontal band saw, drill press, and MIG welder. Took less than an hour.


Shop Remodel 60 by Bib Overalls, on Flickr

Not much to the design. Could be made several different ways depending on what you have in your scrap pile.


Shop Remodel 61 by Bib Overalls, on Flickr

 

[Dustin Echoes]

That will do nicely. Good job!

 

[Burtonrider10022]

That's totally overkill lol. I love it.

 

[Steevo]

Nicely done.
I need to get mine out of a pile/box and do something like that.

 

[RECox286]

Spiffy. Trouble is, we have 4 trucks, and I never know which one

will need a trailer behind on any given day, so each truck carries

its' own tow bar. (2" ball / pintle combination)

Uncle Bob

 

[dawgee]

Nice idea. Mine fell off the top of a cabinet onto my hand the other day yes it hurt

 

[p_mori7]

nice !

Technically, that is the drawbar though.

 

[bazzateer]

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

 

[Graham08]

Nice work! I need to do something similar.

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

For one, they're just the right height to inflict trauma on your shins. Plus, here in Ohio, with the salt on the roads, if you leave it in long term, there's a good possibility you're going to have to drive it out with a sledge later on.

 

[Steevo]

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

I don't know about the OP, but I have about six draw-bars, of varying drop/rise and ball sizes, and keep only the most often used one (that matches my most-used trailer) in a ballistic carry bag in the truck.
The rest get pulled out when I need to haul a heavy trailer (2-5/16" ball/pintle, etc), or a particularly low or high tongue requires an odd height ball. Sometimes I'll use a high or low rise draw-bar specifically to meet loading or unloading situations where I want the back of the trailer in a certain aspect.

 

[mmhouse]

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

I don't leave mine on the car because it's actually a car (wagon or SUV) and not only does it not look tacky but it's a definite ankle banger. I also like to take it off due to the rust issue mentioned.

My receiver goes in a tote along with tarps, bungees, gloves, straps and everything else I might use when using my small trailer. The tote stays in the trailer. When I pull the trailer out I have everything I need including the receiver.

I like the looks of that storage rack but it wouldn't be as practical for me.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

Different sizes and above all, rust!

 

[Jay_mc1]

Great idea, I like it. I also have a pile of them and this would be a great way to keep them up off the floor. You could also take a sharpie and write the size of ball and the amount of drop on the front of them to orgranize even more. Great work!

 

[Bib Overalls]

Thanks for the positive comments. I have three receiver hitches and one truck. So a couple are always going to be in the shop. Around here receiver hitches have been known to disappear. I could always get a locking pin I guess. But for me that is just one more key to lose.

 

[Journaler]

I put mine away as well. I heard from a guy who knew a guy who might have heard it from a local cop who said it's against the law to just leave it on if you're not using it. Something about defeating the purpose of those easily dented but cheap to replace bumper covers.

 

[IONH]

Nice job finding a home for your hitch. I should do the same!

 

[bazzateer]

Mine just stays on the car. It's covered so rust isn't an issue. I don't have different sizes so no need for a quick release set-up. Shins/ankles? I know it's there so if if I hurt myself it's my own fault!

 

[crewone]

Like that idea very nice and yes in the state of PA you can get pulled over for haveing it on your car or truck.

 

[HOTFR8]

A great idea when you need to have more than one to stare them on the wall like that.

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

I have seen them mounted in the chassis by the spare wheel on different vehicles and that is good if you need to remove it and stow it.

 

[bazzateer]

Like that idea very nice and yes in the state of PA you can get pulled over for haveing it on your car or truck.

Really? Jeez!

 

[Toomanytools?]

Really? Jeez!

Like that idea very nice and yes in the state of PA you can get pulled over for haveing it on your car or truck.

What the? I think I'd just lie "Oh damn officer the trailer has been stolen"!

 

[reyna14]

I used to store mine under my back seat. Then one day I was being tailed by some douche in a nice black Mercedes and decided to just leave it in the receiver, just in case it needs to go through someones radiator.

 

[landroversforever]

What the? I think I'd just lie "Oh damn officer the trailer has been stolen"!

I'm sure the same applies in France as well.

 

[NUTTSGT]

For one, they're just the right height to inflict trauma on your shins. Plus, here in Ohio, with the salt on the roads, if you leave it in long term, there's a good possibility you're going to have to drive it out with a sledge later on.

