Tone style trailer hitch on Amazon

A few weeks ago I was on amazon looking for some things with my buddy for his Jeep JK. And I saw an OEM style hitch that looked like the one that Tone made some years ago. My buddy ordered one for his jeep and I helped him install it. I took some measurements and it looked like with some spacers it would fit the VX. So for $56.00 I ordered one. Well I installed it this weekend and it came out very nice. Here is a link to the hitch http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I made some 7/8" spacers out of 1 1/2" pipe to make it work. And drilled the holes in the rear cross member and bolted it in place. Cut the center out of the bumper support and noched the fuel tank skid plate to fit around the hitch. Then cut a hole for the receiver in the cladding and it was good to go.

Photo 1 http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/sh...hp?photo=23881

Photo 2 http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showfull.php?
photo=23882

Photo 3 http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/sh...hp?photo=23884

:: haven't seen a hitch hook up like that on a Vx ~ is the rear cross frame strong enough to tow the same amount as the hidden hitch? (what would max load be) ~ perhaps i'm thinking of something else, ...but for $60 Hmmmmm ::

I think it's installed the same as my hidden hitch?.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4742.JPG

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/da...609_124308.jpg

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/image44.jpg

:: yeah Ryan that's the one that comes to mind ~ i guess either one? ::

Perfect for mounting a bike rack.

Tom's hitch or the Dylan/Curt style are definitely stronger. I had the Tone model and the downward bend/flex was significant. Tom's hitch has no such bend, though if you carry serious weight back there (like a loaded hitch platform) you may want to consider air springs to prevent the "porpoising" and rear "low rider" effect.

twostep,

Good find. I hope the hitch works out for you.

My thoughts:

It does look remarkably similar to the old Tone hitch ... so it will have all the same limitations. It'll have plenty of draw strength but it will not have much strength for tongue weight. It'll be fine for light duty towing or a bike rack but you shouldn't load it down with a heavily loaded basket.

It looks like they spread it out further across the crossmember (which is good). That crossmember is fairly soft material and will deform if the hitch is used for heavy duty applications. I tweeked mine just by tightening the bolts too tight & further tweeked it when I tried to strap a tree stump. I don't think that I'd use the receiver as a snatch point for 4 wheeling.

It's hard to tell from the pix but it looks like the hitch is made from some fairly thin material. Tone's (& the Tone Clone) were made from pretty beefy angle iron similar to a lintel in brick constructed homes. Check it for deformation after you use the hitch a few times.