Date:         Fri, 16 Jun 2000 22:30:27 -0700
Reply-To:     Patrick Bryson <patrickb@extremezone.com>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Patrick Bryson <patrickb@extremezone.com>
Subject:      Reciever Hitch
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

After hearing many questions about hitches for Vanagons, i thought i would
post an email i sent to a list member a couple of months ago explaining my
solution.  I have a couple of not-so-good photos scanned that i would be
glad to email to anyone who wants the visual to go with the text.

Patrick
'85 Westy

David,
i finally scanned the pictures of my hitch.

Picture one shows the reciever thingy.  This a kinda funny picture because
the license plate is reflected on the top surface of the bumper.  This show
how i had to notch the bumper to clear the reciever.  I kinda made this hard
to see by painting the lower part of the bodywork behind/under the bumper.

Picture two shows the 1.5" tube welded into the existing bumper mount.
Obviously the bumper is removed.

All the other pictures suck.

Patrick
85 Westy.




David,
I looked at all the hitches available and finally had a local custom
hitch shop make me one that I think is just about perfect.  I did a lot of
leg work to make this work out.  Plus, I found a hitch shop that would work
with me.

1.  I first removed the cheesy chrome bumper and set it aside.
2.  Drove to hitch store to discuss with hitch man.
3.  He agreed to install 1.5" square hitch cross bar between existing bumper
mounts.  Existing bumper mounts are quite strong.
4.  I took exact measurement between bumper mounts.
5.  Removed mounts and took to bumper man.
6.  Bumper man welded 1.5" square steel cross bar between bumper mounts.  He
first notched the inside plate of the bumper mount to get really good
contact between surfaces of mount and cross bar.
8.  Bumper man welded a 5" long, 1.25" receiver tube below cross bar. This
sticks beyond cross bar (away from car) 2".
9.  I notched the back of the van where the receiver tube needs clearance
and mounted the whole bumper moung/cross bar assembly to car.
10.  I notched the cheesy chrome bumper to clear the new receiver tube and
re-attached cheesy chrome bumper.

The result of all this is the nicest looking hitch I have yet to see on a
Vanagon.  If you don't want to mess with all this, you can just have bumper
man do all the work for you.  I spent $100.00 for everything except a ball.
I just towed my Hobie 18 to Mexico and back without a hitch (pun).  This
weighed about 700lbs.  Not that much but lots of drag, it's a big boat.

Patrick