Good for you for recognizing and addressing what I think to be a huge problem with aftermarket hitches: disregard of factory mounting points for hitches supposedly designed by the seller to "fit" the rig it goes on.
Differences can be much more radical than those on your van.
We discussed one such situation recently on a Subaru (I forget which model). In that case the factory designed hitch attached at sixteen points, and included some reinforcing bars to be inserted into the frame tubes. The (cheaper) aftermarket substitute "designed" for the same car attached at only four points, two of which were to the sheet metal underside of the vehicle. No frame tube interior reinforcement.
And yet:
The owner is confident that performance/towing capacity is the same for both setups, an assumption I think dangerous. It would be interesting to ask Subaru whether tow capacity should be derated for the four-point aftermarket arrangement.
In my opinion, these very radical differences should be pointed out at least by the hitchmaker if not warned about in vehicle owners' manuals. It's likely that tow capacities expressed by vehicle manufacturers presume the use of a properly designed and installed hitch system.
Francesca
It's fine. I put one on my subaru and would do it again. It's not exactly "sheet metal" that it mounts in, and the front and rear cradles also mount to the same "sheet metal". I haven't seen a subaru on the side of the road missing one end or the other yet. They also do have a reinforcing plate that goes in there. That hitch will far outlast any weight that car should pull. Hell I've installed class 3/4 receivers in pickups that use 4 bolts and the frame rails aren't any thicker. You know what happened when somebody cut me off and came to a dead stop crosswise in the road, and I hit them at 45 mph? The pickup frame bent. Hitch didnt move.
We discussed one such situation recently on a Subaru (I forget which model). In that case the factory designed hitch attached at sixteen points, and included some reinforcing bars to be inserted into the frame tubes. The (cheaper) aftermarket substitute "designed" for the same car attached at only four points, two of which were to the sheet metal underside of the vehicle. No frame tube interior reinforcement.
And yet:
The owner is confident that performance/towing capacity is the same for both setups, an assumption I think dangerous. It would be interesting to ask Subaru whether tow capacity should be derated for the four-point aftermarket arrangement.
Francesca
One very IMPORTANT part of information in regards to that discussion that seems to have been missed is that Subaru only started offering up there own hitches a few years ago. For the first year they only offered a Class I hitch but many of their vehicles were rated to tow with a higher rating than the Class I hitch, so aftermarket hitches were the only option. Subaru themselves would just send the car owner off to the local hitch dealer to have an aftermarket hitch installed using the hitch attachment points they had designed into the car at the factory. So 90% of those towing with a Subaru here didnt have the option of using a Subaru hitch with the newer designed hitch attachment points.
Not sure as I haven't crawled under one to look but it may be that they still do build the new cars with the aftermarket hitch attachment points even though they offer their own hitches now. The aftermarket hitch I had installed on my current Subaru was attached using the hitch attachment points that Subaru had put on the car at the factory - no additional drilling required and they do go through more than sheet metal.
The hitch attachment points offered on the newer Subaru's to be used with Subaru's own hitches appears to be a better system. But it is very doubtful Subaru would have provided the attachment points for aftermarket hitches & supported their use in their manuals all those years, if they were not safe to use.
It's fine. I put one on my subaru and would do it again. It's not exactly "sheet metal" that it mounts in, and the front and rear cradles also mount to the same "sheet metal". I haven't seen a subaru on the side of the road missing one end or the other yet. They also do have a reinforcing plate that goes in there.
Dunno about your hitch/vehicle but:
The hitch we were talking about is an aftermarket one that Raz put on his Subaru- I think it was a Forester- and he specifically said that it attached at four points only, and that there was no interior reinforcement provided by the supplier. He himself expressed some trepidations about the arrangement.
I'd be happy to dig the convo up, but it seems sorta pointless since evidently the only evidence that counts is the "fact" that you "haven't seen a subaru on the side of the road missing one end or the other yet." (sic)
Francesca
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The hitch we were talking about is an aftermarket one that Raz put on his Subaru- I think it was a Forester- and he specifically said that it attached at four points only, and that there was no interior reinforcement provided by the supplier.
The hitch we were talking about is an aftermarket one that Raz put on his Subaru- I think it was a Forester- and he specifically said that it attached at four points only, and that there was no interior reinforcement provided by the supplier. He himself expressed some trepidations about the arrangement.
I'd be happy to dig the convo up, but it seems sorta pointless since evidently the only evidence that counts is the "fact" that you "haven't seen a subaru on the side of the road missing one end or the other yet." (sic)
Francesca
It's basically the same setup as mine, and they do include some small plates to slide in there. Since you're adamant about it, please show me a failed aftermarket subaru hitch. I can tell you it's strong enough to take the car bottoming out hard enough on the bike rack at 30 mph to make the traction light come on. Car, bike rack, hitch, no damage other than scrapes.
We are- my response was related to "Dubya's" post regarding hitches. See below.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jared J
It's basically the same setup as mine, and they do include some small plates to slide in there. Since you're adamant about it, please show me a failed aftermarket subaru hitch. I can tell you it's strong enough to take the car bottoming out hard enough on the bike rack at 30 mph to make the traction light come on. Car, bike rack, hitch, no damage other than scrapes.
