Mounting a trailer hitch on the back of a 2004 IC CE300

[RomaniGypsy]

Y'all know anything about where I could find such a hitch? An internet search seemed not to yield any promising information, but I've seen buses with hitches all the time. (It's usually a bus towing another bus.)

I'd prefer something I could mount without having to weld it. I put a non-welded hitch receiver on a Dodge Ram pickup truck once and while it was a nuisance, I could do it again.

 

[o1marc]

You sure do limit yourself when you take custom fabrication out of the equation. I doubt anyone makes a 'bolt on" bus hitch. I made my own hidden hitch on my Dakota for around $25. Hitch is the easy part, then you need a tow bar hookup on whatever you plan on towing.

 

[RomaniGypsy]

You sure do limit yourself when you take custom fabrication out of the equation. I doubt anyone makes a 'bolt on" bus hitch. I made my own hidden hitch on my Dakota for around $25. Hitch is the easy part, then you need a tow bar hookup on whatever you plan on towing.

Yeah, but did you weld the thing?

I had to have a hitch custom made for my 1972 Cadillac and it was a pain in the butt finding a place that'd do it, and even at that it didn't come out quite right. I was hoping there'd be an off-the-shelf hitch available.

What I plan on towing is a standard trailer, so that's really not an issue.

 

[magnakansas]

standard...

On larger trucks most frame rails are 34 inches wide. Measure and take pictures of your frame mounts.. Then measure hitches... very good likelyhood you can get a hitch that will bolt in. I put a 2005 f-450 frame under my bus. I can buy a hitch for that truck and it will/ should bolt in.

So look for hitches made for bigger trucks. you stand a very good chance of being able to drill holes - not easy in hardened frames, and bolt in a hitch.

regards,

William

 

[o1marc]

Yeah, but did you weld the thing?

I had to have a hitch custom made for my 1972 Cadillac and it was a pain in the butt finding a place that'd do it, and even at that it didn't come out quite right. I was hoping there'd be an off-the-shelf hitch available.

What I plan on towing is a standard trailer, so that's really not an issue.

Yes, just pointing out how cheaply one can be made. What is your aversion to welding? Any welding/fabrication shop could knock one out in an hour. I wouldn't see a need once it's mounted to ever remove it.

 

[o1marc]

I don't know how you internet search with no results. I Googled "School bus hitches" and came up with plenty of options.
This is suppose to work:

You could make this for $30 plus welding the tube to the end pates.

https://www.etrailer.com/p-C13701.html

 

[Mark_In_MA]

I would think a bus would be slightly easier then a vintage Caddy to install a hitch. More ground clearance, and slightly less bumper and overhang.

Bolt or weld, either way, the hitch is often designed to go on the frame rails - so where the frame rails are, that's where it's going to go. Its when you have to start adding intermediate pieces between the hitch and the frame rails that shops tend to get a little iffy, because then there's a non-factory part from the manufacturer of the vehicle or hitch.

 

[Drew Bru]

Y'all know anything about where I could find such a hitch? An internet search seemed not to yield any promising information, but I've seen buses with hitches all the time. (It's usually a bus towing another bus.)

I'd prefer something I could mount without having to weld it. I put a non-welded hitch receiver on a Dodge Ram pickup truck once and while it was a nuisance, I could do it again.

This is the hitch we ended up getting to tow our SUV behind the bus. We had someone else do the installation, but I think I could have done it myself really.


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009X9F72/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1


It bolted on, no welding required. I don't really have any good pics of the final installation but here's how it's bolted up.