LOST JEEPS :: View topic - Feeler- FRONT Receiver Hitch Fabrication

Why a front hitch?

1) I like mine for manuvering my fishing boat into the water since it is easier too see the little boat when it is in front of me.
2) Great recovery point or in this case points.
3) If I am pulling a travel trailer I can put my bike carrier on the front and carry my bikes up there.
4) Winch, Step, Spare Tire any number of removable accessories.

Tim: I have been running this hitch for over a year. It bolts between the frame rails and works great with no impact on cooling. It is too bad that Drawtite decided to quit making it and if Landy is going to make a batch I would grab one up.

Joe: Go to the bottom of all the forums and it is in the KJ Owners sale area. To install you remove the bumper cover, grill and the front covers off the frame rails. You bolt through to two existing holes on the bottom of the frame rails and drill a third on each side. You cut a little notch in the bumper cover then put it all back together.

This is a one time chance folks with all of the manufactures out of the business. If you buy it and don't use it you will easily be able to re-sell in the future unless Landy builds a thousand of them.

Author:	jsc7002 [ Sat Oct 20, 2007 4:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Feeler- FRONT Receiver Hitch Fabrication
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Last week I bought a new old stock FRONT receiver hitch from a LOST member. Obviously, unless we find a used one or get lucky like I did and find a new old stock one, you will not find one since new production appears to have ceased. Someone correct me here and I'll pursue this no further... I am a Plant Manager in a fabrication and weld shop. IF there is enough interest, I would be willing to build some of these for LOST members. I sketched and dimensioned the new old stock Draw-Tite FRONT receiver hitch and if we do build some units, they would be very much the same style of unit built from all 1/4" materials, CNC punched and jig welded by certified welders (we are a factory) and I could even get them powder coated. I'd be willing to do this probably just this one time and I'm not looking to get rich what-so-ever. Before I'd know cost, I need to know HOW MANY and I would amoztize the cost of laobr and materials across the quantity. I would like to have a minimum order of 10 and I'd only do this on a pre-paid order. The Draw-Tite unit does have 5/8's" tow loops welded on each end. We'd offer the same thing. the quote for the powder came back at $25.00 each. That's excellent. This is not yet a quote; I'm going to get everyone a good deal here. You're getting my time involved for 0. There is dimensioning. Programming. Jig building. Punching. Forming. Sawing. Material handling. Welding. Packaging. Handling. Ship to powder coat. Handling. Re-gackage and labeling for the ship to you. Some of this you're getting for 0 or for very minimal charges. I ran these through the quote process at the shop today. 10 units came in at $214.00 each. Read on, don't panic. That would be your price if you walked in off the street. When the Draw-Tite factory built their units, there were mass-produced and materials were no doubt bought in mass bulk and amortized over many units. I think the Draw-Tite units cost what new? $140.00 - $150.00 neighborhood? Then $30.00+ for ship each. What were guys paying shipped to their doors? $180.00? I do not know. But I bet that's at least close. I'm trying to come in with 10 units somewhere around $125.00 each including the powder coat paint. If I can beat that down some, I will. If we make nutbars also for the inside of the frame (with the nuts welded on already for you), we'll be at the $125.00 for sure probably... Let's keep the order interest open for a week or so. I'm doing this once so the more we get, the cheaper I can get the materials. I can try to get a batch ship price too. So, where is everybody at here? Post here if there is interest and I'll figure out a price at that point. -This is a feeler post. http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/...ic.php?t=25476 Landy

Author:	tim wulf [ Sat Oct 20, 2007 11:33 pm ]
Post subject:
I thought about a front reciever hitch but was worried about blocking off cooling air. Do you think this is a concern? The diesel's front cooling capacity is marginal at best.

