JACKED88

Ohhh, I thought you were setting up to run a bunch of um. Since your not then by all means I'd like to have one of your drawings. When your ready, I'll PM you my mailing address. (actually, its already on page 3) Yeah, I knew that was a pc of angle iron. I just though if you were going to be making the brackets and if you had a press, making them would be cheaper than having to buy a 20' pc of angle iron. No problem. I'll continue from this end. Hopefully we'll have something in the next couple of weeks. The brackets I'll make for everybody else won't have the D-ring extensions. The mods I would like to see/do is either the extension for the fourth bolt through the frame or to utilize the upper shackle bolt. I like the idea of using the upper shackle bolt the best. (no reason to drill holes in your frame in your don't have to) I also thing using the upper shackle bolt gives bolt pattern a bigger foot print resulting in more strength. Even better, why not have both? The fourth bolt extension could be added regardless. It wouldn't be in the way if you didn't wanna use it but it would be there if you did. With 5 bolts holding it on you could relocate your neighbors double wide for him. LOL!!! Thank you for your help. Between all of us I think we'll end up with some really nice brackets. Robert

That bracket looks great. Since you've got the know how and the equipment, plus your already set up and have working prototype, it wouldn't hurt my feelings a bit if you wanted to offer the brackets to whoever wants um. Maybe I'll just get a set from you and forget the water jetting. Naaa, I'll still make my own version with the mods I want. Do you have a press? If so you could also make the mounting plate for under the bumper. Yeah, I know the hitch doesn't need to be bolted to the bumper. Thats only part of the reason that plate is there. It also adds strength to the welding of the cross pc and the receiver itself. While your at it, you could cut the pc of plate for the safety chains too. Let me know what you wanna do. Meanwhile I'll keep at it from this end. Using the upper shackle bolt for an additional mounting point is a good idea. Keeps you from having to drill an additional hole in your frame too. :thumbsup: "Dechion" made another good suggestion about cutting holes in the brackets for the cross pc to go through. Doing so would make assembly/welding easier and allow for welding on both sides of the bracket. By the time we're finished beefing up and modifying this hitch, it aint gonna be nothing like a DrawTite. It'll be better.

This isn't much of an update but here's where we stand. I'm still waiting to receive at least one or two more tracings/templates. I saw above where I should have a second one on its way. I had hoped that Motion Offroad was gonna come through for us but since he didn't respond the the PM I sent him I guess he's out. :dunno: I've talked to my sons father-n-law about the water jet. He says cutting the brackets will be a pc of cake. All he's waiting for is me to bring him a template and a pc of material big enough to cut how many I want out of. I told him I only wanted a couple of pairs for now so I can make sure they fit properly. No problem. Said he'll cut the rest whenever I want um. I am going to extend the brackets for a fourth mounting hole. Using that fourth hole is optional. BTW .... I think I know now why Pete hasn't drilled the hole for his additional 4th bolt. He can't get to it. :doh: Your gonna have to have an angle head drill to drill that hole. http://www.google.com/images?q=angle+he ... 24&bih=587 (or an angle head attachment for you regular drill) Gotta go. More later.

How bout a black vinyl bench and door panels to match?

Sent you a PM.

Thanks. That would be great. I think I have most of the measurements but if you'd throw a tape measure on it, I could compare what you come up with to what I have. So you were a machinist huh. So was I for about 15 years. Got out of it because my back didn't like being hunched over a machine for 10-12 hours a day. Call me crazy but I actually kinda miss it sometimes. I appreciate the offer on the Ram hitch ends but I think I'm gonna have to pass on it. Shipping would probably cost me as much as buying a pc of material. Thanks anyway.

$500 bucks??? OUCH!!! If I get this hitch deal put together there's no way their gonna cost even half that. When will I have um? At this point I have no idea when I'll have hitches or even just the brackets available. Just guessing ........ a month or so. (but don't hold me to it) It all hinges on the water jet. The rest I could have in a matter of hours.

