# Hitch not in use Law?



## bowo (Dec 9, 2004)

Looked on the WEB but could not find anything about a law in Michigan that does not allow a hitch to be attached to the receiver when a trailer is not in use. I have heard both sides but was looking for the a link that states it is illegal. Or is it?


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## tgafish (Jan 19, 2001)

Not sure if it's a law but it's always a good idea for numerous reasons.


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## bowo (Dec 9, 2004)

tgafish said:


> Not sure if it's a law but it's always a good idea for numerous reasons.


People walk into them in parking lots, steal them . . .
There are many reasons to take them off but I am after if there is a law or not. All I could find on the Michigan State Police site is "Illegal Trailering" codes.


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## walleyechaser (Jan 12, 2001)

bowo said:


> Looked on the WEB but could not find anything about a law in Michigan that does not allow a hitch to be attached to the receiver when a trailer is not in use. I have heard both sides but was looking for the a link that states it is illegal. Or is it?


Never in my life heard this and I along with many others leave their hitch in.


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## wally-eye (Oct 27, 2004)

Don't know about the law but I "always" remove mine now. Seemed when I was at wally world someone wanted it more than me..........was there when I went into the store and not there when I got back out.............:rant:

Now that I think about it I think I read something about it as it pertained to accidents etc. More dangerous if rear ended........gonna have to research it some.


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## boehr (Jan 31, 2000)

No such law, mine gets left in and I suspect if a person wanted to try to steal it they would have one heck of a time since it has been in there for many, many years now. CO vehicles get left in too.


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## bowo (Dec 9, 2004)

wally-eye said:


> Don't know about the law but I "always" remove mine now. Seemed when I was at wally world someone wanted it more than me..........was there when I went into the store and not there when I got back out.............:rant:
> 
> Now that I think about it I think I read something about it as it pertained to accidents etc. More dangerous if rear ended........gonna have to research it some.


Been hit twice at low speed and the hitch saved my bumper. I expect high speed would do some radiator damage to the other vehicle. If it reaches their shifter they have bigger problems than my hitch. 
Da Govenment Dudes think of everything so if there is a ticket waiting for me I would take it off more often.


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## steelsetter (Dec 14, 2003)

wally-eye said:


> Don't know about the law but I "always" remove mine now. Seemed when I was at wally world someone wanted it more than me..........was there when I went into the store and not there when I got back out.............:rant:
> 
> Now that I think about it I think I read something about it as it pertained to accidents etc. More dangerous if rear ended........gonna have to research it some.


or shoulder bolt with self locking Stainless steel nuts (2) have kept mine where it belongs for years now.

I lost a couple before with the standard hitch pins and then went to this rig to at least slow em down which might make them think twice about it.

Although do criminals really "think"? 


When I owned my welding business I charged $20.00 to burn off those fancy schmazy lockable ones, which by the way are almost all keyed alike....


Bought some nice lunches on the dough from "lost key syndrome"


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## jpollman (Jan 14, 2001)

Mine got put in about two days after I got my truck in Aug. 2003 and hasn't been taken out since. It's locked in there pretty securely. I've never heard of a law like that either.

John


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## Cpt.Chaos (May 28, 2006)

I usually leave them out now, but back in the day when I was driving what could be best described as "whoopdies" I had the biggest, meanest and gnarliest hitch ever created by man. It was adjusted, with a pintle at the bottom and a adjustable area for the heighth of the ball to be raised or lowered. Weight was probably around 75lbs.! Well it saved my trucks twice and only destroyed the '94 New Yorker that rear-ended me at 9 and Harper, poor guy had it 2 days!


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## Hemidan (Jul 27, 2007)

I never heard of such a law(if there is one)
Every truck I've owned,I have always left it on.Had one stolen,so I bought a lock.
I currently have a 10" drop on my truck:evil: I dare you to hit me...ouch


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## tdduckman (Jan 17, 2001)

I am trouble if its against the law because mine is so rusted in that it would take a torch to cut out!


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## JWICKLUND (Feb 13, 2005)

Their is no law regarding hitches and removal. I know a CO who had his taken while he was out in the boat. Kinda tough to pull the boat home without it. :lol:


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## DANIEL MARK ZAPOLSKI (Sep 23, 2002)

:woohoo1::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: you sure can tell when hunting season is over:lol:


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

No such law but there are some types of hitches that obsure the plate and that is against the motor vehicle code.


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

Boy if there is a law. I have been a violator since I started driving.


Shhhhhh don't give them any more ideas on how to get our money to waste it.


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

M1Garand said:


> No such law but there are some types of hitches that obsure the plate and that is against the motor vehicle code.



Maybe this is how this discussion about hitches all started. Somebody got pulled over because their big old honking hitch was blocking a LEOs view of the vehicles license plate. From that the rumor started that hitches left in were illegal.


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## 2 pines (Jan 26, 2007)

I was pulled over and ran my mouth when I should have just shut up, so the cop wrote me a ticket for obstructed plate


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## JWICKLUND (Feb 13, 2005)

I have seen some pretty extreme hitch insert/covers. I have seen propellors, deer heads, fish, lighted ones and blinking ones. I believe the blinking and lighted ones (that stay on) would be illegal and I agree with the masses on the ones that block or obstruct the license plate.


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## dtg (Jun 5, 2003)

I left mine in for a period of time.......then I bought a hitch mounted cargo platform. That thing had been in there long enough I had to pay someone to put a torch to it and knock it out. Took them about 20-30 minutes.:lol: That guy told me next time, smear some tranny fluid on the male end.

I had an '86 Full size Bronco many years back and an old lady pulled in behind me on some off street parking. We felt a large bump, got out to investigate and no damage to me, but her car hit my hitch and ruined her bumper.:lol:

Now the bad side to leaving it in. I was up in the Cadillac are for some canoing with some friends and had to go to the back of my truck for something. It was pitch black and my rearend was AWAY from the fire YEP, I RAMMED my shin right into the hitch. I got back to the fire and sat down and a few people asked what happened to your shin(there was a HUGE lump there in short time) I said, didn't you hear the string of obscenities coming from behind my truck????:lol::lol: NEVER did _*that*_ again!!!!!:smile-mad


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