Why Do Some Trailer Hitches Not Want to Fit Perfectly to Vehicle

Question:

Im interested in buying one of these to install on my 2016 Jeep Patriot, but Im concerned by some reports that the fit may be a bit sloppy. These include reports of 1/4inch gaps that had to be filled by washers including the 04/6/2015 comment by Mark K. in the reviews section here, as well as a couple of postings on jeeppatriot.com - the subject vehicles have been 2008, 2009, and 2015 model years. A picture from one of the jeeppatriot.com postings is attached. Even the installation video alludes to this issue with: Leave these loosely installed, that way we can adjust the side to side on our hitch, then well snug each side down evenly. No mention in the video of any need to shim with washers to correct for the loose fit. Is this a design problem thats since been corrected, a variation from unit to unit, or have the some people just been installing these incorrectly?

asked by: Robert R

Expert Reply:

Typically the fit issues you described aren't actually problems with the hitch design. More often than not the issue is that the hitch go bent in shipping and would need to be bent back to fit the correct original spec. Or on some vehicles we have found that the vehicle itself just has some variation in the dimensions the rear structure.

99% of the time though the issue is just a hitch bent in shipping that needs to just be bent back. As long as you don't see any creasing, paint flaking or other signs of distress when bending the hitch back it's totally fine to do so.

expert reply by: Jameson C