Congrats on your find. If I was that lucky we wouldn't be here right now. Thanks for the offer to help. Yes, I do need something from it. If you don't mind, How bout standing that thing on its end and making a nice tracing of one of the mounting brackets for me. I'll have to owe you a stamp because then I'm gonna need you to mail that tracing it to the address below. Didn't know what you were offering to getting yourself into did ya? :doh: LOL!!! Thanks for your help. Robert Ehler 271 Concordia Dr. Katy, Texas 77450

I would if I could. Problem is I don't how to post it to actual size. That and I don't know how you could print it to size. The bracket covers two regular pcs of paper, It might be possible to draw a reference line across the middle of it and then scan a little over half of it at a time. Then print out both halves and line up the reference lines. In theory that should work but without trying it :dunno: . I'll try it and let ya know. (after I get some printer ink)

No, it's no fault of yours. I should have started my own thread instead of high jacking yours. Maybe then my intentions wouldn't have been misunderstood. But, now that I have high jacked your thread and everybody who's interested is tuned it to it ........ why pull the plug now? :dunno: Regardless weather my intentions were misunderstood or not, I'm still gonna build myself a hitch. With that said, I think the best way to proceed with this project is to let me get everything together for at least one complete hitch. My original offer of making the mounting brackets available is still good. Making sure everybody is clear on that, I'm talking about the mounting brackets only. Not a complete hitch. Just the brackets. The only reason I'm doing this is to help the next person who wants to build a hitch not have to do what I'm having to do to build one. (the previous 3 pages is proof of that) It's the brackets and or the lack of resources to make the brackets that keeps people from building their own receiver hitches. Once you have the bracket licked the rest is a pc of cake. The only thing that could put a stop on me having the brackets available is not getting enough water jet time to make as many sets as we need. I should know the answer to that by next week. What I need to know now is a ballpark number of how many people might want a set of brackets. All this might be for nothing if we're only talking about 2-3 sets. I also need to know how many people might want a complete hitch kit. I'll need add those to the number of brackets we'll need. No, I don't know how much the brackets or complete hitch kits will cost. I won't know that till I have the above ballpark numbers to average the material cost into. I'll also have to know how much (if anything) I'm gonna be charged per pc on the water jet. I've committed myself to go through with this and that's what I intend to do. Yall may have to bare with me for a couple of weeks till I get everything lined out. (speaking mostly about the water jet)

There ya go. D-rings in a box ready to be bolted/welded on. They even have that bad a-s look I was talking about. I was only going to modify my personal hitch to have d-rings. I don't know how it got where that was a mod I was going to do to the brackets I'm trying to get cut for everybody else. :dunno:

Ok, first of all this whole thing stared because I want to build myself a hitch. Knowing the worst part was going to be the fabrication of the mounting brackets, I started asking for help in the way of a traced template and some measurements. Prior to that I had found somebody who could cut them out on a water jet cutting machine. Once the water jet was found I thought Hey, if the machine is already set up to cut mine, why not have multiple sets cut and offer um to other MJ owners/CC members that want/need a hitch but as you pointed out don't have the resources to make the brackets? That's as far as it was supposed to go. To offer the mounting brackets at an affordable price so others could do as I'm doing. I wasn't planning on building entire hitches nor did I realize I had made it sound like I was. I apologize for the misunderstanding. However, with that said and although its more than I had originally intended to offer, If entire kits is what everybody wants/needs, then I guess entire kits what I'll have to do. Once the brackets are obtained, cutting square tubing to length is no big deal. The only pcs left to put together a kit would be the 2"x3" pc of angle iron used for the under step mounting plate and the pc with the safety chain hooks. Again, no big deal. What will be a big deal is the additional cost for materials I hadn't planned on buying. That additional cost is why I was only gonna offer the brackets. Now that it appears as though I've stepped off into putting together entire hitch kits, lets back to building hitches. As for the cross pc going through the mounting brackets, I'm way ahead of you. It would be stronger and much easier than trying to hold everything in place and weld it at the same time. Just throwing this out there but what would you think of being able to store your receiver/receivers inside the ends of the cross ps? (turned up or on their sides so they don't hang down) Before I say any more, I've got to find out about the use of the water jet. If it ends up that he can only cut me one or two sets of brackets, then we're out of business before it even starts.

