Hitch installed off-center - Ideas?

[Columbia]

Greetings

finally installed the hitch I bought over a year ago. I'm slow; sue me. The off-center problem is the second half, down below. Another question is first:

It's the generic, fleabay, hitch. Had to grind away about an eighth of inch on the right swing-arm mount in order to fit in with the rear fender mounting arm which attaches to the swing-arm.

Followed directions. Really! Got around to installing the three bolts each side that mount the tow-frame to the swing-arm mounts.

No nuts for the bolts. Looked closer at the illustration and it shows bolt+lock nut going through the mount and into the frame. No nut.

Is that the usual way of things? Seems odd to me. I grabbed some right-sized nuts which will not go on since the lock-nut consumes most of the available thread on the bolt.

OFF CENTER BEGINS HERE...

And, as mentioned above, the center hole of the hitch is about a half-inch off center, to the left.

Both swing-arm mounts went on with little drama. The holes in the mounts align with the axle. Nothing appears out of line or skewed or jammed anywhere. Might the hitch have dropped in shipping and tweaked a little bit, sufficient to make the hitch off center?

Ideas? Ideas to pursue?
Many thanks.

 

[CopperSpyder]

The hitch may look off center, but look at the tire, is the hitch centered with the tire? Some think it's off center when looking at the swing arm sides (it's because of the belt pully on one side).

 

[TheMariner]

Generic eBay products are not known for their quality... as you have found. Missing, wrong and/or poor quality fasteners are typical with these products.

My suggestion is to toss the supplied fasteners in the bin and buy some known-quality ones that are the right length for the job. The last thing you want is the chinesium steel fasteners to break while you are towing.

It's doubful dropping it in shipping has moved things 1/2 inch... more like it wasn't manufactured properly in the first place. Like CS says above, check it against the centre of the tyre to be sure.

 

[Columbia]

Wife and I used the tire and the crease in the fender to measure the off-ness.

 

[jzeiler]

The hitch does look offset to the left but it is centered on the tire, at least my factor hitch is that way.

 

[Columbia]

I took the hitch off; makes me nervous to have it iffy.
Might this fall under the category of One of Life's Great Mysteries? I am not experienced with pulling a trailer. If the ball is mounted off-center, what effect might that have?
In looking at the hitch, the left side angles inward to the ball/attachment plate, as does the right. The left's angle is more acute, which makes sense: the drive sprocket takes up a fair amount of space, putting the side-arm further "outside." That sharper angle is needed to get the hitch to line up with the right side. (all rights/lefts looking forward from bike's hind end.) Right side is closer to the wheel--no sprocket to work around.
Anyway, it's a puzzle, a mystery, which will have to sit for awhile. We've got brilliant weather in central Oregon (though it is a tich too hot) and I want to get on the road...!
thanks for the ideas, guys.

 

[Gwolf]

Jack the rear tire just slightly off the floor. Drop a plumb bob in the center of the hitch hole and put a mark on the floor. Center the steering and find the exact middle between the 2 front tires. Pull a string (tight) from the center point of the front tires, to the mark on the floor which is the center of the hitch hole. Then look where the string goes under the rear tire. If it still looks centered under the tire, then you are aligned about as well as possible. If it still looks like it is badly off center, then you will need to cut a piece out of the ball mount plate, and weld another piece in the there with the hole centered.

The string checks if the rear tire is aligned from the middle of the front tires, back to the rear tire, and to the hitch hole. The tread marks on the back tire may not have one aligned with the center of the tire even though it looks like it is. If you have to move the hitch hole, it may not be possible to just weld up the old hole and drill a new one on center. The welding will harden the metal making it very difficult to drill. Cutting out a small 2" or 3'" square and welding a new piece in will be just as strong as if you could weld up the old hole and drill a new one, but you will not be trying to drill through a weld. You will need someone familiar with welding to fix the hitch. It will not be very secure to just slot the hole for the hitch ball.

 

[Columbia]

Gwolf
THANK YOU for the thought-full response and suggestions. Never would have crossed my mind. I will have to wait a few days before doing anything. I’ve taken the hitch off, leaving the mounts in place. Welding is far past my knowledge and experience, but I know a few outfits that do that.
Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed explanation.
Grateful.

 

[Gwolf]

Gwolf
THANK YOU for the thought-full response and suggestions. Never would have crossed my mind. I will have to wait a few days before doing anything. I’ve taken the hitch off, leaving the mounts in place. Welding is far past my knowledge and experience, but I know a few outfits that do that.
Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed explanation.
Grateful.

When checking if the hitch hole is in the center, you only check the width of the contact patch of the rear tire. You can use a small tri-square and mark it straight down from each side of the tire. Don't consider the extra width on either side for the rear pulley or the brake mechanism. The only part that is pulling on the pavement is the rubber of the tire. Those other parts may be what is making your hitch appear to be off center. If it is not off center, when measured properly, then you will not need to do any welding or drilling. You want the trailer tracking directly behind the Spyder tires. None of the other off-center looking stuff, like exhaust, or pulley, will matter, as long as the trailer follows the Spyder tires as close as possible.

 

[Columbia]

Thus far it has been eyeballs only, gauging off the Vredestein’s central tread pattern, itself about an inch wide.
I will make haste slowly.
Thanks, once again.