I'm making my own rear bumper and incorporating a hitch receiver into it so I can remove my existing one. Are there legal issues with making your own receiver? My dad brought this up and now I'm thinking the DOT might have a problem with this.


-Levino

 

i wouldnt think so if they can sell ones with them for many different vehicles. infact, i just modded a jeep one to fit mine.

 

technically DOT will have a problem with any fabbed bumper that doesnt have a DOT approval. reciever or no.

buildin a reciever into the bumper is not a good reason to remove your hitch, unless you dont use your hitch for towing anyhow. the tow rating on rear bumpers include the factory attachments in thier figures. those four bolts will not be able to handle real towin, no matter how strong the bumper you build may be.

 

what if you weld the bumper on the frame?

 

might be stornger, still wont be legal

 

^ either that, your youd need some heavy duty brackets for it...

why not jsut build the bumper around a hitch so you retain the hitches strength

 

I thought about the bumper attachment and I'm using the hitch mount to attach the new bumper. So whatever the hitch can handle the bumper will have the exact same mount. I wanted to incorporate the hitch into the new bumper to clean things up in the rear.

That was an option that I was looking into. The way I'm making it I can revert to that idea with minimal effort.

-Levino

 

Techincally it's legal if it does what your state requires. Screw DOT approval. Unless you've got a duplicate (or however many the need to trash/test) of whatever you make to submit it for safety testing it won't be DOT approved. DOT approval is an insurance gimmick. Maybe if your reciever failed while towing and (heaven forbid) killed a handful of ppl then you'd be f*cked. Don't worry about it in the least, I've seen the stuff you've made, it's good work. You're good to go bro, get in the shop and get started if you've got the plans all ready. Like I said, all you have to do is meet your state's bumper requirements. I took a pic of Andy's bumper to the local PD and they said "Yeah that's fine", so that gave me the green light on my slightly modified design. I'd recommend doing that if you're concerned about legalities.

I was going to reuse the oem brackets. Once I seen them and compared it to my fab I was like f*ck that. These things are like a joke compared to the bumper I built. My grade 8 bolts would shear(hah) or my frame would crush before my bumper would budge.

 

i agree with travis. if your weldin is up to the task, and your gonna use the hitch attachement points, then take you plans up to somebody who knows your states laws and make sure it wont get you in any trouble. then go for it!

ive seen machine welded production pieces fail. nuthin is ever 100% failsafe. jus make sure you know its safe, cause the liability will come back to the manufacture(you) in the end.

i reused the OEM brackets on my rear bumper, but didnt add a reciever. i kept the factory hitch on my truck.