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fuzzymath
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2004
Posts: 175
Location: Seattle
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 Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject: DIY Trailer Hitch |
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Parts needed:
(1) 0.25" x 1.5" x 41.125" square tube
(2) 0.25" x 2" x 2" flat bar
(2) 0.25" x 2" x 3"angle iron
(2) 0.5" x 1" x 3" flat bar
(1) 2" Receiver tube(pre-welded with collar and drilled for hitch pin)
Total cost for everything was around $50, not including powdercoating.
Finding loop angle while parked on level ground.
If it looks like by angles are different on each end it's because they are. I tried everything in my power to bend the lower loop up, including lifting and bouncing the rear end of my van two feet in the air with my forklift.
Still have to drill holes for the safety hooks in the gussets and weld everything together.
Last edited by fuzzymath on Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:17 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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hiram6
Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2006
Posts: 1880
Location: Beautiful South
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| Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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Gotta wonder if the secret to bending your loop up might have been to apply some heat. A $15 MAPP torch from the Home Depot would have heated that thing up to a nice glowing pink and a little upward pressure from a floor jack may have been all you needed.
Don't know for sure that it would have worked, and too late now that you've done all that work.
Good workmanship. Your home-made bar looks as good or better than the prefab ones all the vendors are selling.
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1985 Westy, 1.9L automatic (Daisy)
1996 Mazda Miata
1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited
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Last edited by hiram6 on Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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fuzzymath
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2004
Posts: 175
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:18 pm Post subject: |
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That's good advice and I might end up doing just that.
Unfortunately, I had to saw the 1.5" angle iron off because it didn't leave enough room for the bolt holes, well it did, but I only had a 1/4" of meat left on the back side of the hole. I know that for all intents and purposes it would have sufficed, but it was a little bit sketchy and easy enough to remedy. I could have scabbed some extra metal behind the bolt holes or doubled up the thickness on top but I wanted it to look clean and purposeful. I'm probably going to use 2" and trim off the bottom portion to 1.5".
The receiver tube and gussets went on without a hitch. 
I'll post some more pics tomorrow. |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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This thread is very very old but no less relevant than it was way back in 2007!
I however am not going to make an entire hitch.
I Have a 94 Toyota Pickup that I Use now only for Snow Plowing.
In true Toyota truck fashion it is rusting away and I was unaware of the frame recall until the recall had well expired!
So, plowing snow in the Winter I often back up into snow banks, this Winter on one occasion I Left my trailer hitch behind!
Too good to throw away...... Too rusty to reinstall...... Hmmmmmm......
These hitch end plates were 5/16" steel plate! A testimonial to The power of the NE's campaign against Ice!
This hitch is 41 3/4" end plate to end plate. To fit between the rear tow hooks I need 41 1/4"
I may try to loosen the mounts and squeeze it in........ Failing this I'll get out the Oxy/accy torch and convince those hooks to each move 1/4" towards the outside of the Van!
By cleaning up this hitch and welding on end angle irons I can almost exactly duplicate the commercially available hitch for Oh...... Zero $$'s! Well, I do need to get a chunk of Steel bar to run back to the engine carrier...... So not exactly zero.
I intend to only use it for a rack or a basket, no towing.
I've sent GoWesty so many of my dollars that I am using their drawing guilt free! I Think I Can dodge this financial bullet! Though I have tentatively lined up a used one from a member on here.
Happily This hitch literally "Fell" into my lap!
Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
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http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32597
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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