I couldn't agree more. I left mine for two weeks once. It took the assistance of a 3lb sledge to get it out.


If you leave it in after the one time of smacking your shin on it, well you deserve it every time after that.

 

[snowman1981]

i left mine in for about a year and need less to say the complete hitch bent and broke before the receiver would come out. i chained it to a tree stump and ended up not being able to get it out. so now i grease the receiver after every use and always remove it when im not using it. lesson learned!

 

[cglasgow]

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

Seconded. I leave mine (both of them) in the car. Not in the receiver, but rather in the well formed in the upside-down spare tire (car is a station wagon & the tire is below the floor in the cargo area).

Comes in handy occasionally. Ferinstance, went to the lake a few years ago and my buddy brought his boat. His Jeep broke down & he had to have it towed. So I installed my drawbar, hitched up his boat, and towed it home for him....

 

[winnipegtibook]

Fantastic idea! Any interest in Selling / shipping one or two a bit farther to the great white north?

 

[yousesteers]

I leave mine in the truck. The balls are welded on and then a straight drawbar always have them with me.

 

[cashishift]

Fantastic idea! Any interest in Selling / shipping one or two a bit farther to the great white north?

Depending on price, I might be interested in a few also.

PM me if interested in selling them.

 

[Nick DL]

That's a great idea. Lately I just leave mine in my truck when not in use. For the longest time I would leave it in, even during the winter.

 

[dirttracker18]

Nice, but why not just leave it on the car?

Oh no, Baz tell me it isnt so.

You're one of THOSE guys!

I pumped gas for 6 years through highschool and University and still have scares from running between cars of guys like you.

You may know its there but people walking around vehicles at gas stations, in parking lots, etc. do not.

There is a reason why they are removable, to remove them.

For the love of my shins and knees, please take out you drawbar!

As a hockey player, I always have my head up, so no I dont see them sticking out

 

[csp]

As often as I randomly need to hook onto a trailer, I leave mine installed. I've never run into it with my shins, etc. I have seen a guy walk into it in a parking lot. Shouldn't be walking that close to other people's vehicles to begin with.

 

[bullfrog123]

I like the OP's idea!!! I have way too much **** for truck and tractor. Here is what I do.... Old crappy metal shelf in the corner of the shop. Close to all the tiedowns, bungees, chains, etc.

 

[Steevo]

I watched a minivan driver drag it's side along a a rather large draw bar hitch that was sticking out of the back of a lifted pickup truck in a parking lot once.
But then I see racks of bicycles hanging off of hitch-mounted slid-ins too, and they are w-a-a-y out there in the danger zone.

 

[Burtonrider10022]

I have a receiver mount "tow hook" that I keep with me and install on my SUV when in certain parking lots (like my community college) to ward off retarded/stupid people who think they are SUPPOSED to tap the other car when parking. I always back in, BTW.

When I had to park on the City of Chicago streets while at my GFs apartment I had a large, wide, receiver mounted step that protected most of my back bumper as well.

 

[bacpacker]

I use my main one enough, I just leave it in. Works great for idiots who want to park too close or who forget to stop at stop lights.

My heavy one for the big trailer just gets installed when I'm using it. The other one fits everything else.

For rust, just keep a thin coating of grease on the ball and the slide column.

 

[camarotoolman]

The 3 ball type are the way to go if you don't need the drop height.

 

[kossuth]

Neat idea, I might "borrow" it for the weight distribution hitch I use on occasion on the camper 2 5/16" ball. The other ball I have (also a 2 5/16 but not a weight distribution) stays on the truck all the time if I need to pull the car trailer someplace or I need to quickly move the camper. I live about 60 miles outside Washington DC and I drive down there everyday. Seems like I get rearended about every 2 years down there, so I figured I might as well just leave the "battering ram" on the truck. I know it's there so not a problem for me.

 

[nti06]

B&W tow and stow:

All three sizes and adjustable height.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

I have a 2" drop and a 2-5/16 drop that my old boss bought me. Then my buddy gave me a straight 2 ball. Solid steel with the balls welded on. Now I leave it in, its been in there for 10 months. At work I back into the guard rail. I was rear ended a few months ago and she only hit my hitch.

OP nice design, my two extra draw bars are on the floor of my garage,