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GoWesty Front Receiver Hitch With Bikes?
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SCP_Austin
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 4:19 pm    Post subject: GoWesty Front Receiver Hitch With Bikes? Reply with quote

I have scoured the forums...and it doesn't look like there are any pics or experiences with the bolt-on GW hitch on the front combined with a bike rack.

Has anyone done this? What is the weight rating if I wanted to do this?

What are your experiences with it? I like it because it could double up as a winch port as well.

I know I could put it on the back...but I am looking at other options for the rear...
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Honuak
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The gowesty front hitch mount is very stout. I put a motorcycle on there once. But be prepared for a project drilling thru the front member that inboard of the bumper. You have to drill thru several times. Not a big deal but cringe inducing. I treated the holes and bolts against rust. But its way stout enough for a bike.
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SCP_Austin
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Awesome...this is great feedback.

I love your avatar. The dude abides....
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kbeefy
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PostPosted: Sun Oct 13, 2013 9:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe Lucas, from GoWesty, carries a honda 70 or 50 on his.

I have one, it's plenty stout. I would use it for a recovery point if I had to. Looks funny... If I built it I would chop up the front body support and bury the receiver inside the bumper with much stronger construction. But the GW bumper is nice and flat for standing on and washing your windshield.
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morymob
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

With 4 bikes, more crush area in an accident.
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WestyDreamer
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

What is this product?

I looked at the GoWesty website but couldn't find any front Hitches or Bike Mounts etc?
.
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

WestyDreamer wrote:
What is this product?

I looked at the GoWesty website but couldn't find any front Hitches or Bike Mounts etc?
.

Here you go. GoWesty just sells the receiver, I've specifically asked several times to buy the CT70 mount and every time they say it was a one-off and they won't sell them.
http://www.gowesty.com/ec_view_details.php?id=4335
I'm getting one this winter to hold a HiLift jack until/unless I figure out a way to reliably mount a small motorbike there. Lucas' CT70 mount seems pretty much to be just a small step in the receiver with some tire cradles attached to the ends of the bumpers. Secures the top of the bike with a lot of ratchet straps.
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djkeev
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

But,
You need a $350 bumper to bolt the $80 receiver onto. Shocked
Plus add shipping......$$$

$25 .............
http://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Trailer-Hitches/Ultra-Fab-Products/UF35-946401.html

Dave
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SCP_Austin
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 14, 2013 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the GW bumpers...so that computes to spend that money. I am not a good enough welder and the warranty from a true manufacturer interests me.

Your receiver link is very interesting! That is certainly a tad cheaper than the GW one.
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 10:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm making slow but sure progress on my (affordable) front bumper mount CT70. Did a test fit and so far, so good.

To start with, I have a GoWesty steel plate front bumper with their front receiver that has 2 bolts that drill down through the frame.

I got this step receiver extension from Harbor Freight for $20 on sale ($29 regular I think).
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Next, using a cutoff wheel on my grinder I cut off the step.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Then I flipped the step and re-welded the step to the extension about 3" closer to the bumper.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Quick coat of paint (and I did drill another hole on other side to anchor ratchet strap)
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The width of the step is perfect width to cradle the skid plate of the CT70. Last task was to cut a rubber safety step mat with diamond plate pattern to the flat surface of the step. The bike fits nice on there.
I now have some flat bar steel stock that I will fab up to cradle the wheels. Will post pics hopefully soon.
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theadventureneverends
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Syncromike, please do post your finished product and the steps to achieve it. I have two 74 ST90s one for the front and one for the rear. Same frame as the CT70 just bigger tires and motor I believe. Your solution should work for me and it looks like it will be stout, clean, and inexpensive!
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

theadventureneverends wrote:
Syncromike, please do post your finished product and the steps to achieve it. I have two 74 ST90s one for the front and one for the rear. Same frame as the CT70 just bigger tires and motor I believe. Your solution should work for me and it looks like it will be stout, clean, and inexpensive!

