Need steel help / opinions?

[Kyle_W]

I have been trying to picture in my head and design the most ideal 2" hitch for my Jeep. I used to have one of the generic uHaul hitches - but thought it looked average - so I ended up with this design as a replacement:

The only thing I'm concerned about are those 4 slots cut out of the angle (the factory bumper is designed to slide through those slits and bolt up, so that I do not have to modify it at all), and wether or not they will compromise the integrity of the steel angle? For clarification, my photo shows a 1/4" steel angle. The steel shop I'm using says that they only offer 5/16" steel angle if I want 5x5" dimensions (which is required for correct fit around the factory bumper). So, 5/16" steel with slots cut in it? Is it nothing? I only am concerned because I'm going to use this hitch to tow small trailers and put a d-ring hitch into for recovery. Or actually is it complete overkill and damn heavy?

It's either go with this design, or weld the factory bumper to my piece of angle and then bolt the angle to my Jeep.

Also - those slots are only going to be 1/4" wide x 3" long at the most. They just need to be big enough to fit the wall thickness of the factory bumper. Which is 1/8" or 3/16" thick, I am not sure which one. So, the slots are going to be rather small.

Any opinions from experienced steel workers? Thanks!

 

[JeepNWilly]

I am not by any means and experienced steel worker but have done good amount of fabrication on my TJ.

My concern is the 1/4" steel angle at the center where the receiver goes may not hold up enough to tong weight or pull/push. The reason they normally use round tubes or square tube are for it being rigid like the box frame.

Also where would you mount the clevis tabs? The cross member on the TJ is not very strong that is why most hitch have brackets that support it to the frame.
Clevis are use for recovery incase you are stuck. I have had my front bumper bolts pulled right through the frame on a attempt at recovery.

 

[Mike_H]

I wouldn't do it like that...you're putting all of your tongue weight in a bending moment on that angle iron. In other words, the only thing holding the hitch from bending down toward earth is that web of steel in the corner of the angle iron. If you look at most hitch designs, the hitch is hanging from a beam that is bolted underneath or between the framerails. They load the bolts in shear (which they are designed for) and the load of the hitch is pulling on a beam that is supported on both ends. Make sense?

 

[JMT]

I'm not a steel worker, so I can't comment there, but as to the design, my only concern would be the actual hitch hanging beneath the bumper like that. I'm sure it will be welded on to the angle iron, but if you go over a ledge and hit that, I'm not sure how well it would hold up. A normal cargo hitch isn't just hanging down like that, but is supported on each side for 24-30 inches of square steel. Could you integrate it through the bumper somehow, so it's not hanging down by itself? The way you have it designed it'll be right behind the skid, and we all know that likes to hit stuff...Hope that makes sense. May work though, that's up to the steel workers

 

[bobthetj03]

No expert here either, but would agree above. Now maybe if you used some 3//16" rec tube and fabbed a way to tie it into the frame, then maybe you'd have enough strength. The rear cross member is just stamped steel, and the rear bumper is even thinner. There's a reason those hitches are bolted to the frame.

 

[bobthetj03]

Some pictures for reference from when I freshened up my Olympic bumper. Might give you some ideas. This bumper is rated to tow 2000lbs. I bought a receiver hook for a recovery point.

 

[Mike_H]

Honestly, if you don't buy a bumper with an integrated receiver its best to pick up one of these...
http://www.curtmfg.com/part/13408

 

[Kyle_W]

Thank ya'll all for your responses! Been extremely busy and haven't had a chance to respond or edit my design.

I understand what ya'll are talking about - I figured that I could change my design by incorporating some square stock and also tie the hitch into the frame via JCR's (which I was going to do anyway but forgot to mention) frame tie ins, and then linking the hitch to the bottom frame holes that your bumper normally bolts to.

To make it as simple as possible, i'll have to have a square hole cut out in the stock bumper for the hitch to fit through, versus trying to make the hitch fit around the bumper.

Thanks!

 

[C.J. Roberts]

I'd say that you're overthinking the whole thing. You can get a bolt on system designed for the Jeep for anywhere from $75 to $150. They bolt up with about six bolts. They bolt up under the frame, and the only thing you see is the receiver. Add a wiring harness that plugs into the factory wiring for about $25 and you're good to go.

 

[Kyle_W]

I'd say that you're overthinking the whole thing. You can get a bolt on system designed for the Jeep for anywhere from $75 to $150. They bolt up with about six bolts. They bolt up under the frame, and the only thing you see is the receiver. Add a wiring harness that plugs into the factory wiring for about $25 and you're good to go.

I actually have a uHaul version of exactly what you are talking about. It certainly is the simplest way to go! However, I do not like how it looks, sitting way low under my Jeep, and it also has dragged on some rocks.

