hitch questions

I recently posted that I was looking for info on a 2" square trailer hitch receiver to go on my XJ. I currently have the OEM hitch bar, but it has a permanent bent tongue and a hitch ball, no 2" square receiver on it.

I took a closer look at my hitch last night. It appears that the bent tongue and hitch ball are attached to the 2" square hitch bar (that runs the length of the bumper) by a few bolts. I've never seen this as a separate piece, so I'm wondering if I can just take this off and bolt up a new/used 2" square receiver in it's place?

Then again I've never seen JUST the square receiver for sale anywhere, but then I really haven't looked.

Anyone know if I can just swap these out, and keep the long cross bar bolted to the bumper? Who sells the 2" square receiver if so?

Will require modification:

http://www.harborfreight.com/12-hitch-extender-69882.html

Or this:



http://www.jcwhitney.com/curt-bumper-universal-hitch/p2012030.jcwx?skuId=368520&filterid=u0j1


Steel supply houses also sell the raw stock. Ask for 2" hitch receiver tube. Don't buy just regular square tube as it has a weld seam down the middle of the length and won't accept a standard size hitch.

Are you planning to tow, or to make a recovery point?

Modifying what you have into a 2" "Class 3" receiver, well, it won't. Making it into a recovery point, well, it is likely that you would rip it off the vehicle.

joe_peters said:

Making it into a recovery point, well, it is likely that you would rip it off the vehicle.

Click to expand...

My thoughts also. Then most likely the parts that get ripped off will leave the truck at mach II becoming deadly weapons like what happened to this poor basterd:

Man killed as tow hook whips into his vehicle



http://kdvr.com/2013/06/17/man-killed-as-tow-hook-whips-into-his-vehicle/

I rarely tow. I mean really rarely. I need the 2" square mostly for a bike rack hitch point.

Seems like one of these could simply be bolted AND welded to the existing bar, if you guys think just the bolts alone wouldn't hold, yes?

wgregt said:

I rarely tow. I mean really rarely. I need the 2" square mostly for a bike rack hitch point.

Seems like one of these could simply be bolted AND welded to the existing bar, if you guys think just the bolts alone wouldn't hold, yes?

Click to expand...

Just for a bike rack no problema.

Personally, I would weld, or bolt and weld, but then I am a little OCD.

Good luck.

PS--if you sell it later I would remove that 2" receiver so someone doesn't ASS-U-ME it is a Class 3/recovery point and get someone injured.