[Pete Vermont]

HERE IS THE ANSWER, I think:

After checking with the Hensley company and finding that they are aware of the problem but had no solution yet, I did some research of my own.

I spent some time under my Tahoe with a tape measure and good lighting to examine the whole thing. It seems to me that there is a fairly simple solution providing you have it done by a certified welder. And it looks like GM even considered the possibility someone would need to cut away the phony plastic wrap around trip as they have included extra "tabs" about 6 inches either side of the hitch which can be used to hold everything in place once you cut away the plastic for the hitch modification.

Here is what needs to be done:

1. Cut an 8-inch wide opening in the plastic right under the present receiver.

2. Weld a new receiver directly under the existing one.

3. Weld triangular support gussets of 3/8ths steel to either side of the new receiver and to the bottom of the factory installed hitch system. (These would be about 3 inches high and 5 inches along the top where welded to the existing hitch.) The diagonal length going back down to the end of the 3.5 inch piece would be about 5.75 inches. Steel triangles 3/8ths thick on both sides of the new hitch receiver welding it to the main horizontal framework of the existing factory hitch ought to reinforce it enough to hold anything. (I'd weld both sides of these plates, not just tack them in place.)

4. If it looks necessary, a similar triangular piece could be welded from the back edge of the new receiver, going forward to the two triangular side gusset plates.

I have made an appointment to have this done next week.

I have towed tens of thousands of miles with heavy loads on flatbed trailers and a Chevy 3/4 ton pick up with the 454 engine. And I've experienced various hitch failures, including tearing through the factory right angle bend they make to create the tabs to bolt the aftermarket hitch to the frame. That's 1/4 inch steel but the bend weakens it. Since then the first thing I've done with a new truck and hitch was to have triangular gussets welded into these bends as reinforcement.

I have a big industrial trailer and truck dealer near me who has modified my flatbed trailers before and can do just about anything on construction equipment trailers and over-the-road haulers.

I'll let everyone know how my proposed system works out and I if everything tests ok, I'll make up a drawing for posting here.