Trailer hitch quieter/ anti-rattle .... need help from you fabricators!

[bloc]

This is how mine is attached, it’s tight at the nuts and when first installed it seems to be working as intended.
View attachment 3670982
View attachment 3670983

However, after a few miles it begins to become loose at the hitch even while the u-bolt remains tight.

I’m not sure how to remedy this. I can go for a while with it all tight but one big dip in the road and it begins to work loose and enough of that and it can actually work it’s way completely off.

There is a bunch of room left in those holes for a ubolt with a larger diameter wire. Have you considered measuring the hole spacing and other dimensions to see if McMaster Carr has anything that could be an upgrade? Should be cheap and quick too, other than the effort to track it down.

 

[Artie]

There is a bunch of room left in those holes for a ubolt with a larger diameter wire. Have you considered measuring the hole spacing and other dimensions to see if McMaster Carr has anything that could be an upgrade? Should be cheap and quick too, other than the effort to track it down.

I am not sure I understand what you’re describing: the wire is only there to keep the piece from being completely lost, its only job is retention.

Or are you suggesting moving up in the size of the U-bolt diameter itself?

I think the issue is the section that is making contact with the vehicle side of the hitch and not the u bolt side. I can tighten the circled in red area plenty but the area circled in yellow is where the movement begins.

 

[SQRRRL]

I am not sure I understand what you’re describing: the wire is only there to keep the piece from being completely lost, its only job is retention.

Or are you suggesting moving up in the size of the U-bolt diameter itself?

I think the issue is the section that is making contact with the vehicle side of the hitch and not the u bolt side. I can tighten the circled in red area plenty but the area circled in yellow is where the movement begins.

View attachment 3671033

I am not sure I understand what you’re describing: the wire is only there to keep the piece from being completely lost, its only job is retention.

Or are you suggesting moving up in the size of the U-bolt diameter itself?

I think the issue is the section that is making contact with the vehicle side of the hitch and not the u bolt side. I can tighten the circled in red area plenty but the area circled in yellow is where the movement begins.

View attachment 3671033

Only differences I use double nuts

 

[bloc]

I am not sure I understand what you’re describing: the wire is only there to keep the piece from being completely lost, its only job is retention.

Or are you suggesting moving up in the size of the U-bolt diameter itself?

I think the issue is the section that is making contact with the vehicle side of the hitch and not the u bolt side. I can tighten the circled in red area plenty but the area circled in yellow is where the movement begins.

View attachment 3671033

Yeah, sorry, describing the u-bolt ends as "wire" is kindof a welding shop jargon thing.

Basically my thought is that a heavier duty u-bolt would allow more tightening ability and hopefully retention.

Alternately, a notched chunk of 3/8" thick steel lying across the top supporting the flat ends of the u-bolt beyond where they hang off the 2" wide hitch could keep the u-bolt from deforming.

 

[Artie]

Yeah, sorry, describing the u-bolt ends as "wire" is kindof a welding shop jargon thing.

Basically my thought is that a heavier duty u-bolt would allow more tightening ability and hopefully retention.

Alternately, a notched chunk of 3/8" thick steel lying across the top supporting the flat ends of the u-bolt beyond where they hang off the 2" wide hitch could keep the u-bolt from deforming.

I understand. I have that u bolt so tight that the anti rattle hitch part is secure against the tow bar. I think the differences between the Toyota hitch are enough to make it difficult to fab something to work across all of them. 1/64th of movement in any direction is enough to start it working lose.

 

[Artie]

View attachment 3671043
View attachment 3671042Only differences I use double nuts

Yours is circled in yellow, mine in red. There is the tiniest gap on mine and that’s where the movement begins. I can get that u bolt as tight as humanly possible and it won’t make a difference, it’s also not coming loose during driving. Like I mentioned to @bloc, the slight differences between hitches makes it tough to fab something to work.

Editing to add: the more I look at your pictures the more I notice how much cleaner your welds look.

 

[Artie]

I have moved on to the device that @wcinpa posted about. Initial impressions are good, seems to be more robust and a much tighter fit.

The Hazzard Fab works one I took off had a slight deformation which I believe lead to its failure. Circled in red is a bend in the part where forced is applied to the tow bar. It’s not much but enough to allow enough movement for the entire unit to fall off. I don’t think the design is a poor one, just this one spot is not up to the task.