Hitch??????

[hellomoto]

Not really troubleshooting but......
I'm looking for a recever hitch for the VX. The most common one seems to be the Curt hitch, problem is, most of the photos show a really nice curved looking unit for the VX but when I come to order I'm told the unit I will get is the stright round hitch and not the nice curved one.
Anyone recommend a hitch that actually looks good on the VX and maybe where to get one?

Thanks

[circmand]

Not really troubleshooting but......
I'm looking for a recever hitch for the VX. The most common one seems to be the Curt hitch, problem is, most of the photos show a really nice curved looking unit for the VX but when I come to order I'm told the unit I will get is the stright round hitch and not the nice curved one.
Anyone recommend a hitch that actually looks good on the VX and maybe where to get one?

Thanks

It looks good I installed myself but still have to drill the additional 4 holes but it looks good most everything is underneath so straight/curved does not matter

[hellomoto]

Any pic's?

[rowhard]

hope you don't plan on off-roading, rear clearance go's to heck in a hand basket with that hitch.

Seems like someone here was going to start making the hitch that our beloved friend Tone (RIP) was making. Maybe someone will pipe in on that.

[vt_maverick]

I think the clearance issue depends on how you look at it though. A few folks here have commented that it makes a nice skid bar if you get into trouble while crawling. The theory is that without it you could crush your cladding.

I have Tone's hitch so I wouldn't know, I just remember reading that point before.

[RamAirZ]

I'll have to check the brand on my hitch, but I like it alot. It does hang down a little bit but like Mav stated, I'd rather drag my hitch than my bumper. That and it doesn't hang much lower (if at all) than the gas tank skid plate, so your not really losing THAT much clearance IMO. I'll have to check it out in the morning

[vt_maverick]

I think clearance is probably not the right word, the issue really is departure angle.

[rowhard]

I think clearance is probably not the right word, the issue really is departure angle.

your right, couldn't think of the right term, maybe it was the wine last night....

[hellomoto]

So is this hitch pretty much the only one available? It's only to pull my ski.
Off roading is not really a problem, not with any type of incline. Speed humps & pot holes are really the biggest things here in Florida. Gonna stick a 2"-3" lift on her anyway.

Thanks to all for the input

[djvx]

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/034.JPG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=14781)

I could dig up some info on mine if u want

[4X4 UFO]

Contact Ganzman. He has a vendor that has replicated Tone's hitch. It's the best looking unit, IMO.

Randy

[hellomoto]

Thank guys. I've looked high & low and cannot find anything else so it looks like I'll have to stick with the Curt hitch.

[tom4bren]

It doesn't take much loss of departure angle to make a big difference. I have Tone's hidden receiver & like it a lot. I was using a hitch step in it & went off road. I went through a small ditch & the hitch step snapped right off. It wasn't a big deal but it was where I mounted my license plate so I had to drive 2 hours home worrying that I was gonna get pulled over for no rear tag.

If you can find someone who will make the hidden receiver for you - I highly recommend you go that route.

[RamAirZ]

How much weight can you put on that? It doesn't "look" like it could handle 5K lbs but I don't have one. They do look awesome though

[Marlin]

For those that wheel, I think the curt hitch is the way to go. It works awesome as a rear skid plate, I look at some of the gouges in it and think "good thing that wasn't the rear cladding or the gas tank...
of course, I am a silver lining kind of guy, plus aesthetic value is not at the top of my list:bgwb:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa234/nfntruth/hallowharrie09/CopyofDSCN7907.jpg

[Marlin]

How much weight can you put on that? It doesn't "look" like it could handle 5K lbs but I don't have one. They do look awesome though

I pulled a rodeo up a VERY STEEP hill(Dutch John at Uwharrie), on gravel, with no problems with the hitch.
As for towing, considering how crappy our tranny is, I wouldn't worry about the hitch, it would be the transmission and braking power that would limit you on towing. (The 4L30E tranny is the same tranny they now use in the Chevy Aveo if that makes you feel any better)

[tom4bren]

How much weight can you put on that? It doesn't "look" like it could handle 5K lbs but I don't have one. They do look awesome though

I've towed: a twin pack of jetskis, a SeaDoo Sportster (boat), a utility trailer with a Dingo in it (about 2000 lbs). I've never had a problem with the capacity.

