#1 REASON TO HAVE A TRAILER HITCH (Even if you never tow anything)

So I was on the way to work this morning, sitting in traffic at a stop light and BAM !!! some dumbass in a POS Chevy Malibu rear ends me. It wasn't that hard of a hit but it was hard enough to make me say WHAT THE F#CK !!!

Fortunately, I have a trailer hitch that I never take off for this very reason.

Zero damage to my truck, but the other guy's car has a hole in it. Too bad.

Tacoma 1......Malibu 0

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Custom grill work...no charge
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Illegal in CA.

But glad to see you knocked some sense into a bitch.

FWIW I ran my shit illegally anyway because like you, it saved me from 3 rear ends. Tacoma has no receiver yet, though.

 

No argument there. It's even a moving violation, not a fix-it ticket.

 

At the same time, it increases the likelihood of you getting hurt or the truck getting frame damage and being totaled.

The receiver mounts to the frame in a secure way, and is not designed to crumple upon impact (seeing as it has to securely attach up to 6500lbs to the truck with varying load angles/stresses), so it won't absorb impact like the rest of the truck would.

Sure, it saves you a bumper on a small fender bender, but it might cost you something more important on a bigger impact.

Just my view on it...

 

I have a hitch in my truck even though I only tow my boat a few times a year. I like to use it as a step for my foot when I climb in the bed.

 

I've got mine on simply because I don't trust anyone else on the road.

 

Also the truck looks better with something in the receiver. It just doesn't look right with a empty square hole on the back.

 

I suppose this is true, but I figure if it gets hit hard enough, it will spear through the crumple zone of the offending vehicle and my bumper will absorb the rest of the impact. If it's bad enough to bend the frame, it's going to get bent either way. In any case, I'll take my chances.

 

Maybe you should buy one of those little spring loaded receiver mounted dildo things to prevent frame damage from a rear end collision.

http://www.superbumper.com/

 

The answer to that question...





.. is illegal.

 

What about the Toyota butt plug ?

 

You cannot have a hitch in place when not towing anything?

 

V C Section 28071 Passenger Vehicle Bumper Requirements
Passenger Vehicle Bumper Requirements

28071. Every passenger vehicle registered in this state shall be equipped with a front bumper and with a rear bumper. As used in this section, "bumper" means any device designed and intended by a manufacturer to prevent the front or rear of the body of the vehicle from coming into contact with any other motor vehicle. This section shall not apply to any passenger vehicle that is required to be equipped with an energy absorption system pursuant to either state or federal law, or to any passenger vehicle which was not equipped with a front or rear bumper, or both, at the time that it was first sold and registered under the laws of this or any other state or foreign jurisdiction.

If the trailer hitch is beyond the bumper, it's no longer the first contact in a collision.

 

This is never enforced.... had my hitch in for years and years and years, never once been ticketed or questioned.... it has saved me MANY headaches from people doing exactly what happened to the OP.

And for those who say its going to bend the frame... the receiver is right there and the lowest spot, the car would of hit the receiver first then scuffed up the bumper as well... receiver still taking 95% of the impact.

But hey, yeah we here in CA deal with strict laws.... but where else could i strap snow skis to the motorcycle, ride it up some of the countries best motorcycling roads, go ski for the morning while looking out at the ocean and channel islands from the top of the mtn 8000ft up, ride home, throw the surfboard in the truck and go to the beach to surf the evening.... yeah i have done that.

oh yeah, and 75*F and sunny 340 days out of the year.... so cal ftw!

 

Never heard of that cali law.

However I wouldn't keep a hitch in there, I would be afraid of frame damage. If they rear end you, Its there fault, therefore they pay for what ever is damaged i.e..bumper. If you have a hitch the damage can't really be seen.

 

This is what I have in my receiver

 

I know 3 people who've gotten tickets for it. It's enforced, and really in my area only by the CHP. $120 ticket.

 

That is fucked up!! My GF is from Modesto and she has informed me of other laws as well that are not US citizen Friendly....

 

For that matter, it's also enforced and illegal to have a bumper mounted hitch ball in when not towing, as it obstructs your rear license plate which why I suspect a hitch mounted ball in your receiver without towing anything is where they nail you according to the vehicle code.

 

Just put this in