| Blaine Merrell Hitch [message #261787] |
Sat, 13 September 2014 19:25  |
mickey szilagyi
Messages: 273
Registered: January 2013
Karma: 0
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Has anyone had a problem getting a 2 inch hitch into the receiver of a Merrell through the bumper hitch? I've heard that the fit is a good tight fit but I have three hitch inserts that will not go in. The receiver has a weld bead running the length of the inside of the receiver where the receiver was folded and welded to make the 2 inch receiver. All inserts fit fine in my other vehicle's 2 inch receiver which does not have that bead on the inside.
Secondly, does a Merrell hitch have any identifying markings anywhere that indicate it is a Merrell hitch?
Thanks all for your help.
Mickey
1977 Kingsley, 403, Lansing, MI
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| Re: Blaine Merrell Hitch [message #261795 is a reply to message #261787] |
Sat, 13 September 2014 20:36  |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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If you ordered it from Blaine then it is a Blaine Merrell hitch. If you bought it from someone else then it probably is a fake. There have been a few fakes floating around that have problems. One surfaces every few months.
That receiver tube is a specially made for hitch receivers and is an expensive tube. The inside surface is smooth and the inside dimension is tightly controlled. Most of the fakes are using standard square tubing which is much cheaper and there is no quality control on the inside surface.
If you bought it from Blaine then call him and he will make it right.
Because you said that you can see the weld down the inside, that tells me that you do not have a Blaine Merrell made hitch.
Also Blaine has a special jig made up. All of the pieces get mounted on that jig before welding. So errors in assembly are almost impossible.
Call Blaine.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
[Updated on: Sun, 14 September 2014 09:00] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Blaine Merrell Hitch [message #261798 is a reply to message #261787] |
Sat, 13 September 2014 21:34 |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Hitch stock is DOM tube (drawn over mandrel), it has no seam. It's not so much that the DOM tube is stronger than induction welded tube (not sure it even is) as much as it is the distortion caused by the welding process and the weld proud sticking inside the tube.
A solution is to take a long shaft carbide burr on die grinder and remove the weld proud inside the tube. There are some other ways but unless you have a fab shop it's probably not worth describing them.
The die grinder will only take 15-20 minutes to remove the proud but watch out for the metal slivers. They will EAT YOU UP! Be sure and wear safety glasses. A double cut burr is best. It makes chips instead of slivers.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: Blaine Merrell Hitch [message #261812 is a reply to message #261802] |
Sun, 14 September 2014 07:03 |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Harry wrote on Sat, 13 September 2014 22:49DOM tubing does have a seam. But it is a very fine, smooth seam.
Yes, I should have been more clear. The weld seam on most DOM is virtually invisible because it is cold drawn over a mandrel to ensure it has uniform dimensions both inside and out. The drawing process also relieves internal stresses in the tube.
I work with regular welded tube every day and because of the stresses left in the metal by the induction welding and manufacturing process, you never know how the metal is going to react when you cut a piece off a larger stick. The weld side can go up, down, or even twist.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: Blaine Merrell Hitch [message #261819 is a reply to message #261812] |
Sun, 14 September 2014 08:57 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Years ago in a previous life I worked in a seamless tube mill. We made seamless pipe for high pressure applications and for the oil industry. One day the company came out with a special set of square dies and we made some square seamless stuff. It made for a interesting run because the conveyors could run the pipe one direction when it got to points where the pipe was expected to roll sideways it would not do it. So they had to pick up the squares by crane to move them. When it got to the pressure tester the pipe was expected to roll into it and could not do it. So we had a crew of men that had to hook on to it with cables and drag it into the tester. The tester what a high pressure thing that tried to blow up the pipe to make sure there were no flaws in it. I never knew what they used that square high pressure seamless for or who the customer was. Someone said it was for the government. I only saw it run once.
That steel mill is long gone now. I do not know what company, if any, makes seamless pipe anymore. We also made butt weld pipe in the mill next door to us. My dad worked there at one time as a craneman.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: Blaine Merrell Hitch [message #261850 is a reply to message #261819] |
Sun, 14 September 2014 12:48 |
Bob de Kruyff
Messages: 4260
Registered: January 2004
Location: Chandler, AZ
Karma: 1
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Ken Burton wrote on Sun, 14 September 2014 07:57Years ago in a previous life I worked in a seamless tube mill. We made seamless pipe for high pressure applications and for the oil industry. One day the company came out with a special set of square dies and we made some square seamless stuff. It made for a interesting run because the conveyors could run the pipe one direction when it got to points where the pipe was expected to roll sideways it would not do it. So they had to pick up the squares by crane to move them. When it got to the pressure tester the pipe was expected to roll into it and could not do it. So we had a crew of men that had to hook on to it with cables and drag it into the tester. The tester what a high pressure thing that tried to blow up the pipe to make sure there were no flaws in it. I never knew what they used that square high pressure seamless for or who the customer was. Someone said it was for the government. I only saw it run once.
That steel mill is long gone now. I do not know what company, if any, makes seamless pipe anymore. We also made butt weld pipe in the mill next door to us. My dad worked there at one time as a craneman.
Sounds like they discovered hydro forming and didn't even know it 
Bob de Kruyff
78 Eleganza
Chandler, AZ
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