Removing rusted-in OEM tow hitch

My tow hitch (the tow hitch receiver, I guess you would call it) is rusted in place and I cannot get it out. Tried lubing the internals, no dice.

Any way to get this thing off? Angle grinder and install one of the frame mounted receiver?

mklinker said:

My tow hitch (the tow hitch receiver, I guess you would call it) is rusted in place and I cannot get it out. Tried lubing the internals, no dice.

Any way to get this thing off? Angle grinder and install one of the frame mounted receiver?

Click to expand...

I know this has been discussed here before, so do a search on the forum and you'll likely find it.

The first time mine was stuck my mechanic used his persuader to get it off (tapped it with a sledge hammer!)

The trick is to first put the key in the handle, turn it and get it to pop out as it's supposed to. And then the receiver is supposed to drop in you lap, but it doesn't. In any case, if you can get the handle to behave, then you can get the hitch out by banging on it. There is nothing holding it in at that point other than some corrosion. And it is heavy enough to come out with some help.

Now, if you can't get the handle to behave, there is also a procedure to dissemble that which I have done before. That's on here somewhere also. I trashed the lock but I did get the old one off myself going through the process.

mklinker said:

My tow hitch (the tow hitch receiver, I guess you would call it) is rusted in place and I cannot get it out. Tried lubing the internals, no dice.

Any way to get this thing off? Angle grinder and install one of the frame mounted receiver?

Click to expand...

Don't you mean the hitch itself (male) rather than the receiver, which is bolted to the frame?

If it's the hitch there's a thread here: https://www.landroverworld.org/threads/removing-a-stuck-hitch-receiver.18311/page-3#post-208318

My post is second to last on page 3. The green knob on the side can become almost impossible to turn if the piston is stuck (the most common problem). I used a pipe wrench to turn it. But anyway, check out that thread.

Kroil is your friend.

Some good info here ... posted before

Rberkel said:

Some good info here ... posted before

Click to expand...

Good find. Thanks!

Closing the gate here after the horses have bolted but the hitch should only be left in place while in actual use. I guess if you have a bike carrier semi permanently installed then this becomes an issue? My 06 and 10 have been sharing a hitch for the past 12 years with no issues but it spends 99% of the time in it's storage bag on my shelf.

ktm525 said:

Closing the gate here after the horses have bolted but the hitch should only be left in place while in actual use. I guess if you have a bike carrier semi permanently installed then this becomes an issue? My 06 and 10 have been sharing a hitch for the past 12 years with no issues but it spends 99% of the time in it's storage bag on my shelf.

Click to expand...

If they had a standard place for it to tuck away securely in the car, I'd take it out (I know sometimes they have offerred that).

But... I find with hitches, sometimes when you need them the most, you don't have them with you. So I prefer to just leave the receivers in/on the car. And the hitch as well if you can find a spot for it.

Like you said, though, mine is mainly only used for bike carrier and the like. Very seldom for actual towing. When I remember I take it out and lube everything. It's not perfect. Over 15 years of LR3/LR4 ownership, I got it stuck once (needed a sledge to get it out) and I also later killed that same one when the lock seized up. That youtube link posted above may have come in helpful then...

In my LR3 it rides in the side cubby. PO of my LR4 ordered the DVD so it is taking up valuable space. I should toss that useless lump, it has not been used for at least 5 years.

I went full ****** on mine, nothing worked, from heat to hammer so I drilled a small hole in bottom where the ram thing slides, used a good hardened punch and beat it out and welded the hole shut when done. The slide pin was rusted in place.