Front hitch receiver fabrication

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 4:24 pm

Alright, I am planning on fabricating my own homebrew front hitch receiver.

So far I have obtained a Front hitch receiver from Tractor Trailer Supply (www.mytscstore.com) Part number 18-90424, list price $22.04
I also have some 3x3x1/4" angle that I will cut to length to fit between my tow hooks, I will have to add a spacer block or trim my bumper cover to make the hitch tube fit.

I will detail the build-up with photos and maybe even a autocad drawing.

If anyone has any advice, please throw in your $.02, if not, please feel free to watch this build-up thread.
-Mark

Christopher · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:20 pm

I just completed my bumper with a hitch. The only suggestion I have for you ist to make a plate with three nuts on it and weld that inside the "frame". I guess if you are only doing the hitch you will probably be able to access those nuts hugh? well just a thought, what I ended up doin.

Chris

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:25 pm

hey Christopher do you have pics of your bumper?

Christopher · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:15 pm

Yeah, I got some pics. Just no place to host them. You can PM your email and I will send them to ya.

Chris

Christopher · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:36 pm

okay lets try this, sorry never posted a pic befor. Trial and error I guess.

Chris

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:15 pm

whats that thing weigh? it looks like it'd be alot hopefully its not too much
im getting ready to start my own bumper but its gonna be like JJsKJ's ALL J bumper just plain and simple and it should weigh in around #60 :twisted:

light and strong i believe the metal im using is about 6mm or just under 1/4"
do you have any advice for me?

Christopher · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:18 pm

check out the main bumper thread..... not to heavy at all. Probably 60ish, maybe 70 at the most.

Chris

riptricket · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:23 pm

what is that made of?

Christopher · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 8:31 pm

all this stuff is in the bumper thread but the shell is 3/16 steel. 1/4 thick 2inch square stock off the "frame" and to the hitch.

Chris

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:38 pm

Nice Bumper Chris, the only thing I would change on the thing would be to mount some lights on it, or better yet in it.... what tools did you have at your disposal? A plasma would make some nice circles with the right template for some hella 500's :twisted:

I was contemplating how to mount the plate tonight, I like the idea of the plate with the nuts on it, I was also contemplating weld-nuts, or even nut-zerts.

I'll keep up the post.

I'm also machining a bracket to mount my CB antenna off the spare tire lugnuts. My main thing that I would like to improve over the kirby design is that I plan on threading the OD of the part that will replace the nut, and tapping the ID of the antenna mounting point to allow me to use a lock-nut to fix it in position versus the collar type clamp that Kirby uses.

Also, the threads appear to be 1/2-20 UNF for the studs on our wheels.

I'll make a thread when I am done, and I might even have more than one made if I have to buy any more taps :roll:

Thanks for the advice!
-Mark

Christopher · **Posted:** Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:28 am

Luckily my uncle has a nice welder and a plasma. Makes it nice to cut a lot of angles. I would like to mount a cb antenna as well. I am not to fond of the spare tire antenna mount though. Just personal preference.

Chris

Landy · **Posted:** Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:11 pm

DK,
I dunno if this will help you, but the existing frame holes on my '06 measure:
2.156 x 30.293 and the holes are .490 (or 2-5/32"s x 30-19/64"s drill the holes 1/2")
+1 I totally agree with welding the nuts onto the inner support plate. I will be doing the exact same thing.

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:26 pm

Landy, I failed to mention that I already have the factory tow hooks, and since I have already cut the notches in my bumper cover, I was going to try and reuse the location. You might be onto something though, you don't have the distance between centers for the holes do you? I rember there being some float when I installed the tow hooks, to allow you to center them in the cut-outs.

I should be getting to the project either tomorrow night, or during this week coming.

I just need to get a rivet gun that will allow me to use the plastic rivets, the diameter on the part that gets pulled on the plastic rivets (for the bumper cover) is extremely large compared to your normal metal rivets.

Thanks for the help!
-Mark

Landy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:33 pm

Hi Mark. Yes, if I understand what you're asking, the dimensions I listed were the actual hole center dimensions, as measured on my individual 2006.

2.156 x 30.293 and the holes are .490 (or 2-5/32"s x 30-19/64"s drill the holes 1/2") Hope this helps you!

Sorry, I work in a shop and I speak decimal as related to calipers.

Let me know if you need another support view/pic and I'll try and take one for you. :wink:

Landy

Landy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:46 pm

Landy wrote:

Hi Mark. Yes, if I understand what you're asking, the dimensions I listed were the actual hole center dimensions, as measured on my individual 2006.

2.156 x 30.293 and the holes are .490 (or 2-5/32"s x 30-19/64"s drill the holes 1/2") Hope this helps you!

Sorry, I work in a shop and I speak decimal as related to calipers.

Let me know if you need another support view/pic and I'll try and take one for you. :wink:

Landy

Hey Mark,

Maybe make a cardboard template and layout the hole centers I listed, then hold it up in there under your frame and verify the hole centers that way. That'll let you do at least some validation before you spend any 'real' time and materials towards the project. Make your adjustments on a $10.00 piece of flatbar from Home Depot and then you'll have a good pattern for weldment location. Tack it together, hold the completed weldment up in there and validate. Then, use that same piece of flatbar tacked (tack it good) across your angle pieces to hold the parts so the heat from the weld doesn't move things around too much. Enjoy.

Best wishes,

Landy

Donkeykong · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:08 pm

Smacks forehead!
D'oh.... sorry landy, I don't know what I was thinking. (Or what I wasn't reading...) Anyway, you have saved me some time measuring withthe bumper off.... now I will have to make sure my metal I have is wide enough....
-Mark

Landy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 29, 2007 3:16 pm

Not a problem. I just want your project to go smooth for you!

Front hitch receiver fabrication

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