departure angle with hitch

docchaynes · Nov 8, 2006

How much does the departure angle change with a typical receiver hitch? With it mounting under the bumper I was afraid it might hang too low.

Even with the new Up Country springs I'm planning will the hitch be too low?

Hudson Bend · Nov 8, 2006

It's not the hitch that gets hung up, it's the trailer that you're towing. If you can clear your gas tank and don't get caught on your bumper, then your hitch should be safe.

boise49ers · Nov 8, 2006

I think he is talking about when he isn't towing and wheeling on rocks and stuff. I would guess about 5 degrees. They do get hung up, but it doesn't damage anything to drag them around. Sounds horrible. I got rid of mine and got a rock bumper with it built into the bumper. With 5" of lift and 34s I got about 50 degrees, but I have since bent the loops for the chains up and I'm going 35s real soon so it should be better now.
I put the hi-lift in the Jeep when I do rocks or use someone elses if I don't want to carry it.

stewie · Nov 8, 2006

i have the stock hitch and it doesnt bother me much. in fact i would rather have it back there than not with stock bumpers. i have come off a couple of rocks and smacked the hitch down on a few. no biggie. loud noise, and that was it. it saved my rear bumper a couple times.

casm · Nov 8, 2006

stewie said:
i have the stock hitch and it doesnt bother me much. in fact i would rather have it back there than not with stock bumpers. i have come off a couple of rocks and smacked the hitch down on a few. no biggie. loud noise, and that was it. it saved my rear bumper a couple times.

I'll second this - it sounds horrible, but you get used to it. Equally fun is when you back up over a rock and the receiver shackle acts like a miniature skidplate...

docchaynes · Nov 8, 2006

Thanks for the replies. I thought of going with an in-bumper hitch by Detour but the conventional hitch would be a couple hundred bucks less.

I am thinking a shackle on the reciever would back an effective budget recovery point for the lightweight stuff I might get into on the back40. (?)

Matthew Currie · Nov 8, 2006

On the Mopar hitch what hits first is the little box for the connector. It can hit in conditions that are otherwise passable with an unlifted XJ, but it makes more noise than harm.

stewie · Nov 8, 2006

Matthew Currie said:
On the Mopar hitch what hits first is the little box for the connector. It can hit in conditions that are otherwise passable with an unlifted XJ, but it makes more noise than harm.

yah i forgot about that. when i bought my XJ, it had no electrial connection there and was bent to hell. i took it off with a grinder when i desided it was too ugly even for me!

docchaynes · Nov 9, 2006

Any experience with the Detours Off-Road Hardware Slimline Bumper product?

I can't see where their electrics mount either?

Any of you had your sorry bu**s drug out by a shackle on your hitch?

docchaynes · Nov 9, 2006

:doh:

casm · Nov 9, 2006

docchaynes said:
Any of you had your sorry bu**s drug out by a shackle on your hitch?

Yup. Works fine either being recovered or recovering someone else.

departure angle with hitch

docchaynes

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Matthew Currie

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