Towing a Scamp 13 with a 4cyl Subaru

[Byron Kinnaman]

My thoughts about anti-rattle devices and their need or NOT.
My insert has quite a bit of movement in the receiver when the trailer is not connected. Most of the movement is up and down, the pin restricts most of the side to side movement. Once hitched the up and down movement is generally stopped by the weight of the tongue. When everything is good the tongue weight holds the insert in place, no rattle. Once in a great while when going over a speed bump, or through a gas station apron I will hear a sound if I'm going to fast. It makes a nice reminder to slow down over this places. Therefore I don't feel the need to do anything to stop the "rattle".

[honda03842]

I bought Roadmaster's version today, not necessarily to eliminate the rattle but rather to see what that connection is like when it's further stiffened. Simply curiosity I guess.

Actually before McBrew's post I had never heard of an ant-rattle device.

[mcbrew]

I leave my ball mount in the receiver most of the time, because I tend to tow something at least once a week. It rattles more when there is no trailer holding it down. It even rattles when I close the rear hatch on my Outback.

When towing, it sometimes clunks when going over a speed bump or other irregularity. It is not only the noise that bothers me. If the ball mount moves, then the force transmitted will be more forceful than if it is held solid. Think of it like this: if you push down on a glass tabletop with 10 pounds of force, it likely won't break. But if you drop a 10 pound weight on it, it probably will. The ball hitch moving, then clunking, is like dropping a weight on it, rather than just having weight applied to it gently.

[mcbrew]

You'll find that there are many typed of anti-rattle... And some homemade remedies, as Donna mentioned.

I have used most types, other than the J style that needs a unique hitch to install. The ones that replace the hitch pin usually work well, but will usually mar the paint where they tighten up to the hitch. No big deal to most people.

The one I just bought is shaped like a squared U and hooks over the lip of the hitch opening (2" hitch only) and pulls the ball mount either up or down against the ball mount. I haven't used this style, but it gets good reviews. I'll let you all know after it arrives on Thursday. It is Roadmaster brand, and may be the same one Honda purchased. Etrailer has a video of it being installed. Item RM-061.

[Tim Wood]

All I did for an anti-rattle device is weld a bead on the tow bar, then grind off until it fits nice and tight. Works pretty darn nice.

[mcbrew]

Originally Posted by Tim Wood

All I did for an anti-rattle device is weld a bead on the tow bar, then grind off until it fits nice and tight. Works pretty darn nice.

Hey, that works, too! My tow bar is stainless, and my MIG welder is not set up for stainless welding at the moment... but $20-ish bucks for an anti-rattle device isn't too bad, either. The nice thing is that it works with other accessories, like a bike rack, too. In fact, I would recommend one for a bike rack more so than a ball mount... because a bike rack with multiple bikes tends to beat up a hitch more than a small trailer. It is easy to put 50-60 pounds of bikes on a 20 pound rack that is out on a nice two foot lever arm. That's a lot more force than my Scamp and its 140 pound tongue weight.

[Tim Wood]

Jesse, I actually did that on a bike rack. I have one of those double hitch things where the trailer connects on the bottom and the bike rack on the top. When I put the bike rack in, it was a little sloppy , so that was my fix.

[mcbrew]

I received my anti-rattle device for the hitch today (thanks, etrailer!). I installed it, and it seems to work just fine. I'll know for sure tomorrow, when I go to work a d hit all of the speed bumps in the parking lot.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by mcbrew

I received my anti-rattle device for the hitch today (thanks, etrailer!). I installed it, and it seems to work just fine. I'll know for sure tomorrow, when I go to work a d hit all of the speed bumps in the parking lot.

Mine came in the mail today. Honestly a minutes installation, less than the time to make "Donna's wood wedge"..... just kidding.

Seems simple and effective.

[Ken in SW VA]

That's a great idea. I once tried to use a feeler gauge to take up the slack, but it didn't work. I saw an anit-rattle device that looked like a muffler clamp and a piece of metal clamped over the removable part of the hitch. I guess it wouldn't take to much to hold it from bouncing as long as it was under constant tension, right?

[honda03842]

Ken,

Here's the one I bought from etrailer.

etrailer.com - roadmaster quiet hitch+

[Roger C H]

McBrew said:

"I did drive rather aggressively to get a good feel for the car/trailer combo."

Hmmm. I would think that one would drive less aggressively so that, being unfamiliar with the handling characteristics, if something untoward did occur, things wouldn't happen quite as quickly.

Anti-rattle. I merely slid a piece of plastic from some packaging between the receiver and the draw bar.

[mcbrew]

Nah... I'm already aware of the handling capabilities of the Scamp. The car handles even better then my old one, so I wasn't worried about it. I probably shouldn't have used the word 'aggressive'. My 'aggressive' is probably closer to everyone else's 'normal'.

[Ken in SW VA]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Ken,

Here's the one I bought from etrailer.

etrailer.com - roadmaster quiet hitch+

Thanks; I appreciate it. I took a look at it. It seems like a great simple fix. I may get one also. Take care, Ken

[Ken in SW VA]

Originally Posted by jimmy

Thanks to all who replied. We've now got a 13 on order and are looking forward to some new adventures. Jimmy.

Jimmy, be sure to let us know how it works out. We've ordered a 13 also and plan to pick it up next May. Ken

[DavidSo]

I have antirattled my hitch by drilling and tapping a 1/2" fine thread hole through the top of the reciever. I use a short grade 5 bolt in that hole. Slide in the stinger, tighten down the bolt, and you have a very solid connection. It just takes a second to back out the bolt with an adjustable wrench to remove the stinger.

David