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...and when the instructions say to remove the two torx screws holding the cladding on, they mean two per side. I'm glad to hear I wasn't the only person to break a cladding tab. :(
It was a total bear to install, and it isn't for the faint of heart, but once installed, you can't stop thinking of uses for it... Not just towing, but you can now attach bike racks and cargo racks.
a note on cargo racks with this hitch...
don't put too much weight on it.
I bought a cargo rack to carry my 260lb jet ski on. The rack actually acts like a lever and twists the bumper/frame/hitch mount.
All other towing is ok...
Just a warning.
"you can't stop thinking of uses for it... Not just towing, but you can now attach bike racks and cargo racks."
And don't forget either a hitch step to make getting in the back easier or better yet, a bully bar to protect your hiney.
If someone can get me specs I can build that for less than $100 certified welder and minimum grade 8 hardware
I had a tone hitch new and in the box after i saw how low it sat i never did mount it. I wheel with my VX " a bunch" and the reason the cladding is built like that is to allow the rear of the vx to clear a down slope. I built my own hitch but it mounts a bit higher and far more recessed than the "Tone" style.
I still bang it once and a while stepping off an edge.
This is in no way a derogatory comment merely and FYI to think about.
Those look great i just would not want to bang my shin against that step part..:bwgy:
http://adriana.12thfloor.com/main.ph...+tires+001.jpg
Sorry its the only pic i have of the butt.. I will shoot a better one later today. :(
I gots a question.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGanzman
I contacted Fat Man Fabricators & they didn't know WTF I was talking about. I was told that the only hitch they make is for the LR Discovery.
I can get 'Welder Guy' to make them but I need one for him to take measurements from. Have you installed yours yet? If not, can I borrow it to have drawings made or can you get drawings made?
Tom
Please do....
I wants one for my b-day.
Dang it. Yer not making this easy on me are you? That only gives me about 2 weeks to get'r done & I need my hitch this weekend.
I s'pose you want the ORIGINAL Tone version again?:)
I can't believe I'm saying this....but.....I was just sayin' to hubby, boy I sure wish I could find one of the Tone hitches to buy, it's the ONLY type I'd put on, (No Curt, etc..)....hmmm, I'm pretty sure I'm in if this can be made again.Quote:
Originally Posted by tom4bren
Tom, ya gotta come thru for us now! No pressure or anything! :thumbup:
:):):):):)Quote:
Originally Posted by tom4bren
yes. Please kindly dismantle your VX yet again for me.
if you get it done by my b-day, I would be impressed. But I will most likely have a delayed b-day present, unless I go with a curt hitch.
Me too kindly Mr. Tom....:bwgy::smilewink:bgwo::bgwb:
I would like a drawing with dimensions of the said hitch . Perhaps a picture are two .
I know a fabricator .
Fat Man Fabrications, Charlotte, NC - ask for Brent....Quote:
Originally Posted by tom4bren
Anyone know what brand hitch this is:
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/s...5101522-00.jpg
http://i583.photobucket.com/albums/s...5101522-01.jpg
If I didn't already have this one I would take one of the concealed hitches. I can't find a name on it anywhere but I kinda like it, I'm sure everyone else thinks its hideous lol
Well ... bad news for me = good news for you.
My VX is outta comission for the forseeable future. I had an accident with it this morning on the way to work. Luckly no body damage but it jacked the drivers side steering/suspension when I parked on top of a van. I'll start another thread on the subject when I figger out how to get the pix from my phone downloaded to my 'puter.
Since the Proton won't be on the road for a while, I'll try to pull the hitch this weekend so I can hand it over to Welder Guy to copy. First step is to get her towed back to F'burg - she's stuck in the tow lot in Dumphries right now.
Ganz, Fatman didn't seem interested in the hitch. If you wanna give them a call to make sure before I get Welder Guy spun up, lemme know.
Tom
That sucks man, just glad your OK, and it's a plus that the VX is pretty much ok as well
It looks like my hitch is pointed down slightly. I'm pretty sure that the bumper bent rather than the hitch. The shop will probably start tearing into the front end today so they prolly won't get to the rear until next week. I'll definitely have them leave the hitch off for now so that I can hand it over to Welder Guy to copy.
Does anyone still have Tone's installation instructions?
I THINK, and don't hold me to this, that the hitch install instructions might be on Tone's Shop Manual CD (if you got it from him and didn't download it from the site). My CD is at home so I can check it later tonight unless someone else gets to it first.
Tom-
Have you been able to get a sample over to welder guy to copy?.....
I got my hitch (IOU) as an early b-day present....so whenever it is completed, I am ready to purchase......
If you want, I can start a new thread. Or you can if you want.
Thanks!
Sorry for the delay but it's not procrastination on my part (this time).
The shop can't get the VX into the bay until I get them a steering box & they won't start working on my droopy rear end till it gets in the bay. RamAirZ already shipped the steering box but it hasn't arrived yet.
If all the stars align properly I'll get the hitch to welder guy this week.
Until he gets it in hand, I can't get an estimate on the cost.
I'll also find someone here at work that can do mechanical drawings (gotta keep those interns busy).