why D-rings? why not use the hitch for extraction? those ring loops will hang down and drag on the ground. and I'm not entirely crazy about their distance from the bolts. that's quite a bit of rotational force on the little hitch/bumper bolts. I integrated a bit more beef into my bumper brackets by extending the beam and adding a 5/8" bolt through the frame (bolt not installed yet in the photo). I figure if I was going to design my own, I could make it better than stock. :D Why D-rings? :dunno: Thats just something I wanted to add to mine. I'll probably never use um. I just thought having a place for some might come in handy. That and for some strange reason those ugly a-s rings create a bad a-s look. As for um dragging the ground. I don't think so. My truck is lifted 6 inches and if you think about it those extensions would only hang down about an inch lower than the receiver itself. Add to that them being further up under the truck, I don't see dragging being a problem. I agree about the distance and rotational force on the bolts. Using the receiver would spread that force to both sides cutting the stress on the bolts in half. Better than stock is what its all about. At the same time making it as stock and easy to install as possible. I like your idea of extending the bracket for an additional 4th bolt into the frame. Without access inside the frame to install a nut, I assume that bolt goes all the way through the frame. I like it. Are you gonna use a backing plate on the back side of the frame? Having seen your extended brackets with the additional 4th bolt hole, why would anybody want brackets with only 3 bolt holes? :hmm: No me. With that in mind, I'll go ahead and make extended 4th hole brackets like yours. ((Thanks for sharing those with us)) :thumbsup: Going back to our previous topic, I think with a 4th mounting hole and the use of much heavier 3/8" or possibly even 1/2" material, recovery hooks on um shouldn't be a problem. We're talking 3/8"-- 1/2" plate with 4 high grade bolts going into the frame of a light truck. Normal pulling or winching won't be nothin. Unless you use a chain and back up and yank on it hard enough to dislodge you back teeth, they aint goin no where. Motion ......... Your previous post to this thread led me/us to believe you'd be back. Although it'll be a cut and paste copy of what I've already ask for here, consider a PM on its way. fiatslug87 / Mike, thanks for the help. I haven't received it yet so I'm still looking forward to seeing what you've sent me. Thanks again.

Page two already? :shake: Not on my watch. Hey Motion ...... how bout just sending me one of those hitches you have? I promise to send it right back. :brows:

We've been here several times before but nothing has ever made its way onto our trucks. I'm gonna try make something happen this time. All I'm asking is for a little help from those of you who own a Draw-Tite hitch. Without yalls help, this project will get swept under the rug again just like its has in the past. Other than the tracings/templates, I'm gonna need the measurements I ask for. (see pre pic) or .... here it is again; Look at the end of the cross bar where its welded to the bracket. Now measure how far back the cross bar is from the trailing edge of the bracket. (between the two red lines) Take the same measurement from the bottom of the cross bar to the bottom edge of the bracket. Now, is the face of the cross bar parallel with the trailing edge of the bracket? If their not, I'm gonna make um so they are. (assuming clearance isn't an issue) Everything on these brackets will be parallel and/or square in relation to each other making it easy enough for a caveman to build this hitch. One more for now. How many are there and how thick are those frame spacers? (the ones the bolts go through between the bracket and the frame) Thanks for the help everybody. Oh, knowing no two things are exactly alike, (especially drawings or in this case tracings) I'd still like to have more than one template to compare against each other and make modifications if needed. One is on its way. 3 should be plenty. Keeping with one manufacturer ..... Draw-Tite only please. ============================================================================================== EDIT ...... Her's the latest word from Draw-Tite Robert, Here is an installation instruction sheet for the Comanche. We cannot send out an actual drawing of the hitch or its frame brackets, but I hope this helps you in your fabrication. Thank you. file:///C:/DOCUME~1/COMPAQ~1.YOU/LOCALS~1/Temp/N75021-3.pdf (I couldn't figure out how to make it a direct link so if you wanna see it you'll have to copy and paste it into you browser) There is some useful info on it. Like how many and how thick the frame spacers are. The side view helps a little as well. It leads me to believe everything is square in relation to each other. That in itself is a big help.

