Abstract: A weight distribution hitch system has a head and a horn which are readily separable. The horn is attachable to the towing vehicle. Forward of the hitch ball, the head includes a downwardly projecting hook portion. The head defines a head hitch pin opening spaced from the hook portion, and the mating interaction between the hook portion and the rest recess allow the horn hitch pin opening to be aligned relative to the head hitch pin opening to allow insertion of a hitch pin to complete the hitching connection. Two snap-up brackets are attached to the trailer frame and used to lift the weight distribution spring bars each using a handle. The head with its hitch ball and weight distribution spring bars as well as the snap-up brackets can be left attached to the trailer frame even when not being towed.

Abstract: A tailgate hitch sensor system is installed by mounting a housing around the end of a receiver tube on the back of a hitch, and then plugging the system into both the OEM passenger side tailgate locking mechanism and the OEM driver side tailgate locking mechanism. A magnetically operated reed switch is positioned at the top of the housing, and a cover supporting a magnet is pivotally hinged to the housing so the cover has a normally closed position covering the receiver tube. When the cover is closed, the tailgate operates normally. When the cover is open, the electrical circuit for at least one stage of lowering the tailgate is de-activated.

Abstract: A removable gooseneck hitch ball has a hitch ball extending over a neck and supported by a shank, possibly with the hitch ball on a pivoting head. The shank has a plurality of arc contact surfaces (such as four) collectively defining a cylinder centered on the shank's central axis. Flat contact surfaces extend parallel to the shank's central axis and inside the cylinder defined by the arc contact surfaces (such as four flat contact surfaces defining a square). The shank can be matingly received in a cylindrical socket of the towing vehicle with the arc surfaces in contact with the cylindrical socket or can be matingly received in a prism shaped (square in horizontal cross-section) socket with the flat surfaces in contact with the prism shaped socket.

Abstract: A hitch tightener is used around the lip of a hitch receiver tube and a shank inserted into the hitch receiver tube. The hitch tightener has a U-bolt with two threaded legs, and a crossbar with throughholes for the legs of the U-bolt, positioned so the crossbar and the U-bolt encircle the shank and the receiver tube lip. A standard threaded nut holds the crossbar onto one of the legs, and a cam lock lever is pivotally attached on the other leg by a threaded trunnion nut. When the cam lock lever is pivoted from its opened position to its closed position, it moves the crossbar toward the connecting portion of the clamp component, tightening the hitch tightener around shank and lip.

Abstract: A hitch tightener is used around the lip of a hitch receiver tube and a shank inserted into the hitch receiver tube. The hitch tightener has a U-bolt with two threaded legs, and a crossbar with throughholes for the legs of the U-bolt, positioned so the crossbar and the U-bolt encircle the shank and the receiver tube lip. A standard threaded nut holds the crossbar onto one of the legs, and a cam lock lever is pivotally attached on the other leg by a threaded trunnion nut. When the cam lock lever is pivoted from its opened position to its closed position, it moves the crossbar toward the connecting portion of the clamp component, tightening the hitch tightener around shank and lip.

Abstract: A fifth wheel hitch has a base attachable to a towing vehicle, a seat attachable at a selected elevation above the base, and a kingpin adapter attachable to a kingpin of a trailer so as to permit rotation of the kingpin adapter relative to the kingpin about a kingpin rotation axis. The seat has a mouth which narrows in the longitudinal direction, such as by having a pyramidal shape. A bottom of the kingpin adapter has a shape which can cause both pivoting rotation of the kingpin adapter relative to the kingpin and longitudinal or transverse translational movement of the kingpin adapter and attached kingpin when the towing vehicle is driven to a position with the seat under the bottom of the kingpin adapter and the kingpin is jacked down so the kingpin adapter seats into the seat. Polymer handgrips on the base facilitate handling of the fifth wheel hitch.

Abstract: A towing electrical connection, for at least four different wires, is made by face contact elements exposed on one side of a housing, such as in an adapter piece having a standard configuration of prongs/sockets on a back side. The adapter piece can be plugged onto the standard electrical plug of a towing vehicle or trailer a single time, leaving the face contact elements exposed for repeated connection and disconnection each time the trailer is connected or disconnected from the towing vehicle. A magnetic attraction force is used to pull and hold the face contact elements in electrical connection, such as by magnets insert molded into a housing of the adapter piece(s) immediately adjacent the exposed face contact elements. A short twisting rotation of the adapter piece about a longitudinal axis is preferably used during connection and disconnection.

Abstract: A quick mount hitch connection for supports a towing accessory from a towing vehicle. An accessory shank is received within a sloped channel structure rising upwardly and rearwardly from horizontal. One of the faces defining the channel is open. A pivot bearing is provided along a bottom of the channel, such as by a pivot bar supported by the side walls of the channel structure and extending into the channel. A securing connector is provided at a location spaced from the pivot bearing, which can be removably fastened to simultaneously hold the accessory shank against the pivot bearing and to prevent the accessory shank from pivoting in the channel. The connection allows quick attachment, quick lowering, and changing the accessory from a usage position to a stowage position all by hand and without any tools.

