barrman : Tale of Three Hitches

Tale of Three Hitches
Post by barrman on Sept 13, 2006, 8:14am

Barrman Fabrications made this hitch in November of 2001.
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1456/hitch1um4.jpg
It was simple and bolted into holes already on the rear frame crossmember. You do have to imagine the reciever part of it though. That was cannabalized to make this hitch/bumper in January 2003.
http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/3481/hitch2wi0.jpg

The pipe bumper worked great until the quest for stock tail lights started. I could cut off the outside edges and still make the stock light buckets work, but it just wouldn't look right. Plus, I bent my front pipe bumper at the FE trying to climb the rock wall Will is pictured climbing below. So, the quest for stock lighting really goes along with the search for a stock style front bumper. Since they should match, I just removed the pipe bumper.

I still need to pull ball type trailers though. That led to this hitch last night.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/6023/hitch3zu0.jpg

You will notice that the stock spare tire rack still functions. This hitch is welded on good enough to work like it is. but, continuing the philosophy that everything should be over built by a factor of 5. I am going to add 1/4" plates to the sides at an angle and more at the front and rear. The only hold up is the spare tire rack. I have thought about it for 12 hours now and decided that since I am running XZL tires and the spare is a NDT and that I have OBA along with a new tube in the tool box, I really don't need a spare. Matter of fact, a spare that much smaller just might lead to a "Brian Moment" while trying to drive somewhere. I am having trouble driving without a spare for security though. Anyway, the spare will go away and the entire rear of the truck should be green after I finish making it really overbuilt in a few days.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by fisherman on Sept 13, 2006, 9:12am

Tim are you going to remove the bed to paint the back of the cab? If you do take a couple hours and make room for an XZL spare. I am going to do something similiar for a receiver style hitch. Just haven't figured it out yet. Also I wouldn't mind keeping the stock spare tire setup, will be adding a cable hoist off a newer vehicle for sure. Package sent yesterday. Fisherman

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by compexp on Sept 13, 2006, 9:46am

Speaking of XZLs, have you been happy with their performance? Off-road as well?

Just thinking about a set if I can scratch the $$$.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by barrman on Sept 13, 2006, 10:14am

Todd,
I am going about the painting process the wrong way. I am just doing one section at a time to make the entire truck one basic color besides white. I do plan to strip it down to the frame in the future and paint everything as I put it back together. So, in the future I will copy what you did to make the ZXL spare I have sitting in my horse barn fit. I just don't like driving without a spare. It must be some weird emotional attachment to the NDT's or something. I just don't want to let go.

Rich,
The XZL's are amazing compared to the NDT's in all respects. I want them to last a long long time and am therefore running them at 80 psi on the street. That makes the ride about the same as the NDT's, but the handling, deathwobble issues and road noise are so much better if not gone. Plus, they look better.

I think you have read about my attempts at a hill with the tires as 80 psi at the FE. I couldn't climb it. Once I got them all to 15 psi, they did amazing. A bonus of that pressure was the mile or so we drove to the water hole on pavement several times a day. The ride was smoother than in my Suburban. But, between the low pressure on pavement with a locker and trying to climb the rock wall Will is pictured on. I caused some chunks of rubber to get torn off. I'm pretty sure it was on the rock wall. At one point my truck was balanced on the reciever hitch while all the tires were spinning and the truck was bouncing. I would not recommend that activity for very long if you want the tires to last.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by sermis on Sept 13, 2006, 8:45pm

Copy right infringement on idea. Charge one Shinerbock

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by barrman on Sept 14, 2006, 7:42am

Awww mannn, I got caught. I will pay my royalty when I see you next.

I added the front and rear plates last night but didn't get any pictures. I also removed the spare and spare tire carrier. I then drove the truck today. Emotional attachment gone. It really makes it nice to sit up under the truck and weld in front of you compared to laying under it and welding above you. I did manage to catch my shirt on fire though. Colton thought that was cool.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by sermis on Sept 14, 2006, 12:11pm

Tell him to grab the WD40 to help "Put out the fire" next time............................

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by barrman on Sept 14, 2006, 2:09pm

To translate for everybody else. Sermis and I were looking at his trailer hitch a few weeks ago and he mentioned square tubing as a spacer instead of the angle iron he had. I liked that idea and used it. Now, he wants to be paid in the usual way. Shiner Bock long necks.
Now that I have the hitch. I need to make a wire plug. I should have a military trailer plug recepticle in a few days. Has anybody here made a pig tail to go from the military plug to a six pin round recepticle?

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by gimpyrobb on Sept 14, 2006, 2:13pm

For future referance Tim, copyright your ideas right away, to avoid these problems.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by fisherman on Sept 14, 2006, 8:00pm

Tim can you post pictures of your hitch and the reinforcements please. Do you think it will be strong enough for a 2,500 lb. flat bed trailer hauling the max. load of 8,000 lbs? I need mine to be able to hold up to that for hay hauling and tractor hauling. By the way your plug was sent on tuesday by snail mail, let me know when it arrives. Fish.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by fisherman on Sept 14, 2006, 8:02pm

Did you make a place for your tow chains when you did your reinforcements? I have a receiver off a wagoneer, I might cut it up and do something similiar.

Re: Tale of Three Hitches
Post by barrman on Sept 15, 2006, 8:06am

Todd,
I hauled 3 big round bales with a 2,000 pound trailer on both of the previous hitches. That is 8,000 pounds or more with a "whole lot" on the hitch. This hitch is welded better than those because I have the MIG now. It should be better all around. I will be towing Pistolnuts M715 230 miles each way to the Texas FE in 3 weeks with this hitch. I will probably put my equal to the M715 in weight '66 Chevy on it and drive around some here in the next few days just to satisfy myself that it is up to the job.

I was going to put a plate underneath the female reciever tubing for safety chains. But, I had to lengthen my chains on the trailer when I borrowed a friends D2500 for the National FE trip. This makes them almost the perfect length to hook together through the pintle hook and not be too tight in full 130 degree jacknife backing and turning. I look at the pintle as at the least equal to my reciever and probably stronger than it. Plus, it is higher up on the truck. This will keep the front of the trailer from digging in if the hitch does brake and the chains take over.

I will get pictures after I paint everything this weekend.