One member was trying to use a 'basket' for his stand up jetski in the hidden receiver & noted some flexing of the rear bumper.

Remember, there are two ratings associated with hitches: tongue weight and draw weight. Tone's hidden receiver can handle as much draw weight as the VX can. Tongue weight is the limiting factor. I've put more than 200 lbs tongue weight on mine with no trouble but the 300 lb jetski mentioned above seemed to have exceeded the limit.

If anyone has a Tone hitch that they have not mounted yet, I can probably get 'welder guy' to copy it. Lemme know if there is any interest.


http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/CIMG1014.JPG

[JAMAS]

I wants one.

[RamAirZ]

Ah gotcha, I've got a hitch already, not as nice looking as the Tone version but I like it, I was just wondering. Ya I'm familiar with the 4L30E Marlin, it won't be in here forever anyways lol. By the time I start towing anything "big", it'll be gone.

[Marlin]

Ah gotcha, I've got a hitch already, not as nice looking as the Tone version but I like it, I was just wondering. Ya I'm familiar with the 4L30E Marlin, it won't be in here forever anyways lol. By the time I start towing anything "big", it'll be gone.

That would leave the brake project as the next safety issue. Bigger rotors, maybe a Jegs manual proportioning system...

[tom4bren]

Here's the thread with the contact info to buy the hitch (if they are still making them).

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=15541

[nfpgasmask]

Contact Ganzman. He has a vendor that has replicated Tone's hitch. It's the best looking unit, IMO.

x2, anything hanging below the butt of the VX is no good, imo. Here's a pic:

http://www.nofuture.com/myvx/pics/087.jpg

Bart

[RamAirZ]

Thanks Tom! I don't think you'd need a manual proportioning valve, our bias should be sufficient, just need some good rotors/pads if you plan on anything real heavy, but with the short wheelbase and low weight I don't think I'd want anything super heavy back there to begin with. Luckily florida is pretty flat, so don't have to worry about downhills lol

[etlsport]

It doesn't take much loss of departure angle to make a big difference. I have Tone's hidden receiver & like it a lot. I was using a hitch step in it & went off road. I went through a small ditch & the hitch step snapped right off. It wasn't a big deal but it was where I mounted my license plate so I had to drive 2 hours home worrying that I was gonna get pulled over for no rear tag.

If you can find someone who will make the hidden receiver for you - I highly recommend you go that route.

lol tom that ditch ate the vibration stopper under my rear step bar that day too

I had no problem taking this to pittsburgh and back (300 miles w/ some small mountains) my best guess is that it was around 3500-4k lbs with a tounge weight somewhere near 300lbs

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/SNC00315.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17623)

[JAMAS]

lol tom that ditch ate the vibration stopper under my rear step bar that day too

I had no problem taking this to pittsburgh and back (300 miles w/ some small mountains) my best guess is that it was around 3500-4k lbs with a tounge weight somewhere near 300lbs

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/medium/SNC00315.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17623)

I would quickly move out of your way if I saw you coming down the highway with that setup.

Fishtail......then...kablammy.

Scary picture.

[vt_maverick]

Is it really that unsafe? I always thought the two rule of thumb limits were weight and wheel base. If either measure is larger for the object being towed than for the vehicle towing it, bad things happen. If that's true, wouldn't it make sense that U-Haul (and other cargo companies) rent trailers with two axles located closely together?

[RamAirZ]

I'd have no qualms about towing with my VX, especially a trailer like that uhaul, i think the pics makes the VX look much smaller, it's a 12ft trailer. That's the biggest one they offer, the VX is about 1.5 ft longer total length. I've towed alot of trailers though so I'm pretty familiar with how to drive and what not.