Lets talk hitches.... (1 Viewer)

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Southampton, NY
Although I have yet to actually take ownership of my FZJ80 (it's still at the dealership having work done), I've already started making plans and ordered up a few goodies for it :cool:


One thing I know I'll need is a hitch....

Had a hard time locating an OEM locally, so I'm looking into aftermarket options....

First off, I don't plan on ever towing anything larger than our lightweight dual jetski trailer, which our old Toyo pickup with a bumperhitch yanked around just fine without issue...

Second, I plan on welding up a receiver mounted carrier for our kiddie sized GoKart using leftover hitch assembly (pointed backwards), so it will need to have a tongue weight rating of around 300-350 lbs.

Thirdly, I'd like to have more of a stealthy hitch if possible...
One that won't hang down too low past the bumper or have a knee bang'n receiver that sticks out too far :doh:


I know the OEM will be overkill for my needs, so given my low requirements, what are my options for a clean looking hitch?








Also, among the available Class 3 hitches from Valley, Draw-Tite, Hidden, Curt, etc., which has the most clearance?







Rick <----soon to be sportin another 80
 
Why not give this one a try

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/products/products_receivers.htm

I was going to fab one of these up this summer.
The only issue I could see that might be a problem is the depth your hitch goes into the reciever.......hitting the spare tire.

other than that this is about the cleanest solution to a light duty receiver style.
 
You can order the OEM thru Uhaul, last year some time I accidently left the saftey changes on and drove off like a dumb A$$ and ended up breaking the saftey loops, I put a claim in thru Uhaul since I got the SafeMove they offer and they replaced it for free with. The company they use is Valley, its pretty much the same as the OEM, just a thought since you said you want to go OEM.
 
Why not give this one a try

http://www.sleeoffroad.com/products/products_receivers.htm

I was going to fab one of these up this summer.
The only issue I could see that might be a problem is the depth your hitch goes into the reciever.......hitting the spare tire.

other than that this is about the cleanest solution to a light duty receiver style.


Spare won't be an issue since I plan on doing a swingout :cool:

How does the Slee unit compare to this one from Spector :confused:

240-40-big.jpg




Also, I know these aren't rated for towing, but would one of these on the stock bumper be able to handle a 350lbs.+ tongue load?
 
When we got my wife's new truck, it did not have a hitch. So, I thought I would have the old OEM one I had taken off the grey one cleaned up and powder coated. $125? Naw. I wanted a heavier duty one anyway.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=104627&highlight=red+hitch

Yes, it does stick out. You will only hit your ankle on it once.
 
Get as many of your heaviest friends (two 300lb linebackers) to stand, jump, and dance on that hitch........your suspension will bottom out before damage occurs.

The one from spectra looks great to me.......never having held either in my hand, only going by pictures.
 
Get as many of your heaviest friends (two 300lb linebackers) to stand, jump, and dance on that hitch........your suspension will bottom out before damage occurs.

The one from spectra looks great to me.......never having held either in my hand, only going by pictures.



So you're saying either one on the stock bumper should be able to handle sumthin like this?


VH90_02.jpg





I know our kiddie kart doesn't weigh nearly as much as that quad, but that's the idea we're kickin around for a carrier :cool:
 
Plenty of search info on this as hitches keep coming up. I would NOT do what you're planning with anything short of an OEM style frame Class III hitch. That setup will put MORE twisting force on the hitch than a fairly heavy trailer will - which puts near zero twist on the hitch. Enough twist that I would not trust it. Also, the 350lb downforce on a setup like that is going to again place WAY more force on the hitch than a 350lb trailer tongue load because yours is cantilevered way out. Go over a heave in the road and you could easily see peak loads of 1 ton. From an engineering perspective, what you're doing is far more challenging to a hitch than towing a 5000lb trailer in terms of the forces generated. I'm sure as has happened in the past people will reply that the factory bumper is strong enough to pull a DC-10, is made of inch thick unobtainium and that a factory hitch is overkill. You'll find all that in the threads as well.

My factory hitch receiver is flush with the bumper, so don't understand the worry about ankles, etc.

DougM
 
Actually, this brings up a fairly simple engineering question.

The back wheels are a fulcrum.
The hitch ball sits X inches behind.
The front end (at the axle) weighs L lbs.
The front wheels sit M inches from the back wheels (fulcrum).

How many lbs can you stack on at X distance before it overcomes L lbs at M distance?

Who has the numbers?

This just tells us how much weight it would take to put the front end in the air under static conditions which is WAY more than you could safely drive with.

I saw a Blazer a few years ago with a trailer heavy enough that it was bouncing the front wheels a foot in the air.
 
Actually, this brings up a fairly simple engineering question.

The back wheels are a fulcrum.
The hitch ball sits X inches behind.
The front end (at the axle) weighs L lbs.
The front wheels sit M inches from the back wheels (fulcrum).

How many lbs can you stack on at X distance before it overcomes L lbs at M distance?

Who has the numbers?

This just tells us how much weight it would take to put the front end in the air under static conditions which is WAY more than you could safely drive with.

I saw a Blazer a few years ago with a trailer heavy enough that it was bouncing the front wheels a foot in the air.

If you put enough weight to lift the front wheels better get a big marine anchor to stop it because there is not enough brake to halt the Land Cruiser :D

Seriously we hold a 650 cc Honda African Tween motorcycle on top of a motojack motorcycle carrier (which is heavy by itself) inserted to a Draw-Tite 500 lbs tongue weight rated hitch and the Cruiser rear stock coils were close to hit bottom.

