Ok I'm going to be putting on a BL on Monday, and I like many others here don’t want to be without a front recovery point.

It looks like the Hidden Hitch (#5014) that worked so well to be mounted on the top of the frame rail and poke out inside the valence with a bodylift is no longer made...so my question is....

What's the next best front mount hitch to purchase that would require the "least" amount of custom work to fit? Like which would still mount to the upper frame rail using the factory holes, and maybe just require modification to the brackets....


Any ideas?!?

 

Could always pick up a regular hitch from the junkyard and then cut it to the width of the frame rails then slide it in and weld it in place. I'm sure there's WAY more to it than just that but that's all I really know.

 

Thanks for the info, but you see I'm trying to reduce the amount of "custom" on this thing.....

 

I know. But doing that would save you some money.

 

Most guys do just what Rangerboi said.....but i assume you don't weld at all by the sounds of it. I think you are out of luck really.

 

I searched and searched for the easiest way also and in the end the easiest way was to pick up a hitch from the junkyard and get it cut and welded.

 

jordan (00stepside) is selling the hitch off his ranger. he is in castle rock. he just made custom bumpers for his truck. look him up he might sell it to ya for cheap. maybe even come help fab it up to work in a front application..

or heck just take and leave the valance off. i have had mine off for two years. and its doesnt look too bad with the body lift.

 

Honestly....I've got my 5014 mounted above the rails.....and.....STILL had to trim the top of the valence to properly fit it. The issue is the hole for the hitch is about an inch too high in the hole in the valence.

If I could do it again, I would've just used a hitch off some old truck, cut it up, put it EXACTLY where I wanted to, then welded it all up using nicely sized angle iron.

You want virtually no custom fab? Sorry...out of luck.

 

Done that, been there, custom is the cheapest way to go.

Junk yard or craigslist (like me) can provide a hitch for under $40, maybe even under $20.

All you need to know is the distance between your frame rails is 26.5". You can figure the rest out.

Pay 1 hour of labor to a welder, which can also be found on criagslist, can get you a nice hitch. I put an add on craiglist, looking for a welder, explained what I wanted. Some dude met me at McDonalds, took the hitch, came back a week later with exactly what I wanted. Did a good job too. Maybe I got lucky, but it worked for me.

 

Can we get some pics of newly lifted truck?

 

Um the cheapest way of doing it would be to cut up your stock valance so that your tow hooks are still accessible.