Cool....thanks
Are there any concerns about weight/load rating since Welder guy wont be able to test the welds?
or is that a silly concern in my amateur head?
The strength of the hitch is limited by the bumper that it bolts to (in our case), not in the welds.
While they have the rear cladding off, I'll look to see if the strength of the end product can be upgraded by modification (I'm thinking that there should be a way to extend the hitch bracket to actually engage the frame rails). I'll let you know.
You 'da man.:yesy:
your right there is a way to add a piece of 1/4" thick angle accross between the frame rails...thats how I built mine...Quote:
Originally Posted by tom4bren
I made my own conceled hitch back in 2000 :yesy:
I used a way beefier design than what is pictured above, however I abuse mine...bigtime...:p
I have towed almost 15,000 lbs like 200 miles (zero tongue weight)
Yarded 17,000 Board feet of Huge logs with it and pulled out countless over-egoed 4WDers....
So mouch abuse in fact that my pin-hole in the receiver, now looks like an egg-shape...:bgwb:
Anyway, with a little more "beef" to the above design, it should be able to handle heaver loads and or winching....
Sounds like a great upgrade to the already awesome design.
How goes the VX repair?
....parts in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tom4bren
Too bad I didn't read this before I made more or less an identical suggestion in the cargo box thread lol. Can't wait to hear how it turns out Tom. If it takes that long, I'm probably going to have a metal fabricator down here look at the problem as well in late July / early August, so I'll post his thoughts as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by BigMeatVX
BigMeat, do you have pics of what you did? Might be convenient to show the fabrication shop...
I have the receiver removed and in hand. I'll drop it off to welder guy this morning to make a copy. After he's done, I'll find someone to make a set of drawings to share.
I'm only going to have him make one copy for now since I want to make some modifications for any future builds (longer to reach all the way across to the frame rails to make it stronger).
Tom
I reinstalled the hitch over the weekend. While it was apart, I started looking at it in terms of the modification talked about above. I quickly decided that I need to have 'Welder Guy' have a look at it to have an input on the design since he'll be the one doing the fabrication.
I'll keep Y'all posted.
Tom
I'm looking at installing Tone style concealed receiver hitch and wonder if welder guy and friends ever came up with a new and improved version for sale?
I can have my own locally fabricated but figure it would be cheaper to buy one
ready to install.
I have not worked on the upgraded version yet. It's much more complicated than I anticipated. The tube bumper (behind the cladding) has the mounting features for the bottom part of the rear cladding. We'll lose that bumper with the new design. The Tone version cut out the center section as well. I need to find a way to replicate those mounting features into the new hitch design. That part won't be all that difficult but the problem will be to hold the tolerances tight enough so that everything will still bolt up nicely. The last time I had my cladding off, I was not able to get one of the cladding bolts back in. I don't want anyone else to have to go through that.
Tom
When Dub installed mine from WelderGuy, he couldn't get 3 cladding bolts back in. They were from the bottom of the cladding and all facing upward. (That's why he was grinding down the edge of the receiver in my See America thread).
But there were enough other bolts to hold the cladding on, it's not going anywhere.
GTK but I wanna get it right!
I would like one of these, if it were cheaper. I understand the reasoning for the possible price. I just would not use it alot but would like to have that option, now that we have sold our Explorer for something MUCH smaller.
This is getting about as complicated as a front winch bumper. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by tom4bren
Nah, the only complicated part is finding the patience to outlast my procrastination proclivities.:)
Tom, You mentioned a few posts back that you would make drawings of the original Tone hitch. I have been going down the list of mods to my newly acquired VX and am ready to install the Tone style receiver. The various pix I have found posted give me almost enough to fabricate one my self with only a few things in question. I bought a 6" receiver w/collar yesterday. If you would be so kind I need the [1] size of angle iron, it's width and the spacing of the bolt holes[ so they line up with the existing inside holes] [2] the H X W X thickness of the backing plate, and [3] what size bolts as in their diameter, length and grade?
I am just going to carry a bike rack and GoRhino step there so i don't need one
extra HD for towing.
I don't think there's any OEM holes to line up with....gotta drill the 4 holes.Quote:
Originally Posted by janodes
Here's mine being installed last month, may give you some details you need.
Also note, Dub couldn't get 3 of the rear cladding bolts on the bottom (facing up) to align, so he tried grinding a little off the receiver where the cladding was hitting it, but it wasn't enough, couldn't get them aligned. Cladding is still secure with all the other bolts though.
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4730.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4738.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4742.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4740.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4727.JPG
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/DSC_4751.JPG
Looks Choice Kat!
In my 3rd pic you can see the extra metal welded in to give it extra strength.
In my 2nd to last pic you can see having mounted the hitch up higher and tighter on the rear bar it means you have to cut alot more cladding. And with my tow hook on the door opens over it just by a few MM!!.
And to get the little pin out of the hitch was trouble a few times until i grounded down the head of the bolt to make it more round etc.
Its weird how the Jdm Vxs dont have that little cover over the rear bar,
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...6/IMG_1240.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...6/IMG_1243.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...6/IMG_1292.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...6/IMG_1293.jpg
http://i310.photobucket.com/albums/k...6/IMG_1365.jpg