JACKED88 Posted September 26, 2011 Share Posted September 26, 2011 Update .......... Tim and I are getting closer to making the hitch brackets a reality. I have received Tim's cad drawing and will soon have a sample set cut for proper fit. With that said, I need to know how many sets you guys want. There is however one little catch. That being I don't know what a set is gonna cost me. All I can tell you is I'm not doing this to make money. Whatever the brackets cost me is what I'll be selling them for. If I had to guess I'd say $30-$35 bucks a set/pair would be high. (but don't hold me to that) More later. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Robert: Been following this thread for a long time. Think it is great to see club members take on a receiver hitch project. Send me your PayPal link and I will kick in $60 to the project against future costs and for a set of brackets. John Jackson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKED88 Posted September 27, 2011 Share Posted September 27, 2011 Robert: Been following this thread for a long time. Think it is great to see club members take on a receiver hitch project. Send me your PayPal link and I will kick in $60 to the project against future costs and for a set of brackets. John Jackson Thanks John. I too think it's great that although most of us don't personally know each other we can come together to share our common interest and knowledge in a project that will benefit fellow members. Your offer to help get this project kicked off is very generous. However for now I'm going to ask you to hold that thought till we're closer to production. At that time your contribution/pre-payment for a set of brackets will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your support. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougster123 Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Great thread! I'll apologize if this is not the place, but this is the most interest in MJ hitches I've found... I think I'm interested ...? I need a rear bumper and a hitch for my Long-beg MJ, and I need to configure for the max that my MJ/AX-15/Ford 8.8/4Whl-Discs/Long-bed can SAFELY handle. Was considering the Hanson MJ4002-P rear bumper, which "has a class II rating hitch for up to 3500lbs", but am wondering if a hitch of the style you guys are working on is better for my application. My long-bed MJ is 4.5" up, so I am assuming the need for a drop-tongue which introduces more severe stresses? Your setup positions the tongue/ball lower, and would shorten or eliminate the drop-tongue configuration = more robust then the Hanson bumper mounting system + drop-tongue. Am I correct here? I currently have a simple flush steel plate rear bumper, and will either get the Hanson, or have a buddy fab something new -- should provisions be made for attaching (bolting) the receiver to the bumper (this was briefly touched on at the beginning of this thread)? If you guys suggest going with your hitch over the Hanson bumper, then I'm interested and am more then willing to buck up...possibly for two. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrawombat Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 You have to be careful with some of the aftermarket, custom bumpers as they often don't use the right size box tube on the "receiver" portion of the hitch and the fit is very loose and sloppy - not something you want when you're towing (JCR had this problem). A lot of the "built-in" hitches in off-road bumpers are geared more towards recovery points and hauling light loads, like one of those attachments for a cooler and/or grill for camping. Unless the manufacturer states that it has a Class rating and was designed for a specific load capacity, I would assume that the hitch is next to worthless for towing. Where did you see that Hanson's MJ rear bumper was class rated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 I bought some Revines off a guy in Atlanta last week.........chit chat....... I was telling him that I was looking for a tow dolly to chase after XJs and he warned me about an incident that happened to him years ago as he was doing the same. He was turning left across traffic while in a decline, towing a XJ with an XJ on a dolly, he could not come to a complete stop as the weight of the XJ behind him forced him into oncoming traffic and caused him to jack-knife in the oncoming lane. The weight of XJ and dolly was well within the 5k limit of the class three but exceeded the braking power of the tow XJ brake/weight ratio. I told him that I was looking for a dolly with electric brakes:) This is exactly what I was taking about earlier in this thread. As for a 4-6" drop bar? If the hitch is indeed rated...........I would not worry about the drop, you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnuck Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Uhaul was huge back in the 80s. The one I worked at in Largo FL had a custom hitch builder on site, if we did not have it in stock he built it. RVs were a big deal at the time and we stayed busy. I only installed the pre-built hitches while he installed his custom ones. It is not as complicated or engineered as you guys make it out to be. May also be a generational thing too, you guys in your 20s and 30s don't' use your imagination, if it's not 'engineered' on a computer then it must not be so. I'm having a hard time understanding why you are so opposed to me putting in a little bit more effort than the next guy in determining a safe and effective design for a trailer hitch. I'm not charging anyone for my time - I just wanted to use my IMAGINATION and not do a straight copy of an existing design. Plus, I wanted to have the peace of mind in knowing that it would perform as it was intended. Again, it was my name and reputation on the line and I want to protect that even if, by your standards, it means making it out to be more "complicated or engineered" than it actually is. Seesh. Sorry. I'm sure any Joe Blow that is good with a torch and a welder can come up with a perfectly acceptable trailer hitch design that fits on our trucks and works just fine. That's fantastic. Through my over complication and engineering, I was also looking for ways to reduce material costs, that I could pass down to the consumer. When it comes to sheet steel, weight = money. And finally, your generalization is somewhat insulting. Since I'm 26 and fall directly into your blanket statement of unimaginative engineers, I take offense. Computers, CAD, FEA, CFD etc. are all tools that aid engineers and are, by no means, a replacement for imagination. It was no different for the engineer's of days past that used a pencil and paper to come up with designs and perform calculations. The ideas have to come from somewhere and that's usually up in your noggin'. You bring up a couple of good points. At 45 I had the blessing of working with and learning from what may be the last generation of craftsmen. Oh sure, for some a craft has been handed down to them but for the most part.......craftsmanship is lost. To the point of being offended- it wasn't personal just an accurate observation of a generation at large. I've had numerous hobbies over the years and my Comanche is the latest and that what brings me here. I will not have a lift on my truck because I work out of it, the only folks here in E TN that drive lifted trucks are the toothless hillbillies that come down off the mountains and I cannot have that kind of appearance when I pull up to someone's home. Having read quite a bit here I get the impression that if your Comanche isn't lifted you aint $#!