How much would you tow with this?

[MarcusOReallyus]

I wouldn't trust that at all. Yeah, it might hold.

If it doesn't, you be wearing ALL the liability for whatever happens. Your insurance company will disown you faster than you can say, "under the not-DOT-approved bus".

If somebody happens to get killed, you could be looking at negligent manslaughter charges.

Please buy a real hitch.

 

[ajsmith184]

It works great...Towed almost 150 miles..Hit some good bumps, no problems coming out of the launch....Will add a hitch at some point, for now this is working great.

 

[max1008]

that hitch is just as strong as the pintle. The pintle is thru bolted to the bumper which is the same strength as the hitch you welded on. I did the same thing on my truck to tow small trailers similar weight as your boat.

If the bumper wasnt strong enough to tow that boat then they wouldnt tow a 3000lb m101 trailer.

 

[flyxpl]

that hitch is just as strong as the pintle. The pintle is thru bolted to the bumper which is the same strength as the hitch you welded on. I did the same thing on my truck to tow small trailers similar weight as your boat.

If the bumper wasnt strong enough to tow that boat then they wouldnt tow a 3000lb m101 trailer.

I agree , the pintle hitch is attatched to the same area , so it has to be strong in that area . I question how or where you hook up the saftey chains . If you wanted to get anal , you could fasten some short chains to the frame , then hook you saftey chains to them while towing .

 

[islandguydon]

Safety First............!

I have to chime in here. Here are two pictures of the Top and Bottom sides of the factory hitch for a 1028, same as yours. I have a safety story to tell why it is still not on the 1028.

I had a 6" drop hitch slid into this receiver. I went to the local equipment rental and picked up a Dingo trencher with trailer. I hooked up went down the road then after a few miles I hit a minor pothole and I heard the trailer dragging so I pulled over. What happened was the tong weight bent the whole bumpers center like a V, straight down. I had to replace the bumper and install a proper Reese hitch from frame to frame. I have some pictures in my photo album.

My advise and it's only from my experience is, DO NOT TOW A BOAT with the hitch installed as pictured. Keep in mind I have more boat trailers than military trailers, the factory receiver is a JOKE.

Good luck. IGD

 

[max1008]

islandguydon-
thats a crazy story! what was the weight on the trencher and trailer? How was that factory receiver attached?

 

[islandguydon]

The top frame of the receiver from the factory pictured is welded and bolted to the bottom of the bumper. The Dingo and trailer weighted less than an 18' bow rider. I just don't trust any trailer tong weight. The factory Pintail was fine. I pulled a M-105 from Kansas to Detroit no problem.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

islandguydon-
thats a crazy story! what was the weight on the trencher and trailer?

Those trenchers just aren't all that heavy. Even if it were loaded all the way to the front of the trailer, it shouldn't be a problem with a decent receiver.

 

[doghead]

I've seen the same issue as IGD with the bolt on hitch on a pickup truck step bumper. The lower flat plate is not strong enough to take the torsional load of a hitch.

In one case(mine), I simply lowered my trailer onto the hitch and watched the bumper bed. This was an empty trailer that has a total weight of 2800 lbs. It is an 18' tandem axle utility trailer.

 

[mistaken1]

Tongue weight, don't exceed it.