Itching for a Hitch - question about bumper

[JULIAN911]

Because I want a hitch quickly, I'm going with the Curt hitch. I have searched this forum for days and some people said rear bumper must be removed while others said not neccessary.

For those of you that have installed the Curt hitch, at U Haul or DYI, did you have to remove the rear bumper at all?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

[tom4bren]

I've not installed the Curt but from what I've heard, you do not have to remove the rear bumper.

[JoFotoz]

I have installed one...

...and Tom is right

Bolts up to frame under back of cladding 'lower lip'.

However.. depending on how you run the electrics..
... freeing up the cladding to pull outwards..but not removing it can help.

jo

[tom4bren]

I keep my wire harness in the jack compartment & just run it out the door when needed.

My pet peeve is seeing trashed wires dangling from the back of a truck.

Caution though, make sure you get a good ground for your converter. A bad ground produces some pretty wonky effects.

[JoFotoz]

Good plan..

I keep my wire harness in the jack compartment & just run it out the door when needed.

Gonna have to do same..

....much tidier / less exposure to elements

Jo

[rowhard]

I have installed one...jo

Jo, know that you wheel, any issue with clearance?

[JoFotoz]

Yup....

Jo, know that you wheel, any issue with clearance?

...BUT, in the best possible way.

Lower edges of outer plates act as GREAT 'skid rails' when exit angles are steep.
It makes a horrific noise and scares the **** out of you first time !!!
But totally protects underside at back.

I now 'use' it deliberately... with no problems other than minor edge burring to plates.

A great secondary gain of the Curt Hitch is rear end collision protection
I've had two tap mine pretty hard...
....cost them plenty in cracked f/glass-Plastic bumpers..I had NO damage.

jo
.

[JULIAN911]

You guys Rock big time - soooooooooooo responsive!

Thank you, thank you, thank you !!! now I need to go online and find the best price or perhaps just drop it off at U Haul and let them take care of the drilling lol

[JoFotoz]

Thank the site !!!




jo

[tom4bren]

You guys Rock big time - soooooooooooo responsive!

Thank you, thank you, thank you !!! now I need to go online and find the best price or perhaps just drop it off at U Haul and let them take care of the drilling lol

IIRC, no drilling needed. It should use 4-6 threaded holes already on the frame (at least that's what my hidden hitch uses).

[JoFotoz]

IIRC...

IIRC, no drilling needed. It should use 4-6 threaded holes already on the frame (at least that's what my hidden hitch uses).

...I had to open out two holes due to slight miss alignment , and use a lock nut set up.

jo

[tom4bren]

I think I would've stretched the holes on the hitch & retained the threaded holes on the frame ... but that's just me.

[JoFotoz]

More "meat"...

I think I would've stretched the holes on the hitch & retained the threaded holes on the frame ... but that's just me.

... on the frame

jo

[cheetah2390]

You guys Rock big time - soooooooooooo responsive!

Thank you, thank you, thank you !!! now I need to go online and find the best price or perhaps just drop it off at U Haul and let them take care of the drilling lol

I installed a CURT in the fall last year. We took the bumper off just because it gave us more room to work and it's just a bunch of screws holding it on. Your going to use at least one new bit to drill the holes. Its worth it to buy the more expensive one that is made to drill through steel (I forget what this one is made out of). They should have a chart on the wall at the hardware store. We ended up buying some longer bolts and locking nuts because we didn't want to deal with fishing the bolts through the frame. So instead of drilling 4 holes, we drilled 8 (top and bottom of frame). I can take some pics if this doesn't make sense. I don't use my hitch for towing though. Only for a hitch hauler (hunting and bicycles).

[tom4bren]

HMMM

Sounds like the Curt mounts to an entirely different place than mine. The Upgraded Tone Clone uses 6 existing threaded holes so no drilling is required.

But X2 on buying a new quality bit for drilling through the frame. When I installed the first Tone hitch, you had to drill 2 holes. The first one took about 2 hours. The second took about 2 minutes because I finally had a revelation & went to Lowes for a new bit.