Hitch Receiver Question

"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly)
11/11/2019 at 16:33 • Filed to: Am I overthinking this?, Trailer Hitch, 2020 Subaru Outback

For those knowledgeable about hitch receivers, offroad recovery, or both:

I had the dealer install the Subaru hitch receiver on my 2020 Outback. The Subaru hitch receiver replaces the original bumper beam. When the hitch receiver is installed, “it is not possible to install the rear towing hook” per item 6 on page 1 of the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

Therefore, I bought a !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . There are two holes through the Subaru- installed hitch receiver, one in the middle through which the pin fits, and another at the back that is smaller. The body of the shackle will fit completely in the receiver, but the pin hole of the body then pretty much lines up with the small hole at the back of the receiver, and I can’t put the pin through. To install the pin, the body has to stick about a third of the way out of the receiver.

So, is the receiver set up poorly from Subaru?

Does the product I bought have the pin hole too far back?

Is it actually no big deal to have part of the shackle body sticking out when I use this for recovery?

All of the above, maybe?

DISCUSSION (21)

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 16:39

I don’t think it matters much if the body is sticking out a bit. I’d imagine it’s designed to fit various receivers that might have holes in different locations.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 16:43

Sounds like it fits like it is supposed to. I have the same sort of thing in the Patrol and the alloy block protrudes quite a way out of the hitch receiver.

Hint: when you do install the recovery shackle make sure the shackle pin itself is spannered up tight. Otherwise it can come loose and fall out which means goodbye shackle...I know this from experience.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
11/11/2019 at 16:50

Otherwise it can come loose and fall out which means goodbye shackle...I know this from experience.

Ouch. Good advice, thank you.

People have been critical of this receiver design, so I was looking at this with suspicion that may not be warranted.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 16:53

In theory, the cross-hole is at a pretty consistent depth from the face, at the face there is a near-unlimited “cone” of free movement clear for receiver offset and other shenanigans, and in theory the insert does its thing within a certain distance of the face and has a certain amount of extra tang on the other side of the cross-hole.

In practice, HA.

As I would take it, both Subaru and the shackle maker are erring on the side of caution - with subaru giving you a cross-hole that is further out than is most ideal for a big tongue weight, and the shackle maker having the cross-hole toward the end due to setups with phat bumper in the way of the shackle being used.

This means the shackle dumaflagey sticks out more than it ought. HOWEVER:

Since it is relatively unlikely that the shackle will experience a substantial up/down shear load/tongue loading situation directly, it doesn’t matter that the tang depth is kind of puny. As long as the pin can hold the two together, it is most likely totally fine.

HammerheadFistpunch > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
11/11/2019 at 16:55

wire. I will never take a wrench to a shackle pin...again.

HammerheadFistpunch > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 16:56

I think you’re good. I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It will still be much stronger and safer than the factory tow point (which are NOT recovery points btw)

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > HammerheadFistpunch
11/11/2019 at 16:58

With the big ones, it's not so bad but I hear you on the little fellas

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
11/11/2019 at 16:58

You are confirming my instincts with high-quality fancy vocabulary. Thanks.

HammerheadFistpunch > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
11/11/2019 at 17:00

I guess it depends on what you mean by big. mine are 4 3/4T and I will never crank down those pins. They are a beast to get undone once loaded.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > HammerheadFistpunch
11/11/2019 at 17:07

This is why I’m trying to line up proper training. What is a proper front recovery point, then, if not the tow hook?

I reached out to a local International 4WD Trainer Association person, and he turned out to have written a little book , and also to point me toward Overland Experts , who apparently do training in Uwharrie , just east of Charlotte. Their offerings seem quite serious, beyond the Outback’s capabilities, but I still would like to explore the limits of the car and how to safely get out of a stuck situation. I can imagine muddy fields in my future, easily, for examples, and stream crossings somehow going badly (even after scouting, of course) .

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > HammerheadFistpunch
11/11/2019 at 17:08

Always tighten, then back them out 1/4 turn or so when you’re loading them.

HammerheadFistpunch > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
11/11/2019 at 17:09

Right, never crank and load. like an oil filter.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 17:10

I would guess that Subaru really didn’t give you a hole far enough into the receiver for a seriously sketchy tongue weight, but I would also guess you really don’t want a truck-level tongue weight on the Subaru anyway, which makes it closer to moot.

I’d be hesitant to put a carrying-swag-basket on the back given that, of course. Not without checking it over.

The shackle... well, it just has to have a long enough tang past the hole to distribute 1x pin shear strength, not reduce pivoting/ distri bute force, so the answer to “how far past the pin it should extend ” is “basically none”.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 17:11

What are you rated to tow with the installed hitch ? Because if that rating is far less than what your vehicle weighs, I’d be a little hesitant tugging on that...

HammerheadFistpunch > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 17:13

With a unibody...its a little tough, there isn’t a proper rated recovery point on the front. Best case scenario is it will have symmetrical recovery points for different markets and use both of them with a long balancing sling. That being said, if you bought a tow hook from cusco or raceeng or something they would be totally adequate for anything but very dynamic pulls.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 17:19

3,500 lbs rating for tow, vehicle is right at 4,000 lbs. Yes, not something to be done everyday.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > HammerheadFistpunch
11/11/2019 at 17:20

Okay, so Google is no help when searching “long balanced sling recovery.” In summary, I should avoid getting stuck.

Cash Rewards > HammerheadFistpunch
11/11/2019 at 17:29

I do love my ridiculously over engineered raceng shift knob

HammerheadFistpunch > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
11/11/2019 at 17:37

Like so

Kinja'd!!!

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > HammerheadFistpunch
11/11/2019 at 20:39

Kinja'd!!!

This sort of thing. Which is the one from the hitch recovery doodad... normally it would remain permanently in the doodad!! But not when the pin is done up only finger tight instead of being mechanically tightened or wired in.

HammerheadFistpunch > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
11/11/2019 at 20:41

yeah those are mine. i never use a tool on those pins. hand tight, wired.