Putting my hitch up and out of the way, poking through my stock bumper, sounds a more desirable to me!

 

[billiebob]

Best thing about a mass produced hitch is the engineering. 5x5, 5/16 angle will weigh a ton compared to a "u-haul" hitch. And they engineer the mounting points too. I'd sooner drag that hitch than drag the bumper.

But there are also bumpers with hitches.... which will give both clearance and engineering. Looking at your drawing I see a massive winter salt storage system.

 

[Kyle_W]

Best thing about a mass produced hitch is the engineering. 5x5, 5/16 angle will weigh a ton compared to a "u-haul" hitch. And they engineer the mounting points too. I'd sooner drag that hitch than drag the bumper.

But there are also bumpers with hitches.... which will give both clearance and engineering. Looking at your drawing I see a massive winter salt storage system.

Yes you are correct. A lot of money goes into engineering mass marketed products! However, I've dragged it before on the rocks and I don't want to drag it anymore.

Also, I really don't want to get rid of my matching front and rear factory bumper setup.

I haven't had time to draw it up yet, but I have a different design in my head. Basically just a 2x2" piece of square stock that will be mounted directly behind the factory bumper, with a 2" hitch welded to that and sticking through a hole that I'll cut in the factory bumper.

I figure I could cut 4 corners with a drill and then use an air actuated cut off tool to grind the square out (to match the square 2" hitch sticking through it)?

 

[billiebob]

yeah, ^^ I agree. What I like about Wranglers is the option to do my own thing.

 

[Kyle_W]

Here is my redesigned rear hitch:

Also, I'd like to put a front hitch on my Jeep. This is the simplest design possible, however, with a total of only two bolts on it, I'm curious as to the strength of this design?

 

[JMT]

On the rear bumper, I'd make the two steel plates the red arrows are pointing at a single piece all the way across. Ps Blackout and I are gonna miss you at Wolf Caves tomorrow! Maybe Hidden Falls soon???

 

[billiebob]

I doubt you need to worry about strength with the front hitch. How fast, far will you be going? Unless you are using it as a tow point.

But I'm not sure the rear hitch is worth the risk of a possible failure.

 

[05 Blue Unlimited]

I don't mean any offence but I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish since there are many off the shelf designs with integrated 2'' receivers that aren't that expensive. The stock bumper is not rated to pull anything and a piece of angle iron won't be enough. It would have to be boxed to have any strenght.

 

[Kyle_W]

On the rear bumper, I'd make the two steel plates the red arrows are pointing at a single piece all the way across. Ps Blackout and I are gonna miss you at Wolf Caves tomorrow! Maybe Hidden Falls soon???
View attachment 22336

That makes more sense! I am not sure if I'd need the square stock then if I had a thick enough plate going across the whole thing?

I wish I could go. But, I have to work on my front end and wait for some beefier tires to come in. In about a month, we'll all go out there!

I doubt you need to worry about strength with the front hitch. How fast, far will you be going? Unless you are using it as a tow point.

But I'm not sure the rear hitch is worth the risk of a possible failure.

The front hitch is for mounting a winch cradle. Also, I'd like to use it as a recovery point. I really don't know the best way to mount a hitch on the front with a stock bumper?

Well - I don't know if it'd be a point of failure, as long as it's welded together correctly, however it is a pretty damn complicated setup. I'm curious if I can take my uHaul hitch and modify it in such a way that the actual 2" hitch piece is more "tucked" under my rear end?

More like this?

I don't mean any offence but I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish since there are many off the shelf designs with integrated 2'' receivers that aren't that expensive. The stock bumper is not rated to pull anything and a piece of angle iron won't be enough. It would have to be boxed to have any strenght.

I want to keep my Jeep as factory as possible. That's why I was trying to design a hitch into my factory bumper with frame tie in's and all the works.

And, aftermarket frame mounted hitches droop too low and just get hung up on rocks. That's why I was trying to make the hitch at the same level as my bumper.

However, it just seems way too complicated. I'm probably just gonna try to modify my current uHaul hitch.

 

[05 Blue Unlimited]

^^^^ Oh ok... but aren't you way past stock if you modify the stock bumper or a frame mount hitch? If on the other hand you are wanting to keep the stock look adding a hitch takes you out of stock as well. To me it looks like you are trying to reinvent the wheel. A new rear bumper with a through mount hitch with clevis mounts will run 200 to 300 bucks depending on mfg'er.

 

[Momamac]

I needed to get my under bumper hitch replaced, dragged on too many things. Got a Tuff Stuff for cheap, has a class III hitch receiver, much better departure angles. Only issue was the license plate holder is in the way of the tire carrier latch, had to do some grinding until I can relocate that. Oh, and the instructions need some improvements!

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