I wanted to get an ST90, those are tough to find these days. However, I was a bit concerned about the ground clearance on the ST90 and whether the wheels would hang too low or too wide. You'd also have to look at the handlebars. I specifically got a '70's model that had the folding handlebars. I'll update as I wrap it up.
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Test fit, much better this time, need to cut a notch in the step edges for the footpeg bracket that seems to sit a bit lower than the rest of the skid plate.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Headlights are unobstructed, so that's good, just wasn't anticipating how far out the tire/wheel brackets will need to be. Wheels are 9" on center out from the bumper surface.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Homercules
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 23, 2014 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool. I'm just in the process of doing the exact same thing. I didn't think the Gowesty hitch would support the weight of my CT70 (clone) so I built a support underneath my bumper. I'm pondering the idea of a ramp to load the bike though. The bike is light but it's still too heavy for me to lift myself without blowing out my back. How do you load your bike?
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just found this thread and I'm a little shocked that my experience is so different.

I have the same bumper and hitch setup and would never consider putting anything over about 30 pounds on the front hitch and would certainly never consider using the bumper for vehicle recover. I put my cargo basket on the front initially and the amount of deflection I got when putting my partial weight in it was sobering (I'm a lightweight). Granted, it has significant leverage, but I couldn't imagine bouncing down the highway with any significant load ahead of the bumper which could eventually end up under the van. Now it's just a spot for my Hi-Lift.

Am I missing something? In my scenario there's just the two front facing bolts that hold the bumper on and the through-bolts for the receiver do little but squeeze the bumper out of square. I'm sure they do help to keep the top of the bumper from deflecting slightly when a load is placed on the hitch but it still just comes down to those anemic (6'ish mm?) bolts on the front to hold the bumper on the vehicle and they're not ideally located for that purpose.

Do you guys have additional bracing to the frame (aside from the metal pieces that flank sides of the bumper to keep it from touching the van's body)?
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

djkeev wrote:
But,
You need a $350 bumper to bolt the $80 receiver onto. Shocked
Plus add shipping......$$$

$25 .............
http://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Trailer-Hitches/Ultra-Fab-Products/UF35-946401.html

Dave

I've seen those on the bumpers of old school trucks or vans (Mericun), but what would you bolt that to on the vanagon? Certainly not those laughably flimsy "bumpers" or fiberglass bumper cover. It won't fit around the bumper chin (whatever that is called behind the bumper).
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Last edited by nemobuscaptain on Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:09 pm; edited 1 time in total
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regis101
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've tried bikes on the front of a couple of vehicles.
I never felt comfortable driving with them for multiple reasons.
YMMV
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daroota
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Last month I had a front facing 2" receiver hitch added. I have a thule 4-5 bike rack on it. It was a little high and I had it shortened by a friend. It's great now, it's not in my window.

It will hold about 200lbs at least I'm sure, but it's welded to the frame, and not the bumper.

When I bought the van there was a Straight up hitch which looked like it was for a boat rack over the top of the van. ( should take a photo and post it this weekend )
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Mon May 18, 2015 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hankster2 wrote:
I have the same bumper and hitch setup and would never consider putting anything over about 30 pounds on the front hitch and would certainly never consider using the bumper for vehicle recover. I put my cargo basket on the front initially and the amount of deflection I got when putting my partial weight in it was sobering (I'm a lightweight). Granted, it has significant leverage, but I couldn't imagine bouncing down the highway with any significant load ahead of the bumper which could eventually end up under the van. Now it's just a spot for my Hi-Lift.

Am I missing something? In my scenario there's just the two front facing bolts that hold the bumper on and the through-bolts for the receiver do little but squeeze the bumper out of square. I'm sure they do help to keep the top of the bumper from deflecting slightly when a load is placed on the hitch but it still just comes down to those anemic (6'ish mm?) bolts on the front to hold the bumper on the vehicle and they're not ideally located for that purpose.

Do you guys have additional bracing to the frame (aside from the metal pieces that flank sides of the bumper to keep it from touching the van's body)?

This reply got me reconsidering last spring and I held off for a while, then engine issues all through the winter until now had this project sidelined but I reviewed some of the pics of Lucas' van and looking at a few others and will put long bolts through the bumper (and cover) horizontally to reinforce 2 brackets to hold the wheels and a decent amount of the weight of the bike. I'll post pics on this thread when I resume after I finish the engine.
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