New Custom Hitch Install

[weld88]

Just wanted to post the new hitch install on the deuce. I built the hitch to handle anything the deuce can pull but im really hoping the deuce won't struggle to much pulling 5000k pounds. Im sure it will slow down on the road but I hope it won't slow to a crawl on the interstate. I guess ill just find out.

 

[ATPTac]

Looks good. How did you mount it to the frame?

I need to look into getting a new civilian hitch for our truck, its just not very high on the priority list right now. The one installed by the previous owner doesn't really look very trust worthy (the welds are terrible), so I'm not sure I'd trust it to pull much.

 

[weld88]

I built the hitch at work and designed it to be fully bolt on. I drilled the frame in 6 places (3 on each side) and used 5/8 - 11 grade 8 flange bolts. I did an FEA at work with solidworks software and it will handle anything the deuce will ever be able to pull and then some.

 

[ATPTac]

Hmm, that has me intrigued. I like the idea of bolt on versus welded. What did it end up costing you total to build, if you don't mind me asking?

 

[weld88]

Well since I built it and only paid scrap price it was only 14.71 lol...I paid more for the grade 8 bolts and nuts.

 

[bsorcs]

Nice build! Is it a receiver frame? Cannot quite tell from the photo. Re slow down with load, I hauled the whaleboat, ~about 6500#, from Oregon to Arizona and had no issues beyond getting down into 3rd on significant uphills. Mileage dropped from ~9 light to ~7.5 w/boat.

I installed with a Curt 18K industrial-duty hitch...think it's one designed for 1-tons. Went on fairly easily, although the drilling was 'interesting'. It yielded a 25 1/2-in drop from the 2.5*2.5 receiver to ground. Think the hitch was ~$135; the hd one-piece ball mount was another $60 or so.

 

[weld88]

Yes it is a receiver frame. It's good to know you have pulled 6500k up steep grades makes me feel a little better about the load im fixing to start pulling.

 

[rustystud]

Looks good ! I would like some close-ups of the hitch if you could. I'm going to install one soon myself. Right now I'm leaning towards the "Curtis" models . How hard was the frame to drill ?
Thanks.

 

[weld88]

The truck frame really is not to hard to drill, what I done was got my receiver frame built and clamped it in place with C-clamps. I then took a sharpie and marked through the hole in the receiver frame where I wanted to drill, then I took a center punch and punched the center of my marks. I started to drill it small first with a .125" drill bit and worked my way up to .6875" I basically drilled each hole 3 times and I have a total of 6 bolts holding this on. It took maybe around 45 min to get drilled and installed.

 

[zout]

Nice job Weld88

 

[Tow4]

That is a good looking hitch weld88. I like the double square tube cross pieces to spread out the torsion load. Nice welding too. Good job!

 

[rustystud]

The truck frame really is not to hard to drill, what I done was got my receiver frame built and clamped it in place with C-clamps. I then took a sharpie and marked through the hole in the receiver frame where I wanted to drill, then I took a center punch and punched the center of my marks. I started to drill it small first with a .125" drill bit and worked my way up to .6875" I basically drilled each hole 3 times and I have a total of 6 bolts holding this on. It took maybe around 45 min to get drilled and installed.

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I see you went with 5/8" bolts, how long where they ?
Thanks.

 

[weld88]

Yep I went with 5/8ths grade 8 flange bolts. The first set of bolts (closest to the rear of the truck) are 1.50 inches long and the rear two sets are 1.25 inches long. Reason being the first set I had to run through two channel flanges.

 

[HanksDeuce]

Great job on the custom hitch. I envy your fab skills and completed budget.

I raise you one pic of my hitch. I outsourced it to BlackRockFab, but I didn't mind.

 

[weld88]

Nice hitch!! I picked my deuce up about 6 months ago and have actually seen yours several times and looked at a lot of you build picks. Its almost like being star struck with you chiming in on the thread since Ive looked at your trucks build so much Lol... Did you get you engine conversion done? You did the cummins 5.9 right? That is actually what next on my list to do is stuff a cummins 5.9 12 valve down in mine. If you wouldn't mind I would really like to talk to you more about it like what kind of hurtles I will come across and what I need to watch for. Let me know if you have time one day I can give you a call. Thanks

 

[HanksDeuce]

Shoot me a PM with your number and I'll give you a call.

I'm still going through the 5.9 install. Cold weather crap.

 

[Jim Timber]

Hank, what do you pull with all that hardware?

 

[HanksDeuce]

Hank, what do you pull with all that hardware?

Nothing until I finish putting in that 5.9 cummins!

I think Kyle at BlackRockFab said the hitch was designed to pull eleventy billion pounds. Heaviest thing I could think of would be my ex-gf on roller skates. I might need some detroit lockers for a load that size though!

 

[blisters13]

Not planning to pull anything ridiculous, like over 7,000 lbs.:


1/2" hot-rolled steel plate, 1/2" steel rod for tow hooks, 7018 welding rod. Bolts into all the existing holes, even the pintle hitch shaft has enough length to not need a new hole for the nut cotter pin. I bent the offsets in a 20 ton hydraulic press, cold.

It ends up at the right height for an M1102 trailer to be level, about 30". A 12" drop hitch will pull a common civilian trailer level, about 18".