Sudden stop, bent hitch.

[mini4mw]

Using a longer drop hitch is no different than using a breaker bar or adding a pipe to a ratchet to get that stuck nut off. You can significantly increase power adding a lever. Using a drop hitch is no different, the farther you go, the less weight you can handle from the max load. Dropping that far may decrease the load limit 300% making your towing load max 1,000lbs instead of 3,500. The hitch may be rated for 5,000lbs, but the receiver isn't.

As far as the guy backing up and bending the frame, it really sucks. The Bronco is ~5,000lbs though and the hitch is rated at 3,500, so its easy to see why it got bent.

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[GaryB2220]

Moments of inertia. 3500# at (your speed before braking) twisting on a 6" lever at 90° is a hell of a mechanical force. Not surprised your receiver failed. Lucky it didnt just snap off instead of bend.

 

[Funkdoobiest]

Pics please! OP you make it sound like the receiver is bent and not the crossmember. I gots to know!

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

@Backwater I know there is a lot of blaming going on here—and you may be waiting to give more information until you get a warranty determination —but for those of us who may be thinking about testing the outer limits of tow capacity, or even the inner limits towing off road, it would be nice to get a few pics and some specifics like approximate towed weight and whether the trailer has surge or electric brakes.

 

[Sooner]

Weights per cord by species:https://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/resources/firewood-btu-drying-chart.15/

I imagine you already know this but a cord is 8’x4’x4’ neatly stacked.

Yeah that only 3 1/2 -3 Rick

 

[SasquatchMansquatch]

I'd love to see pictures. This is concerning to me. Did you already check for cross member damage? I'd be very wary of bending it back and reinforcing. I'm sure it's just mild steel, but even mild steel will work and become brittle. You went well through the yield phase with this.

 

[Backwater]

Anyway, I don’t have pics right now. I’m extremely busy. When I inspected it, it looked like the vertical receiver brackets are what bent. I don’t believe the crossmember bent.

I own a metal fab shop, and build all sorts of aftermarket accessories for boats, so I am educated in all aspects of metal engineering, and load, torque, etc.

I’m sure the drop hitch was a factor in the issue. My question was if anyone else has seen this issue. There has to be thousands of lifted broncos that have towed out there.

 

[Chrome_Pony]

Damn, this post and the other one make it hard to understand if that cross member is weak or if folks are just putting too much pressure on that cross member.

Well, the unfortunate man that was killed by the drop hitch during a recovery a little while ago suggests that most people don't understand how levers multiply force... and that drop hitches are levers.

Still no pics. I smell trollpost

Six inch drop hitch, towing a 2500lb RZR on a probably 900lb trailer, with this 4 bolt piece of shit (6 bolt factory, same design), and you think it's a troll post? There's a short in your trolldar, get it fixed. This is just basic physics: lever arm and load + acceleration.

Glad the OP is okay and none of his expensive stuff got damaged like the Bronco or the RZR. Aftermarket really needs to step up with a better design that uses all of the crossmember and ties into the frame.

 

[ArrickSports]

Well, the unfortunate man that was killed by the drop hitch during a recovery a little while ago suggests that most people don't understand how levers multiply force... and that drop hitches are levers.


Six inch drop hitch, towing a 2500lb RZR on a probably 900lb trailer, with this 4 bolt piece of shit (6 bolt factory, same design), and you think it's a troll post? There's a short in your trolldar, get it fixed. This is just basic physics: lever arm and load + acceleration.

Glad the OP is okay and none of his expensive stuff got damaged like the Bronco or the RZR. Aftermarket really needs to step up with a better design that uses all of the crossmember and ties into the frame.

Simple free-body diagram should figure things out.

 

[Gtrekker]

All these posts and still no pic damage....

 

[Dads_bronze_bronco]

Anyway, I don’t have pics right now. I’m extremely busy. When I inspected it, it looked like the vertical receiver brackets are what bent. I don’t believe the crossmember bent.

I own a metal fab shop, and build all sorts of aftermarket accessories for boats, so I am educated in all aspects of metal engineering, and load, torque, etc.

I’m sure the drop hitch was a factor in the issue. My question was if anyone else has seen this issue. There has to be thousands of lifted broncos that have towed out there.

The If I were you, I’d be modding up one of those Ranger ones as a replacement.

Do you do marine stainless steel work?

 

[Jdyount]

Anyway, I don’t have pics right now. I’m extremely busy. When I inspected it, it looked like the vertical receiver brackets are what bent. I don’t believe the crossmember bent.

I own a metal fab shop, and build all sorts of aftermarket accessories for boats, so I am educated in all aspects of metal engineering, and load, torque, etc.

I’m sure the drop hitch was a factor in the issue. My question was if anyone else has seen this issue. There has to be thousands of lifted broncos that have towed out there.

You're on here trying to report a problem that isn't a problem. You had your Bronco at max tow (or over) with a 6" drop hitch, and you wanna know if anyone else has seen this issue?

EVERYONE WHO DOES THIS WILL HAVE THIS ISSUE!!!

You exceeded the design capacity of the hitch!

Beef up the hitch, you're just gonna bend your cross member next.

Come on man.

 

[DriveAllNight]

I own a metal fab shop, and build all sorts of aftermarket accessories for boats, so I am educated in all aspects of metal engineering, and load, torque, etc.

I’m sure the drop hitch was a factor in the issue. My question was if anyone else has seen this issue. There has to be thousands of lifted broncos that have towed out there.

HUH?
Thousands of Broncos on 37's with a 5 inch lift towing max capacity with a 6 inch drop - I'd bet big against that.

 

[Oldhippie]

I love folks blaming everything except ford’s weak design...what do ya think is gonna happen when folks hook a 10,000lb winch, tow strap, snatch strap to that 3500lb receiver...Ford is at fault here!

 

[RHeinz]

I love folks blaming everything except ford’s weak design...what do ya think is gonna happen when folks hook a 10,000lb winch, tow strap, snatch strap to that 3500lb receiver...Ford is at fault here!
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