Reciever hitch

[doghows72]

Need a little help guys. My trailer build is getting close so I need to put a hitch on the back on my Bronco. I'm running stock chrome rear bumper and I want to keep it. I don't think I want the hitch sold by the vendors because I think it will hang down too much and look bad on my Bronco.
My bronco has a 2.5" SL and a 1" BL. Also have a 23 gallon fuel tank to deal with.
So my question is what have you all done for a rear hitch with a stock bumper? As always thanks!

Oh yeah the trailer is just a utility trailer I built to match the bronco so nothing super huge or heavy.

 

[Bukin 67]

When I had my stock bumper I cut a square hole in it where the hitch would exit and modified a receiver hitch to exit out the bumper. I didn't want anything protruding down where it could hang up on something off roading and I thought it looked better.

 

[spap]

I have, just haven't installed a vendors frame mounted reliever hitch, I also have a 23 gallon tank. My thinking was that I want the receiver hitch to hang down a little bit to maybe protect the tank a bit, should somebody rear end the Bronco.
But I agree with I don't want things to get hung up either.

 

[bronconut73]

My TBP one is Uber tough but hangs down a little. I also thought it might be protecting my tank.

The Duff one slides between the frame rails and does not hang down at all. But it doesn't have as great a tongue weight spec as TBP's.

 

[bronconut73]

http://www.dufftuff.com/Receiver_Hitch_1966_77_Bronco_p/4905b.htm

 

[B RON CO]

Hi, I also got the Duff hitch and I am very happy with it. Good luck

 

[blubuckaroo]

I've had two of the Duffs hitches. Both have a crossbar that mounts inside the frame horns. The first one was the Stroppe knockoff. It was just a ball mount drawbar without a receiver. It was very compact, but hitched the trailer tongue way too high. I ended up using it on the front bumper to park trailers into tight spaces. That's another nice thing about the Duffy hitch. It can be installed in the front too.
The other I still use. It's the one with a receiver. It fits with my 1" body lift and 23 gallon tank. It's still pretty compact.

 

[1strodeo]

My Bronco came with a hitch when I bought it (not installed) I had wondered if it was factory, I'll post a pic this evening

 

[Slowleak]

I have a Duff hitch. I took it off because I rarely use it. Then I put it back on because I like the looks of the Bronco better with the hitch on it.

It could fit a little closer to the bumper but that could cause some problems with a hitch hauler fitting if you have a rear tire carrier. I like it like it is.

 

[englewoodcowboy]

The Duff hitch is the way to go with stock bumpers.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I like the TBP hitch better then the duff. Better engineered to handle torque loads. Modify as needed to work with other parts.

The modified duff hitch above has some poor engineering as the flat stock is subjuct to bending loads just above the reciever.

 

[Slowleak]

The modified duff hitch above has some poor engineering as the flat stock is subjuct to bending loads just above the reciever.

If you are referring to my hitch, it's a stock Duff hitch. It has not been modified.

I have only used it with a hitch hauler but it has had some good sized loads on it, over 250 lbs with no issues.

One could easily weld some braces on the sides if needed without any changes to the bumper.

 

[savage]

Do you have any places around your area that sells and installs hitches? I have all my hitches done at a place called torque lift, they install the hitch nice and tight to the bumper. I am not sure if their are any were you are.

 

[spap]

I like the toughest of the frame mounted hitch but the duff hitch sure is easy to put on
I want mine mainly to attach a tow strap

 

[englewoodcowboy]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the engineering of the Duff hitch. Comparing a class II to a class III hitch is comparing apples to oranges. Having a class III hitch on an early bronco and actually using it for class III loads is foolish to say the least. They were rated class I being 2000 lbs of trailer and no more than 200 lbs tongue weight. Keeping in mind the GVW of the vehicle cannot exceed what yours is rated at (legally speaking and found on your registration) for combined load of the weight of the bronco and the weight of the trailer and its contents. Can a bronco pull a large load, sure it can, is it safe to do so? Maybe moving something around the house perhaps but if you plan on getting out on the highway and are overloaded and cause an accident, you just opened yourself up to all of that liability and a wide open gate for your insurance company to say sorry you are on your own. To the OP, if you want to tow something within the vehicles limits the Duff hitch is an excellent choice along with the TBP hitch. Just please be safe about it.

 

[blubuckaroo]

I like the TBP hitch better then the duff. Better engineered to handle torque loads. Modify as needed to work with other parts.

The modified duff hitch above has some poor engineering as the flat stock is subjuct to bending loads just above the receiver.

I agree that the TBP hitch looks stronger. If I were going to buy a hitch for a Bronco, that's the one I'd get.
There are still certain advantages to the Duffy hitch. It's lighter, easier to install, fits both front and rear, and costs less.

I found it necessary to reinforce the Duffy hitch. With my lift and tire size, I needed a drawbar with a lot of drop to get the trailer leveled out. All that drop adds to the leverage applied to the receiver. Even with way less than the rated 300 pound tongue weight, my receiver got bent down.
Vanity makes me reluctant to share these old photos because of the very low rear tank and the butchered back bumper.:-[
Both issues have been fixed now.

Here's an example of my reinforced Duffy hitch.

 

[Bukin 67]

The op would be fine with any class I or II that bolts to the frame: "..the trailer is just a utility trailer I built to match the bronco so nothing super huge or heavy."

 

[doghows72]

I like the ones close to the bumper, however I personally won't be buying anything from big blue.
I'm really looking into something custom, like maybe hiding it behind the bumper and putting a hitch plug in the hole when not in use. Maybe a plug with something shiny to match the bumper a bit.
I plan on doing the hidden winch in the front like the one cover a while ago on the tan Bronco.
Anyway keep those ideas coming I like what I see so far and maybe something will trigger the customizer in me. lol ?:?

 

[Broncobowsher]

The problem with basing a hitch off what you currently plan to ever use it for won't match what it may eventually be used for. The one day when your buddy needs a little tug out of a ditch and it looks like an easy pull, but it isn't. And you start pulling on that snatch strap a little harder because that tire is really in a hole and not just sunk into soft ground. That is when you find out how good that little trailer hitch really is.

 

[904Bronco]

I am pretty happy with the one from Tom's.

Areo's 23 gallon tank hangs lower.