Help needed to get rusted in tow hitchout (NW)

[nj swb]

Freak accident. I say bullshit! Anyone with a little bit of commonsense would know the condition of their towbar. Something must have been very loose or rusty for a towbar to fall off...lack of maintenance. This was a totally preventable accident.

I agree totally preventable.

As I read it, the tongue came out, then a B Double drove over it and flicked it up.

How does a tongue come out? I can't imagine the pin failing, but perhaps it didn't have a clip, pin fell out, tongue fell out? Or a distracted driver never inserted the pin to begin with?

What sort of a driver runs over a tow bar tongue at highway speeds?

[wazznt]

I agree totally preventable.

As I read it, the tongue came out, then a B Double drove over it and flicked it up.

How does a tongue come out? I can't imagine the pin failing, but perhaps it didn't have a clip, pin fell out, tongue fell out? Or a distracted driver never inserted the pin to begin with?

What sort of a driver runs over a tow bar tongue at highway speeds?

I have had a clip and pin go missing while towing a trailer and after being parked in a public carpark ,it was probably pulled out by someone thinking they were being funny.
Similar thing happened with a boat trailer at the marina ,safety clip removed and coupling unlocked.
Now I always double check coupling and safety pins/clips before leaving public areas if the vehicle has been unattended.

[Wazza999]

All sorts of road debris is dangerous. I once had lugs ripped off a tyre on the Hume at 110 kph. Another 4wd passing me in the adjacent lane flicked up a piece of truck tyre tread probably only 20 cm or so long. This hit the tyre with a considerable thud. I pulled over to check and found two lugs completely severed and the steel belts exposed. Could easily have blown out.

MY11 NT Pajero RX 3.2 DiD, OME 2'' lift, Boo' s bash plates (3mm), BFG KO2s (18''), ECB bar

[old Jack]

All sorts of road debris is dangerous. I once had lugs ripped off a tyre on the Hume at 110 kph. Another 4wd passing me in the adjacent lane flicked up a piece of truck tyre tread probably only 20 cm or so long. This hit the tyre with a considerable thud. I pulled over to check and found two lugs completely severed and the steel belts exposed. Could easily have blown out.

MY11 NT Pajero RX 3.2 DiD, OME 2'' lift, Boo' s bash plates (3mm), BFG KO2s (18''), ECB bar

You cannot under estimate the problems a small piece of road debris can cause at speed. The Concord crash is a classic example of this;

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b8yizEzRDzc

OJ.

[erad]

My wife and daughter wee driving back from Canberra one night when something came through the windscreen of our TM Magna. My daughter complained of a headache but my wife was rather confused and turned around to drive back to Canberra to stay overnight with friends. Next day she took the car to get a new screen - no problems.

Cleaning the car out later (she has a fetish about broken glass), she found a large chrome wheel nut and a broken stud in the rear passenger footwell. This thing is heavy. She checked my daughter's head and found a slight scratch near her right ear. No wonder she had a headache! Even a millimetre further one way could have been fatal. We never found out who or what truck/bus lost their wheel nut, but probably the rest of the nuts on that wheel were probably ready to fail as well.

[Dicko1]

I have had a clip and pin go missing while towing a trailer and after being parked in a public carpark ,it was probably pulled out by someone thinking they were being funny.
Similar thing happened with a boat trailer at the marina ,safety clip removed and coupling unlocked.
Now I always double check coupling and safety pins/clips before leaving public areas if the vehicle has been unattended.

Not uncommon at boat parks. Always one fool who doesn't stop to think his idea of fun could very well kill someone! Anytime I take my boat out the trailer and pin are locked so idiots cant steal or think they are cunny funts!!

[Dicko1]

My wife and daughter wee driving back from Canberra one night when something came through the windscreen of our TM Magna. My daughter complained of a headache but my wife was rather confused and turned around to drive back to Canberra to stay overnight with friends. Next day she took the car to get a new screen - no problems.

Cleaning the car out later (she has a fetish about broken glass), she found a large chrome wheel nut and a broken stud in the rear passenger footwell. This thing is heavy. She checked my daughter's head and found a slight scratch near her right ear. No wonder she had a headache! Even a millimetre further one way could have been fatal. We never found out who or what truck/bus lost their wheel nut, but probably the rest of the nuts on that wheel were probably ready to fail as well.

Very lucky.



Daughter will have a good conversation starter!!

[Nathan1000]

I had a similar problem. Managed to use the bottle jack and a lot of penetrating oil to get it out. Sledge hammer did nothing. Was very relieved when it moved.

[craka]

I agree totally preventable.

As I read it, the tongue came out, then a B Double drove over it and flicked it up.

How does a tongue come out? I can't imagine the pin failing, but perhaps it didn't have a clip, pin fell out, tongue fell out? Or a distracted driver never inserted the pin to begin with?

What sort of a driver runs over a tow bar tongue at highway speeds?

It's quite a tragic thing to happen.

I don't think many drivers would intend to run over a tow bar tongue. Considering a B double is over 20metres in length, and if it come off a passing vehicle from the opposite direction at the same time driver probably wouldn't have had a clue about it until the aftermath.

I think the bigger problem is how it has come loose from the vehicle it originated from.

[signo1985]

Ehi gents, I have a similar issue even if not as bad (the tow hitch came off with little effort).

The question is, how do I properly clean the hitch receiver?

Cheers

[symo]

Ehi gents, I have a similar issue even if not as bad (the tow hitch came off with little effort).

The question is, how do I properly clean the hitch receiver?

Cheers

I hit mine with some wd40 whilst parked on a slight nose down angle , old newspaper / rags wrapped around a broom handle to clean it out. I do this once a year with no issues since but I do swap hitches monthly between bike rack and towing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[signo1985]

I hit mine with some wd40 whilst parked on a slight nose down angle , old newspaper / rags wrapped around a broom handle to clean it out. I do this once a year with no issues since but I do swap hitches monthly between bike rack and towing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers.
So you reckon there us no need of grinding it/filing it etc to remove the rust?
Or use some rust converter or other products?

[Old Paj]

If rusting is a serious concern, a brew of watered down molasses cleans up rust really well. For ratios Google is your friend, experience has shown about 10:1 works reasonably well.

Don't rush the process, for light rust 7 days of soaking works well.

[Allan2]

In the back of the cobwebs I recall somewhere vinegar was used to help dissolve/loosen the rust allowing the tongue to be removed. I never leave my tongue in, when it is in, it is locked in with a lockable pin.
Allan

[signo1985]

The tongue is out, that is not the issue i can clean it up, but i cant really soak the receiver unless im taking the whole bar (which im not going to lol).
I wanna clean the inside of the receiver trying to reduce the risk of the rust coming back.