Years ago my wife installed a Uhaul hitch on the TJ, but only to use for a bike carrier. (actually installed it within the first year of owning the Jeep, and we are the original owners) The Yakima bike rack stayed installed for 90% of that time till now, to where I had to cut off the lock pin, as the key was long since been lost.
When we returned from running trails in Ocala Nat'l Forest a few weeks ago, I needed to hose off all the mud and dirt from the trip. I made sure to flush the frame-rails, but when flushing the hitch, I probably flushed a 1/4 pound of rust scale out of the hitch. Given that all we might get down here is surface rust (when regularily washing vehicle) I have come up with 2 possibilities for this, and probably is a combination of the two. 1. The hitch absolutely could not drain properly with the bike rack inserted, as the bar drops in the center, and with the rack in, the drains were blocked. 2. Uhaul hitches are crap. (even the Mopar hitches drop down in the center IIRC)
Moral of story, do not leave anything installed in the hitch, as it will hold moisture and everything else in, as it cannot drain. This would be especially true if you tow...
When we returned from running trails in Ocala Nat'l Forest a few weeks ago, I needed to hose off all the mud and dirt from the trip. I made sure to flush the frame-rails, but when flushing the hitch, I probably flushed a 1/4 pound of rust scale out of the hitch. Given that all we might get down here is surface rust (when regularily washing vehicle) I have come up with 2 possibilities for this, and probably is a combination of the two. 1. The hitch absolutely could not drain properly with the bike rack inserted, as the bar drops in the center, and with the rack in, the drains were blocked. 2. Uhaul hitches are crap. (even the Mopar hitches drop down in the center IIRC)
Moral of story, do not leave anything installed in the hitch, as it will hold moisture and everything else in, as it cannot drain. This would be especially true if you tow...
