If I take out the ball, do I have a recovery point?
12-24-2008, 01:10 PM
#31
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I think I'll just use it for light/medium recoveries until I feel more confident in it. I'll still take the ball out, though, to try and make this a more solid rig. I feel confident in it, seeing as it's mounted in as many places as it is, with the bolts being the caliber they are. I don't plan on pulling anything out that's larger than an XJ.
I'm not planning on going too extreme, I'd prefer do something that keeps me attentive all day and no gore rather than do something for half a day that someone breaks something on 
That and I'm on a tight budget, but I too believe in the overkill. I'll look for a class III hitch after I get some of my other little ducks in a row.
That and I'm on a tight budget, but I too believe in the overkill. I'll look for a class III hitch after I get some of my other little ducks in a row.
1. There are 2 bolts into the frame rail. The rest are in thin gauge sheet metal. The sheet metal is not going to take much force to bend. Consider this situation: Someone is pulling you out of a deep snow rut. They start their pull nice and slow. Your rig gets pulled a few feet when all of a sudden the recovery rig starts to lose traction and slide back towards you. The driver instinctively guns it to regain traction at which point that sheet metal rips like a piece of paper. Not a very pretty picture, is it?
2. Most 4wd clubs have a requirement of safe extraction points on a vehicle for organized trail runs. They also perform tech inspections. Given that, no inspector I've ever met would allow that to be considered a recovery point.
3. A class III hitch can be had at most any j/y for $25-$50. That is cheap for a good recovery point. When installed using the nutstrips, you end up with a total of 8 class 8 bolts in the frame rails, 6 of which also pass through the hitch. The length of the nutstrips distribute the force of even a hard yanking pull evenly throughout the frame rail.
4. You are on a budget. No issue with that, I think most of us are. The question you really need to ask yourself is: "Do I want to be responsible for possibly hurting or killing someone because my weak recovery point failed?"
You can do it right, do it safely, and still do it cheaply.
Get a class III hitch minimum please.
12-24-2008, 01:15 PM
#32
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Here are a few points to consider:
1. There are 2 bolts into the frame rail. The rest are in thin gauge sheet metal. The sheet metal is not going to take much force to bend. Consider this situation: Someone is pulling you out of a deep snow rut. They start their pull nice and slow. Your rig gets pulled a few feet when all of a sudden the recovery rig starts to lose traction and slide back towards you. The driver instinctively guns it to regain traction at which point that sheet metal rips like a piece of paper. Not a very pretty picture, is it?
2. Most 4wd clubs have a requirement of safe extraction points on a vehicle for organized trail runs. They also perform tech inspections. Given that, no inspector I've ever met would allow that to be considered a recovery point.
3. A class III hitch can be had at most any j/y for $25-$50. That is cheap for a good recovery point. When installed using the nutstrips, you end up with a total of 8 class 8 bolts in the frame rails, 6 of which also pass through the hitch. The length of the nutstrips distribute the force of even a hard yanking pull evenly throughout the frame rail.
4. You are on a budget. No issue with that, I think most of us are. The question you really need to ask yourself is: "Do I want to be responsible for possibly hurting or killing someone because my weak recovery point failed?"
You can do it right, do it safely, and still do it cheaply. Get a class III hitch minimum please.
1. There are 2 bolts into the frame rail. The rest are in thin gauge sheet metal. The sheet metal is not going to take much force to bend. Consider this situation: Someone is pulling you out of a deep snow rut. They start their pull nice and slow. Your rig gets pulled a few feet when all of a sudden the recovery rig starts to lose traction and slide back towards you. The driver instinctively guns it to regain traction at which point that sheet metal rips like a piece of paper. Not a very pretty picture, is it?
2. Most 4wd clubs have a requirement of safe extraction points on a vehicle for organized trail runs. They also perform tech inspections. Given that, no inspector I've ever met would allow that to be considered a recovery point.
3. A class III hitch can be had at most any j/y for $25-$50. That is cheap for a good recovery point. When installed using the nutstrips, you end up with a total of 8 class 8 bolts in the frame rails, 6 of which also pass through the hitch. The length of the nutstrips distribute the force of even a hard yanking pull evenly throughout the frame rail.
4. You are on a budget. No issue with that, I think most of us are. The question you really need to ask yourself is: "Do I want to be responsible for possibly hurting or killing someone because my weak recovery point failed?"
You can do it right, do it safely, and still do it cheaply.
Get a class III hitch minimum please.
12-24-2008, 01:24 PM
#33
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If you got to a JY and get a hitch MOSt 2" reciver hitches you fidn will work, but a few wont. Jus tmake sure it has a 2" hole for a reciever and its a solid one piece hitch the ties into the fram rails via 3 bolts on each side. Like the photo posted earlier in this thread.
12-24-2008, 01:25 PM
#34
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Some class III hitches are only held on by square washers and bolts rather than nutstrips. I would strongly recommend avoiding that type of mount as it does not properly distribute the force of a pull and can actually rip holes in your frame rails. If the hitch you find at the j/y doesn't have nutstrips, you can still use the hitch, just be sure to get nutstrips and class 8 bolts to mount with.
For the record, I've used my class III hitch several times on hard recoveries with no issues.
12-24-2008, 01:28 PM
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12-24-2008, 01:38 PM
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Here you go. It is #16 in that picture.
Available new at: http://www.moparpartsamerica.com/spl...?siteid=214583
52001174 - right side
52001175 - left side
Available new at: http://www.moparpartsamerica.com/spl...?siteid=214583
52001174 - right side
52001175 - left side
12-24-2008, 01:41 PM
#42
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According to mopar, Jeeps are a station wagon.... 
Thanks for the linky's, I'll try to pull them off an XJ when I pull the hitch off.
Thanks for the linky's, I'll try to pull them off an XJ when I pull the hitch off.
12-24-2008, 01:43 PM
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12-24-2008, 01:44 PM
#45
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