rear tow point question

[BroncoJoe19]

I have a '90 Eddie Bauer with what is I guess a standard bumper. There is a thick reinforceing plate that bolts to the frame on both sides, and is drilled for a trailer hitch. I have read that a typical hitch ball is rated at 2000 lbs. I have also read that it is not a good idea to use a hitch ball as a recovery tow point because the strap may slip off.

I am curious what that plate would be rated at. I have a pretty heavy shackle that I could use to attach a recovery strap to it.

Thanks

joe

 

[Redneck86]

Is the hitch on the bumper? Because if its on the bumper i wouldnt use it, if your stuck bad enough a bumper can rip off, or bend (ive seen both of them happen) they wernt made to be pulled on. If you have a receiver hitch id just that because it has a place made for a chain to hook on to, if not get a set of good tow hooks and mount them on the frame.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Is the hitch on the bumper? Because if its on the bumper i wouldnt use it, if your stuck bad enough a bumper can rip off, or bend (ive seen both of them happen) they wernt made to be pulled on. If you have a receiver hitch id just that because it has a place made for a chain to hook on to, if not get a set of good tow hooks and mount them on the frame.

hmmm, I'd have to give it a second look, to see if the bumper is actually attached to it or not, but at any rate, the plate I am talking about is bolted directly onto both frame rails. It drops down approx 4-6 inches from the height of the frame, and runs directly across, I'll see if I can find a picture of it, on someone else's truck.

 

[Broncobill78]

Is it more of a bar than a plate ? It *sounds* like you're talking about a receiver hitch. I've used receivers in the past as recovery points, ust grabbed an extra insert & welded a big ole' shackle to it. Like Redneck said, you don't want to use that hole in the stock step-n-tow bumper, like him I've also seen these things come flying off and a 150lb, 5.5' long steel bumper flying around tethered to a 2" recovery strap/rubber band is something that gets your undivided attention right away. I've only seen it a few times but I can tell you that a chain is actually worse for ripping one of those things right off the truck but it *does* have the dubious benefit of not hurling it over & above the vehicle that was trying to do the recovery. I mean, I *know* it sucks then the mud is 4ft deep and that hole in the step-n-toe looks just SOOOOO inviting, because after all, who *really* wants to go diving to secure it to the frame ? But it's a bad choice, a REAL bad choice.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Darn!?!...

I thought that what I am talking about is so common on these trucks that everyone would KNOW what I am referring to.

I'll get home around 8:00 eastern tonight, and will take a couple of pictures.

Nope... I'm not talking about a reciever hitch, but it looks like this is as solidly built as one, but it does not have a long reach under the truck like a reciever does. ie.. it is only 4-6 inches deep from back to front, whereas a reciever hitch will connect near the back, and then again a couple of feet more forward.

I guess my explanation on this has not been too clear.

A picture is worth a thousand words eh?

 

[walnuts75]

Darn!?!...I thought that what I am talking about is so common on these trucks that everyone would KNOW what I am referring to.

I'll get home around 8:00 eastern tonight, and will take a couple of pictures.

Nope... I'm not talking about a reciever hitch, but it looks like this is as solidly built as one, but it does not have a long reach under the truck like a reciever does. ie.. it is only 4-6 inches deep from back to front, whereas a reciever hitch will connect near the back, and then again a couple of feet more forward.

I guess my explanation on this has not been too clear.

A picture is worth a thousand words eh?

Are you talking about the heavy duty plate of steel that sits right in the middle of the rear bumper and under the license plate? It is attached to both the frame and the bumper and is right above the center of the receiver hitch. This is common on trucks. This plate is also rated at only 2000lbs (I think), altough they can handle more than that. I've seen guys pull gravity wagons full of grain with only these plates with no problems (but I would never do it). A receiver hitch is rated a lot higher than that.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Are you talking about the heavy duty plate of steel that sits right in the middle of the rear bumper and under the license plate? It is attached to both the frame and the bumper and is right above the center of the receiver hitch. This is common on trucks. This plate is also rated at only 2000lbs (I think), altough they can handle more than that. I've seen guys pull gravity wagons full of grain with only these plates with no problems (but I would never do it). A receiver hitch is rated a lot higher than that.

Yes... here are pictures. Definitely stronger than just a bumper, but probably not as strong as a reciever hitch.



The bolt sticking out of the bottom of the above picture is the hitch ball stud.

This 1/4 inch thick piece of bent steel is bolted directly to the frame.

 

[Redneck86]

Thats a bumper receiver, the bumper mounts might be stonger then a regular bumper but i wouldnt trust it. That will still most likey rip off or bend or tear up when you use it to pull on, it might seem strong but with and 5000lb V8 powered truck pullin on it itll give way real fast(your bronco weighs around 5000lbs too on top of bein stuck). A set of warn tow hooks is about 30 bucks, and there made to be pulled on.

