About a hitch?

[tom4bren]

Question, The Tone clone .. mounts to the crossmember on the rear of the frame, right? How much weight can it really hold? wouldn't it be better if it had been mounted to the sides?

Yes & yes. The upgrade version that Welder Guy is prototyping now does exactly that. It will also replace the little tube bumper thinggy behind the cladding.

I'm also looking for the better-looking Tone-style hitch. I know it's a class 3, 2"... but how much tongue weight can it (on the VX) handle given the mounting strategy? - TIA

There's a pic in my gallery of 3 guys standing on my SuperBumper ... no sagging detectable.

I've read on here that the tongue weight rating is somewhere in the 400 lbs. range, but I've found that my Tone hitch will start leaning at around 200-250 lbs. jmayer40 you are correct in how the hitch mounts, as well as in your observation as to why it leans. If the hitch were mounted to the frame rails as in the Curt/Dylan style, the whole truck would sit low in the back but the hitch wouldn't lean. The downside to the frame-rail approach is that force exerted on the hitch can cause the frame to twist, whereas the Tone-style only impacts the cross member.

Wiser folks please correct me if I'm wrong on any of that.

Yer right on all points. I actually deformed that crossmember when I installed my hitch (just tightening the bolts). It's really not the ideal mounting point. If we weren't upgrading the design, I'd probably pound out the depression in my crossmember and sleeve the holes.

If you intend to do ANY off road driving...

..IMO the exposed Dylan Curtis hitch is the way to go.

Acts as a rear skid plate..protects yer A.$.$.

Trust me...my car knows!

JFYI!

jo

I have no response to that.