Deleted.

OK, here's where we are so far. fiatslug87 (Mike) offered to do a tracing of his Draw-Tite. He said he's got it done and will send it to me today. I haven't heard from Motion on getting a tracing/template from him. I hope to get one from him and the one Mike is sending. Having both would allow for discrepancies in either one to be corrected prior to water jetting. Where ya at Motion? Can I count on getting a tracing/template and some of those additional measurements from you?

You should grab everything you can afford that's MJ specific. Including that pain in the a-s to get out slider rear window. I/we just pulled one two weeks ago. Using a pc of steel cable it took two people to cut it out. Do any of um have a receiver hitch?

I think those damn Optima's are junk!!! Especially for what they get for um. Within the family we've owned several that crapped out in less than a year. I've gotten better life out of a Walmart battery. Interstate and Auto Zone's Gold series seem to be pretty good. I've only had one warranty exchange on an Auto Zone Gold. And it was in a boat. I've never had a problem with an Interstate. They've always lasted beyond their warranty period.

Thank you for offering to help. But since yours is installed on your truck it would be hard for you to make a precise tracing of the brackets and their bolt holes. What I need is for somebody to stand one on its end and do a precise tracing of the mounting bracket (both if their different) including the bolt hole locations. I need to stay with one manufacturer. Mixing makes, models and measurements is asking for trouble and miss matched pcs. Motion Offroad said his is a Draw-Tite and its sitting on a shelf. His, I presume to be new and not being mounted on a truck would make tracing the brackets and making a template a lot easier and muck more precise. If somebody comes up with an uninstalled Valley to make a temple with your help will be greatly appreciated. If not I'm gonna have to stick with Motions Draw-Tite. Thanks again. Robert Oh, and I agree about not counting on the bumper to give the hitch more strength or rigidity. In fact, quite the opposite. By bolting them together I'm counting on the hitch to give the bumper more.

You may or you will be of some help? I'd like to think your saying you will otherwise just your saying you have one really doesn't do us much good. So how bout it? Will make me/us a template of the brackets? With it would you include some measurements like the over all width of the hitch and exactly where the cross pc is welded to the brackets. (how far inward from the trailing edge and how far up from the bottom edge) Keep in mind I'll be starting from scratch. I have no hitch to use for comparison. Any and all measurement including bolt hole sizes would be appreciated. Pictures of the hitch both mounted and unmounted would also be helpful. Once I have a template and a few sets cut and checked for proper fit, I'll look into the cost of having more made for everybody. Here's a pic of my D-ring modification and a few questions on measurements. (D-rings will be on both sides)

The problem I see with that universal hitch is that it doesn't have the center plate that bolts to the under side of the bumper step. I realize having it bolted to the bumper isn't what gives that hitch its strength. However it couldn't hurt plus I like the idea of it having the additional rigidity. I would like somebody to make me a stencil of the mounting brackets/end plates of their MJ specific hitch. With that stencil I could have brackets/plates cut on a water jet cutting machine. (a family member operates a water jet at the shop he works at) With those brackets/plates, building the rest of a hitch would be a pc of cake. So ..... does anybody have a MJ specific hitch who's capable of making a precise stencil of the mounting brackets/end plates? If so, I'll pay for materials (poster board) and whatever shipping/mailing cost are involved.

