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Putting a hitch on a M1008 CUCV pickup

AJMBLAZER

AJMBLAZER

Better to be lucky than good.
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Part of the reason I got Big Ugly was for towing. CUCV's come with that nifty pintle hitch...but even if I replaced it with one that's got a ball on the bottom or only used trailers with loops it's still 3' off the ground...:doah:

Meanwhile the place I got the truck from says that all I should do is get one of those bolt/weld on 2" receiver brackets and mount it to the plate at the bottom of the CUCV rear bumper. The guy claims it's very reinforced. To me it looks like a regular Chevy bumper of the era only with the D-rings running through it and the light cut outs. Am I missing something?

Anyone done this?

So if I need to go out and get a Class IV+ hitch can anyone recommend a brand? Also, do any of the brands tuck up behind the hitch more than the others? Not a big fan of the hitches that hang FAR below the bumper.
 
The rear bumper does have alot of extra bracing (mainly for the pintle), but I still wouldnt "just weld a receiver tube to it.

I bought the class 4 drawtight hitch for mine (havent installed yet).
Some of the braces are in the way, & I havent had time to figure just what needs to be modified for it to fit.
The drawtight will fit "tight" up under the bumper & I am leaving the pintle in the bumper.

I think the pn# is drawtight 41903

Hope this helps.
 
I used a CURT manufacturing class IV on my 95 K2500, and it was a very nice unit and tucked up against the truck and only the reciever and chain loops were visable.
 
I'll have to check out that drawtite. I found it at JCWhitney but wasn't sure if the picture was of the actual hitch. Sounds like it was.

Great, it's snowing so now I REALLY don't want to mess with this stuff...
 
Hey go to the parts section a guy with a 87 or 86 that was in Mich or Ohio had one in a picture of things he was ditching. I think he had some axles and I asked about an ESC unit he had. Hope it helps you.
 
j20m715 said:
The rear bumper does have alot of extra bracing (mainly for the pintle), but I still wouldnt "just weld a receiver tube to it.

I bought the class 4 drawtight hitch for mine (havent installed yet).
Some of the braces are in the way, & I havent had time to figure just what needs to be modified for it to fit.
The drawtight will fit "tight" up under the bumper & I am leaving the pintle in the bumper.

I think the pn# is drawtight 41903

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Hey j20m715, have you made any headway on that hitch yet? We were just discussing this subject on SteelSoldiers.com and I remembered your little project.
 
call U-Haul, say "i have an 1986 1 ton chevy pickup, please install the biggest frame hitch you have."

pay the man. they have the best prices.

done. easy.
 
Ok I can't find a picture but in 1979 we had factory step bumpers on our 3/4 ton Chevy trucks we used the pintle hooks to pull 250 Gal fuel buffalos, tri axle trailers with back hoes or John deer 360 scrapers and my 1974 Lead Sled (Chevy station wagon) never did any other bracing.
 
The problem is the pintle hook, even if replaced with one with a 2" ball as the lower jaw, is still about 3' in the air and is not "civilian trailer" friendly...
I know perfectly well that you can tow with it...did that a few times in the Marines. I dunno what a 500gal "water buffalo" weighs but I moved one across MCAS Miramar once...not fast and stopping was interesting but I did it...

OffRoad, read the posts above yours, specifically j20m715's, you can't simply bolt a hitch on to a CUCV.
 
I wouldn't "Just weld a receiver hitch to it" but use that as a start. Maybe look into running supports from the frame to the hitch so it's a Y or a T shape depending on available room.

When I pulled my pintle and mounting plate I was surprised there wasn't more to it as in support so I'd figure running the same size support from the frame directly to the hitch receiver, which is welded to the mounting plate, would be stronger than whatever the pintle is rated for.

Mine is off a Blazer and I don't know if it is rated the same as a truck or how much would be due to the 10 bolt axles.
 
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