Bolt on trailer hitch

[bansil]

Didn't someone find a bolt on hitch to fit the "stock" frame rails of a bus 32 or 34 wide?
I think it was class 5 off a F550??
I have a friend who just picked up a 3/4 bus

 

[bread519]

Didn't someone find a bolt on hitch to fit the "stock" frame rails of a bus 32 or 34 wide?
I think it was class 5 off a F550??
I have a friend who just picked up a 3/4 bus

Interested if you figure it out

 

[slaughridge85]

B&W Trailer Hitches HDRH25122 - Used on Ford Cab and Chassis trucks. I used it on my AmTran with a 34" frame and it fit perfectly.

http://www.turnoverball.com/uploads/EcommerceProductDocumentModel/78/document/hdrh25122-ford.pdf

 

[EastCoastCB]

Great thread!

 

[bansil]

Thank you and edited title for searching

 

[milkmania]

How much does a typical bus need to lower the hitch?

What I want to do is use two 3'x12" pieces of 1/4 inch plate steel, bolt one to each vertical sides of frame, angled down and rearward, then use 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" heavy walled square tubing welded horizontally between to two plates, and mount hitch receiver (below) to that tubing.

It would double as a rear step, and receiver hitch. Instead of a higher hitch and dropped ball

 

[rock649]

I just put a one fits all sizes 5000 lb bolt on hidden hitch. works like a charm. took me 3 hours to drill the holes. I wouldn't worry about height unless you like grooving sidewalks, driveways and ramps even when you don't have a hitch on....bus bums really rise up and down. you can get dropped hitches that really have adjustment. Thank lifted pick ups and red necks for that. Just slap her on at frame level and get an adjustable and/or dropped hitch or you will hook something for sure.

 

[milkmania]

I don't want to lose my ramp capability... Plus I can dump my air bags almost 7"

 

[ChiliChzPoopTart]

Nice rear entry device.

 

[milkmania]

Nice rear entry device.

Wait for it........

There it is!!!

 

[milkmania]

I looked at a Haul Master bolt on hitch receiver....
It looked well built, but don't these numbers seem kinda light?

I'm wondering if they're measuring the bolt shear strength???
I can't imagine hauling much! It seems like a heavy lawn mower would meet the 500lb tongue weight limit!

I'm still liking my idea of 1/4" plates coming down beside frame rails, and a step horizontal plates welded across width.

Rough idea:

I can get 10" & 12" channel in place of the 1/4" steel plates.

 

[BusFiend]

500/5000 is actually pretty good for a bolt-on receiver. Ideally you only ever want 10% of your total load on the tongue. A 1000 lb garden tractor should be balanced on the trailer to provide 100 lb tongue weight. Balancing the load ensures the trailer tracks well behind your tow vehicle.

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

The drop distance depends on the trailer height that you will be using.
You want your trailer to sit/ride close to level when loaded especially a double axle hauler. You want the trailer to carry the weight and the bus just push,pull and stop.
You can always add clips to the bumper for the ramp and or steps.
Adjustable hitches are nice when switching between different trailers or attachments.
You can make your own with channel iron attached to your square tubing.
Last time I built one I used a apiece of 3" channel welded to the slide in and a piece of 4" with with the ball attachment weld to it with corresponding holes up and down the 3" and holes in the 4" just over the ball and just under the ball for 3/4 grade 8 bolts

 

[milkmania]

500/5000 is actually pretty good for a bolt-on receiver. Ideally you only ever want 10% of your total load on the tongue. A 1000 lb garden tractor should be balanced on the trailer to provide 100 lb tongue weight. Balancing the load ensures the trailer tracks well behind your tow vehicle.