Why a Corolla? I could have though of a half a dozen better cars to have done that to. Even a Gremlin would have been a better choice than that. It still wouldn't be my first choice but I'd like to do that to a little AMC Spirit. I had a 1980 DL model. Bought it brand new literally off the showroom floor. The dealership had put the GT package on it along with a pop up moon roof and outline while letter tires on turbine wheels. It was a "sporty" looking little car. I'd like to have another one. Enough so that I've always got an eye open for one. Particularly with an AMX package.

:agree: This wouldn't have been my first or even second choice. But the price was right so what tha he-l. I'll drive it. I'm gonna take back what I said about not being in the market for another truck. I've been mulling the idea of driving hotshots for my brother-n-laws valve company as well as numerous machine shops that do work for him. Again this isn't the truck of choice for doing that but it could get me started till I can trade up to what I'd really want. A Dodge 3500 Cummins dually with a 6 speed. Now we're talkin truck. Last week just for grins I went and test drove a new one. But not just any new one. I had to drive their top of the line truck. The sticker on it was $57,000 dollars. OUCH!!! Talk about a nice rig. I want one. Just not enough to have to pay for it. While I was there I took a little spin in a RT8 Challenger too. Sales guy told me to drive it like I stole it. So I did. They run pretty good but I'd have to bump the already 480 hp up by adding a 150 -200 hp supercharger to it. Now we're talkin fun. I was gonna head out to some j/yards today but with this cold front on its way I'm gonna wait till it passes. Edit ......... Nope, its not a theft recovery. The owners son apparently ran up over $2000 dollars worth of toll road fee's and fines in it. Don't even ask because I have no idea how he managed to accumulated that much in fee's/fines. As a result of those unpaid fee's/fines the county put a stop on him being able to get it registered. Add that to the cost of replace the transmission, the owner decided to just sell it. He originally wanted $1000 for it but decided to let me have it for $400. Good thing he did because I wasn't going to nor did i have $1000 dollars to buy it. For a short while this was their work truck. I'm pretty sure thats when the son ran up all the toll road fee's/fines. Seems to me if he was gonna be on the toll rd all the time it would have been a he-l of a lot smarter not to mention cheaper to have gotten an ez-tag.

Well, I wasn't in the market to buy a truck but when something like this comes along its hard to pass up. So I didn't. I just bought a 2000 model Chevy Silverado 2500 ext cab for $400 bucks. Has just over 100K miles on its 6.0 motor and auto trans. Yeah, you read it right. No zero's are missing. I paid $400 bucks for it. No, its wasn't wrecked however it does need about $1500 dollars worth of work done to it. First thing on the list it needs is a new/rebuilt trans. No problem. A buddy of mine is a 25+ year trans mechanic at the Chevy dealer down the street. He'll pull the trans, rebuild it, install it with a newer converter, fill it with fluid, test drive it and warranty his work for $500 bucks. Second on the list is a few engine accessories that were removed. It needs a radiator, power steering pump and bracket, battery cable to starter, battery cable to power distribution box, and a belt. Third is a few body parts. It needs both front and rear bumpers including the front lower valance with fog lights, a tail gate and a receiver hitch. Fourth is a few interior parts. It needs a climate control switch, head light switch, electric mirror switch and a radio. I've priced most of those parts and including buying the truck I should end up with under $2000 bucks in it. Not a bad deal in my book. The radiator, engine accessories and being able to run it for more than a minute at a time comes first followed by putting bumpers and a tailgate on it. After checking and/or replacing the brakes it'll be on its way to have the trans rebuilt. After that its off to the detail shop in the dealership my son works for. Fixed and back together here's what NADA says its book value is. http://www.nadaguides.com/Cars/2000/Che ... -Equipment We all know blue book values are just estimates. Even so I'm way ahead of the game having less than $2000 in it. I'll follow up with some more pix when its complete but meanwhile, here's a few as is pix of it. Note the cowl hood. That ones sells for over $300 bucks plus paint. It has American Racing alloy wheels, a sprayed in bed liner and the obvious bed rails. Interior needs a really good cleaning. No cracks in the dash or rips in the seats. It being a 3 door kinda sucks. But what the he-l. I can live with it.