Curt Hitch Holes misaligned. Fix?

[Kurtatron]

How would you fix this?

I cannot return this. The hitch was purchased in 2020 and not installed until now.

Replacement hitches are not available since it is for a 1991 Toyota Previa.

What’s the most cost effective and safe method you would use to correct the hitch? I have a welding friend who might be able to help me.

One photo shows the left side, which is straight. The other shows the bent side.

 

[ctechbob]

Bend it enough that the bolts will start and send it home. Doesn't look like it is off much.

 

[Kurtatron]

Bend it enough that the bolts will start and send it home. Doesn't look like it is off much.

That is some intimidating looking steel. How would I bend this?

 

[rijndael]

Ratchet straps can help.

 

[mk378]

Sledgehammer it. (The Peter Gabriel song was not literally about a hammer).

 

[ctechbob]

That is some intimidating looking steel. How would I bend this?

Big crescent wrench, piece of pipe, or ratchet straps like @rijndael said.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Big crescent wrench, piece of pipe, or ratchet straps like @rijndael said.

Or a crescent wrench with a pipe on it. You might be surprised - its likely pretty ductile mild steel.

 

[D60]

The hitch itself is all the leverage you need. Capture the top right angle tabs in a vise or wedge into something immovable and lift at the left side

 

[ctechbob]

The hitch itself is all the leverage you need. Capture the top right angle tabs in a vise or wedge into something immovable and lift at the left side

That's a good point. You might be able to bolt up the bent side and then shove the straight side up and let that leverage do the work.

Floor jack might help there, or even your scissor jack.

 

[The_Jeff]

That's a good point. You might be able to bolt up the bent side and then shove the straight side up and let that leverage do the work.

Floor jack might help there, or even your scissor jack.

One should be careful not to tweak the unibody doing this. I like the vise idea, or if you can find a 3/4 ton truck with applicable hole in its frame, mock it up with that, bend it, then move it to the Previa.

Though honestly the holes are elongated, have you tried fitting it yet?

 

[Kurtatron]

One should be careful not to tweak the unibody doing this. I like the vise idea, or if you can find a 3/4 ton truck with applicable hole in its frame, mock it up with that, bend it, then move it to the Previa.

Though honestly the holes are elongated, have you tried fitting it yet?

This was my concern, damaging threads or metal work would be much worse than damage to this hitch.

I don’t have access to a vice grip though. I don’t have a good idea how I would brace the hitch to bend it back into shape.

 

[Donald]

What are you intending to tow with the Pevia?

 

[Exhaustgases]

Clamp the thin bent thing in a large strong vise and use the large arm or major portion as the lever. A service truck vise would be perfect, since its not going to move. Or clamp it down to an industrial welding table and do the same, if its too strong use a come along to something like a forklift. Theres lots of ways to do that.

 

[daniel327]

What’s the most cost effective and safe method you would use to correct the hitch?

Wedge the bent bracket in a fork of a tree and manipulate the hitch as required to re-align the bent bracket.

 

[The_Jeff]

Yeah or between the slats of a park bench, or under a rail road rail, be imaginative.

 

[RooflessVW]

Hit it with your purse

 

[Pterostylis]

Have you actually tried to fit it?
One of my cars has what looks like bent hitch mounting points but that’s the way it’s meant to be.

 

[Kurtatron]

Have you actually tried to fit it?
One of my cars has what looks like bent hitch mounting points but that’s the way it’s meant to be.

Yes. It was about 10 degrees crooked from side to side.

 

[Kurtatron]

What are you intending to tow with the Pevia?

Just a motorcycle rack. No trailer.

 

[Kurtatron]

So, I did bend the hitch straight. It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I bolted the hitch to a 4x6 beam and used the hitch like a giant cantilever. I eventually bent the hitch slightly outwards, since I noticed it the hole distance is running small.

But the problem persists. I was able to get two bolts in, but those are not on the same flange as the remaining 4 bolts. Look at how misaligned this is. Any ideas how to correct this?

I couldn’t muscle them into position.