So I have had my Cherokee "Ron" for almost a year now. I've mainly done required maintenance that the PO hadnt kept up on.

U joints, axle seals, fluids, headlights etc.

Recently, I did a bastard pack lift, with S10 leafs from the 'yard. 2.5" spacers up front. Immediately added 31" BFG K02's.

My Cherokee came with a tiny hitch, 1.25" draw, and it had a drop on top of that. I could not get the damn thing out. So, I decided to make my own bumper. I love the look of these stock, so I tried to keep it as stock looking as possible, while improving my departure, and upgrading my hitch.





This is the hitch that was on it. This was not ideal for towing, or off roading!<br/>





Old hitch, next to my donor, off of a Ford Expedition - 8800 lbs capacity vs 1500...

 

Not to come off as a a$$, but how is this remotely OEM? And is there a point to be made?

This would be the great start to a build thread.

 

It isn't. So I moved it.Haha...

 

Sorry, wrong spot!

Also, yes there is a point, but I am having troubled adding pics now. Maybe because its been moved!

 

More photos, 1/4 wall tubing to slide into the "Frame Rails".



Left side cutout, with the 2" x 4" slid in, and right side stock after removing the stock skin mount

 

And then



Both sides cut out





Driver side has Fuel filler tube in there, need to cut out for that. Looks rough, but the metal is good.





Cutout to continue under the filler tube

 

Continued... Welded up some "ears" to use the four original bumper mount holes



All bolted in place



Both sides roughly cut and in place

 

Cut the receiver, to fit just inside the outer walls of my 2*4 tubing




Blurry pic of the crossmember in place




It sits into a cutout on each side, making sure that my weld is not where the strength is coming from.

 

Tacked it all up while it was bolted in place, and removed to fully weld around .




I got tired/lazy and didnt take any pictures, but I am using all 4 M12x1.5 bolts under the frame (each side). These tie into the original nutstrip, inside my tubing.




I then tapped the ends of my tube, in order to mount the skin

 

Nice fab work. Sign me up. Subbed.

I do welding and fab for a living. Doing stiffeners right now as a matter of fact. Future base for cage work, nudge nudge wink wink know what I mean? LOL

 

Cut a hole in the skin to access the hitch, pin and chains




Bolts on top, these BARELY clear the hitch door. It's so close Im worried about thermal expansion causing an issue (no im actually not)

 

I will paint the bolt heads, its not perfect solution, but time crunch made me do it...

All buttoned up, I have a much better departure angle, much stronger towing/recovery point, kept a "stock" look and spent very little for it all. Credit to Foxwar over at NAXJA for doing something like this before me!

Pretty happy.

 

Why a hitch that big when you can only tow 5k with a xj ?

 

Yeah, I won't tow even 5k, but for recovery purpose, stronger is better.

Also, hitches from the u-pull are all $29. So it doesn't cost more anyway.

 

I like the way you hid the hitch. Good work & done proper.