How Do You Get Your Hitch Out Of The Truck?

[WaltandLynne]

We have a new Silverado pick up and the Air Ride hitch was put into the bed with a fork lift. After I winterize the trailer I want to take the hitch out of the truck. I don't have access to a fork lift. It's too heavy to lift by hand. Does anybody have a method or an apparatus you use to get the hitch out of the truck and move it around in a storage area (garage)? Thanks for any help or suggestions.

Walt

[ole dude]

Can you just leave it on the trailer pin ? would it be safe there ?

[Art-n-Marge]

I can't help with an airride type hitch. but my conventional Husky/Valley hitch comes apart in two sections.

The hitch head sits in a trough in the base and is held on with a HUGE pin and clip and the base has four pins and clips when attached to the base rails. Each part is still heavy but I am able to remove and move them out. I built a 4 wheeled dolly for it to store in my garage. The base sits on the dolly, then the head rests on top. The pins are all kept in a plastic storage bin attached to the dolly. The dolly makes it easy to manuever around.

ON Edit - Picture is resized



My brother-in-law used to remove his Reese hitch in one piece before I should him how it was two parts too. But he's much stronger than me and could do that, but sure prefers the two part method now.

See if your hitch comes apart in pieces, but each piece might still be pretty heavy. I might recommend an expensive engine hoist to remove the hitch, but then you need to store this beast too. Here's a folding one for less than $200. Look further below for the sling ($17):

http://www.amazon.com/Torin-Big-Fold.../dp/B00028FB72

[KTManiac]

If you are looking for a cheap, homemade way to do it, I would think that a "swing set" type of setup with a group of pulleys or a small electric winch would work OK. Back the truck under the swing set frame and lift the hitch straight up, pull the truck out, lower the hitch down onto a furniture dolly, and wheel it into the garage.

Another fairly inexpensive ($180-$250) way would be to buy a cherry-picker engine lift at Harbor Freight.

[brenkco]

I bought a small electric winch from Harbor Freight, about $80 if I remember. I mounted it on the garage ceiling. I put chains on all 4 pins and lift the hitch out. I bought a cart on line from a janitorial co that I roll the hitch around the garage.

Works well but you have to be centered on the hitch to remove it.

Ken

[bobsals]

I have an overhead electric winch. Mine is attached to a swinging arm that can move from side to side. My friend has a winch mounted to the ceiling joists in his garage and lifts it out with no problem. Then just sets it down on a dolly as shown in another post above. An inexpensive electric winch can be bought at Harbor Freight for under $100. Of course if you have no garage then all bets are off. Good Luck

[BB_TX]

Agree with the above. An inexpensive hoist and a $20 furniture dolly from Harbor Freight if your rafters are strong enough to support it. Or an engine lift (also from Harbor Freight) if not.
lifts and hoists
dolly
You can also rent engine lifts by the day. Check your yellow pages. Then all you need is a dolly.

[Trailer Trash 2]

This is what I did to remove anything heavy out of the back of my truck. A Harbor Freight winch that I got on sale for 65 or 70 dollars, it attached to the carport beam 6 x 12 suported by Simpson Brackets, it's good for up to 200lbs, with a snach block its good for 400 lbs. I lift it out and put it on the wifes green garden wagon, drag it to the back storage area. it works for me.






And other times I leave it hooked to the king pin of the monty and use the Monty to lift it out and then I lock it up on the Monty that is the easiest way.

[Illini Trekker]

I use a manual chain fall and to support it I have a 4X4 across 4 of the rafters, a couple of small nylon slings to pick it out of the truck. I can move mine with a two wheel truck.

[7.3Ford]

quote:Originally posted by KTManiac


If you are looking for a cheap, homemade way to do it, I would think that a "swing set" type of setup with a group of pulleys or a small electric winch would work OK. Back the truck under the swing set frame and lift the hitch straight up, pull the truck out, lower the hitch down onto a furniture dolly, and wheel it into the garage.

Another fairly inexpensive ($180-$250) way would be to buy a cherry-picker engine lift at Harbor Freight.

Yep this is what I use... also works great for the Honda 3000 generator. I have a rope I leave on the hitch, which comes up thru the king pin hole. Lifts right out. I think I paid $99 from Northern Tool (made in China).

[Bill-N-Donna]

For the most pert it stays in the truck but when I need it this is how I remove it. I use the Monty as a wench. It works great. I believe there may be some controversy as to whether or not it’s good for the hitch but it doesn’t seem to have caused me any problems that I’m aware of.

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