Travel Trailer receiver hitch hook up

tatest wrote:
That's a drop hitch installed on a step bumper, and if loads are within ratings there is nothing wrong with it. It could have been installed to tow some piece of equipment 500 pounds or lighter. Last step bumper I had, on a compact pickup, was rated for 2500 pounds tow, 400 tongue weight, and it hauled equipment around on the ranch.

Not everybody with a hitch tows a travel trailer. Not everybody towing a travel trailer is towing a 8000 pound travel trailer. You'd probably think the EU standard hitch used for RV towing looks unsafe, and probably think the same about the compact to mid-size sedans used for towing.

Somehow you think it is OK to mount a hitch with one bolt? Do you think that it will stay straight?

Never, never drive close to any trailer.

That's a drop hitch installed on a step bumper, and if loads are within ratings there is nothing wrong with it. It could have been installed to tow some piece of equipment 500 pounds or lighter. Last step bumper I had, on a compact pickup, was rated for 2500 pounds tow, 400 tongue weight, and it hauled equipment around on the ranch.

Not everybody with a hitch tows a travel trailer. Not everybody towing a travel trailer is towing a 8000 pound travel trailer. You'd probably think the EU standard hitch used for RV towing looks unsafe, and probably think the same about the compact to mid-size sedans used for towing.

rbpru wrote:
I have seen a similar set up clamped to the front bumper. My buddy’s dad used it to maneuver his TT and boat trailer into their parking space in the back yard. It was a very slick operation.

I grew up on a small farm, and I have pushed trailers backwards with the front bumper of a tractor several times over the years that I lived there. Trailers are very maneuverable that way, and you can easily get them into tighter spaces than normal. If I needed to, I would do the same with my TT at home.

I have seen a similar set up clamped to the front bumper. My buddy’s dad used it to maneuver his TT and boat trailer into their parking space in the back yard. It was a very slick operation.

on my 1990 step side 1500 the 2 inch receiver was bolted up through the 2 holes on the bumper and not welded to the frame. And that was factory installed and rated for 500 tongue and 5000 Trailer.

I think ALL of you have it wrong. It is obvious to me that the ball is just there to keep the hitch hole from rusting.

When the owner is ready for a trip, they remove the ball, back the MH up to the truck, put truck in neutral.....AWAY they go.

DutchmenSport wrote:

OutdoorPhotographer wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
Like as not. In the time before receiver hitches, and believe it or not. That wasn't that long ago. Most trailers were towed with a Step bumper hitch, Not a bumper hitch, a step bumper hitch. MOST Step bumper hitches were rated for 500lb weight carrying tongues weight, and 5000lb weight carrying trailer weight, AND they still are. Is it safe to tow with the step bumper? Of course it is, as long as you don't go over the weight capacity of the bumper.

To use a WDH, you had to have a special made for your TV hitch installed. Trucks did NOT come with a hitch of any kind. They did NOT even come with a rear bumper. Bumpers were an option as late as the early 90s. No light wiring kit, no brake control kits. All of it was add on.

So for us. The step bumper was the hitch. Any thing we wanted to tow was hooked to the step bumper hitch, Boats, whatever. The only thing that got a special hitch was a TT.

So when you see a step bumper with a drop hitch on it. Get over it.

Yep, no bumper. Painted was one price and chrome much higher. I think if you go back further, the chrome bumper was standard.

Your posts reminded me, my 1985 Chevy S10 had a bumper like this too. I put a ball on it and towed 2 different pop-up campers. Never had any problems.

My dad had, and later on I owned, a 1970 F-250. It was sold without a bumper dad got a bumper form Luverne Manufacturing It was a AG hitch bumper with springs built into the spot where you hitched a wagon to to absorb the shock of pulling a wagon. It could also be swung side to side to make hitching up easier. Then it would reset itself back to the middle. We used to haul grain to town in the back of the pickup and to get the grain out they had a lift that went under the front tires of the pickup and lifted the front of the pickup up to dump the grain out of the box. The pickup would get so high in the air that the truck was balancing on the corners of that back bumper.

That was back in the day when things were built tough.

Well what do you know. Luverne Manufacturing is still in business

http://www.luvernetruck.com/index.html

GordonThree wrote:
My interpretation of the OPs post, it is a "what not to do" type post, that is not his equipment. I'm sure this thread will be three+ pages long shortly of people lecturing the OP about how bad his hitch setup is :)

I'm the OP and no it's not my bumper. I just saw this picture on Facebook and put it here is see all the comments.

It looks like that dent in the bumper would match up with the ball when it pivots to the side. The rusty scrapes also match the hitch pivoting side to side.

Aside from these minor details it still is a good anti-tailgater device.

Remember when the dealer installed painted step bumper had the Dealer's name in weld bead on it ?