Hitchdoc hitch questions

[MP]

Looking at a Hitchdoc.  Their site shows them on the bikes, not by themself.

Is the Hitchdoc a fully welded assembly, or is it bolted together for the receiver, using two arms bolted to the crosspiece?  I am wanting the receiver style for an IS with the guardrails.

Easy to mount?  I figure it goes where the spacers are on the bolts for the bag mounts and the guardrails?

Thanks.

MP

[Craig N. AZ]

It’s  one piece fully welded and has a nice finish. Not  hard to install but, a tip… do the front bolts first because they line up with fixed holes while the rear goes to floating nuts.

[MP]

Thanks.

MP

[Joe Hummer]

Well MP...and Craig...I hate to disagree...it is a pain to get "right".  The hitchdoc hitch is fully welded and chromed.  Very Nice!  Installation of the hitch itself went pretty easy...they supply all the spacers and longer bolts you need.  The problems come into play when you try to connect the crossbar under the fender and the connector on the rails.  Hitchdoc's instructions say to just squeeze the bottom of the bags the 1/2" or so together and slide the crossbar in.  I didn't like this...one bit.  The bags would have ended up in a V shape when looking from the rear of the bike.  I had a machinist buddy (thanks Chip) make a spacer that would slip into the cross piece (when I cut it in half) and that allowed me to keep the bags straight.  I asked him to make a similar piece for the bag rails.  This was on Big_D's bike.  I don't have rails on my bike so I asked Chip to make me another crossover extender for my bike.  Having that on hand really helped make the whole installation go easier. 

Joe

[Sodbuster]

Here are some pics of mine B4 and after I mounted it .... Also, the nice thing about them versus the bolt together type is the Hitch Doc side rails taper inwards towards the tip of the rear fender.

Receiver Type on my Standard

[MP]

Looks nice, thanks all.

MP

[BuzzKill]

I just received a Hitchdoc hitch, just like the one pictured above that I bought on ebay from a used parts place in Florida.  The problem is the ball part wont fit into the receiver part.  The square tube coming off the ball part seems just a tad too big to go inside the receiver part.  Also the large cotter pin fits in the ball part, but its too big for the receiver part. 
My guess is that its for a different hitchdoc hitch.  Is there something I'm missing?

[Sodbuster]

Looks like you have the wrong ball part.  Also, you'll notice in my picture that the part that goes up inside the Hitch Doc is solid metal and has an angle cut the same as the hitch.  That angle relief is so that it doesn't hit the inside of the fender once installed.

That ball part you have looks like it came from a GoldWing .... not Hitch Doc.

[X Ring]

I just received a Hitchdoc hitch, just like the one pictured above that I bought on ebay from a used parts place in Florida.  The problem is the ball part wont fit into the receiver part.  The square tube coming off the ball part seems just a tad too big to go inside the receiver part.  Also the large cotter pin fits in the ball part, but its too big for the receiver part. 
My guess is that its for a different hitchdoc hitch.  Is there something I'm missing?

So YOU'RE the one who outbid me!!!!   

Marty

[JimC]

MP,
I don't know if you were at Inzane, (at least I did not run into you there) if you were, did you happen to see the new hitches that Darryl from  XF6 had on display?

http://www.xf6-custom.com/

They were a satin stainless and a work of art, they will never end up rusting like the one that Andy posted. They are a little more expensive, but probably worth it in the long run. He does not have them on his web site that I know of, it is a new item.

Jim

[CajunRider]

Looks like you have the wrong ball part. 

Definitely the wrong part.  The proper insert is a solid piece, and the tab the ball bolts to shouldn't have any bend in it.

[MP]

Thanks for the heads up, JimC.  Yes, I bought one from Daryl.  Nice looking.

MP

[PAVALKER]

Hey.... could be the photo angle I see on that hitch, but it appears there is an adjustment bolt on the backside of the receiver square tube going up.... and the back part doesn't look like it's welded solid with the tube....(more like a split receiver of sorts).  I'm thinking you can open that receiver tube up to accommodate the hitch you have.  It just looks that way for some reason....   You should be able to then tighten it down snugly after you install it.  I think it is designed that way to provide adjustment for noise (trailer slap at take off and stopping).  Check it out closer....

