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New Iowa law about ball mounts in receiver hitches??

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Friend just told me that he had heard you now have to remove the ball mount from your receiver hitch if it is not in use. Something about it sticking out behind the bumpers and doing damage. Anyone heard of this new law that he says went into effect at the 1st of the year?
 
First thing popped in to my head was my uncle whacking his shin on the trailer hitch on his 56 Chevy and threatening to take a sledge hammer to it back in the day.
 

It hurts your shins if you walk into it. I usually take the hitch out when not in use for that reason, but I hardly think it rises to the necessity of a law. Some politician must have bumped into one.

KEH
 

It hurts your shins if you walk into it. I usually take the hitch out when not in use for that reason, but I hardly think it rises to the necessity of a law. Some politician must have bumped into one.

KEH
 
Law enforcement: Trailer hitch rumors unfounded

Police say hitches can stay on when not in use

August 4, 2011

By ANDREW POTTER - Staff Writer ([email protected]) , Times-nnalert

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The Marshall County Sheriff's Office has released information trying to dispel a rumor that has been making its way around the county and the state this past year.

The rumor implies that the Iowa Legislature passed a law making it a violation to leave a removable trailer hitch in the receiver of a vehicle when not in use.

The county received a statewide alert on the matter from the Iowa Department of Public Safety Wednesday.

"There was no legislation enacted in 2010 or 2011 addressing trailer hitch balls or ball mounts," the alert reads. "It is not now and was not previously illegal to leave a ball or ball mount in a trailer hitch receiver."

The alert indicates the rumor started in 2010 and has been gaining momentum recently. It appears the rumor started as a prank as bogus citations were left on vehicles with the ball or ball mount left in the trailer hitch when no trailer was attached.

"My office has received a number of calls about it," said Marshall County Sheriff Ted Kamatchus. "We are just trying to squelch the rumor, lay it to rest and move on."
 
I use to take my receiver out when not in use. Now I leave it on so if some idoit hits me back there its more apt to damage his vehicle than banging up my rear bumper. Never heard of any law here in Mi.
 
Well,I know it's not a law,but it sure does make sense.It would be nice to see police writing warning tickets for this infraction.I won't drive across the road with the reciever hitch attached.I guess besides hurting someone,I'm also concerned about theft.I know,I'm in the minority on this,but my thoughts.
 
I am from Iowa and was told about that about a month ago. Was also told the fine for driving around with the ball in place was $175. Guess the DOT needs more funds coming in.
 
I'm concerned too about theift on a 100.00 hitch. I use a bolt with a lock nut on mine. They can still get it but not as easy as pulling a pin. I don't want anyone getting hurt unessasarly but I see no reason for anyone to be that close to my truck either except me. I know its there.
 
I'm concerned too about theift on a 100.00 hitch. I use a bolt with a lock nut on mine. They can still get it but not as easy as pulling a pin. I don't want anyone getting hurt unessasarly but I see no reason for anyone to be that close to my truck either except me. I know its there.
 
I have found it to be a good idea to remove them if you live in the salt belt and also drive on gravel roads, after a while in this environment you usually find yourself trying to remove them with a large hammer and bad language.
 
Years ago, 4 cheerleaders hit my hitch at a red light, punched a nice hole in the bumper of one's Dad's Crown Vic.. No damage to my Dodge. They were drinking, and begged my not to call the law, I just left.. I guess I should have called..
 
sounds goofey to me, then i don't live in the north eastern states,,if a cop stops me, my answer is, i just dropped mine off and heading to help a friend.. if people know how to drive, they won't hit my hitch, and if i i'm not paying attention around back of truck,my shins deserve a hitting..lol
 
I live in Ia & the only place I know that it not ok to leave them in is some apartment complexes will fine you if you live there & leave them in.
 
I always leave mine in.
It's just the right height to step up on, then onto the bumper and over the tail gate to get into the bed and my tool box in front.
Yeah I banged my shin on it a few times. But I learned to be careful. Pain is an effective teacher.
 
Pennsylvania has a law that allows shopping centers with 10 or more acres to enter into an agreement with the local police to inforce the traffic laws in the shopping center. Saw a cop checking inspection stickers on cars at a shopping center.
 
In Manitoba Canada they always said it was elligal and you could be fined. I don't think they could get it to stick in court because you are allowed up to 2 feet sticking over the vehicle with no flag. The hitch can be clasafied as the load hanging over by 6 inches.

Just a money grab that went sour on the inforcenment. Nobody gives it a second thought anymore,nor should they
 
If you go to your Iowa Department of Transportation you will find no law on removing the ball hitch if not in use.
 
That"s the source of Pennsylvania"s hitch law. SOme congressman"s wife hit one while walking behind a truck.

My question is, why was she that close to the back of someone else"s truck?
 
I've heard that rumor here in Iowa, that so-and-so was fined but I've never heard names or places mentioned. That's the way rumors go.

Ten years ago or so my son and I were in town with the old 79 Dodge with an ag hitch sticking out back. We were stopped at a light and felt a light bump from behind. We both got out and went back there. One from the passenger side and one from the drivers side. My son is 6'3" and I'm 6'2" and both of us were wearing heavy winter garb. We must have looked pretty mean because the ethinc guy in the car that bumped us had eyes as big as platters and he looked like he wanted to slide inder the dash. We just looked at the hitch poking through his grill, got back in the pickup and drove away. Jim
 
Son has a couple ham radio antennas mounted on the back of his frame hitch. Angle iron u-bolted to the hitch. Stick out just like a receiver hitch. Was tailended at a stop. Did significant damage to car that hit him.
 
(quoted from post at 16:30:10 01/28/13) Friend just told me that he had heard you now have to remove the ball mount from your receiver hitch if it is not in use. Something about it sticking out behind the bumpers and doing damage. Anyone heard of this new law that he says went into effect at the 1st of the year?
Click to expand...

Well I grease my balls, and unless I want a nice mess on my pant leg I always take it out :D
 
Haha. Whenever I'm near the back end of a pickup truck I'm always in full paranoia mode. It's even worse than when I'm behind a horse or a cow. I still always seem to have a scab or two on my shin bones though. Definitely a slow learner right here

<--
 
Friend of mine made his own hitch for his old Chev pickup; it stuck out quite a bit. I asked him about it and he said that people kept running into the back of his truck, so he made it that way on purpose.

He said that now when he gets hit from behind, it takes out the radiator of whatever vehicle hits his.
 
(quoted from post at 17:21:33 01/28/13) Really? Cops can't tickets for such things on private property.
Click to expand...

It would depend on the wording or the states V+T laws. There are distinctions between public and private parking lots in some states. A private lot would be your homes lot or an apartment buildings lot or lot requiring a pass to get in. Public would be Walmart, TSC, etc.
 
Illinois law says if you can't take it off and it sticks over 4" behind vehicle you have to cover it with a red plastic ball. You can't run aay hitch that covers or obstructs the view of plates ( automatic ticket).
 
Take mine out after each use. Left it in for a month one winter and it required the fire wrnch a BFH and about 3 hours to get it out.
 
I see alot of them left in and wonder don't they get tired of busting their shins on them ?

I always tried to remove mine to save my shins and keep it from getting stolen and rusted fast.
 
i bet the receivers on most of my trucks wont even come out they've been in there so long, 2 are built into the bed,i have banged my shins too but instead of complaining to the state government, i learned to walk wider around the back of the trucks, makes you wonder though if they need new legislators when the subject of trailer hitches on trucks is even being discussed in session
 
They are are addressing the wrong issue.
It is not dangerous to have the ball hitch on there with no trailer. What is dangerous is walking too close to our trucks. LOL
 
I live in a heavily salted state(MI). My experience has been: if you leave it in too long it won"t come out, if you leave it out too long it won"t go back in. Regular changes, towing and antiseeze work for me (along with the occasional bruised shin).
 
I always remove mine...I have different ones and I don't want them rusting in there. Leaving them in makes you look lazy if you're not using it all the time.
 
My brother removed his one day. Got tired of running into it. Then dropped it on his foot. Broke two toes. Should have just left it alone.Would have been cheaper.
 
Must be some sort of awful place where theft of a drawbar and ball is a concern.
Before Mrs B&D"s new vehicle left the lot there was a brush bar added to the front and a receiver added to the rear. A drawbar and ball was purchased on the way home and installed that day.
Took two days until there was paint found on the trailer hitch after returning to the vehicle in the parking lot.Just over a week until a rub mark was found on the brush bar.
Have never put a lock on a hitch yet nor lost one.
 
I've been told it's a law in NY too, but I haven't been able to find reference to it in the books.

In fact I can't find any reference to where it says speeding is illegal either...
 
This rumor is untrue. It's been floating around for a few years now. The State Highway Patrol has displays that they put up at events like the Old Threshers Reunion that specifically says that it is NOT illegal to keep your ball mount in the receiver. If you are so inclined, leave it in.
Good Luck and God Bless
 
(quoted from post at 08:38:45 01/29/13) I've been told it's a law in NY too, but I haven't been able to find reference to it in the books.

In fact I can't find any reference to where it says speeding is illegal either...
Click to expand...

I don't believe it is a law in NY. For speeding look in the 1180 section of the NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law.
 
We have that law here in Ontario. If your receiver hitch is not in use you are supposed to remove the drawbar or ball mount from it. It's a $144 fine for non-compliance. I've been warned about it once, but doesn't seem like any officers actually enforce it.
 
Don't see how such a law could be enforced. What about those of us with DMI Cushion Bumpers on our trucks? How are you going to remove that drawbar?

I learned a long time ago to not walk too closely to the back of a pickup. Still get the reminder once in a while, though. :) I leave the drawbar in my other truck without a DMI, I figure if somebody hits my truck, it's going to tear their car up real good. -Andy
 
At a stop light a lady BANGED into me! Almost gave
me whiplish. Looking into the rear view mirrow,I
saw thet she had been yakking on the cell phone.
No damage whatsoever to my Chevy pickup...but the
reciever hitch, with ball attachment in, did
tremendous damage to the front of her Buick SUV.
She got ticketed for inattentive driving! Thank goodness for that ball sticking out of the hitch!
 
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