So notice this is a equation which involves also rear coil rating.
 
Have to say I am with Doug on this one.

Convert the deck of your jet-ski trailer to hold your kiddie kart, and keep the unruly cantiliever forces out of the picture.
 
Here's the kiddie kart in question (hey, that rhymes):


kiddiekartandsnakeeater.JPG


kiddiekart.JPG




Not exactly a heavyweight like the quad (it's actually only around 150lbs.), but with the added weight of the flipped Class III hitch along with the kart extending outward, the twisting force may very well be too much for the bumper as Doug stated :doh:




Convert the deck of your jet-ski trailer to hold your kiddie kart, and keep the unruly cantiliever forces out of the picture.



Well, this would kinda be counterproductive since we only hook the jetskis up when we wanna hit the lake and we'd only take the kiddie kart with us while on the trail (would suck to get the jetskis stuck while going off-road lol)....


Besides, if I were to mount the gokart to the front of the jetski trailer, wouldn't that just be adding to the tongue weight :confused:

That being said, the tongue weight of the jetski trailer (loaded) is much heavier than the gokart alone....

I can pretty much dead-lift the entire kart, but I'd prolly kill myself lifting the front of the trailer without the swivel jack :eek:






What if I were to mount the carrier as planned using the Slee receiver and take some of the strain off of it by strapping the rear corners of the carrier to the roof rack using ratchet straps? (not the stock roof rack btw)







Rick
 
Actually I was thinking that you could take the wet-bikes off the trailer. (depending on how big they are, I know they are a-bit cumbersome when they are on land)

For what it costs for a small utility trailer, I would find or make one just for the kiddie-kart.

So I have to ask.......is that kiddie kart for long range romantic picnics (gas can, and basket gave it away)

Your partner must be understanding because I know what my wife:princess: would say if I told her to "Hop on were going for a picnic":rolleyes:
 
Actually I was thinking that you could take the wet-bikes off the trailer. (depending on how big they are, I know they are a-bit cumbersome when they are on land)


LOL

They're old Yami Wave Runner III's and they weigh like 700 lbs. each, so the ONLY time they ever come off the trailer is at the lake ;)

For what it costs for a small utility trailer, I would find or make one just for the kiddie-kart.

I'd probably end up doing this in the future, but it would have to be a pretty stout utility trailer to to handle the trail...

So I have to ask.......is that kiddie kart for long range romantic picnics (gas can, and basket gave it away)

Your partner must be understanding because I know what my wife:princess: would say if I told her to "Hop on were going for a picnic":rolleyes:


Hehe, the wife gets motion sickness easily, so no trail riding for her :doh:


I usually take the kids on long rides through the trail, so along with the gas can on the ghetto roof rack is a tow strap, axe, extra starter cord, minor tools and of course trailmix :D

There's also a third seat that mounts to the right rear for the gunman ;)






BTW, I figured I'd use my mad photoshop skillz to give you a better idea of what I was thinking with the ratchet straps :idea:



kiddiekartcarrierlol.JPG







Rick
 
Rick,

I'd be concerned about peak forces on the rack. A straight down force that's being restrained by a 45 degree strap produces a mechanical advantage against the strap. For instance, a 700lb force straight down at the tip of the strap over a bump might translate into a 1000lb yank on the strap. I have high quality racks that attach to the roof rails and with enough force they'll slide backward, gouging the sealant and eventually bending the rails. This would also make for another source of bouncing (strap stretch) and subsequent peak loads being higher than the actual weight.

A factory Class III hitch is pretty cheap and bulletproof and you'll be hard pressed to cause it to fail no matter what you're doing. Look into AirLift brand air springs for $100 to keep the truck easily level for trips while laden. They fit right in the coils.

Love the drawing, but you need to fill it in with the most attractive 80 color ever produced, which of course is Emerald Green.

DougM
 
There was a company around called Hidden Hitch that used tubing instead of square stock and their hitches seemed less obtrusive. Dunno their status or if they made an 80 hitch.

DougM
 
SLEE usually carries used OEM receivers for cheap. $50 I think.


I checked with Slee and they have them for $75+ shipping, but they're not sure if they're OEM's made by Valley, so Christo's gunna check them out and let me know :cool:



Doug, I checked Hidden's site, but they don't have a listing for the 80 :frown:
 
Spare won't be an issue since I plan on doing a swingout :cool:

How does the Slee unit compare to this one from Spector :confused:

240-40-big.jpg


Also, I know these aren't rated for towing, but would one of these on the stock bumper be able to handle a 350lbs.+ tongue load?

The Slee hitch is perfect for a lightweight towing application. Many have questioned it's strength, I have used it for many extractions including a snatch extraction of a 42 ft. furniture truck that got stuck in the snow in my driveway. I also use it to carry a bike rack for four bikes.

Does not compromise offroad clearance at all, and anything that hangs down lower than the frame is a major clearance issue offroad on an 80. Here is my thread of the install with pics. Just to avoid another round of this, I am not making any representation that this is as strong as a stock mounted hitch. I don't tow very often and do generally light extractions and carry bikes. For that purpose during a year of regular use, it has been a perfect solution.

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=80683&highlight=Slee+hitch

Nay
 

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