How to make front hitch
#27
03-29-2010
There's a pretty decent gap between the backside of the hitch and where the cooler would be. It's one of those sorta things that you just gotta toss the hitch up in there and look.
#28
03-29-2010
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Garden City, MI
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#30
03-29-2010
i didn't do mine but thanks lol I had a friend/former member do it for me. tested it out today dragging a maxima with a broken axle and control arm haha
#31
03-29-2010
Pedro's hitch is mounted in the stock position. AKA below the x-member. No trim necessary if installed on non-BL truck. On a BL'd truck, for no-valence cutting, the hitch will need to be up 2-3" from where it's pictured.
#33
04-25-2010
#34
04-25-2010
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#36
04-25-2010
#37
11-05-2010
#38
11-19-2010
Get yourself a cheap used rear hitch of any kind of junk. Can be off anything pretty much, what it came off of is no concern, just make sure it's bigger than 30" wide and the main tube is straight, not bent like alot of stock rear ranger hitches are.
If not bodylifted: I prefer one with the insert hole in-line with the rest of the hitch. If bodylifted: I prefer one with the insert offset(lowered) from the rest of the hitch.....that is, if it's not offset more than 3". Those offset ones are a little iffy on front hitch applications.
Get some 3/16-3/8 pieces of angle iron cut to about 6" lengths or so. Clamp those to the frame. Then cut your hitch to fill the gap between the angle irons. Tack into place or clamp into place then install bumper to verify hole clearences. Get it right, final tack it, test fit again, then fully weld it. Either weld to frame or have fun using bolts.
Bodylifted is a little iffy on what needs to be done. It depends on what hitch you're starting out with. Either way, for a bodylift on a torsion bar truck, that front crossmember needs to be cut a little more than half way up it. You can weld it to the hitch if you're good with a cut off wheel too....would strengthen up that dinky crossmember. My front hitch is just too high(my own fault) and had to trim the valence to make it usable and keep a good grille/bumper gap.
Or install as below for a non-BL truck, then cut your valence.
On my BL'd truck. Used a now out of production Hidden front hitch for 98+ Rangers...but mounted ONTOP of the frame to compensate for the BL. If I could do it all over again, I would using a junkyard hitch and making it perfect before I fully welded the thing on. Like I noted above, I had to trim my valence to actually use the hitch. The hitch reciever sits about 3/4" to 1" too high.
If not bodylifted: I prefer one with the insert hole in-line with the rest of the hitch. If bodylifted: I prefer one with the insert offset(lowered) from the rest of the hitch.....that is, if it's not offset more than 3". Those offset ones are a little iffy on front hitch applications.
Get some 3/16-3/8 pieces of angle iron cut to about 6" lengths or so. Clamp those to the frame. Then cut your hitch to fill the gap between the angle irons. Tack into place or clamp into place then install bumper to verify hole clearences. Get it right, final tack it, test fit again, then fully weld it. Either weld to frame or have fun using bolts.
Bodylifted is a little iffy on what needs to be done. It depends on what hitch you're starting out with. Either way, for a bodylift on a torsion bar truck, that front crossmember needs to be cut a little more than half way up it. You can weld it to the hitch if you're good with a cut off wheel too....would strengthen up that dinky crossmember. My front hitch is just too high(my own fault) and had to trim the valence to make it usable and keep a good grille/bumper gap.
Or install as below for a non-BL truck, then cut your valence.
On my BL'd truck. Used a now out of production Hidden front hitch for 98+ Rangers...but mounted ONTOP of the frame to compensate for the BL. If I could do it all over again, I would using a junkyard hitch and making it perfect before I fully welded the thing on. Like I noted above, I had to trim my valence to actually use the hitch. The hitch reciever sits about 3/4" to 1" too high.
this is by far the single best, most informative, in fewest pictures and words answer to a question i have seen. succinct is the word!
#39
11-19-2010
should work fine its all about the measurements. the frames are all the same. and front hitch is def. the way to go. much stronger than tow hooks
#40
12-07-2010
#41
12-08-2010
#43
12-09-2010
haha yeah i lucked out on the winch but that will be my later project... i'm getting a hitch tomorrow from a buddy of mine for cheap and i already have some 3/16 angel steel. now either this weekend or next, i'll weld it on to my truck but i think i need to take my stock tow hooks off... hmmm
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