Montero GarageMontero, Pajero and Shogun — your garage and the reference behind it

Browsing all vehicles

Trailer hitch receiver weld cracks

A bolt-on trailer hitch sold for this truck was recalled because the weld holding the receiver tube could break, letting a trailer separate from the vehicle without warning. The recall was raised by the hitch maker, not by Mitsubishi, so it is filed under the vehicle in the federal database rather than in any Mitsubishi service literature — which is precisely why an owner is unlikely ever to hear about it. The brand and part number of the recalled hitch are recorded in the source cited below. Two things follow. If your truck wears that hitch, it should not tow anything until it has been replaced. And on any thirty-five-year-old truck, whatever the brand, the hitch welds are worth a wire brush and five minutes before the first trip of the season. The truck itself is fine to drive; it is towing that is the hazard here. Towing equipment is safety-critical: have a qualified mechanic inspect and replace it.

Gen 11991–1991USSafety-criticalCommunity consensus

Drive gently — repair soonManeje con cuidado — repare pronto

Safety notice — Body.

This affects a safety-critical system. Reference material only: for safety-critical work, consult a qualified mechanic.

Esto afecta un sistema crítico para la seguridad. Material de referencia únicamente: en trabajos críticos para la seguridad, consulte a un mecánico calificado.

Community consensus. This entry is not backed by factory documentation — treat its values and steps as a starting point, not as if they came from the factory manual.

Consenso de la comunidad. Esta entrada no se apoya en documentación de fábrica — tome los valores y los pasos como punto de partida, no como si vinieran del manual de fábrica.

Symptoms

  • A hairline crack running along the weld where the receiver tube meets the crossbar
  • A rust stain weeping out of one weld line while the rest of the hitch looks sound
  • The receiver tube shifts or springs when you lever it by hand
  • A knock or groan from the hitch under load that was not there before

Likely causes

  1. The weld holding the receiver tube to the hitch body is cracking
  2. The truck still carries the recalled hitch, which was never replaced
  3. Corrosion has worked in under the weld and is lifting it from underneath

Diagnostic steps

  1. Wire-brush every weld on the hitch clean and inspect each one in good light for cracks and lifted edgesPoints toThe weld holding the receiver tube to the hitch body is cracking · Corrosion has worked in under the weld and is lifting it from underneath
  2. Find the maker's label or stamping on the hitch and compare the brand and part number against the recall record cited belowPoints toThe truck still carries the recalled hitch, which was never replaced
  3. Put a long bar in the receiver and lever it up, down and sideways while somebody watches the welds for movementPoints toThe weld holding the receiver tube to the hitch body is crackingRules outCorrosion has worked in under the weld and is lifting it from underneath

Fix paths

Replace the hitch

$$–$$$Difficulty 3/5

The remedy the recall published was replacement, not repair — and a cracked hitch weld is not something to re-weld at home in any case. Fit a hitch rated for what you actually tow, and check the frame mounting points for rust while the old one is off.

Sources

  1. US NHTSA vehicle-safety API — Mitsubishi Montero 1991 recall records, equipment campaign 93E023000 by Reese Products, Inc.: the weld on the receiver unit of the Class II trailer hitch, part no. 06070, can break; "the trailer can separate from the towing vehicle, and could result in a vehicle crash without warning"; remedy is to replace the trailer hitchReference workarchived copy