Bobbed bed with hitch receiver?

[mobbinmache]

Has anyone bobbed a long bed and kept a factory hitch? Or did you just integrate it into the bumper??

[Pete M]

good question.  To me seems a bit odd to hack off the bed for better clearance and than keep the thing that hangs down the most.   

 

Do you plan to tow with it?  or just use it as a recovery point?

[mobbinmache]

I bobbed it cause i kept getting stuck on things from the length like turn arounds and things. i use my truck often and would like to keep the tow ability with it so i was thinking about mounting it to the inside of my frame rails with some plating for reinforcement. Do yall think that would work ok?

[Pete M]

Proper design will allow that, yes.    When fabricating your new brackets, I suggest integrating the upper shackle bolt for extra strength. 

 

In an interesting pepsi twist, our '16 Durango integrates the factory hitch right into the steel bumper structure.  I literally had to discard the old bumper when I installed it.

[mobbinmache]

That's a good idea with the shackle bolt imma have to do that! Got the bed cut n back now just gotta do my bumper and reciver

[Pete M]

have you started a build thread for the truck yet?

[Jeep Driver]

Consider something similar-

Cross bar is 3"x.25 wall tube, everything else is 3/8 plate. 

 

I did not mount the receiver high for two reasons, I wanted to keep the tag where it belongs, secondly- many hitch designers/companies split the cross bar into two pieces, I don't like that, it weakens the cross bar, IMO. 

But, you certainly can so that you don't lose ground clearance. 

 

Also, if you add a 2" receiver.......it IS a hitch, it is NOT simply a recovery point........design it to tow, just because you won't doesn't mean someone else won't. 

If designed properly, I see no reason to incorporate the shackle bolt.....in fact, I would not.