 

[Broncobill78]

Nope, that's the step-n-tow part of a step-n-tow bumper, it's a part of the bumper itself, not something seperate. That's *exactly* what everyone talking about seeing one ripped off a truck has been talking about. A standard bumper has no provision for a tow-ball, a step-n-tow bumper allows you to mount a towball directly to the bumper itself and tow limited loads. while this is just dandy for taking your trash down to the dump or a very small boat to the landing it is NOT a good retrieval point, might as well attach the chain to the tailgate. I have SEEN guys rip these things right off their trucks by by attaching chains or tow-straps to them. You do NOT want to try & unstuck your truck by attaching anything firmly to the bumper, that's just not a good idea. Pickup a set of towhook & mount them firmly to the frame. While what you have is NOT a reciever hitch, it IS just a bumper and trying to ****** your truck out of the mud by attaching anything to is is not really something you want to do.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Thanks guys,

I really hadn't considered that I might need a rear tow point to get ME unstuck, but rather for me to pull someone else out. A little arrogant on my part eh? I kinda figured that I might be able to pull on it hard enough to bend it, didn't think I would pull it right off. Still it looks solid enough to me that it would take a running start for me to down-right pull it off.

I can believe though, that if I were stuck that there would be a lot of force needed to get me out, and that it may not hold up to that force.

So I guess before I consider going mudding, where I might get stuck, I had better put on some good tow points in the rear.

I'm gonna have to take a look to see if tow hooks mounted right to the frame will be low enough to give a straight pull, or if I would have to either cut the bumper, or get a reciever hitch and put that on instead.

It's a shame that Ford did not mount that plate to the frame a little more rigidly.

Thanks again,

joe

 

[Roadkill]

Here is what I'm using. It just slips into the reciever like a regular ball. So far I have only used it to recover other vehicles, never needed to be pulled from behind yet. Eventually, I plan to either build or buy a rear bumper/tire carier combo with tow points built in. But for now, this has worked pretty good for me.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Here is what I'm using. It just slips into the reciever like a regular ball. So far I have only used it to recover other vehicles, never needed to be pulled from behind yet. <snip>

Hey RoadKill,

THanks for taking your rig out onto a trail so that you can get me a great picture from underneath and behind.

Talk about going the extra mile! /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

Thanks guys for all the responses.

Gotta love this place.

joe

 

[89eddie89]

Hey RoadKill

How much was that reciever?? and how big is it??

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Hey RoadKill
How much was that reciever?? and how big is it??

They can be obtained all over. For example check out

http://www.jcwhitney.com

should cost about $125-150

joe

 

[B-150 Mudder]

I just recently had to use the exact same bumper to have my 86 recovered from the woods and believe everything all of these guys are saying. I was fortunate enough that it stayed on but I have since had to remove it and put a better bumper on it. The only thing that the other bumper is good for now is it would make one **** of a boom-a-rang for a giant. I bent it to the point that there is a permanent crease in the liscense plate as well as ruining the bumper. I strongly suggest the tow hitch, I have one on my daily drive and it has always worked out perfect for recovery purposes and it is easily accessible. Just my $.02! Happy Wheeling!

 

[BroncoJoe19]

I just recently had to use the exact same bumper to have my 86 recovered from the woods and believe everything all of these guys are saying. I was fortunate enough that it stayed on but I have since had to remove it and put a better bumper on it. The only thing that the other bumper is good for now is it would make one **** of a boom-a-rang for a giant. I bent it to the point that there is a permanent crease in the liscense plate as well as ruining the bumper. I strongly suggest the tow hitch, I have one on my daily drive and it has always worked out perfect for recovery purposes and it is easily accessible. Just my $.02! Happy Wheeling!

Hey Mudder... thanks for the reply.

I'll take everyone's advice, certainly it is sound advice.

Last time out, I dropped my bumper pretty ******* a rock, and she ain't pretty anymore, (unless you look at her from the left side). So I am curious, did it get bent from a straight steady pull? OR did you try to **** or snap it out?

Using a chain or tow strap, and a little running start is much more stressful, (and more likley to break stuff) than using a recovery strap, and a steady pull.

Thanks

joe

 

[love_my_bronco]

how can you tell if your motor is a high output motor or not???

 

[Redneck86]

Well if you have your stock air cleaner on a carbed engine itll say 5.8 litre 351 H.O. And i believe the fuelie 351s say 5.8 High Output on the upeer intake plenium, im sure it been awhile since i last worked on fuelie 351.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Hey guys,

Now that I changed my avatar, if I get a stuck truck, levitated out it should be... no?

That little guy, love him you will, no? hmmm?