Inexpensive front receiver hitch (1 Viewer)

[kerrye]

I wanted a front receiver hitch on my 80 to carry my winch which also fits into the front receiver on my Fuso FG. I'm attaching some pictures of what I'm doing. I'm putting a piece of steel channel where the OE winch plate would sit (I think). I'll install a Harbor Freight 5000lb step bumper receiver on the underside of the steel channel and cut a hole in the OE bumper for the receiver to pass thru. The HF step bumper receiver hitch hasn't arrived yet but I think you can get the idea. Total cost will be around $30-40.
One picture is the cardboard template used to correctly locate the bolt holes. The other is the unpainted channel loosely bolted in place.

 

[kerrye]

Here's the receiver hitch bolted to the mounting plate. It's upside down in the photo. Receiver tube will be below the mounting plate when bolted in place on the vehicle. I'll cut a hole in the OE bumper to accept that which is to be received. I think the hole will hit roughly in the middle of the license plate. There will be nothing lower than the original frame and tow hooks with this receiver.

 

[bhmmapping]

Is the 5000 lb receiver adequate for a winch?

 

[kerrye]

That's a good question. I think my steel channel is likely much stronger than the OE winch plate on which the OE winch would bolt. So if the winch was bolted directly to my channel, I would have no doubts about its strength at all.
In looking at the HF receiver, it seems to be built as strongly as the tow hooks which are mounted on the front of the 80. Since they were designed to pull the whole truck, it seems to me that pulling on the receiver hitch is no worse than pulling on the tow hooks.
I don't know how receiver hitches are rated but I suspect that part of the rating in this particular instance is related to the fact that the hitch is intended to be simply bolted to an existing bumper so that the rating is dependent upon the strength of the existing bumper to some degree.
In looking at my winch mount tray and tube they seem to be of roughly the same quality and strength as the HF bumper receiver. Perhaps even a little less stout. So if the HF bumper receiver were to fail, the winch tray and mount would be in the same situation.
There's another thread here about a front mount receiver. Wonder if the builder of that receiver has an opinion on its strength.
Welcome other opinions.

 

[spdwaver]

Kerrye, while you have everything apart would you mind posting up the dimensions of the clearance from where the frame ends to the points shown in the attached image?

I have a winch with a universal mounting plate and am looking to integrate the winch into the stock bumper.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kerrye]

I've already put my bumper back on and I can install the receiver without removing it. I may still be able to get some dimensions. The steel channel is 5" wide and it is back against the body and sticks over the ends of the frame about 1/4" (from memory). However, therre is considerable room between the ends of the frame and the bumper itself. I'd say at least 3 or 4 inches. So just guessing from memory a plate about 8 or 9 inches wide should be capable of being bolted on top of the frame rails with the OE bumper in place in front of it. Whether the winch itself would fit between the bumper and the front of the body is a different question. In other words, the 'B' distance is what I described, the 'turned back ' portion of the bumper is probably in the 'A' distance and that is where I assume your winch will sit.

 

[spdwaver]

I've already put my bumper back on and I can install the receiver without removing it. I may still be able to get some dimensions. The steel channel is 5" wide and it is back against the body and sticks over the ends of the frame about 1/4" (from memory). However, therre is considerable room between the ends of the frame and the bumper itself. I'd say at least 3 or 4 inches. So just guessing from memory a plate about 8 or 9 inches wide should be capable of being bolted on top of the frame rails with the OE bumper in place in front of it. Whether the winch itself would fit between the bumper and the front of the body is a different question. In other words, the 'B' distance is what I described, the 'turned back ' portion of the bumper is probably in the 'A' distance and that is where I assume your winch will sit.

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I am interested in following this thread through to it's completion, thanks for the write up.

 

[kerrye]

The picture sucks but for some reason my computer won't upload the better pictures. But you get the idea. I cut a hole in the bumper and moved the license plate upward for access to the receiver. I cut the hole with a metal bit in a rotary tool. My cuts were not that straight so I need some wider trim to improve the appearance. The trim currently on the hole is a piece of door edge trim from PepBoys.
After looking at the pictures of the complete mfg. front receiver on the other thread, I'm pretty sure this is almost as strong. I think the 5k lb rating on the receiver is related to the fact that it will be installed on a bumper and will be relying on the OE bumper brackets for frame attachment.

 

[FJ809496TLC]

Good job kerrye! Is the receiver recessed? If it is, how about fabricating a cover where your license plate can be mounted to hide the receiver and also attaches to a winch when winch is mounted? Just a thought.

 

[kerrye]

It is recessed. If the license plate is mounted in the OE holes, it could come down about 1" over the receiver hole. I considered notching a section out of the license plate but just moved the mounting holes up on the bumper. I didn't want to mess with the license plate when installing a winch or other receiver device. Not sure where the plate could reasonably be mounted on the winch receiver mount I have.

 

[e9999]

I have no idea whether the 5K rating on that HF receiver is correct or not. I do think that
- HF is usually pretty generous with their ratings and seems to confuse WLL and breaking load pretty often. I doubt they use very conservative ratings in many cases.
- The construction seems to be lighter duty than most real class III 5K hitches I've seen.
- the notion that this is rated only at 5K because it's supposed to be bolted to light weight bumpers seems highly dubious to me.

But good to see some thinking outside the box with the building. Always nice. Enjoy!

 

[IdahoDoug]

Great idea. Suggestion on the license plate would be to get a license frame that's hinged so you could swing it out of the way to install the receiver. Various hinged models become a step on the front of RV's and some are designed on older cars to reveal the gas filler.

DougM

 

[stayalert]

I had a hidden reciever on the front of my 80 series with a spring/hinge plate cover...Worked great.