Question about the factory hitch reciever

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Lgibson

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Well, you are correct about the detent ball just showing when fully extended. For me that is at 7/8inch.
I'll try to find time today to mount the hitch and feel the "window" It is a fairly rough casting, apparently unmachined, so might be variable from vehicle to vehicle.
 

Mx468

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I add oil to the pin once a month to keep it lubed and I spray pb blaster up in the hitch receiver to keep it lubricated. If it gets stuck in the receiver give it a hit with a rubber mallet.
 

manoftaste

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Mx468, what type of oil do you use? Pin on mine looks pretty dry.

Also, I remember my older hitch (LR3) came with some grease applied to the corners on either side of the pin. The one I got from the factory on my 16 as part of the towing package is kinda dry all around.

I have to hit it a bit with something for it to come off. I use the hitch lock (connor) that I have to give it a little jolt and the receiver comes off.
 

Mx468

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I just use air power tool oil. :) or 3 in 1 oil that comes in the little can.
 

ClearwaterScott

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I finally was able to get my hitch to recede and attach to the vehicle. It took a multiplier wrench and a rubber mallet.

My second disappointment in the LR. $500+ hitch should be functional.
 

manoftaste

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When I first purchased my LR3 in 2006, I was amazed how badly the receiver/hitch combination was designed. It hung very low to the ground seriously compromising the departure angle. I had bought the hitch receiver for the bike rack (an LR bike rack which I still use to this day).

Every time I had to park the truck up my steep driveway or when backing out, I had to raise the suspension to off road height to avoid the hitch/bike rack hitting the ground.

They have revised the hitch receiver at least twice over the last several years and I've had three so far. But since the original mounting point design was so bad, even the latest generation hitch receiver is not in the best of the physical positions when mounted.

What they should have really done was redesign its mounting mechanism and place underneath there somewhere (possibly behind the bumper under that plastic cover where the towing electrics port currently reside) so it didn't fight the full size spare tire and didn't compromise the departure angle.
 

BrandonM7

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I have to shove mine into place pretty fast and firm, but then the lock pin jumps out and all is well. A bit of brute force is pretty common with towing equipment of all kinds. We're making connections that have to handle thousands of pounds, so sometimes those parts are a bit bulky and brutish and need a bit of persuasion. Honestly if everything just gently and gracefully clicked into place I might feel a little iffy about it. Or maybe not, I dunno.
 

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