Trailer hitch options for 2005 GMC Savana 3500 Dually Cutaway?

[Slapdash]

Hey Gang,

Looking for part numbers or options for a Class IV/V hitch. Getting very conflicting info from eTrailer. I need a bolt-on, not a weld-on. Inner frame measures about 41 inches. From the back crossmember to the inside of the bumper is about 15 inches.

Towing needs vary from very light kayak/bike trailer to heavier single car trailer.

Thanks!

 

[Retired Roughneck]

we welded ours.
basically just for firewood & bike.
it was like $30 from harbor freight.
cant remember how long?
we cut a square hole in the bumper.
on the end of it has a cross member welded across to the frame.
like a T for extra support.
a welder may cost as much as a bolt on kit IDK?
we did it in like 45 minutes.
just a different idea for ya.

keep in mind to keep the toe ball no lower than 16''- 18''.
otherwise it will scrape on bumps, driveways, unlevel terrain etc.
have a great day
.

 

[Retired Roughneck]

here is a bolt on for ya.
not sure what your bumper looks like?
it might work for ya?
do a little homework and see if your bumper would be strong enough to do this?
if so use very high grade bolts!
i saw cheaper ones but the quality didnt look as good.

https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Fabrication-Parts/Buyers-Products/3371804055.html

check out the website!
they have all kinds of bolt on options for ya!

just another option for ya!

 

[Slapdash]

Thanks for the possibilities! I would be towing car at times, so I don't think the bumper mounts would quite work for my application. I was chatting with a fella who thinks the 'does not fit cutaway models' is code word for 'we have no idea what bus frame rails look like', or legalese, like 'for off-road use only'. So I think if I can find one with the right width measurements to align with the frame rails, I can get drillin'.

Thanks again for the solutions!

 

[nikitis]

@all. Please, a word of caution. There's potential to taco your bumper, and cross member.

This is not safe on heavy loads.

If that is welded to a cross member, then it may be okay for lighter loads. I wouldn't pull anything over 6000lbs without a proper hitch bolted directly to the C Channels. Doing to C Channels you can up it to 10klbs towing. You pulling a small trailer and a motocycle should be okay, but I wouldn't pull anything much larger.

Cross members can fold when you add that pressure to it in a sudden wreck, and then it may taco in your C Channels and thus your lower bus as well.

@Slapdash I homemade a trailer hitch which bolts to the C-Channels. You need 2 inch square tubing to go between the mounts, and then weld on the receiver hitch like @Retired Roughneck here did onto that. And also you need to add a proper chain hooks. And have those welded to the same hitch. If his motorcycle trailer there were to come off of the ball, those little screw on bolts even if welded may not hold.

You can see my 3 posts on my build. The Design is good, but the welding looks bad but it's very strong. I used flux core so it tends to popcorn and there's 2 layers of welding on the seams.
Custom trailer Hitch.

 

[Slapdash]

Thanks everyone for your responses!

I actually found one of eTrailer that's going to work. It was a lot of sorting through their Q&As, and a chat with a local feller who has a similar setup to mine, but we finally got there. I might have to notch out the bottom out of the bumper a skosh, but that's not a big deal.

I like the idea of DIYing it, but we need it soonish and I still have other things to fix before we take off.

Thanks!!!

 

[nikitis]

Glad you found one, can you provide the model number for people in the future wanting to do the same to their short bus?

In my case there was not one that would fit so I had to custom build it.

 

[Slapdash]

Sure, it's Model No. e98861: https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer_Hitch/etrailer/e98861.html

I am sure it's really a Curt model with an eTrailer label. This is the same hitch as the Curt 15320, with slightly narrower mounting holes. For reference, I have a 2005 GMC Savana 3500 dually with a Corbeil 5-window body. I'll most likely do a blog post about the install, so I'll post that link when it's done.