Author:	Joe Romas [ Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:56 am ]
Post subject:
For some reason I can't get to the link. I'm interested, do you have any pictures of the installation? Thanks Joe

Author:	Cowcatcher [ Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:01 pm ]
Post subject:
Why a front hitch? 1) I like mine for manuvering my fishing boat into the water since it is easier too see the little boat when it is in front of me. 2) Great recovery point or in this case points. 3) If I am pulling a travel trailer I can put my bike carrier on the front and carry my bikes up there. 4) Winch, Step, Spare Tire any number of removable accessories. Tim: I have been running this hitch for over a year. It bolts between the frame rails and works great with no impact on cooling. It is too bad that Drawtite decided to quit making it and if Landy is going to make a batch I would grab one up. Joe: Go to the bottom of all the forums and it is in the KJ Owners sale area. To install you remove the bumper cover, grill and the front covers off the frame rails. You bolt through to two existing holes on the bottom of the frame rails and drill a third on each side. You cut a little notch in the bumper cover then put it all back together. This is a one time chance folks with all of the manufactures out of the business. If you buy it and don't use it you will easily be able to re-sell in the future unless Landy builds a thousand of them.

Author:	stump doctor [ Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:04 pm ]
Post subject:
I will take one

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Feeler- FRONT Receiver Hitch Fabrication http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=25655	Page 1 of 1

Author:	forensic [ Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:
sign me up!

Author:	Cowcatcher [ Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:
So you don't miss out on this I would post your interest in the original topic or it might get missed. Find it here: http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... 76&start=0

Author:	Goglio704 [ Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:24 pm ]
Post subject:
Cowcatcher wrote: Why a front hitch? 1) I like mine for manuvering my fishing boat into the water since it is easier too see the little boat when it is in front of me. 2) Great recovery point or in this case points. 3) If I am pulling a travel trailer I can put my bike carrier on the front and carry my bikes up there. 4) Winch, Step, Spare Tire any number of removable accessories. Tim: I have been running this hitch for over a year. It bolts between the frame rails and works great with no impact on cooling. It is too bad that Drawtite decided to quit making it and if Landy is going to make a batch I would grab one up. Joe: Go to the bottom of all the forums and it is in the KJ Owners sale area. To install you remove the bumper cover, grill and the front covers off the frame rails. You bolt through to two existing holes on the bottom of the frame rails and drill a third on each side. You cut a little notch in the bumper cover then put it all back together. This is a one time chance folks with all of the manufactures out of the business. If you buy it and don't use it you will easily be able to re-sell in the future unless Landy builds a thousand of them. Ditto.

Author:	geordi [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:03 am ]
Post subject:
Count me in! I also have another potential use for it in addition to what's already mentioned: Towbar for an RV! Connecting a 2" box bar with a ball cup on the end makes for a quick and easy drawbar for behind the RV. And it doesn't need to swivel, (none do) all it needs to do is have a small vertical pivot point, to allow for hills. I know I could build that easily. Why not just use the commercial tow bar products? B/c they all seem to require removal of any other front accessories to use, and they also leave holes in 2 locations on the bumper cover, instead of just one convenient center point. I'm just thinking about how I would fabricate a vertical pivot that doesn't also swivel... And I think if the 2" box bar were 2 pieces, with a small section of solid 1 1/4" bar inside it, bolted with grade 8 bolts... that might do it. Ahh, I'll talk to Landy about ideas if there is enough interest, maybe he could do something as a one-off. --Jim

Author:	PhoenixCRD [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:	Count me in
I already have a Warn cradle winch and this would solve my "how to put a winch on" problem. Gary

Author:	crdmike [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:31 pm ]
Post subject:
I'm out

Author:	Sir Sam [ Mon Oct 22, 2007 7:00 pm ]
Post subject:
crdmike wrote: Put me in for one! Not ready to buy one now, but sometime in the next year or so I would like to be able to.

Author:	jsc7002 [ Tue Oct 23, 2007 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:
Sir Sam wrote: Not ready to buy one now, but sometime in the next year or so I would like to be able to. well keep in mid sam that this is a one time deal, it'll be very hard to find a front hitch after this b/c no one makes them anymore heres the link again be sure to post here if you want one, for those of you that have already posted here I will move you over to the correct spot and also he is wanting the money in advance, last I heard it is $125 for the hitch and powder coating and shipping is on you and the price will not be jacked up any http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/vie ... hp?t=25476

Author:	jsc7002 [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 12:48 pm ]
Post subject:
if you are still wanting one you need to PM landy with your name and adress so he can get all the metal ordered and a shipping estimate for you thanks

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