hubbazoot

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.

OnlyInMyXJ22

The fact that there is a large weak point right there, and I wouldn't feel safe using it to pull someone out especially if you have to really get on it and yank them good.



This design, whether using a shackle mount like I have or a hitch with no ball, spreads the force out much more evenly and can handle a big yank.

hubbazoot

I am on a budget, but I will look into this more closely.

OnlyInMyXJ22

You can buy a used hitch. I bought that Reese Class III hitch for $100 and then installed it myself. I got my shackle mount with a shackle off E-bay for under $30 shipped.

hubbazoot

Okay. Just for some extra verification, anyone think this hitch would work for XJ recoveries and lighter? Mainly rock crawling/snow environments?

fivendime

Thats not a weak point at all. I have towed trailers that weighed over 10,000 lbs on a hitch that was setup with 2 bolts like that. You know the ones that adjust up or down on holes. Same theory here, its just not a beefy underneath to support such a weight....sorry to be blunt.

Simple as this. Your fine with small recovery, but keep it small. No vehicles larger then yours and no hard pulls. Granted if you had a "aftermarket" class III hitch you would be better off but thats not the point here.

hubbazoot

I think with recoveries (I've done a few very very mild ones), you should start trying to use as little force as possible, seeing if it's a direct tug and work its way up from there. As for the foreseeable future, I see me being more of a crawler than a mud dog anyway, this should suffice for my needs.

OnlyInMyXJ22

I think that is what I stated primarily about the yanking. He is asking about recovery and not towing a trailer. So I answered for the use of recovery.

Me personally, no I would not use that at all, but to each their own. I would hate to say I told you so when something goes wrong because your too cheap to do something right.

In my opinion, don't ever do something the cheap way to get it done, take your time and do it right.

fivendime

In the future I would get a different setup, the rocks can be worse, and snow can be a sleeper. When I do things I try to do it with an overkill attitude if I'm going to try and destroy it on the trail. But breaking things is part of the fun......I know I'm crazy, hahaha

hubbazoot

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.

fivendime

Some would say do research and some would try and tell you what to do. It looks like its strong enough for small stuff like I said but there is always skeptics. Thats why we have square drivelines...hahaha

Try craigslist. I have found class III hitches on there recently in my area for 50 bucks used and in good shape.

hubbazoot

I'll certainly check it out. I saw a pretty sweet deal on a roof rack I'm waiting to fall into some money to get.

asatxj

The only [I]significant[I] mounting points are the two in the unibody rail. The rest are just bolts into sheetmetal. This is for towing little trailers to the landscape place to get some bark or maybe to haul some jeep parts back from the junk yard. Don't use it for recovery! Head to the junk yard, get a class 3 hitch (don't forget the nutstrips in the frame rail) and install that. Then you'll have a recovery point that you don't have to worry about.

offroadohio

I am assuming you are in a pretty stock jeep. That tow point will handle more than a stock jeep will get the traction to pull. That has more bolts and more steele than a class III hitch does look at the pictures. 6 bolts trhough a thin unibody rail isnt exactly "safe" either.

hubbazoot

So as long as I don't try pulling anything bigger than me or anything too badly stuck, I should be fine? yes, I know this goes the other way and I shouldn't get super stuck either.