Front hitch for snow plow

[mikemc]

I've been using a sport snow plow to clear my driveway (7k feet Lake Tahoe) for the last 3 years I hooked to my rear hitch on my '01 MDX. I decided last July to add a front hitch to my '77 to push a ski boat (working on that one w/the wife) and to plow the snow. I thought I'd look way COOLER pushing snow from the front of my Bronco then in reverse in my MDX.

Made the hitch purchase through a Bronco parts place (3500lb rated). So I hooked the plow to the hitch and not 5' out of the garage the L shaped bracket that connects the receiver to the frame started bending. I tried to bend back w/floor jack and reinstall the plow - but it bent again. The snow was powder and light - I could have done it by hand. The plow weighs no more then 250 lbs total!

So I hooked the plow to the back of my MDX and in 20 minutes my 3 car DW was clear.

The hitch install was fine. Any ideas??

http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/subpages/snowsport.htm

 

[Broncobowsher]

I can only guess that it is the toungue weight rating that is being overloaded. It looks like the leverage placed on the hitch would be rather severe, while the pushing and pulling loads would be rather light. The opposite of a normal trailer.

If the hitch is the one I think it is, it is rather light duty. Generally the toungue weight rating is 10% of the overall hitch, so 350#? That is on the hitch ball, add a lever a couple feet longer and it drops fast. Thinking about it I understand why it failed. The hitch is a class II hitch and you were using a device that is probably going into the reserve capacity of a class III hitch.

If the reciever tube were to be extended back to the engine crossmember it would probably work just fine. Just a matter of properly engineering the system and not expecting a patchwork of parts never ment to be mated together to work together.

Kinda reminds me of the hummer owner who made a reciever mounted winch mount. Came out of the reciever then went straight up 12-18" then mounted the winch on top of the perch. Then was wondering what the problem was, the winch was rated for less then the towing capicity?

 

[COBlu77]

Ditto what Broncobowsher said. I'm guessing you used a Duff hitch that just bolts to the four holes that the bumper bolts to. Way too light duty for plowing. Take a look at how any good class IV reciever hitch is made.

You need a good front reciever custom made. A good hitch shop will make you a custom one for under $200.

I just made one to mount my winch to and I used two 12" sections of 3"x4"x1/4" angle iron, mounted to the frame on top and on the sides with 8 3/4" bolts. I used 2 1/2"x 2 1/2" x 1/4" to span the gap and mount the reciever tube. I then gusseted all the corners. It's real beefy and I'm still worried it will tweak the frame with a side pull. You're going to have the same issue with any plowing that's not straight ahead. You will be putting a lot of leverage on your frame from one point. Really a reciever hitch isn't designed or rated for this. They are rated for pulling straight.

 

[mikemc]

http://www.jamesduff.com/eb/prerunner.html

Yep - Duff.

So the only difference between my front and rear is the cross member in the front. That's what gave out. I've been plowing 3 yrs in reverse (not much fun).

The plow is no more the 250lbs total and it floats on the surface so it's not stationary. Hell, my GD bike rack w/4 bikes weighs nearly as much w/the wind drag and extended angle!

I guess I'll make it straight again and use it to push my invisible ski boat. In the mean time its back in reverse for me...

Thanks for the reply!

 

[mhandy]

I'd have to agree. the hitch you bought is a class 2 and if I remember right the sno-sport requires at least a class 3