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.

[VX KAT]

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.

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.

WelderGuy made my hitch. Tom can you tell me which parts are which so I'm clear?

[Maddawg]

Is what I see here part of the stock rear bumper? I'm referring to the four radiused tubes that are welded into the horizontal bumper.

[VX KAT]

Is what I see here part of the stock rear bumper? I'm referring to the four radiused tubes that are welded into the horizontal bumper.

yup, all stock for US spec, the JDMs have slightly different configuration, think they don't have one of the horizontal pieces.

[tom4bren]

Is what I see here part of the stock rear bumper? I'm referring to the four radiused tubes that are welded into the horizontal bumper.

Post 140 of this thread has the installation instructions. That'll prolly answer your question better than anything.

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...&postcount=140

[Maddawg]

The more I look at these pics of bumpers, especially the one I saw with the front bumper rotted away, I'm thinking these bumpers really are to protect the clad. That rotted bumper must have been very thin-wall tube to rot like that. Hardly an adequate protection for a crash. I suspect it is there for light impact protection of the clad and the radiator. The clad will deform and possibly return to its original shape and thats what the tube bumper allows. In the rear of the VX all the pics I see show a sturdy structure where the bumper has been removed that would provide protection for the gas tank in my opinion.

[Maddawg]

[QUOTEOoopsy. Ya posted to the wrong thread there son.[/QUOTE]

Yep, continually confused. Not sure how to move it.

[circmand]

Yah, but if you move it then MY post will look really schtoopid.

Moving it. Thats what would make it look schtoopid!!

Just Kidding

[tom4bren]

I have no idea what you are talking about