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Class III Receiver Hitch (Suggestions?)

wescam

wescam

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Alexandria VA
Hi,

Background:

Newbie. Just picked up a 2001 XJ with 27K miles. Looks and smells new. No mods, except for what I just did to the auido system (heh).

I'm getting two bolt on tow hooks for the front. I've found a decent price/vendor, and they just bolt up. I want a hitch for the rear now.

Question:

I want a class III receiver hitch for the rear. Here's where I need the newb help....

I suppose the dealer sells one that costs too much?


Is there a decent brand or vendor you guys would reccomend?


Is it all bolt up, I mess up drilling holes in studs and sheet rock to hang pictures, and I don't want to practice on frame components right now.


I did a few searches, but all were related to descriptions of bumpers (most of them have Class II type fixture built in) or recovery, as in using a receiver hitch as a recovery point. Couldn't find any "retail, compare, price" type threads. But, maybe I missed something allready posted. If so, shoot me :p
TIA,

Wes
 
Hidden Hitch,

but I don't remember having to drill any holes, but I think I had to install that nutsert thing in the drivers' side frame rail. I had to get one for the oem gas tank skid plate, that's why I'm not exactly sure if I needed it specifically for the hitch.

It's a strip of metal with nuts tacked to it, there's already one in the passenger's side frame rail supporting the muffler hanger.

I think it goes for about $20 at the dealer, I'm sure other posters' with a better memory will fine tune this reply. I have a '98, if you're going to do the hitch, you might want to do the skid plate, too, at the same time. But I think the factory discontinued the oem skidplate, that popped into might head somehow. FWIW, fightin' with the little woman on V-Day weekend dulls the gray matter for awhile, at least for me. :gee:

Mike #300
 
Re: Hidden Hitch,

I really like my drawtite hitch. It tucks up high enough for me and install was a breeze. You don't need the nutstrip for the install, and there is no drilling. Drawtite includes these plates and carriage bolts that get fished through the framerail and act as studs.
 
Re: Hidden Hitch,

You can use any brand you want, but I would suggest getting the nutstrips from the dealer, or the bone yard. They add considerable stringth to the hitch. I have heard that the plates/carrage bolts can pull through the frame raile over time. I have the plates/bolts on mine now and one of them is starting to pull through. I plan on getting new nutstrips for both sides, and replacing them once it warms up. BTW the nutstrips use a metric fine thred bolt that migh be hard to find. I had to get one from a local welding/metal supply shop.
 
My vote is hidden hitch. However, drawtite makes one that is just as good. Pretty much the only difference is that with the hidden hitch, the only thing you can see is the reciever hole. With the drawtite, you can see more of the crossbar. No matter which one you get, you will most likely get those carrige bolts and plates with the hitch. If you do a search for hitches you will see that most people dont like that setup. The plates dont see to distribute the load as well as the "nutsert" strips. Plus with the strips, which are only about $13 on www.chryslerpartsdirect.com, there is no fishing of bolts and plates into the frame. Here is a pic of my hidden hitch installed on my 94. If Im thinking correct, you will only need to purchase a driver side nut strip...I had to buy both however. Gotta take a look to see what you have.

Justin

648974_20_full.jpg
 
He should have the passengers' side since its' involved in supporting the muff. bracket, IIRC. I know I bought only one.

Mike #300
 
Great information on the two types out there.

I'll read up on both of 'em some more.

Thanks for mentioning the tank skid. I had thought about a Class III that didn't interfere with a bumper, but also want to put a tank skid in one day.

So I need to figure out a way to make it so the hitch I buy (or tank skid, not ready to buy that yet though) don't conflict with each other, I suppose.

Thanks again.
 
I too have the passenger side nutsert strip on my 2000, but one of the bolts was broken off in the strip is why I want to get a new one. My drawtight hangs lower than ghettocrusers hidden hitch, but I have found that I perfer it that way [it hits before the gas tank].
 
The skid plate should line up as correctly as the hitch, at least the oem did. I don't know why I keep remebering that they discontinued the oem, it keeps sticking in my mind.

BTW, take the time to hit the skid w/some undercoating, I also did the inner part, probably overkill (ocd though normal) :laugh3: .

Mike #300
 
here is my drawtite - i like it. It is my departure angle limiter rather than my gas tank...


1q1j43


it came with the carrage bolts and plates - but the nutcerst / nutstrips is the right way to do it. Junkyard will hook you up with some for a reasonable price - and while your pulling them, grab the gas tank skid if you dont already have one. I had the rear tow hook and gas tank skid so my jeep came from the factory with nutstirips.
 
I have the Hidden Hitch and love it. The install was very easy, I did it on my own in a parking lot when we first bought the XJ (at least more than 3 years ago) long before I found this site. If I had known about the nutstrips then I definitely would have used them! I still had an easy time with the carriage bolts and metal plates, but nutstrips would have made it even faster and easier, plus like ghettocruiser said, they distribute the load better.

I like the clearance I have with mine over most of the other hitches, but I also have a custom skid plate. If I wasn't putting on a skid or sticking with the stock skid, I would have gone with the Draw Tite one for the reason XJ_ranger said.
 
If anyone else is reading this, I did find some archived threads about the nut strips.

Found part #s

52001174 (Passenger side)
52001175 (Driver side)

Gonna try to find a tank skid and do them both at the same time I suppose (if I can find an OEM skid in a yard)

Edit ... er... found a pic of the nutstrips.... what the? so that's like a piece of metal you do ____________ with to put nuts in it to mount the hitch?
 
Last edited:
i wish i would have knowen about the nutstrips when i put my hitch on the plate/bolt settup was a real pain tho i guess it might have been easier if i would have taken off the bumper but even with leaving it on it only took me about 2 hours to put on if any one needs part numbers for jeeps from 82-96 i have the softwear that the dealers use to look up parts. its great living by chryslers proving grounds;)
 
I've been buying Mopar hitches for all of my cherokees now (the count is up to 5 mopar hitches bought). They seem to fit the best, and come with the nut-strips, and a rubber "Jeep" hitch plug. I bought one a little over a month ago from the dealership for $150, which was cheaper than some of the aftermarket ones. I would check with the dealer, you might be suprised.
 
heh someone bumped this.

I decided to order up the c-rock rear bumper with integrated class III hitch. I wanted an aftermarket bumper, and right now, I'm liking that one.

Who knows, may change my mind and get a regular hitch.
 
wescam said:
I'm getting two bolt on tow hooks for the front. I've found a decent price/vendor, and they just bolt up. I want a hitch for the rear now.
Click to expand...

STOP RIGHT THERE!

"Bolt on" tow hooks? The XJ is a unibody. There is nowhere on the front of the vehicle that is safe to just "bolt on" tow hooks. You must have reinforcing brackets. The factory brackets are no longer available, so the two sources that cloned them are Rusty's Off-Road, and Custom 4x4 Fabrications.

Do NOT under any circumstances bolt the hooks to the frame directly. If you do that, you will not pass tech/safety inspection and you will not be allowed to run any official NAXJA event. (Just as an aside, you may also kill someone)

Question:

I want a class III receiver hitch for the rear. Here's where I need the newb help....

I suppose the dealer sells one that costs too much?


Is there a decent brand or vendor you guys would reccomend?
Click to expand...

Hidden Hitch, from J. C. Whitney. Bolt-up. No holes to drill.
 
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