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Anyone else had trouble with Reese SUV/Light Truck Class 3 Hitch?

490Chaser

490Chaser

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Columbus, GA
Man, I spent about 10 hours this weekend putting the hitch on... Not entirely Reese's fault, the welded nuts on the passenger side frame rails were so rusty it took about two hours just to come up with an idea to get the bolts in. Still when installed correctly the entire thing hung down so far off the bumper you could stick your hand inbetween the top of the hitch and the bumper. 40 minutes later after some cutting it fit alright, but still wasn't very tight and hung fairly low...

Do yourself a favor and don't pick one of these up from walmart for your heep!

Griffin
 
The universal one from Wal-Mart?

You did better than I did. I couldn't make it fit at all. I gave mine away and bought a Hidden Hitch, which bolted up perfectly and is almost completely hidden behind the bumper.
 
mine came with a reese when I bought it, it does stick down a little bit, doesnt really bother me, especially since I have heard a few horror stories of XJ's getting hit from behind and the gas tank exploding cause it hangs down there. I figure that giant chunck of very thick steel will give me a little protection from that, considering the metal on that is thicker and stronger than that of the frame... but yeah, I could definately squeeze my hands through that, and I have big hands. I am pretty sure when I run a dual exhaust with each pipe running about an inch away from the ends of the hitch it will look pretty damn tight.
 
thedarkprince said:
mine came with a reese when I bought it, it does stick down a little bit, doesnt really bother me, especially since I have heard a few horror stories of XJ's getting hit from behind and the gas tank exploding cause it hangs down there. I figure that giant chunck of very thick steel will give me a little protection from that, considering the metal on that is thicker and stronger than that of the frame... but yeah, I could definately squeeze my hands through that, and I have big hands. I am pretty sure when I run a dual exhaust with each pipe running about an inch away from the ends of the hitch it will look pretty damn tight.
Click to expand...


I think I'll take some pictures and do a write-up of the install, It doesn't look too bad as is so far as hanging down after cutting it, but it's still not as tight as I would like it.
 
Funny I picked up one of these at the yard... I found it TOTALLY interferes with the gastank skid.. like it takes up the same space the skid does!

So Instead of ditching one or the other I'm hacking up my skid and welding the skid and hitch together into one...

I figure since my XJ is being modified on the penny pincher budget I can hardly afford to waste it since I already bought it and spent close to 3 hours getting it off the XJ in the yard...

I guess since you had trouble I should try fitting the hitch and see if I have further issues.. I sure as hell hope not.. I gotta get that thing on ASAP to make the first NAXJA trail run..
 
hey eagle, hows that hidden hitch hold up on the trail? I was looking at their hitches on a website to find out how much they could support and came up with: 3,500 LBS. WC / 5,000 LBS. WD (GTW). What does that mean? I just need a good rear towpoint and didnt want to mess around with anything universal.
 
Mine had a Reese hitch on it when I bought it. It did hang down a little too low and I couldn't put a tank skid on with it either. I ended up getting a factory hitch from a pick-and-pull yard for like $30, and of course it fits perfectly.
 
490Chaser said:
Man, I spent about 10 hours this weekend putting the hitch on... Not entirely Reese's fault, the welded nuts on the passenger side frame rails were so rusty it took about two hours just to come up with an idea to get the bolts in. Still when installed correctly the entire thing hung down so far off the bumper you could stick your hand inbetween the top of the hitch and the bumper. 40 minutes later after some cutting it fit alright, but still wasn't very tight and hung fairly low...

Do yourself a favor and don't pick one of these up from walmart for your heep!

Griffin
Click to expand...

What did you cut? How did you cut it? Pics?
 
desertjeeper said:
Mine had a Reese hitch on it when I bought it. It did hang down a little too low and I couldn't put a tank skid on with it either. I ended up getting a factory hitch from a pick-and-pull yard for like $30, and of course it fits perfectly.
Click to expand...


Yup yup, just a factory hitch and be done with it.

:viking:
 
jeepguy97 said:
What did you cut? How did you cut it? Pics?
Click to expand...

(looking down on the hitch)

8888888front
88!8888888888! <--- This part
88!1111111111!
88881_ !_ !_1
8888888! _!
8888888rear



There are two rows of holes to bolt the hitch to the bracket which is bolted to the frame, so I chopped below the upper row allowing the lower row to
be mounted where the upper would be, raising it about 1.5 inches.

I'll try to get some pics... even with the cutting it still hangs low so I repeat
DO NOT BUY THIS HITCH, get a hidden hitch or a factory one.
 
Last edited:
FWIW I have a reese class III which is all one piece welded up. (ie. the proper part for the XJ, not one size fits all..) (I couldn't understand what you could cut..) Mine went on easy and fits well. The top of the cross bar is about flush with the bottom of the bumper. I dont have the skid plate , so I dont know how that affects things.
 
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