I just received a Hitchdoc hitch, just like the one pictured above that I bought on ebay from a used parts place in Florida.  The problem is the ball part wont fit into the receiver part.  The square tube coming off the ball part seems just a tad too big to go inside the receiver part.  Also the large cotter pin fits in the ball part, but its too big for the receiver part. 
My guess is that its for a different hitchdoc hitch.  Is there something I'm missing?

[BuzzKill]

I thought that myself, hence the wrench in the background.  Its too big all the way around.  Called the people I bought it from.  Story is the bike they took the hitch off of didnt have a ball unit.  The goldwing they took the ball unit off, the hitch was bent.  So either they were trying to just get rid of two parts they couldnt sell individually, or no one actually checked physically only visually that it would fit.

Called Hitchdoc and bought the ball unit from them, and got the company to refund the cost of it to my paypal.

[PAVALKER]

I thought that myself, hence the wrench in the background.  Its too big all the way around.  Called the people I bought it from.  Story is the bike they took the hitch off of didnt have a ball unit.  The goldwing they took the ball unit off, the hitch was bent.  So either they were trying to just get rid of two parts they couldnt sell individually, or no one actually checked physically only visually that it would fit.

Called Hitchdoc and bought the ball unit from them, and got the company to refund the cost of it to my paypal.

Well, what does turning that bolt do if it doesn't open or tighten the receiver opening?? Why would that be split like that if not for adjustment purposes???  At least you got that taken care of and ... paid for.

[scoot]

I thought that myself, hence the wrench in the background.  Its too big all the way around.  Called the people I bought it from.  Story is the bike they took the hitch off of didnt have a ball unit.  The goldwing they took the ball unit off, the hitch was bent.  So either they were trying to just get rid of two parts they couldnt sell individually, or no one actually checked physically only visually that it would fit.

Called Hitchdoc and bought the ball unit from them, and got the company to refund the cost of it to my paypal.

Well, what does turning that bolt do if it doesn't open or tighten the receiver opening?? Why would that be split like that if not for adjustment purposes???  At least you got that taken care of and ... paid for.

Your right in the since that The bolt is used to tighten down the stinger to prevent it from rattling or slapping when you stop  with the trailer attached. I'm sure if you measure that tube you will find it is 1.25" square. The Hitch Doc tube is not suare (it is actually rectangular and solind steel stock).
 I had a Delray hitch before this one. I can easily say this is one of the best hitches I have ever used.

[BuzzKill]

Yay!  I got the right part in the mail today along with the hardware.  They forgot to send any instructions though.  Anyone able to send me a copy by chance?  ( thagandy@centurytel.net )Want to put it on this weekend.  Also, is it any harder take the rear tire off with the hitch installed?

[Sodbuster]

Yay!  I got the right part in the mail today along with the hardware.  They forgot to send any instructions though.  Anyone able to send me a copy by chance?  ( thagandy@centurytel.net )Want to put it on this weekend.  Also, is it any harder take the rear tire off with the hitch installed?

Couldn't find my instructions, pretty sure they got tossed. Only thing I can offer is to do ONE BOLT AT A TIME as it's a PITA to line up fender if you remove more than one.

I never removed the wheel prior to mounting the hitch so can't comment.  I bought a PitBull Lift and drop the wheel straight down.

[GOOSE]

  jimc:  daryl at xf6-custom.com does now have his trailer hitch on his web site.  i have one on my valk and it is everything you stated.  i have a c-t, and there is no problem with bag alignment, or anything else.  the hitch is absolutely beautiful!!

[DarkMeister]

Not to hijack an old thread...but: does anyone know off-hand what size bolts are normally there (without the hitch installed)? I just removed a hitchDoc that I'll be selling, and having a heck of a time getting the bolts back in. Thinking it might be easier with 'normal' bolts, then I could include the longer ones with the hitch.
So far, after much ado, I only have one in...

[R J]

Ya need to read the posts.

Some one in this post said take 1 bolt out at a time.

My son & I did mine way way back when.   We also took out all 4 bolts.

Luckily we both have turned a few wrenchs in our lifetime so we were able to get the sliding nuts lined up in da tight places.    LOL.

When I went t othe c-t later, we put the bolts in from the back side and capped them off with acorn nuts.     Another tiny secret, is take your bench grinder and grind a point on the nut end of the bolt, so if ya get close to lining up, it will do so..........

Be patient, it will go together, might be trying, but it will fall together if there is 2 or 3 of ya working on it.    I let my bags 'V', it is not really that noticeable looking at it.