I take mine out.
These types of hitches are bolted directly to the frame and an impact can and does bend frames.
I was a passenger in my father's
little Ranger when I was a kid and we were hit by a gal going about 25 MPH, rear ended, glancing blow. They totaled the truck. Without the hitch, it'd have been a bumper and rear quarter panel.
https://sparebumper.com/common-trailer-hitch-mistake-youre-probably-making-right-now/Just lifted this off the innernet, as it is very similar to a few other articles I have read about this.
"It takes about an 8 mph impact to bend a uni-body frame and a 12 mph impact to bend a frame railed vehicle…but the further the drop on the ball mount the easier it is to bend the frame."