I'm adamant about nothing, only supportive of folks looking with a jaded eye at aftermarket substitutes that purport to perform as intended by the manufacturers/designers of the vehicles they're attached to (see originally responded to post below).
Quote:
Originally Posted by MC1
Fred, Nice Fairlaine and receiver.
After having a U Haul "2" installed on our Nissan Van I was not impressed. The van came with 6 factory threaded inserts but the U-Haul receiver design only used 4 of them.
Within a few hours I fabricated some extra parts and welded them in place. The receiver now used all 6 threaded inserts plus a welded portion I put in place myself. So much stronger and flex free as I was using a WDH.
As for the "show me" challenge: if actual failure was necessary for proof of poor design, there'd be no need/market for engineers - or for the laws of physics, for that matter.
Francesca
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I won't argue that mc's mod isn't better, that's obvious. However, how many if those hitches have ever failed? Don't get me wrong, I rebuild/overbuild also, but it doesn't mean it's necessary. I cut the "fifth wheel" hitch off my scamp as soon as I got it, because I thought it was a horrid design (still do). However, not one has failed to my knowledge.
If these were that bad, there would be lawsuits and recalls. The only bad hitch I've known about are FACTORY dodge ram hitches.
I guess I was too subtle about this thread getting off topic. I don't remember Subaru ever making a Convertible. I certainly don't see the connection to Subaru hitch installations. Let's return this thread to discussing Towing eggs with Older Convertible Cars, OK?
I guess I was too subtle about this thread getting off topic. I don't remember Subaru ever making a Convertible. I certainly don't see the connection to Subaru hitch installations. Let's return this thread to discussing Towing eggs with Older Convertible Cars, OK?
Point of order, please:
The O.P. specifically asked about hitches. Dubya brought up a point about the way hitches are attached and I agreed with him that it's a valid point. I guess the two of us erred by citing specific examples that are on vehicle brands/types outside the original query.
It would be most helpful if someone could post a definition of the limits within which responses can be made to the thread opener, here quoted for convenient reference:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthur Santiago
I want to buy an older convertible car, something between 1964 to 1970. I own a Trillium 4500.
For example I found a 1970 Chevy Impala it has a 350 with a 400 turbo transmission. Should be no problem pullling my Trillium.
I can't find any towing specs for the Impala. Also I can only find a class II hitch made by Uhaul with a 1 1/4" receiver. I'd prefer a 2" receiver with a minimum class III...
Has anyone had a custom hitch made before? Can anyone suggest someone in BC, I'm in Whistler?
What are your thoughts? Any concerns or red flags?
Flummoxed Francesca
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The O.P. specifically asked about hitches. Dubya brought up a point about the way hitches are attached and I agreed with him that it's a valid point. I guess the two of us erred by citing specific examples that are on vehicle brands/types outside the original query.
For example I found a 1970 Chevy Impala it has a 350 with a 400 turbo transmission. Should be no problem pullling my Trillium.
I can't find any towing specs for the Impala. Also I can only find a class II hitch made by Uhaul with a 1 1/4" receiver. I'd prefer a 2" receiver with a minimum class III...
I see a couple of challenges in finding a hitch for an older car:
we are accustomed to getting ready-made hitches for just about any model of car now, but this wasn't necessarily the case four or five decades ago; and,
hitch manufacturers cannot keep every model in production forever, so they are available after a new model is introduced (a delay for the hitch people to catch up), and in some cases only for a few years after that.
By the time I wanted a hitch for my Tercel, they didn't exist anymore. I would now get a hitch for any car I buy, if it had any significant chance of ever needing one, before they disappear. This, of course, is not an option in this case.
The old convertible is likely to be a classic design, and that's actually an advantage, as continuing interest may keep hitches available although they would vanish for models of less enthusiast interest.
U-Haul doesn't generally make hitches; they just sell them. In the example of the Impala, U-Haul part UHI36911CH is for the "2DR", but may not fit the convertible... I don't know if the rear was different enough to matter. In this case, the web page of search results for the Impala include this:
Quote:
U-Haul is the only known company with a hitch that will fit your vehicle. However, these trailer hitches are built as ordered, so please allow 14 additional business days to complete the manufacturing process.
My guess is that they special-order them from one of the major hitch manufacturers (U-Haul has used Cequent, Valley, and Curt for other vehicles), and that manufacturer no longer has this model in their catalog.
Personally, I would rather use whatever U-Haul sells than trust an unknown custom fabricator, to tow a trailer well within the rating of the commercially produced hitch. I would look at the hitch design - particularly the mounting - to see if I had any issues with it.
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1979 Boler B1700RGH, pulled by 2004 Toyota Sienna LE 2WD Information is good. Lack of information is not so good, but misinformation is much worse. Check facts, and apply common sense liberally.
STATUS: No longer active in forum.
1992 Scamp Side bath
Waltzin' Matrillda
..................
"The Eggstacy"
Boomerang
but the 
Sad news for your Frederick they have made a few of them over the years. 
dang you just had to ask! 
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