Hitch question, which one?

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:54 pm

corwyyn wrote:

cdiekhans wrote:

The only thing that hangs down on the REESE is the Receiver..

I'm not sure what kind of hitch tom has, but here is a comparison anyway..

Tom's looks a bit like my U-haul hitch. Trying to remember who it's made by

yes mines a Uhaul hitch. I like the looks of the hidden hitch since you can't see my Kilby tank skid but it works so what the heck :wink:

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:15 am

Thanks for the tip!
Suggest grade 8 hardware for this?
(I'm lucky that my local, old-fashioned hardware store has a whole aisle devoted to stainless and high-grade hardware. It's a mom and pop operation, who'dda thought it?)

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 9:40 am

yes grade 8

i ended up having to use 12.9's which is for the most part a grade higher than grade 8 and typically only found in metric

theyre M12 coarse , i used 50mm long which would accomodate inclusion of skids later, with just the hitch i think you can safely get away with 40's

short of a neck as possible otherwise the neck and bottom out on the threads and cause false torques depending on how thick the flange on your mounting is

i don't remember what it was that someone mentioned using in the standard equivalent and whether or not they had to tap the threads to do so

KeswickDave · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 10:41 am

I have the OEM hitch, no good pictures of my rear end though!

Here's a side view if it helps, I can take a better picture if you like.

Yes, I know there is no nut on my ball :-)

Really moderator, I didn't intend to offend anyone! :wink:

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:30 pm

Thanks jeepinjarhead, after reading your post carefully, it sounds like that's a good approach... I'll prolly go slightly longish bolts, as a skidplate will eventually show up on my hind-end.
keswickdave, got it, thanks.
Thank you all for your thoughtful help and inputs.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:40 pm

now.. as for mounting a towhook ontop of the hitch mount, which is possible..

i swear someone said they used like a 120+ mm long bolt.. and i looked at those at fastenal ..

and all i could think was what the freak kind of towhook do the jeeps get in the rear that have a good 5-6 inches of cast iron to need a bolt that long?

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:43 pm

I would recommend not getting a bolt that is really too long, bc even though it is inside the "frame" it will eventually get rusty and then will become hard to remove.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 1:45 pm

50mm with skid and hitch should have about 4 or 5 threads through the frame

sound about right?

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 3:59 pm

Dont use Grade 8 bolts bc the buts in the frame are metric, so you will need either 10.9 or 12.9 bolts

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:26 pm

I'd already planned on a rustproof coating... living in the rust belt makes everything a disaster if it doesn't get rust-proofed. But I'm confused now about suggestions to use/not use grade 8. If the bolt is too long, I can always cut it down (about the only tool I'm good with is my Dremel, so I'm confident there... let me loose with a wrench, and I'll break bolts all day long!).

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 6:56 pm

i should have been more specific or atleast clearer

it's a metric dia. there won't be a standard "Grade 8" SAE size to get
people often still say grade 8 when referring to the 10.9's so i didn't even think about it

Grade 8 in metric is 10.9 like the guy said so you'd be looking for 10.9 hardness M12(12mm dia) 40 to 50 mm long coarse thread bolts

or you could drill it and tap it to a SAE size , or you could drill it and put nuts

I had trouble getting M12 anything's that were even close to 10.9 and ended up getting the 12.9's at fastenal

all i could find at lowes came out to be equivalent to about a grade 2

that wouldn't have gone too well

one hard snatch at the right angle and binding and be missing a hitch, rear bumper and probably my gas tank

oddball · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 7:49 pm

I was looking at the instructions that came with the Hidden Hitch on the rear of my KJ. It lists the following; OEM M12x1.75 bolts 40mm long. If that helps anyone.

JeepinJarhead03 · **Posted:** Wed Apr 08, 2009 8:45 pm

1.75 pitch = coarse if that helps too

metric goes dia x pitch of thread then length

strange fellas them Europeans :lol:

need a college education to buy parts!

