Hitch Question.

I'm going to buy a hitch for my 96 soon so I want to know If any one brand is better than the rest.

I saw that JCR's bumper nut strips have 4 on each side, but the hitches I have seen so far have 3 bolts on each side. Is that for the gas tank skid or do some hitches use all 4 bolts?

Most hitches have 4 bolts per side. The rearmost bolts go through the crossmember.

The OEM hitch has an additional 2 bolts much further forward, so it distributes the load more.

Buy the OEM nutstrips, otherwise you'll wish you did when you're fighting with fishing washers into the frame.
You can find the strips at the bottom of this page http://www.jeep4x4center.com/jeep-cherokee/hitch-accessories.htm

Don't buy a Hidden Hitch. I bought and installed one, then realized that despite being claimed to be "Class III", the ratings are really Class II.

Compare these http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1996_Jeep_Cherokee.htm

Our nutstrips are made to replace the factory nutstrips. Ours and OEM have the same nuts, in the same location.

jcroffroad said:

Our nutstrips are made to replace the factory nutstrips. Ours and OEM have the same nuts, in the same location.

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Its about time someone came out with these.Curious as to why you didnt just do all 5 bolts?

jcroffroad said:

Our nutstrips are made to replace the factory nutstrips. Ours and OEM have the same nuts, in the same location.

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Not true. The OEM ones have 5 bolts. You left off the ones at the very rear, that go through the crossmember.

Yep your are correct. I forgot about that! With most aftermarket bumpers, they require loping off that last nut as it interfers with the mounting plates (including our's). You can always put a nut and washer in without the need for it to be attached to the nutstrip, plus most hitches don't use that hole anyways. They use the 4 other holes.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CHT-13160/?image=large

I have this guy. Also 4 holes.

I bought the hidden hitch and it has 4 holes and is Class III

I have a Valley, it has four holes per side. It actually does not use nut strips, it uses backing plates inside the frame. It has survived things that at the time I thought were a bad idea, but did anyways

jcroffroad said:

Yep your are correct. I forgot about that! With most aftermarket bumpers, they require loping off that last nut as it interfers with the mounting plates (including our's). You can always put a nut and washer in without the need for it to be attached to the nutstrip, plus most hitches don't use that hole anyways. They use the 4 other holes.

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The Hidden Hitch uses the rearmost 4 holes, which includes those ones. Based on the pics, I don't think any one of them uses the frontmost 4 holes and excludes the rear ones.

The only thing I know of that uses the front hole is the factory gas skid

ehall said:

The only thing I know of that uses the front hole is the factory gas skid

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Yep, that was my understanding too.

I like DrawTite. The Drawtite crossbar mounts up tight to the bottom of the bumper and the crossbar of the receiver hitch is closed on both ends to keep moisture and dirt out. Some hitches arent capped on the ends.

Ok, Thanks for the input. I was thinking about putting a set of the Class 3 recovery brackets on the rear bumper, which ones hang low enough to do that? Or do you think I should save the $70 and put it towards an entire rear bumper?

Edit:

For front recovery points would the tow hooks be more useful than a front hitch?

alex22 said:

Ok, Thanks for the input. I was thinking about putting a set of the Class 3 recovery brackets on the rear bumper, which ones hang low enough to do that? Or do you think I should save the $70 and put it towards an entire rear bumper?

Edit:

For front recovery points would the tow hooks be more useful than a front hitch?

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Its up to you and your wallet whether or not you want to do a whole bumper or just a hitch. Dont waste your money on those "class 3 Recovery brackets". Im sure they are a solid product, everything Detours makes is, but for $65 they are not needed. Buy yourself a 2" receiver D ring insert for less than $30 and you are golden. Although the recovery brackets would be a good option if you mounted a winch in your rear receiver.
http://www.westcoastoffroad.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=215
Personally, I like a receiver hitch over tow hooks, both front and rear. A hitch wont bend no matter what angle you pull from, it ties the frame rails together instead of pulling on just one side, its anchored to the frame in at least 6 points, D ring a more secure attachment point than a tow hook and if you want to mount a winch at some point you have the option of a receiver mount that you can move from front to back or remove completely.
The drawbacks of a receiver hitch verses tow hooks, you lose some approach angle and they cost a few dollars more. Just my $.02