TheSamba.com :: View topic - 73 - 79 Class-2 style trailer hitch How To

Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:02 am

In response to several PM's about the hitch I built for my '73 Westfalia last year I decided to make a thread on how I built it so here goes.

CAUTION: This hitch design works on 1973 - 1979 Baywindow era buses and trucks but requires "hacking" an 1-1/2" square hole in the center of your rear bumper. I take NO responsibility on any possible mishaps resulting from use of this hitch. I suggest an experienced welder to fabricate this hitch. Sorry...I will not build one and sell it to you...liability issues :(

I designed this hitch around an Empi brand "Thunderbird" style merged exhaust with single quiet pack muffler but after fitting this same hitch on a local club members bus I discovered that it works with a stock muffler as well. This design allows the use of the stock valance that attaches under the bumper and stock heat shield in place too. I purchased a "hitch hole cap" and when not using for towing the cap gives the bumper / hitch a clean OEM appearance.

On the "Thunderbird" style muffler, clearances were so tight that I could not find a good place to put the "loops" for safety chains so I have them attached to the 1-1/4" draw bar (not really a good safety measure) but with the stock style muffler, loops can be easily added on the hitch behind the bumper.

There are (2) extra threaded holes forward of your bumper brackets...use two stock length bumper bracket bolts to mount the hitch only. Then find (4) 1/4" longer than stock bolts to mount the bumper back to stock location through the new hitch brackets.

Here is the drawing:

How I made the receiver reinforcement:
You'll need to file out the factory seam in the square tube for the draw bar to slide in easily.

Don't forget the 1/2" washers welded on for pin hole reinforcement:

My first hitch was made with 2-1/2" X 3-1/2" angle iron but I discovered with the second one that 3"x 3" works fine. So...some of these pictures may look odd because some were of the first hitch and some of the second.

Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:06 am

Very Nice!

Thu Apr 29, 2010 7:40 am

Great job! I have an orange Westy , too. I may do this. Thanks!!!!

Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:07 am

Nice, how hard is it to get at the hitch pin?

Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:12 am

Kind of like undoing a bra catch in the backseat of your dads Ford in 1987:)

It's tight but not too bad...can't really see what your doing...but I got the hang of it pretty quick.

Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:17 am

I love this! Nice work.

Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:26 am

Bookmarked. Thanks.

A bit of paint on the plug to match the bumper and it'll look OE
Any idea on the weight? 20# or so is my guess
I'm glad to see the .180 on the cross piece. .250 would be user friendly.
I tried in vain to use lesser thickness for other project but the flex is to much.

Thu Apr 29, 2010 8:58 am

Thanks again Roy.

I have the thunderbird setup also and bought the Jamie Rivers hitch last year hoping it would work - it didn't. With Roy's plans, I think I can take Jamie's frame and simply remove his bottom mounted 2" receiver and substitute Roy's 1 1/4" top-mounted (in bumper) receiver. My hope is that I won't need to make any additional modifications to Jamie's frame.

In any case, I will let everyone know if this "slight" modification works.

Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:38 am

What wheels are on the bus? and did you have to redrill?

Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:26 am

Sun Jul 04, 2010 5:26 pm

Well I have Leon the "welder guy" working on this hitch for my "project westy". It should be ready this week sometime.

I will post pictures.

Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:53 pm

nvwainfo wrote: What wheels are on the bus? and did you have to redrill?
^^^ This

Wed Apr 23, 2014 7:58 pm

Trying out new Trailer Hitch and air shocks.

Finally getting around to trying my new trailer hitch that I designed and built, trailer has it's own brakes and I put a Curt brake controller module under the dash, It worked really good towing my 62 Bug, went down the freeway "with white knuckles at first" on level ground it did well, not even floor boarded at 60 mph! no problem, had to downshift to 3rd. gear a couple of times on some slight inclines but not too bad, first trip will be this coming weekend Sun. to Kelley Park in San Jose on April 6th. 2014 for the 30 th. annual show. Taking the whole package! Need to get a different offset on hitch though, trailer sits a couple of inches high in the front, need to bring it down to level to get better look. Check out my Youtube Link and Gallery photos below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVKOyn3OVzo

Tue Jul 15, 2014 12:39 pm

rjonas wrote: In response to several PM's about the hitch I built for my '73 Westfalia last year I decided to make a thread on how I built it so here goes.

CAUTION: This hitch design works on 1973 - 1979 Baywindow era buses and trucks but requires "hacking" an 1-1/2" square hole in the center of your rear bumper. I take NO responsibility on any possible mishaps resulting from use of this hitch. I suggest an experienced welder to fabricate this hitch. Sorry...I will not build one and sell it to you...liability issues :(

I designed this hitch around an Empi brand "Thunderbird" style merged exhaust with single quiet pack muffler but after fitting this same hitch on a local club members bus I discovered that it works with a stock muffler as well. This design allows the use of the stock valance that attaches under the bumper and stock heat shield in place too. I purchased a "hitch hole cap" and when not using for towing the cap gives the bumper / hitch a clean OEM appearance.

On the "Thunderbird" style muffler, clearances were so tight that I could not find a good place to put the "loops" for safety chains so I have them attached to the 1-1/4" draw bar (not really a good safety measure) but with the stock style muffler, loops can be easily added on the hitch behind the bumper.

There are (2) extra threaded holes forward of your bumper brackets...use two stock length bumper bracket bolts to mount the hitch only. Then find (4) 1/4" longer than stock bolts to mount the bumper back to stock location through the new hitch brackets.

Here is the drawing:

How I made the receiver reinforcement:
You'll need to file out the factory seam in the square tube for the draw bar to slide in easily.

Don't forget the 1/2" washers welded on for pin hole reinforcement:

My first hitch was made with 2-1/2" X 3-1/2" angle iron but I discovered with the second one that 3"x 3" works fine. So...some of these pictures may look odd because some were of the first hitch and some of the second.

Have you ever considered make a few of those and sell them on
THESAMBA
I would take one.
:-)

Tue Jul 15, 2014 1:07 pm

heiko910 wrote:

Have you ever considered make a few of those and sell them on
THESAMBA
I would take one.
:-)

Put me on the list as well.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 8:02 pm

I'd like to thank the OP rjonas for all the details he shared regarding the building of his receiver hitch.

With the help of a friend who is a pretty good welder and fabricator we reproduced something very similar.

Currently it is being used to tow my Honda CT90 to some local trails.

Sometimes it is easier and more satisfying to build what you cannot find.

Also note the General Grabber AT tires.

Tue Aug 16, 2016 8:26 pm

nerdhotrod wrote: heiko910 wrote:

Have you ever considered make a few of those and sell them on
THESAMBA
I would take one.
:-)

Put me on the list as well.
Guys - read his post. No, he will not be making these for sale.