Kingfisher
Well-known member
Why is the bottom of the ball thread stud bent? Or is it just the pic?
Kingfisher":xno0n3dy said:Why is the bottom of the ball thread stud bent? Or is it just the pic?
The shallow (1/8" ? ) depth of that stamping or milling shouldn't have been enough to weaken it to the point of complete failure. There's more to it than just the absence of thickness in that area.ohiosteve":1sd47r1q said:That sure could have ended badly. The way that hitch is milled down to recess the ball must have made the hitch a little to thin. Seems like a design flaw. I'm glad no one got hurt.
If I take a piece of flat stock and drill an hole in the middle of it and then try to bend it, it will bend at the hole every time. If I grind each side of the hole it will bend at the hole even easier. That's all I'm saying.greybeard":5ga0jasv said:The shallow (1/8" ? ) depth of that stamping or milling shouldn't have been enough to weaken it to the point of complete failure. There's more to it than just the absence of thickness in that area.ohiosteve":5ga0jasv said:That sure could have ended badly. The way that hitch is milled down to recess the ball must have made the hitch a little to thin. Seems like a design flaw. I'm glad no one got hurt.
IF, the hole for the ball stud was punched instead of drilled, it could weakened it enough, but seems like every one they built that way would have failed.
littletom":3nxkgdxm said:My guess tongue weight got it. I think those regular duty ones are 5000#
cfpinz":q97y4a83 said:JMJ Farms":q97y4a83 said:ohiosteve":q97y4a83 said:The way that hitch is milled down to recess the ball must have made the hitch a little to thin. Seems like a design flaw.
I agree. Never seen one milled down like that. Is this common practice?
Reese makes them to accommodate a ball that they also sell which has a corresponding hex shape at the base, eliminating the need to have a pipe wrench or vise to hold the ball while tightening.
Five bucks says it's stamped China.
True Grit Farms":1qvq0xfa said:It doesn't matter where it's made as long as it's made right. A solid shank with the ball welded is the best hitch. I'm not a big fan on bolting things together when it comes to hitches and balls.
ohiosteve":2dmjk275 said:If I take a piece of flat stock and drill an hole in the middle of it and then try to bend it, it will bend at the hole every time. If I grind each side of the hole it will bend at the hole even easier. That's all I'm saying.greybeard":2dmjk275 said:The shallow (1/8" ? ) depth of that stamping or milling shouldn't have been enough to weaken it to the point of complete failure. There's more to it than just the absence of thickness in that area.ohiosteve":2dmjk275 said:That sure could have ended badly. The way that hitch is milled down to recess the ball must have made the hitch a little to thin. Seems like a design flaw. I'm glad no one got hurt.
IF, the hole for the ball stud was punched instead of drilled, it could weakened it enough, but seems like every one they built that way would have failed.
jltrent":wd5x2sex said:These are hard to beat. You have a ball for everything and solid shank.
https://www.harborfreight.com/triple-ba ... 61914.html
Great pointSilver":1mhfxaip said:ohiosteve":1mhfxaip said:If I take a piece of flat stock and drill an hole in the middle of it and then try to bend it, it will bend at the hole every time. If I grind each side of the hole it will bend at the hole even easier. That's all I'm saying.greybeard":1mhfxaip said:The shallow (1/8" ? ) depth of that stamping or milling shouldn't have been enough to weaken it to the point of complete failure. There's more to it than just the absence of thickness in that area.
IF, the hole for the ball stud was punched instead of drilled, it could weakened it enough, but seems like every one they built that way would have failed.
But if you put a bolt through that holes and snugged a nut up tight it would now be the strongest part of that flat stock.
Which makes me wonder: had the ball come loose?