Latest upgrade - Trailer Hitch

[clhyer]

Well, my last "upgrade" sort of went over like a fart in church... let's see if this one does a little better. Retirement is in my future and I am doing a few things to ready the Duster for some trips. I hope to trek from GA to NY in June, taking the back roads and taking my time. Also plan on taking my spare wheels with me...

This project took about a day to cut out and tack together. I then carried it to a welding shop for finish welding. Brought it home and painted it and installed it today and tacked together the extension piece needed. I will also have the welding shop do the final weld on that.
C

 

[6pk2goDemon]

Nice work.....That should garner some attention going down the road 8)

Congrats on your upcoming retirement too :cheers:

 

[66dart 270]

Very nice CL. For the past few months I have been thinking about a hitch for my 66 Dart. I have an antique boat that I picked up last July, it's a 1959 14' Cutter Jet DeVille with a 72 Merc 65hp outboard. I figured that towing the boat with the Dart would spark a few head turns and conversations at the boat ramp.

Paul

 

[rumblefish360]

Nice work!

 

[clhyer]

Thanks folks.
66Dart, I got the basic plan off the site here and made the changes necessary to make it fit the Duster.
C

 

[67Dart273]

Thanks folks.
66Dart, I got the basic plan off the site here and made the changes necessary to make it fit the Duster.
C

You mind posting just where you found that? I've been thinking for mine.

 

[PanGasket]

Nice work Cal! looks good.

 

[66dart 270]

Hi C,
Thank you for the info and where might I find it? I actually have the specs for the hitch in the back of my 66 Dart owners manual that came with the car. I was surprised to find it there seeing as how I have never seen that type of info in an owners manual before. I would also be interested in looking at the plans you used to see if that unit might be better than the one in my book. There is a guy around the corner from me that does custom stair railings/welding and he is an excellent fabricator and welder. He has grown up in the business with his father and then took over the shop after his father passed away. He has done several welding projects/repairs for me over the years so I think I'm going to have him build the hitch for me do to the high quality of his welding.
Paul

 

[clhyer]

Here is a link to the post with the diagram, it came from an owners manual:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=87389&highlight=hitch

For my mods and fitting, I bolted 1/4" X 3" angle iron to the bottom of the frame rails and then bolted the flat iron front hangers to the angle. This is due to dual exhaust that runs right under the frame rail. There is a large hole in the frame rail and trunk pan right behind the exhaust hanger. I enlarged the trunk pan hole so that I could get a piece of 1/4" flat iron inside the frame rail. I enlarged the trunk pan holes so that I could plug them with an oval body plug, I think it is the firewall clutch plug, about 1 1/4" x 1 3/4".

At the rear hanger I used 1/4" plate shaped pretty much like the diagram. I made a pattern out of plywood and found out in order to get it tucked up behind the bumper I had to mount it between the body and the bumper bracket. Not a big deal, but I had to remove the outer bumper bracket bolts and put a spacer in there to shim the bumper out 1/4".

It took me most all day to fab it up and tack it together. Material list was:

6" of 1/4" x 3" x 3" angle iron this made two brackets and 2 inside rail plates
12" of 3/16" x 2" flat strap for the 2 front hangers
12" x 12" x 1/4" flat plate for the 2 rear hangers (The plan calls for 3/16")
6' stick of 3/16" x 2" x 2" OD square tubing
18" Harbor Freight class two receiver tube
Nuts, bolts & washers

When I carried it to the welding shop they supplied and cut out the gusset plates for the rear crossmember and cut the safety chain holes.

C

 

[67Dart273]

THANK you!!! I don't know how the heck I missed the other thread first time around.

 

[teringer]

you did a great job look's good ,I did the same thing and my first trip from Md to Maine I pulled off the road took the bike apart and put it in the trunk .the drag on the car from the bike was so bad it cut my fuel mileage in half 7 mpg instead of the18 I was getting. but I did drive rt95 at 70 mph.