Is my hitch safe to use?

[Turaven]

Discovering new things about my Jeep every day.

I've got a brand new Jeep, ~400 miles on the clock now. I ordered the factory tow package and haven't hooked up anything to it yet. I noticed that the receiver looks a bit crooked. It's level but pointing toward the driver's side a little bit. I threw a hitch in it and using the camera in the spare tire as a reference point for dead center, the ball is slightly pointed toward the driver's side. I think it's less than an inch off-center, hard to measure. I'll get a picture of it thrown in here later, it's pitch black outside right now.

The crossmember appears to be perfectly straight and undamaged. The receiver seems to not have any defects. It's bolted down flush with the crossmember. Is this anything worth worrying about? I'm worried of it adding more stress to components on one side, but the Jeep also can't tow that much, so at such low weights will it matter? Would adding some washers to the bolts to straighten it lower the strength/integrity of the receiver?

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[Dyolfknip74]

An inch off center at the hitch translates to a lot more off center after adding a trailer. If it's that much off, get the dealer to sort it out. It may even have been tightened down in the wrong position. Easy fix.

 

[Turaven]

An inch off center at the hitch translates to a lot more off center after adding a trailer. If it's that much off, get the dealer to sort it out. It may even have been tightened down in the wrong position. Easy fix.

I mean it's an inch off where the tow ball sits hanging out the back. It's definitely bolted into the correct position. It's turned toward the side.

I took it to the dealer and they refuse to see it. Trying to determine if it's worth fighting about.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

I mean it's an inch off where the tow ball sits hanging out the back. It's definitely bolted into the correct position. It's turned toward the side.

I took it to the dealer and they refuse to see it. Trying to determine if it's worth fighting about.

I'm not picturing what you mean. Post a pic once the sun comes up.

 

[Bill_P]

I'm not picturing what you mean. Post a pic once the sun comes up.

I think he's saying that the hitch tube itself is off center, like skewed to one side. Sounds like a bad weld when they built the hitch. If the dealer won't look at it I would elevate a claim because if it is manufactured wrong it needs to be fixed. It's not off by a lot, but it can cause problems if you are towing with it.

 

[Turaven]

I think he's saying that the hitch tube itself is off center, like skewed to one side. Sounds like a bad weld when they built the hitch. If the dealer won't look at it I would elevate a claim because if it is manufactured wrong it needs to be fixed. It's not off by a lot, but it can cause problems if you are towing with it.

It's like if it were on a tripod and turned a little bit. It's in the right spot it's just not pointing directly rearward.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

It's like if it were on a tripod and turned a little bit. It's in the right spot it's just not pointing directly rearward.

Then that's either manufacturing or installation issue. Find a different dealer.

 

[MtCamper]

It's a Class II hitch. That means it's only for a ball mount not a WDH. A simple ball mount won't know what angle the receiver is at. Just use it.

 

[Turaven]

I'm not picturing what you mean. Post a pic once the sun comes up.

A little late.

I drew a line straight down from the camera to illustrate how far off-center it is. Not much but very noticeable to the eye. That's with the hitch set directly into the receiver. Since there's a little play in the hitch it can pivot to the right a little bit.

 

[GATORB8]

I'd expect it's more likely that the spare tire/camera is 1" to the passenger side. A lot more connection points between that and the frame.

I agree though, it's unlikely to cause you any more issues than a slightly mis-aligned trailer axle.

 

[Turaven]

I'd expect it's more likely that the spare tire/camera is 1" to the passenger side. A lot more connection points between that and the frame.

I agree though, it's unlikely to cause you any more issues than a slightly mis-aligned trailer axle.

I've been wondering if the camera is dead-center on the Jeep.

I have another picture from right above the bumper where you can better see that it's not coming straight out of the bumper, it's angled a bit.

 

[Heimkehr]

@Turaven
A sure-fire DIY test to confirm accuracy of construction and fitment is to install a separate receiver hitch and draw bar (the part with the ball on it), and compare the alignment of the new combo to the original one currently in situ.

If there's no change in alignment, you might consider the construction and/or the welding of the crossmember to the frame to be the causative factor here. Or perhaps using a line from the rear camera to the ball shouldn't be viewed as a benchmark measurement method.

This M.O. compels an investment of time and money that you shouldn't have to do, but absent the dealer's willingness to help, it should at least allow you to gather some valuable intel on the matter.

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I do remember when installing the Curt receiver hitch on my JLU that there wasn't any room between the hitch and the crossmember to insert even the slimmest washer to serve as a shim. That was just an observation; I didn't notice any alignment issues that would compel additional troubleshooting.

 

[Wylie]

It's a Class II hitch. That means it's only for a ball mount not a WDH. A simple ball mount won't know what angle the receiver is at. Just use it.

 

[Wylie]

Could be more wrong than what you see,

 

[Grinner]

It's definitely off. Is it a safety issue? Probably not. However... I'm surprised a dealer would shrug it off. Anything to do with towing should be an automatic concern. If it were me, I'd go ahead and tow with it. And I'd also want to get the issue properly diagnosed and resolved as soon as reasonably possible.

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