&.......shall I be offended? No I'm past that nonsense. I used to build Ak47s and I used to handcraft stocks for them, gripsnstocks.com now defunct. The trick is to move directly from your imagination to your hands.......that's where craftsmanship lies. The last project was- This Cub does not exist (only one that I know of), standard tranny with full hydraulics (less rear hitch). It's what you don't see that matters. Built from a compilation of the best that Cub Cadet had to offer, complete build from lose parts and my custom hydraulic system. No I did not grow up in the computer age. We have only had a computer in the house for the last 5 years. I bet you don't remember a time before cell phones and computers and only 4 channels on the one TV in the house? We had 2 channels and I rode horse to school. There is a shop about 25 miles from me that does custom hitches, They built me a Class 4 for my Eagle wagon (they said it was Class 3 certified but the add on bracing I did increased it somewhat) back in '98 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougster123 Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Where did you see that Hanson's MJ rear bumper was class rated? I received an email response directly from Hanson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnj92131 Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 Where did you see that Hanson's MJ rear bumper was class rated? I received an email response directly from Hanson. Can you post the email please? Off the receiver hitch subject, but who builds a swing a way tire carrier with the pivot point on the left? Thought I saw it on the Hansen site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted November 14, 2011 Share Posted November 14, 2011 http://www.hansonoffroad.com/proddetail ... d=MJ4002-P That can be rated no more than 200/2000 Nothing more than a bumper hitch. Nice though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKED88 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Update ..... NO, I haven't forgotten about this project. A couple of weeks ago I borrowed an MJ hitch (DrawTite) from a fellow member (Thanks Daniel) to use as a template. I've also located another source for getting the brackets cut. Although I'd prefer the brackets to be cut via water jet, the new source will use a plasma cutter. It is however a really nice one normally used to cut nickel. I've seen what it can do and I'm confident it'll do a nice job for us. More later. Oh, without going back to see who ask ..... the additional support gained by mounting your hitch to the bottom side of your bumper is optional. Yes, I will mount mine to the bumper but only because the hitch will give the bumper more support. The way I see it, the bumper and receiver as an assembly will be more rigid. (the bumper won't bend/twist just by stepping on it like it does now) That and with the center being supported your less likely to do major damage to your impossible to find straight rear bumper upon a small impact. Hope that helps. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 My tax return finally came today........ So now I will be able to get the tank for my new mig that's been sitting in it's box for the last two years. Been using a Lincoln box but I want the mig for this project. And then to order the metal. I intend to build the receiver behind the new bumper...........IOWs using the bumper as a facade for the hitch. I'll post pics in a few weeks when I get geared up for the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontin000 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hello fellows, This is my first CC post EVER, and I have been following this thread for a while now, and it is a whorl-wind of information. First of all, anyone interested in buying a Draw Tite hitch I pulled from a JY, see my classified: http://bit.ly/LAaaRY I am probably not going to be putting a hitch on my MJ, seeing that it's a 2.5L, but after seeing one at a JY I knew it could not go to waste. However, I did make a 3D CAD model of the hitch for my records in case anyone wanted the plans to make one. I have not put a drawing package together, but if anyone wants to double check dimensions (esp since I still have it in my garage right now), or just compare models, just let me know. I don't want to hi-jack anyone's effort if they want to spear-head the project, but if anyone wanted a second estimate I can get a quote to build these. I used to work for a machine/fab shop in Baltimore and I would outsource the work through them. I'm offering my help if anyone wants it, or if there is enough demand I can have a bunch made in a batch for a small profit. Otherwise, I'll just be over here working on other projects, which hopefully will be posted (if they are successful). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrawombat Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 I'll take a look at your models. What format are they in? And what metal fab shop in Baltimore did you used to work for? Good chance my current employer has used them in the past if they were something more than a garage shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontin000 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Well, the file extension is just dwg. The program is Mechanical Desktop 2000i. I think I can export them in a few other formats. If you are using something from the last 5 years you should have no problem importing it. PM me your e-mail address. I used to work for Bay Design, Inc. http://www.bayindustrialgroup.com/about ... group.html They are a glorified garage, I guess you could say, but they do automation and all that stuff. No more than 15 people on the payroll. Funny thing is, I designed the carriages on that system in the picture. It sure was a good job, but I decided to pick up and get a Gov't job with some decent pay. I definitely like living in Virginia better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Well, the file extension is just dwg. The program is Mechanical Desktop 2000i. I think I can export them in a few other formats. If you are using something from the last 5 years you should have no problem importing it. PM me your e-mail address. .DWG is AutoCAD's file format. I'd like a copy of the file(s). I have AutoCAD, and I will be needing a hitch. Check your PMs for e-mail address. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hitch design takes advantage of the stock bumper. What will your design do for those without a stock bumper? Stock bumpers are no longer available from what I can find. Who wants a stock bumper anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontin000 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Uhaul was huge back in the 80s. The one I worked at in Largo FL had a custom hitch builder on site, if we did not have it in stock he built it. RVs were a big deal at the time and we stayed busy. I only installed the pre-built hitches while he installed his custom ones. It is not as complicated or engineered as you guys make it out to be. May also be a generational thing too, you guys in your 20s and 30s don't' use your imagination, if it's not 'engineered' on a computer then it must not be so. Hitch design takes advantage of the stock bumper. What will your design do for those without a stock bumper? Stock bumpers are no longer available from what I can find. Who wants a stock bumper anyway? I'm assuming since you sound like you are one of these older, creative types, you could figure out how to attach a "stock" hitch w/ a custom bumper, and maybe report back to us. Perhaps contribute something other than your smart-@$$ comments about engineers and what not. Or, if you need a young, 20-something engineer to come over and figure it out for you, maybe I can help you with that. Basically, either be an asset to the group, or just sit back and let us work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrawombat Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Sent you a PM with my e-mail addy too. I use SolidWorks, which will import a .dwg as a 2D drawing, but it's probably going to be all kinds of messed up scale-wise, but we may get lucky. Now, if only the "foe" function on this forum would also block quoted comments made by ignored user... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepman Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Very nice Idea... Id be interested in the CAd files as well thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JACKED88 Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 Hey guys, I apologize for dropping the ball on the side plates. Current status .... My son is no longer working for the shop that had the plasma cutter meaning I no longer have an inside man. That being true, I may have to outsource the plates. I'll talk to a couple local shops and see how much they'll charge me for 10-15 sets. I hope I successfully saved the Solidworks file I received from TerraWombat and that I'll be able to forward it to the shop of my choice. If not, I'm gonna need that file sent either to me again or directly to whatever shop I find. I'll let yall know what I find at the local shops. Robert I really need to make this happen. Now that my son has successfully trashed the transmission in my 2500 Silverado, :mad: my MJ is my only running truck so I desperately need a hitch on it. Hitch .... maybe $100 bucks. 4L80e transmission .... over $1200 bucks. Cash in hand .... $0.00 priceless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeep Driver Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Two weeks ago a started a new job and I'll be 4-8 weeks with no income until commissions catch up, I'm not spending any money right now. At the same time I started the job I took the bumper off to mock-up new bumper and hitch, below are pics. I priced material, I found one supplier who will sell by the foot but does not have all the materials in stock for $89. All other suppliers want to sell only by the 20' length, $329. Here in E TN suppliers are far and few unlike back home in Tampa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ontin000 Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 Just another classic case of engineers and technicians clashing. From my limited experience, both of them need each other to be successful in the industry, and same goes for on Comanche forums. If someone doesn't want to play nice, well then: :thwak:, :no: and let's all move on. Back to getting technical, I re-measured my hole patterns on both my hitch and bumper, and it came out exactly 1-1/8" between the top hole and the line that the other 2 line up on. Not that being a sixteenth off is a big deal, people can always hog it out. Also, I personally see no advantage to making the holes smaller. That thing won't move. Just my 2 cents. I do like the pattern having that 4th hole, though. There was some question about the thickness of the walls of the cross member. I can't measure it exactly, but I believe it to be 1/4" walls, esp since the tube welded to the bottom is the same size (same radii on the corners). Anyway, has anybody found a shop to quote out the endplates? I can sent the pattern through some of my connections and just get a second opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 Back to getting technical, I re-measured my hole patterns on both my hitch and bumper, and it came out exactly 1-1/8" between the top hole and the line that the other 2 line up on. Not that being a sixteenth off is a big deal, people can always hog it out. Also, I personally see no advantage to making the holes smaller. That thing won't move. Just my 2 cents. I do like the pattern having that 4th hole, though. I don't have a hitch to measure. What I do have is a NIB set of Fey bumper mount brackets for mounting their universal step bumper to an MJ. That same dimension on the Fey brackets is 1-1/16". The holes on those brackets are 7/16" diameter. If anyone wants to play with the hitch end plate pattern I drew up in AutoCAD, with an extension to also tie into the spring bolt below the other three bolts, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll get it off to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpdriver1 Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 if a member in the SoCal area is willing to measure it -- I have a hitch that is not currently installed ---- I unfortunately work approx 60 hrs a week and am unable to do this for the group -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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