The drop distance depends on the trailer height that you will be using.
You want your trailer to sit/ride close to level when loaded especially a double axle hauler. You want the trailer to carry the weight and the bus just push,pull and stop.
You can always add clips to the bumper for the ramp and or steps.
Adjustable hitches are nice when switching between different trailers or attachments.
You can make your own with channel iron attached to your square tubing.
Last time I built one I used a apiece of 3" channel welded to the slide in and a piece of 4" with with the ball attachment weld to it with corresponding holes up and down the 3" and holes in the 4" just over the ball and just under the ball for 3/4 grade 8 bolts

Thanks for the explanation!
I'm guessing a plasma cutter to make bolt holes in the last foot or two of the frame rails doesn't affect integrity of the rest of the rails forward... There's not much back there in that last couple of feet, going crossways

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

Yes sir a plasma would be the quickest but it is heat treated steel so at a minimum have I would have a squirt bottle of oil to spray the area while it is still hot.
It will help keep the heat treatment in the metal and no it will not effect anything forward or rearward.
It will only effect the area heated from cutting the openings.
I went a more time consuming method for drilling my frames which I used a 1/2" drill a bottle jack to press the drill once I got to the bigger bit sizes.
I would pilot with a 1/4" then 3/8-1/2" then use the bottle jack and a squirt bottle of oil to press the 3/4" through the oil was to keep the bit and drilled metal cool so as to save the high dollar 3/4" drill bit and low speed is the key for anything over 1/2".
I have plenty of torches around but I chose the drilling route so as not to degrade the tempered steel that I am still expecting to perform.
I have built many a trailer and hitches out of regular carbon steel that have and still perform admirably with no problems except that in the hitch application the bolt holes in carbon steel whether drilled or torched start to Waller out but everything I built has been used dragging trailers with heavier than most equipment through mud holes or even the truck (f-450and trailer with equipment (medium excavated) snatched out by bull dozers so you and I should be fine in the everyday world.
For your rear end attachment would not a piece of 6"x4" angle turned 6" up not allow you to hit some bolt holes in the frame already and build from that?
I thought mine would but my tow hooks are in the way and I don't want to lose them so I am still debating with myself on this same issue

 

[milkmania]

Yes sir a plasma would be the quickest but it is heat treated steel so at a minimum have I would have a squirt bottle of oil to spray the area while it is still hot.
It will help keep the heat treatment in the metal and no it will not effect anything forward or rearward.
It will only effect the area heated from cutting the openings.
I went a more time consuming method for drilling my frames which I used a 1/2" drill a bottle jack to press the drill once I got to the bigger bit sizes.
I would pilot with a 1/4" then 3/8-1/2" then use the bottle jack and a squirt bottle of oil to press the 3/4" through the oil was to keep the bit and drilled metal cool so as to save the high dollar 3/4" drill bit and low speed is the key for anything over 1/2".
I have plenty of torches around but I chose the drilling route so as not to degrade the tempered steel that I am still expecting to perform.
I have built many a trailer and hitches out of regular carbon steel that have and still perform admirably with no problems except that in the hitch application the bolt holes in carbon steel whether drilled or torched start to Waller out but everything I built has been used dragging trailers with heavier than most equipment through mud holes or even the truck (f-450and trailer with equipment (medium excavated) snatched out by bull dozers so you and I should be fine in the everyday world.
For your rear end attachment would not a piece of 6"x4" angle turned 6" up not allow you to hit some bolt holes in the frame already and build from that?
I thought mine would but my tow hooks are in the way and I don't want to lose them so I am still debating with myself on this same issue

I'll have to look... But my tow hooks ended up being eye bolts made out of 1" to 1 1/2" round steel.... I think they salvaged them off a ship or a dozer!

Then the Air Force intelligent officers welded them to angle iron, then welded the angle iron to frame rails... But, far enough back that I can get something to work, for a hitch.

Plan is to plasma cut bolt holes in the side of frame rails... I don't know if there's any place to put base of bottle jack... I'll look next time I'm under it. I guess I could use opposite rail to bore horizontally.

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

I have also welded washers down to reinforce the bolt holes.

 

[milkmania]

On closer inspection... I realize they're Pintle Eyes!

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

They didn't come off a ship or a dozer they probably came from fab shop men that the lewey (lieutenant) said I need this tommorow and with those I would plan on never getting stuck cause they might not/won't hold?
I am looking at attaching a cable to my tow hooks and then covering them up with other things and leave the cable out with a clevis for tow truck attachment if ever needed and with my luck I will have it for when not if

 

[Jolly Roger-SKO]

Sorry I was typing and didn't see you pick?
Those are golden.
Leave them accessible!
If you need to bury them let me know I have extra 12ton clevises and chocker cables that can't be used on my jobs anymore because of lost rating tags that I can share if needed.