RE: Tow hitches

From: Dick Mellon (dmell@voyager.net)
Date: Tue May 14 1996 - 11:31:25 EDT


I bought a Draw-Tite receiver hitch for my 88 sport short box 4X4. When I
read specifications & install tips in box I found it was not rated for use
with load
equalizer bars. When I put it in position to install,the rear of the receiver
was a good 6 inchs in front of the bumper,which would have required a very long
tow bar. The bar which was included put the ball under the bumper. Yes,I
returned it for a refund. The step bumper is working very adquitely.
>
>According to Ron's post, a 3.9L with a 3.55 rear end ratio in a Club Cab 4x4
>gives you 8,000 lb. capacity, but that is GCVWR (gross combined vehicle
>weight rating) which includes the truck, passengers, cargo, fluids, etc. If
>you figure on the truck weighing between 3700-4000 lbs. (check your door
>jamb sticker), that'd leave you somewhere around a 4000-4300# towing
>capacity. I'm not sure if they used the under hood option sticker in 1988
>but that is where my rear end ratio is listed. Sometimes you can also call
>your dealer and get the specs on your truck as delivered from the factory.
>
>As far as the aftermarket hitches go, I put a Class III Draw-Tite
>receiver-style hitch on my '96 Club Cab 4x4. It cost me just over $200.00
>with the receiver, wiring harness which plugs into the truck's wiring (no
>cutting necessary), tow bar w/ball, heavy-duty flasher, and installation.
> IMO you're better off going with a name brand hitch, but you may hear
>different from others on the list. Good luck.
>
>Ciao!
>
> Ned Vogler | ----------------------------
> Network Administrator | _ _ _ _ _ _
> Rockville General Hospital | |_` |_` _ |_| |_| |_ |_| |_`
> (nvogler@rghosp.chime.org) | ,_| | | | |_ |\ ,_|
> '96 Dakota SLT V8 5-sp 4x4 Club Cab |
> '84 Nighthawk 650 '85 Honda XR-350R | ----------------------------
>
> ----------
>From: Steve Gepford
>To: dakota
>Subject: Tow hitches
>Date: Monday, May 13, 1996 11:29AM
>
>I am going to bring up an old topic here that has been pretty much already
>discussed but now I am interested in getting a different hitch.
>
>I currently have the bumper hitch rated at 2,000lbs. I want to go with a
>frame mounted hitch w/the receiver block type.
>
>An article from Ron Salzl pointed out that a class lll type hitch was rated
>for 5,000lbs and that a 3.9 engine w/3.55 rear end was good for 8,000lbs. I
>am assuming that he was referring to the capacities of 4WD vehicles.
>
>My Dakota is a lowly "88" 2WD 3.9 engine and I don't know what the "rear"
>gear ratio is.
>
>I have priced two hitches, one was a "Valley" @ $160.65 the other was a
>"Quality F" @ $79.60, both were rated for 5,000lbs. and both companies
>claimed that they would not interfere with my spare tire assembly.
>
>Does anyone have any advise to offer me at this point? I would rather go
>with the cheaper one, but you know the old saying, (you get what you pay
>for). I have not done any serious research nor have I ventured beyond a
>phone call to the outlet distributer's that offer these, so I really don't
>know what they look like or how they compare.
>
>Any help or advise would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Satellite Steve
>
>
>
 Dick Mellon,
 E-mail, dmell@voyager.net
 Boyne City Michigan

 



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