Abstract: A bike rack is mountable from a traditional receiver hitch and utilizes at least one of the two pedal crank arms of the bike for securing and supporting the bike. The pedal crank arm is received in a pedal crank receiver which tightens to the pedal crank arm and holds the pedal crank arm in a set rotational position. The pedal crank receiver is connected to a main shank of the bike rack for supporting the weight of the bike from the receiver hitch. The bike rack also includes a cradle supporting the bottom bracket shell of the bike, and a second support structure which holds the bike at a location spaced from the pedal crank receiver, both connected to the main shank.

Abstract: A fifth wheel hitch has a base attachable to a towing vehicle, a seat attachable at a selected elevation above the base, and a kingpin adapter attachable to a kingpin of a trailer so as to permit rotation of the kingpin adapter relative to the kingpin about a kingpin rotation axis. The seat has a mouth which narrows in the longitudinal direction, such as by having a pyramidal shape. A bottom of the kingpin adapter has a shape which can cause both pivoting rotation of the kingpin adapter relative to the kingpin and longitudinal or transverse translational movement of the kingpin adapter and attached kingpin when the towing vehicle is driven to a position with the seat under the bottom of the kingpin adapter and the kingpin is jacked down so the kingpin adapter seats into the seat.

Abstract: A tailgate hitch sensor system is installed by mounting a housing around the end of a receiver tube on the back of a hitch, and then plugging the system into both the OEM passenger side tailgate locking mechanism and the OEM driver side tailgate locking mechanism. A magnetically operated reed switch is positioned at the top of the housing, and a cover supporting a magnet is pivotally hinged to the housing so the cover has a normally closed position covering the receiver tube. When the cover is closed, the tailgate operates normally. When the cover is open, the electrical circuit for at least one stage of lowering the tailgate is de-activated.

Abstract: A headache rack is formed substantially from sheet metal, including left and right uprights as part of a framing portion supporting a screen. The forward edge of the uprights has a concave curvature facing the cab and providing a cantilever, and a folded rearward edge causing the uprights to be considerably wider where they contact the pickup truck bed walls than they are at their tops. The framing portion is provided in three separable sections, connectable by the user using fasteners such as nuts and bolts, with a removable screen in the center frame portion.

Abstract: A stake pocket anchor attaches an accessory to a vehicle stake pocket. The stake pocket anchor includes an anchor assembly hung from a tensioning member. The anchor assembly includes two channel members slidably attached to sandwich a center block, with an angled slide direction that enables sliding either upwardly and inwardly to a minimum anchor assembly width or downwardly and outwardly to a maximum anchor assembly width. During use, the anchor assembly gravitationally releases to its maximum anchor assembly width after being inserted through the stake pocket opening. The tensioning member is then used to vertically raise the anchor assembly within the stake pocket until a top of the anchor assembly contacts a bottom surface of the lip and thereafter allows further tightening of the anchor assembly against the bottom surface of the lip.

Abstract: A headache rack is formed substantially from sheet metal, including left and right uprights as part of a framing portion supporting a screen. The forward edge of the uprights has a concave curvature facing the cab and providing a cantilever, and a folded rearward edge causing the uprights to be considerably wider where they contact the pickup truck bed walls than they are at their tops. The framing portion is provided in three separable sections, connectable by the user using fasteners such as nuts and bolts, with a removable screen in the center frame portion.

Abstract: A stake pocket anchor attaches an accessory to a vehicle stake pocket. The stake pocket anchor includes an anchor assembly hung from a tensioning member. The anchor assembly includes two channel members slidably attached to sandwich a center block, with an angled slide direction that enables sliding either upwardly and inwardly to a minimum anchor assembly width or downwardly and outwardly to a maximum anchor assembly width. During use, the anchor assembly gravitationally releases to its maximum anchor assembly width after being inserted through the stake pocket opening. The tensioning member is then used to vertically raise the anchor assembly within the stake pocket until a top of the anchor assembly contacts a bottom surface of the lip and thereafter allows further tightening of the anchor assembly against the bottom surface of the lip.

Abstract: A hollow tubular shape is extruded from aluminum and used as a basic building block for one or more different truck accessories, such as a side step, grill guard and headache rack. The outside of the hollow tubular shape provides flat surfaces and angled edges over most of its periphery, including a major wall and several side walls. An attachment wall opposite the major wall includes attachment slides that enable the extrusion to be attached in numerous configurations, including to attachment brackets. The interior of the extruded hollow tubular shape includes openings to receive end caps.

Abstract: A hollow tubular shape is extruded from aluminum and used as a basic building block for one or more different truck accessories, such as a side step, grill guard and headache rack. The outside of the hollow tubular shape provides flat surfaces and angled edges over most of its periphery, including a major wall and several side walls. An attachment wall opposite the major wall includes attachment slides that enable the extrusion to be attached in numerous configurations, including to attachment brackets. The interior of the extruded hollow tubular shape includes openings to receive end caps.