Since the BL, my front toe hooks won't fit so I'm thinking of having something fabricated. Using the existing toe hook mounts, thought of a bar that would extend out infront of my valence. This bar would go from pass side to driver side (almost like a towel rack in your bathroom). Ideas? Pics? Links? Anyone?

 

Why not do a front hitch?

 

x2 on the front hitch.... a bar would be nice and serve as a double purpose for a pushbar if heavy duty enough, but a hitch i think would have more uses...

 

The only problem is finding one that goes between the bumper/valance and not under it.

 

But with her body lift she could do like others on here have done.

 

True, but I'm assuming that involves much more fabrication then she is willing to do.

 

Maybe, but who knows.

 

She does.

Okay, I'm done.

 

LOL Well I mean if she would go through the trouble of getting the bar made she might as well have the hitch done instead. It would have much more purposes IMO

 

I'm not interested in having another hitch in the front. A bar that would tuck in nicely in my valence area and serve as a tow purpose, or if anything, to fill in the open space there now.

 

there are some people that have BLs and still kept their tow hooks... A piece has to be fab'd so its 3inches lower shouldnt be too hard to do.

 

The thing with that is, I'm afraid if I had to use them I might F up my valence.

 

No... If the brackets for the tow hooks are made to right size they will be just how they were when it was stock... I've used my tow hooks plenty of times and never even touched my valance.

 

I know you're not all down for the front hitch but its probably the best idea. you can get receiver clevis and its the best most reliable way to get pulled out IMO.

 

You could do some trimming and still make it look really good or a fab up a front hitch.

 

this looks good.. nice and clean looking..

in my opinion i dont really like the looks of a front hitch either.. but the bar idea sounds good to me..

if im getting towed out, i rather them pull from the back, but if i absolutely have to get towed from the front i will hook it on just about anything thats strong enough.. hell i've gotten pulled out in 2 feet of snow (up to the doors on a stock 93) by my foglight brackets without problems.. granted they are beefy brackets.

 

Anymore pics of this black truck

 

you need your hooks modified brenda!! talk to redneckstone (zack) he's doing mine for me....they modify them so they will fit like they did before!! no need to cut up your valace.

 

Front hidden hitch FTW.


Hidden hitch mounted on top of the frame rails.....easy. Hard part is finding the hitch.

 

It's mudranger96's truck, check his threads out for pictures.

One of my favorites.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/forum2...dranger96.html

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm gonna think a lil more on this one. I just know, I'm not cutting into my valence.

 

Zabeard had something similar to what you're discribing back when he was running a stock front bumper. Basically a piece of gradual bent tubing that was welded to that front crossmember. Looked like the truck had a tongue. lol. But it served it purpose: flag mount.

I don't have any pictures at this time, but maybe if you go through his twenty million page SAS thread, there may be pics of the tongue.


Me personally, I went hitch route because it's FAR stronger than that dinky crossmember that's up front there. Fab shop wouldn't charge much to cut up a hitch from a [insert here], couple chunks of angle iron, and 4 total welds. Don't have to go the hidden hitch route...I kinda regret it actually. Had I not gone that route, I would have had full control as to where the hitch is. I wish mine was about an inch lower. Because right now, to even have a grille/bumper gap, I had to trim my valence.

If you go hitch, you can keep a shackle insert(like what I've got) in like your toolbox or cab or....? Or just do the whole 'strap retained by hitch pin' trick so it's WAY out of the way of that valence. And if the hitch is welded to the frame in a certain way, the insert will stick out deep into the valence(towards the outside world) and will help keep anything away from hitting/grabbing onto the valence. Mines pretty sucked in(towards the radiator) and I don't wack the valence.

Just my thoughts. Take 'em or leave 'em.


FTW!

 

Go front hitch, you can't beat the strength if you really need to use it. That tow bar idea just doesn't sound like it would be that strong to yank on.

 

I'm just not diggin that hitch look in the front. Might have to rethink using my existing tow hooks. I doubt they would ever be used but I need something in that space!

 

Just to let you know the hitch in the front is not very noticeable, when the truck is level and the sun isn't shinning on it you really cant notice it unless your looking for it.