Free Recall Hitch question

[Chips]

Yesterday, the Service Department Clerk at the dealer informed me that the Free Recall Hitch for Liberty designed to stop the gas tank explosions would not even hold a Bike Rack and was not meant for towing. Is this True?

It looks the same as any other trailer hitch I have seen. Has anyone here used their “Free Recall Hitch” as an attachment point for a bike rack? I am not going to be towing a boat or anything was just wondering if it would support a bike rack and 2 adult mountain bikes?

Thank you in advance for reading, and replying. Apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere here, I searched the forum and was unable to locate the answer if you have please share the information

 

[rcjohnson]

I think they say that for liability reasons. My logic says if it can't even hold a bike rack then it wouldn't be much protection to the fuel tank. I think there are posts on this topic under the recalls sticked thread. I haven't done the recall yet as I already have a decent hitch on the Jeep. I have be hit once in the back and all that happened was a hole in his bumper from my hitch and a nice imprint of my tire in his hood.

 

[mass-hole]

Yes i am pretty sure it is because of the liability issue and, additionally, they are putting them on all KJ's even if they did not originally have to tow package(IE no trailer wiring or HD cooling.) They dont want people towing with these vehicles. If you did have the tow package then they probably wont be giving you the new hitch since you already have one.

 

[CzarKJ]

Yesterday, the Service Department Clerk at the dealer informed me that the Free Recall Hitch for Liberty designed to stop the gas tank explosions would not even hold a Bike Rack and was not meant for towing. Is this True?

It looks the same as any other trailer hitch I have seen. Has anyone here used their “Free Recall Hitch” as an attachment point for a bike rack? I am not going to be towing a boat or anything was just wondering if it would support a bike rack and 2 adult mountain bikes?

Thank you in advance for reading, and replying. Apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere here, I searched the forum and was unable to locate the answer if you have please share the information

a payloader dragged my butt out of a mud pit with the "not a hitch". Its real and tested.

 

[tommudd]

No different than OME springs being advertised as only giving you 1.5 inches of lift. Insurance liability issues. Same hitch can tow the same and been discussed 1000s of times already, most never tow anything anyways and you're getting something for nothing so ..........:emotions34:

 

[jeepguy4276]

I was never told that i shouldn't tow with it and there is a sticker on it that says to take the ball mount out when not towing. The only thing I notice is there is no specific rating on the hitch. I assume that's so you don't exceed the weight limitations on your particular options package.if it really is a liability issue, I honestly feel they would have left the receiver off and put a warning on the hitch if it wasn't ment to tow. They even have a charge in the recall for applying the remove mount sticker.

 

[profdlp]

Towed a fully loaded (2,000 books) 5x8 U-Haul trailer 400 miles with my "not-a-hitch".

I am not dead.

Yet.

:mexsmoke:

 

[CalcityRenegade]

I think the dealer is just being a clown, Yes its all about Liability but saying it will not support a bike rack is just moronic, I've used my free hitch and can assure you its going to work, Its not made of fudge!

 

[boboborino]

Thank you forum! I was looking to buy a hitch but now i'm gonna see if I am part of this recall! I 'll call when I get home as I do not have the VIN in front of me.

Here's hoping!

Bert

 

[CalcityRenegade]

Thank you forum! I was looking to buy a hitch but now i'm gonna see if I am part of this recall! I 'll call when I get home as I do not have the VIN in front of me.

Here's hoping!

Bert

Put your VIN into Mopar Connect and it will show you too, Might as well use this hitch up to what your Liberty is capable.

 

[tjkj2002]

I think the dealer is just being a clown, Yes its all about Liability but saying it will not support a bike rack is just moronic, I've used my free hitch and can assure you its going to work, Its not made of fudge!

No there not actually,anything in that hitch can be pushed through the gas tank pretty easily.

 

[CzarKJ]

No there not actually,anything in that hitch can be pushed through the gas tank pretty easily.

It's funny the way they go about it though. If that is a concern it would be easier and more straight forward to just tell people that. But I bet they have lawyers and all sorts of legal jargon to mess with when doing this.

 

[jeepguy4276]

No there not actually,anything in that hitch can be pushed through the gas tank pretty easily.

That does make sense, with almost all receiver hitches. There is no backing on the female receiver usually. Makes sense they'd put the sticker on recommending to remove ball mount when not towing. Good advise for all receiver hitches.

 

[profdlp]

In Ohio there is a limit to how far your ball mount is allowed to protrude from the rear of the vehicle. When I rented the U-Haul trailer I asked the guy if he knew anything about it. He just laughed and said "I don't know, but about half the people in the state must be driving illegally if it's more than a few inches". :icon_lol:

 

[Ohio-white-kj]

AFAIK - that's an old wives tail - can you find an ORC number?

In regards to not a hitch. If they really wanted it as a not a hitch - they would have had them made without a 2" receiver.

In Ohio there is a limit to how far your ball mount is allowed to protrude from the rear of the vehicle. When I rented the U-Haul trailer I asked the guy if he knew anything about it. He just laughed and said "I don't know, but about half the people in the state must be driving illegally if it's more than a few inches". :icon_lol:

 

[CactusJacked]

In some states, such as here in Illnoise, it's illegal to drive with the ball mount in the receiver without anything attached to it. With that said, the cops don't seem to be enforcing it much, but it is a fairly new law.

 

[tjkj2002]

AFAIK - that's an old wives tail - can you find an ORC number?

In regards to not a hitch. If they really wanted it as a not a hitch - they would have had them made without a 2" receiver.

Then you got the ones they have to replace on KJ's with the tow package that must have that receiver.Just easier,cheaper,and less of a hassle to have one type and warn the non-tow package KJ owners that it's not for towing then trying to stock both types.

 

[profdlp]

AFAIK - that's an old wives tail - can you find an ORC number?...

No, but that does not mean that I am an old wife. :gr_grin:

 

[Emoto]

Am probably going to get the recall hitch installed in the next few weeks. I was thinking that I should get them to install the wiring harness at the same time, so that I could activate the lights on any small trailer that I might get. I understand that the harness and labor to install would not be part of the recall. Can anyone tell me what having that added might cost? Thanks in advance!

 

[Hockeygoon]

Am probably going to get the recall hitch installed in the next few weeks. I was thinking that I should get them to install the wiring harness at the same time, so that I could activate the lights on any small trailer that I might get. I understand that the harness and labor to install would not be part of the recall. Can anyone tell me what having that added might cost? Thanks in advance!

They'll probably make you come back a second time for the wiring. When I got mine (just last week) I was handed a preprinted form from Chrysler stating it was "gas tank protection only" and the vehicle had not been modified in any manner for towing - no HD cooling system, transmission cooler, or wiring for trailer lights.