Hitch Fab and Install.....Updated 10/22/08

[Levitan]

Last night my cousin and I started fabbing up the hitch to tow JTfest's ride from Wisconsin to Iowa. We're about 400 miles apart from one another. I'll add some pics tonite or tomorrow, but narrate our progress, now.

The two types of Festy receivers that I have seen either have a flat long stock for side to side, frame rail to frame rail and a small flat stock to mount to bumper. Or the other has the flat long stock for side to side, frame rail to frame rail but another piece of flat stock that goes towards the front of the car where it is fastened to a "T" with another piece of flat stock that is mounted, side to side, with bolts through the spare tire tub.

My Dad was hauling 3 misc junk receivers to the Festiva Funny Farm the other day, along with some pretty stout angle iron. I picked the one I thought would work. One long flat bar to go from frame rail to frame rail and then a short flat bar to mount onto the bumper.

At this point I will tell you, I do no want to fasten to our stock heavy duty rear bumper. I choose to go rail to rail, but reinforce with angle iron. The flat stock, I'm pretty sure is strong enough that it won't flex much, front to back. I don't think it is thick enough, though, to keep from moving up and down. That is where the angle iron will be welded in, either below the receiver's flat stock then part of the angle iron pointed down or maybe I'll triangulate the angle iron, essentially, boxing it in. I'm open to opinions on on which would be stronger.

Best side view drawing I can do for now.

________ Receiver

________ Angle Iron
!
!
!
!


or

__ Receiver
V Angle iron

Anyways, hopefully you understand what I was trying to say.

The tie downs themselves are pretty heavy duty and appear to be stamped or pressed with a rolled edge to increase rigidity. The tie downs in the rear are fastened with one bolt, and tack welded at he top and through the center onto the unibody. The nut is part of a box system the wraps around the unibody rail and spot welded....least I think so, but could not see the welds. I saw no reason to break those welds, but, instead, had my cuz weld as much of the tie down to the unibody as possible and add welds to the "nutbox" ...LOL...that just sounds funny!

Then I took a piece of cardboard and made a template that would fit inside the rolled egdes of the tie down. Cuz then welded up some 1/4 " thick plate into a large L-bracket. Then we traced the template onto the L-bracket and cut the metal to shape. Drilled a hole for the existing bolt, which I later bought a bolt 1/2" longer to compensate for additional thickness, and a larger hole to add a new bolt, washer, lock washer and nut, that will fasten through one of the angled oval holes. Now the receiver bracket is fastened by 2 bolts and inside the rolled edges for a solid mount.

Next, we will cut the receiver's flat stock to width and weld to the bottom side of the L-brackets. Then remove the short flat stock designed to mount on the bumper, for a heavy duty tow package....least heavy duty enough to tow a Festiva....Festiva-style!

I'm suppose to help my cuz finish the set up in the next couple days, so I will snap photos and post them to clarify my rambling nonsense!

[jrbauerjr]

Hitch

How about some pictures as you do this project....

Thanks, Jim Bauer

[Levitan]

The Victim: Levistiva
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The template for the plate that will fit inside the left rear tie down.
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And away we go. My cousin workin' his magic!!
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The left beefy L-bracket
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Edge beveled to fit better between rolled edges of tie down.
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Temporary install of left L-bracket.
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Temporary install of right L-bracket.
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At this point, sorry not much for pics, we set the receiver up against the L-brackets to determine width and then cut the flat stock to proper width.
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We then tack welded the receiver to the L-brackets. Removed the whole unit, layed on the workbench, and my cuz began welding it up.

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...................TO BE CONTINUED.

[mechanicaldj]

and how does this subject belong here in Repair Help Forum ?

should be moved to Custom Interior and Exteriors

[jrbauerjr]

My God,

That's beefier then the 20K unit on my diesel excursion. What a great job.........

Jim Bauer

[bravekozak]

great article

I will have to make a class 2 hitch for my Festiva. It will have to go over the top of my large Bosal exhaust muffler. I will not be towing anything though. I will need it for my right to bear arms hitch cover, an eight foot whip antenna, or a moving LED display.

