Method of forming a trailer receiver tube using hollow forward extrusion

A method for forming a receiver tube that is adapted to receive a hitch bar, the method comprising:

• providing a die, the die defining a die cavity with a first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the die having an upper surface and the second portion of the die having a lateral cross-section that is smaller than a lateral cross-section of the first portion;
• providing a hollow tube having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• providing a punch having a head a body and a shaft, the head having a greater cross-section than both the body and the first portion of the die and including a lower surface thereon, the shaft extending from the body and being sized to fit within the hollow tube;
• loading the hollow tube within the first portion of the die;
• inserting the punch into the hollow tube such that the body abuts an end of the hollow tube;
• and
• advancing the punch toward the die such that the lower surface of the punch head contacts the upper surface of the die, resulting in only a portion of the hollow tube being extruded into the second portion of the die, the portion of the hollow tube in the second portion of the die forming a body portion of the receiver tube and an associated portion of the hollow tube remaining in the first portion of the die forming a head portion of the receiver tube, wherein the head portion of the receiver tube is sized to a predetermined axial length as a result of the contact between the lower surface of the punch head and the upper surface of the die.