I need ideas on putting a hitch on the front end. Im getting a new front bumper made sometime in the next week or so, so i need some ideas on how you guys have mounted hitches to the front.

thanks

 

I bought a hidden hitch, worth every penny, i use it all the time!

 

I'm gonna get a hidden hitch....worth every picture i've seens....




There was a guy w/ a 08 wanting a hitch on his front end....i think he ordered a hidden for a 05?

 

I looked for the hidden hitch that "pokes" through the opening in the valence. Hidden hitch told me it was not in production anymore, so they have a new one that hangs below the valance and looks fugly.

So I just got a old rusty hitch, and the welder is picking it up tonight to weld brackets on it to bolt onto my frame using measurments I provided. I will get pictures up as soon as he is done the job (I cross my fingers by the end of the week). All in all, I should spend about half that of a new hitch. And it will be positioned in a way that will allow me to have tow hooks bolted onto it as well - yup, a 2wd XLT with tow hooks, finally!

 

They Dont make one for my truck anymore, so i gotta fab one. Any pics of how yours is mounted?

 

mod bargains still has it unless hes behind on the update




http://www.modbargains.com/dept.aspx...64-001-004-008

 

man, i was searching all over the area and the net for that! thanks!

 

Notice this though: looks like you will have to cut your valance. Your frame rails sit almost at the same height as the openeing in your valance, so with that hitch, the brackets hold the hitch under your frame rails.

 

here is a picture of the hidden hitch without the valance

and one with the valance on

 

Same as mine...




I'm not sure how well you can see that...

 

how much was the hidden hitch?

i'm gonna make one out of a bunch of 1/4" tubing and plate, something like 60-70 bucks in material i think

 

It cost me $130 something not including shipping. Modbargains doesnt give shipping price on checkout for some reason.

Anyway, no worries about the valance, that thing fits right between the tow hooks.

 

I think mine was either 99 or 110, from etrailer.com

 

i'll stick with my beefed up cheaper custom one... just gotta get time to make it
its just one more custom piece on my truck i can claim i made. it should make the front of the frame quite a bit stronger too.

 

Gotta support the R-F vendors though! lol, actually it was the ONLY one i could find so, i got it.

 

I hear ya, I would have done the same thing, i got mine years ago though.

 

I bought a new (cheap!) hidden style hitch for a superduty, and had my welder cut it down and make new brackets for it. The only part you can see is where the receiver pokes through the bumper opening. It's on a sport trac but any metal fab guy could do the same for a ranger.



Since this, my license plate mounts into the receiver so can't even tell it's there until I need it. Here's a picture with the license plate in, and another with the winch in...

 

Looks very useful on the front of that sport trac! Lookin good-

 

Will the hitch work on my truck, it says up to 97, or after 01, mines a 2000, but it also has a 3in BL?

 

Well, who knows if modBargains has the hitch. I get an email today from them saying the price was out of date (that sucks, its probably gonna cost more) and that it might not even be available anymore.

Im glad they keep their site updated.

Yeah thats what I was thinking. its like an extra brace between the frame rails.

 

Try here:http://www.hitchesonline.com/. They have front mounted hitches. $119.95 for 01-05 Ranger.

 

i love that sport track

 

damn brian..the more and more i see pics of your trac, the more i should have actually checked the darn thing out! it's sick!

 

I got a cad .dwg drawing with the dimensions needed for the front mount hitch, I know it works with 01-03, but judging by the ones for sale that say 01-05, it might work for those years as well. It cost me about 40 bucks to fab up and it works wonders. If you want these plans let me know either on this forum, or pm me with an email address and I can email you the cad drawing I have.

 

alright, while were on the topic and i dont need to start a thread..


i'm gonna use 1/4" plate, 6"x12" and weld that between the frame rails then weld the 2x4 to that.. do you think i should put bolts through the plate and though the frame? or would welding all the way around be sufficient?