MidnightLiberty · **Joined:** Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:42 pm **Posts:** 270

Here is my recently purchased Reese multi application 5000/6000 lb hitch. The receiver doesn't stick down much lower than the gas tank without a skid.

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Thu Apr 09, 2009 7:43 pm

Well, after all this digging and everything, the closest, bestest deal I got is actually the OEM, so I'm going that way. It should work fine enough.
I can't thank everyone enough for all the help and suggestions.

I can hardly wait... will post pics once done.

NTJEEP · **Posted:** Fri Apr 10, 2009 1:56 am

Hey guys, can anyone supply pics of the actual connections to chassis? i would like to get one made (my son in law is a welder) so some pics, diagrams of a good quality Draw bar (you guys call em Hitches??) would be appreciated. With sizes of steel of course?

Cheers

jsc7002 · **Posted:** Fri Apr 10, 2009 10:58 am

NTJEEP wrote:

Hey guys, can anyone supply pics of the actual connections to chassis? i would like to get one made (my son in law is a welder) so some pics, diagrams of a good quality Draw bar (you guys call em Hitches??) would be appreciated. With sizes of steel of course?

Cheers

if your going to make one be sure to use 1/4" steel for your mounting, a minimum of 2x2x1/4" I used 3.5x3.5x1/4" on mine

NTJEEP · **Posted:** Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:42 pm

[quote="MidnightLiberty"]Here is my recently purchased Reese multi application 5000/6000 lb hitch. The receiver doesn't stick down much lower than the gas tank without a skid.

OK, so that Reese looks like it is adjustable? and then locked into place via 2 only bolts. This seems like a lot of fail points (potential). In the event of a hard snatch out, do you think this is OK? It looks to be about 2'' x 2'' box steel, connected to 2x2 angle, is that right? If i make my own, just want to be sure its going to last the distance! I heard somewhere that you can generate up to 8000 lb force when snatching.
Just my thoughts and any more info very welcome. Any pics of attachment?
Cheers Guys

NTJEEP · **Posted:** Fri Apr 10, 2009 9:48 pm

jsc7002 wrote:

NTJEEP wrote:

Hey guys, can anyone supply pics of the actual connections to chassis? i would like to get one made (my son in law is a welder) so some pics, diagrams of a good quality Draw bar (you guys call em Hitches??) would be appreciated. With sizes of steel of course?

Cheers

if your going to make one be sure to use 1/4" steel for your mounting, a minimum of 2x2x1/4" I used 3.5x3.5x1/4" on mine

Please elaborate on how you mounted it, Bolts through the box section?(3.5 x 3.5) (upwards or sideways mounted?)then the cross member (what the hitch is monted to) is mounted below that? Sorry for all the posts guys, just want the best possible outcome!

tomsjeep · **Posted:** Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:59 am

Well, yesterday the weather was nice and warm, so I got all my tools out and crawled up under my Jeep to install my OEM hitch.

Boy was that ever an event. I should have filmed it.
First I discovered that my father (God rest his soul) had pilfered sockets out of my toolbox, so that I lacked the necessary socket. I "made do" (you know where this is headed, right?) with an SAE size that was a close, snug fit, and crawled up under the Jeep, muscled the receiver into position and finally got a pair of bolts hand-snugged into place to hold it.
Started wrenching. Got 5 out of the 6 bolts kinda bolted in before banging my head on the diff case. Just lovely.
Then my socket got stuck. Close but not close enough. Banged on it until I got it loose. Went back to the toolbox for another try. No 18mm socket, crescent wrench a total pain to use in these circumstances. So...
I think I'll drive down the hill to my local shop Monday morning and ask them - amidst all the laughter - to finish the job up for me.
When they handed out mechanical skills, everyone in my family must have gotten in the car and gone out for ice cream instead.
The good news is this all lines up well, should (if you're not a dummy like me) bolt right into place easily, and doesn't interfere with anything. I can hardly wait!

Hitch question, which one?

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