Thejeepcherokee

Anyone have bought and installed a new bumper with hitch? I'm in the process of getting a dirt bike and would like to haul it with a dirt bike rack that goes in your hitch. Anyone know if the hitch bumper is strong enough or should I go with the Reese hitch? Just want the safest option.

abodyjoe

i guess it all depends how a bumper with hitch is mounted... if its tied into the frame then it may be ok.. if only the stock bumper bolts i'm not sure i'd tust it and rather see a class III hitch..

how heavy is the dirt bike? think the cherokee class III is only rated at like 350 pund toung weight..

andrewmp6

Most off road bumpers hitches are not tested tho,I would look at a off road bumper they lets you run a standard hitch under it.

XJRed96

i have a curt rounded tube class III. the hitch is rated at 500 tongue and 5000 tow. 600/6000 with weight distributing trailer. 300lbs tongue is all i would suggest on factory suspension though. Found my hitch on amazon for 135 bucks (155 on etrailer) they also have a square tube style, i went with a rounded style because thats what i have on my other car... i'm a sucker for consistency. also save yourself the headache and spend the extra bucks to get a direct plug and play harness for it. it plugs right in behind the panel that the spare bolts to.

jeeperreaper

If you do go the bumper route, I would just make sure that is has unibody tie ins on it. The four bolts that the stock rear bumper mounts to are known to not be the strongest for weight. Here is a link to another members post about this.https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f67/re...racked-206762/

pandamanprod

Hi all,

Re-Launching this thread. I just picked up an XJ as a secondary and hauler vehicle. I'm planning on hauling my 320 Pound KTM 690 On the rear of the bike Via a tow hitch hauler and to no surprise it sags the vehicle.

The suspension on the vehicle already feels a little underdamped, I get some bounciness on the highway. I was thinking of just doing a complete set of new shocks all around.

That being said, Whaddya think? Should extra leaf springs or air shocks or different coil overs be considered for the vehicle to help the rear end under load?

Fred/N0AZZ

You need new leafs/coils/shocks at the very least to start with, if so inclined a good time for a lift as all those come with one.