[Levitan]

Thanks Jim! I will relay the compliment to my cousin who did the work.

Sorry Georgey, that I placed it in the wrong section.

Admin, will you please move this to "Custom Interior and Exteriors" so as not to offend anybody.

[Levitan]

Updated 10-21-08

Went out to the White Festy parts car and removed the bumper to use as the bumper that the tow bar will attach. It will be used to tow all future Festivas. The idea is to remove the towed vehicles front bumper and replace it with this "new" bumper. You'll see in the pics what I mean.

Well, I got the call from my cuz and the hitch is 99% done. Grabbed the camera, the new bumper, some lights and headed to his place.

I get to my cuz' house and this is what I find. Perfect, IMHO!

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You can kinda see how the angle iron was wrapped around the back and then layed on top of the horizontal mount and then welded every so often. Remeber, the angle iron isn't added, necessarily, for front to rear strength(lateral?) or side to side(horizontal?), but to strengthen up and down(vertical?). Much, much more rigid!
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I was anxious to mount it. I had to drill out the bottom bolt hole to fill with a 1/2" hardened bolt. I'm not sure why......this thing is ain't goin' nowhere!! This thing was built so perfectly that the side mounts actually slides and curves up into the tie down bracket....with a lil' help from a hammer. I'm telling you, I was impressed with the construction of this thing!
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Mounted!
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Tomorrow, I'll get more pics of the ball and then pics of the actual tow from Wisconsin. 404 miles from my house to JTFest's crib!

Anyways, onto the rest of the tonight's build.

Next I had to finish my "new" bumper. Here is a pic of the bumper and the C-clamp that has to fasten the tow bar to the bumper. As you can see, the bumper is too wide, up and down.
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I turned the bumper around and could see the main support was perfect for my c-clamp, the top or bottom flange had to be removed.
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The flanges weren't equal in width, so after checking things over, the wider flange had to disappear. The pen points to the wider flange.
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I cut a couple slots and hammered the flap flat.
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I flipped the bumper over and notched the other side.
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C-clamp mounted!
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Here is a pic of the tow lights I'll be using. I'll try to do a quick how-to on them, also.
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These next two pics are strictly for Monsoon's pleasure. Yes, Roger, I found time to remove the fender, today, that I was suppose to send you last week!
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And the original Levistiva fender afixed to the white parts car.
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[Safety Guy]

Good writeup, Levitan! Can't wait for the rest.

Karl

[MONSOON]

Great write up so far Dan. I dont know if Ill ever set one of mine to tow anything, but you never know. And now Ill have a guide to refer to if I do. I think when its finished it should go in "Others Articles"

[elcamino1]

Dan do you have a mounting point anywhere in the middle?

[Biglay5150]

As beefy as the hitch is it will still only be as strong as the tiedowns. I would personally do a center support to the bumper and the spare tire area for a little more verticle support. Looks great though. Keepup the good work.

[Levitan]

"Dan do you have a mounting point anywhere in the middle?"

no, sir

"As beefy as the hitch is it will still only be as strong as the tiedowns. I would personally do a center support to the bumper and the spare tire area for a little more verticle support."

I understand what you are saying, but, look closely at the design of that tie down. I'd bet a dollar to a donut that it is way stronger, front to back, than up and down. Then, when the L-bracket is wedged into the tie down's cavity, then bolted, it has now double in thickness....the most rigity being front to back. Don't get me wrong, I can see where attaching forward to the spare tire well and/or fastening the female end of the receiver to the bumper would make it even more rigid. I wanted to do it this way to see if it could be done....and I'm just dumb enough to try.

Well, here, look at some more pics.

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Go to this thread to see some results of the trip and towing pics.

http://tinyurl.com/5b6yuo

[MONSOON]

Not too bad for a fat white boy! :thumbleft:

[Damkid]

Looks good :thumbright: