anyone install a trailer hitch (via bolts NOT WELDING) to their car?

[sao123]

Originally posted by: CFster

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: skyking
welding to the frame is usually frowned apon. Most hitch installs may be fabbed up or welded together in a custom manner to fit your car/truck, but the actual connection to your car is not welded, it is bolted.

WRONG...
if you have a trailer hitch in most states it must be welded or it will not pass vehicle inspection.

That is absolutely incorrect.

Not even a little wrong. It is the direct opposite of the truth.

Care to back it up with DMV inspection laws from your state?
My uncle performs state inspections on vehicles for pennsylvania. I know this for a fact.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

My STOCK trailer hitch is bolted. Same with my dad's. The only ones that I have ever seen welded are the ones that are attached to flatbed trucks.

 

[CFster]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: CFster

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: skyking
welding to the frame is usually frowned apon. Most hitch installs may be fabbed up or welded together in a custom manner to fit your car/truck, but the actual connection to your car is not welded, it is bolted.

WRONG...
if you have a trailer hitch in most states it must be welded or it will not pass vehicle inspection.

That is absolutely incorrect.

Not even a little wrong. It is the direct opposite of the truth.

Care to back it up with DMV inspection laws from your state?
My uncle performs state inspections on vehicles for pennsylvania. I know this for a fact.

Oh great, the old my father says, or my uncle knows line...

Not the first time I met a DMV inspector that didn't know what the f---- he was doing either.

CT laws for trailers. Show me where it says the hitch needs to be welded to the vehicle. As a matter of fact, show me the laws from your state too.

FYI, speaking as somebody who works for an auto wholesaler that sells over 150,000 vehicles a year, I can tell you that any time we come across a trailer hitch that has been welded to the frame rails we automatically brand that title as a "frame" car based on NAAA guidelines.

Also, I can also tell you that we've ordered brand new trucks from the manufacturers with installed trailer hitches (bolted). I've installed dozens of aftermarket hitches on various vehicles (from reputable retailers such as NAPA, and CARQUEST), and have yet to come across one that needed to be welded on.

I've also installed gooseneck (5th wheel) trailer hitches on dually trucks that towed 4 horse trailers (one of which hauled an award winning million dollar show horse). Bolt on.

If you want, I can go further into why it's a dumb ass idea to weld onto frame rails from a structural standpoint.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: edprush
Do car frames have the existing holes for the bolts or am I going to need a blow torch to burn holes?

Usually there are holes to work with.
forget the torch, if you have to make new holes use a drill.
If you cut or weld on a frame, you change the structural integrity of that item forever.
Take a close look at a truck frame. It will have decals on it "do not weld", and everythinhg gets bolted, the tank brackets, steps, 5th wheel mount, accessories.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: edprush
Do car frames have the existing holes for the bolts or am I going to need a blow torch to burn holes?

My car came with tie down hooks underneath the bumper which is how they tied it down during shipment. If i were to get a hitch for my car all I would need to do is unbolt those tie down hooks and bolt on the hitch in its place.

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: CFster

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: skyking
welding to the frame is usually frowned apon. Most hitch installs may be fabbed up or welded together in a custom manner to fit your car/truck, but the actual connection to your car is not welded, it is bolted.

WRONG...
if you have a trailer hitch in most states it must be welded or it will not pass vehicle inspection.

That is absolutely incorrect.

Not even a little wrong. It is the direct opposite of the truth.

Care to back it up with DMV inspection laws from your state?
My uncle performs state inspections on vehicles for pennsylvania. I know this for a fact.

I don't think I've ever seen a welded on hitch on a passenger vehicle.
I'm from PA originally, and my family tows various trailers extensively - all bolted on (I helped install some of them) and all passed inspection without a hitch P sorry, it had to be done).

Either you or your uncle doesn't know what they are talking about. In fact it wouldn't suprise me if welding could ruin the heat treatment of the frame members - I think I've seen a warning to that effect somewhere.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: Armitage
I don't think I've ever seen a welded on hitch on a passenger vehicle.
I'm from PA originally, and my family tows various trailers extensively - all bolted on (I helped install some of them) and all passed inspection without a hitch P sorry, it had to be done).

Either you or your uncle doesn't know what they are talking about. In fact it wouldn't suprise me if welding could ruin the heat treatment of the frame members - I think I've seen a warning to that effect somewhere.

A friend of our family drove big rigs (a Peterbuilt iirc), and there was a sticker on the side of the frame stating:

"DO NOT WELD OR DRILL ON THE FRAME, IT WILL RUIN THE TEMPERING" (or something to that effect)

 

[imported_Phil]

The pwnage is coming along nicely in this thread.

 

[skyking]

ah Phil, long time no see. Did you stop by to fertilize it?

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: Armitage

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: CFster

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: skyking
welding to the frame is usually frowned apon. Most hitch installs may be fabbed up or welded together in a custom manner to fit your car/truck, but the actual connection to your car is not welded, it is bolted.

WRONG...
if you have a trailer hitch in most states it must be welded or it will not pass vehicle inspection.

That is absolutely incorrect.

Not even a little wrong. It is the direct opposite of the truth.

Care to back it up with DMV inspection laws from your state?
My uncle performs state inspections on vehicles for pennsylvania. I know this for a fact.

I don't think I've ever seen a welded on hitch on a passenger vehicle.
I'm from PA originally, and my family tows various trailers extensively - all bolted on (I helped install some of them) and all passed inspection without a hitch P sorry, it had to be done).

Either you or your uncle doesn't know what they are talking about. In fact it wouldn't suprise me if welding could ruin the heat treatment of the frame members - I think I've seen a warning to that effect somewhere.

Ok, now i have the full story.... for trailers under a certain gross weight, you may have a bolted hitch. for trailers over a certain weight (designtated under class B) you must have your hitch welded and certified. Although Im not positive about the trailer weight classes, I believe the line is about 1200 pounds.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: sao123
Ok, now i have the full story.... for trailers under a certain gross weight, you may have a bolted hitch. for trailers over a certain weight (designtated under class B) you must have your hitch welded and certified. Although Im not positive about the trailer weight classes, I believe the line is about 1200 pounds.

Are you mistaking the part that goes on the trailer for the part that goes on the vehicle?

 

[SparkyJJO]

bolts FTW - our hitches held fine using bolts

 

[CFster]

Originally posted by: sao123
Ok, now i have the full story.... for trailers under a certain gross weight, you may have a bolted hitch. for trailers over a certain weight (designtated under class B) you must have your hitch welded and certified. Although Im not positive about the trailer weight classes, I believe the line is about 1200 pounds.

Sorry.

The designation "Class B" refers to motorhomes. Class A is the largest motorhome - usually built on a bus chassis. Class B is built on a van chassis. Class C is slightly smaller. They're all self powered - so I'm not sure what you're referring too.

If you're talking about hitch weight ratings, that's designated by Class I - Class IV. Class I hitches are a receiver opening of 1 1/4". They are rated at 200 lbs of tongue weight and 2000 lbs of gross trailer weight or less. Class II hitches are a receiver opening of 1 1/4". They are rated at 300 lbs of tongue weight and 3500 lbs gross trailer weight or less. Class III hitches are a receiver opening of 2". They are rated at 500 lbs or tongue weight and 5000 lbs of gross trailer weight or less. Class IV hitches are a receiver opening of 2". They are rated at 1000 lbs or tongue weight and 6000 lbs of gross trailer weight or less. Gooseneck hitches are the strongest of all and are usually rated for 30000 lbs gross trailer weight and 7500 lbs vertical load.

These all are bolt on hitches.

I don't mean to come across like I'm trying to burn you, but if there are people ignorant enough to post such dangerously incompetent information on the internet, then there are probably people out there that will follow their advice.

 

[CFster]

Originally posted by: skyking

Originally posted by: edprush
Do car frames have the existing holes for the bolts or am I going to need a blow torch to burn holes?

Usually there are holes to work with.
forget the torch, if you have to make new holes use a drill.
If you cut or weld on a frame, you change the structural integrity of that item forever.
Take a close look at a truck frame. It will have decals on it "do not weld", and everythinhg gets bolted, the tank brackets, steps, 5th wheel mount, accessories.

Not even necessary to drill. Just about every truck for sale today (and a lot of cars) come with multiple holes predrilled in the rails for this purpose. Most trucks come with holes in the front rails as well for attachments such as snow plows too.

 

[radioouman]

I bolted a Draw-tite hitch onto my '93 Dakota. The instructions said to drill if needed, and I needed to.

I also installed a class I onto a Saturn s-series, and I had to drill through the frame and the trunk floor.

 

[Hummin]

Bought my last two hitches from this place:

Etrailer.com

Good prices,e ven after shipping factored in. Has online hitch-finder to determine proper hitch to fit your vehicle......and even online installation descriptions for your vehicle so you can see how difficult it is to bolt it to your vehicle.

Haven't seen a welded-on hitch in over 30 years. Think they went out of vogue decades ago......

 

[CFster]

Originally posted by: radioouman
I bolted a Draw-tite hitch onto my '93 Dakota. The instructions said to drill if needed, and I needed to.

I also installed a class I onto a Saturn s-series, and I had to drill through the frame and the trunk floor.

Yikes.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: CFster

Originally posted by: skyking

Originally posted by: edprush
Do car frames have the existing holes for the bolts or am I going to need a blow torch to burn holes?

Usually there are holes to work with.
forget the torch, if you have to make new holes use a drill.
If you cut or weld on a frame, you change the structural integrity of that item forever.
Take a close look at a truck frame. It will have decals on it "do not weld", and everythinhg gets bolted, the tank brackets, steps, 5th wheel mount, accessories.

Not even necessary to drill. Just about every truck for sale today (and a lot of cars) come with multiple holes predrilled in the rails for this purpose. Most trucks come with holes in the front rails as well for attachments such as snow plows too.

I covered that with the bolded part

 

[kd2777]

I pull a 18 ft trailer with three commercial lawn mowers on it every summer for the past 8 years. It has worked great, the bolts have held up perfectly

kd