Hitch and Bars Storage While Camping?

[Baja_Man]

I have a 14K Equalizer Hitch with the square bars. In the past I have left it attached to truck hitch with a hitch pin lock Now that my new to me truck sits higher, the tailgate, when lowered, hits hitch ball when hitch is installed.

I would like to know of a simple, effective, safe, AND secure way of storing my hitch while camped.

I know there are products that require drilling into trailer frame to create a storage pod , but I'm not yet sure I want to drill into my frame for this mod

What do all of you do?

I'd love to see pics of your set up showing how you accomplished the above requests. Whether it be homemade, purchased, etc....let's see what ya got!

Thanks!

[afidel]

Hitch stays on the truck (only take it off for salt season when not traveling to Florida), bars go into the pass through. The trailer is insured for full replacement value so no ball lock or other annoying nonsense needed. As far as grease, I use Vaseline, won't stain clothes or most other things.

[RichieW13]

dave54 wrote:
By the time I remove the BBQ, patio mat, and all the other stuff from the pass through to set up camp, there is plenty of room for my hitch and bars. I am not worried about theft as much as just getting them out of the weather.

I kept ending up with grease on all the other things I keep in that compartment.

So, I built a small wooden box with an open end that I can stick the bars in, so they don't get grease on anything. I only wish I would have done this sooner.

[dave54]

By the time I remove the BBQ, patio mat, and all the other stuff from the pass through to set up camp, there is plenty of room for my hitch and bars. I am not worried about theft as much as just getting them out of the weather.

[Baja_Man]

Great suggestions!

Since I already have a Genny rack at A frame and plan on 2 6V batts, there isn't much room for hitch holder mounted in the A frame area.

So, while camped, it will have to go in front storage compartment or in back of truck bed under my topper.

Most simple, practical, and secure would be in front storage compartment.

Otherwise I would need to make a box of some sort to house and secure the hitch and bars in my truck bed....strong enough box to handle driving around towns, quick sharp turns, bumpy gravel roads, and the unexpected.

[Acdii]

I found an EZ Store hitch mount,

EZStore

My Blue Ox fits perfect in it, gets locked with the hitch pin, and the bars get locked by their chains to the carriage, and the carriage gets locked to the frame with a thick security cable.

[campigloo]

Mine go on the ground.

[rbpru]

Bars go in the TT lockable storage bin. The hitch goes in the truck bed or stays attached, depending on how lazy I am.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Fordlover wrote:
Wow, I must be playing russian roulette, or I just tend to stay in friendlier campsites.

When camping, the bars get rested across the top of the A-frame, hitch stays in the truck reciever. I do throw the L pins in the pass thru, mostly so my kids wouldn't pick them up and misplace them. When at home, hitch is stored in the pass thru, bars are stored in my shed.

I only paid 200 for my 12K Equal-I-zer used, so maybe that's why I play fast and loose?

I must stay at the same places you do. :B

I throw mine across the A frame and call it good. Saw my dad do it for over 40+ years and I've done it for over 35+ now. Never a problem. But that won't help the OP because mine are not secured.

[Fordlover]

Wow, I must be playing russian roulette, or I just tend to stay in friendlier campsites.

When camping, the bars get rested across the top of the A-frame, hitch stays in the truck reciever. I do throw the L pins in the pass thru, mostly so my kids wouldn't pick them up and misplace them. When at home, hitch is stored in the pass thru, bars are stored in my shed.

I only paid 200 for my 12K Equal-I-zer used, so maybe that's why I play fast and loose?

[Blazing_Zippers]

Our Equalizer gets locked back into the trailer hitch. The bars rest back in the truck bed on a rag.
Like the OP, our ORV sits high enough that the tailgate rests on the hitch and I had to make a padded board to separate the two.
I do like the idea of placing the hitch on a board arrangement and locking it with the safety chains (getting older or hitches are getting heavier).

[Jebby14]

my setup goes in the back of the truck under the locked aluminum tonneau

[APT]

I never keep the WD parts on the TV. I formed some habits when my children were toddlers with grease getting everywhere as well as I keep bruising my legs. I store both the WD bars and receiver inside the TT when not towing. When I leave it at storage facility, I just put both inside the main living space door. When the TT is at home in driveway short term, I put all 3 parts in garage. When set up at camp, they go in an outside storage when other items come out.

[Baja_Man]

The reason my hitch ball hits my tailgate (when lowered) is a combination of truck height and coupler height.

My new to me TT is an ORV which has the coupler welded to top of A frame. This is already a high sitting TT PLUS the coupler welded o top makes for a tall ball height. My new to me truck is an older 4X2 and is not high enough to clear tailgate when all is attached.

On newer trucks that have 18"-20" wheels and/or with 4X4, the tailgate clears. Trucks with larger diameter wheels have a taller stance requiring shorter shanks; hence tailgate clears when lowered. I know this as previous owner of TT had a new GMC 1500 4X4 and it cleared with a shorter shank.

NOTE: I have about 1300# TW

[Hannibal]

My hitch cost more than my Ovation guitar. It gets stored in the left side pass through storage with a rag covering it when not in use. If I see rust, it gets a touch up with black RustOleum. It gets lubed with marine grease.