RiggerWings wrote: I don't want to have to cut anything is my issue. I'd rather get one that fits between the tow hooks. I may have to look into getting one fabed for me, like yours Jimmy. That's exactly what I want. 

I could get numerous uses out of it, a winch was just one thought. I have seen cradles specifically meant for winches that can be hitch mounted. They already have fairleads as well. Hopefully I can find a hitch that will work.

I'll have to see if I have the front crossmember on my frame. I guess some of the hitches wont work if that crossmember is installed. Looks like theres no issue in the pics above though. 

I guess the last thing I need to know (besides the first post) is that if the normal Curt front hitch is what people are using, and just flipping it upside down?


I didn't cut anything on the truck, just the hitch. In fact, I was even able to use existing holes in the frame for the mounting bolts.  All of the cutting/grinding was done with a 15$ harbor freight grinder. It took me the better part of an afternoon to cut up the hitch, figure out how I wanted to make it fit, and get it welded back together. If you're handy but don't have a welder, you could do all the design/cutting/mock-up yourself and then just have a shop weld it up for you. 



My winch and cradle are both Badlands products and came from harbor freight. I've also got their wireless remote. 



If you've got front tow hooks, you've got that same front cross member. On a non-bodylifted truck, there's enough room to tuck the receiver under that cross member and have it come out in the bumper cutout. 



The hitch I used was meant for a mid 90s econoline van. I went with this hitch because it was free to me and the receiver tube is in the same plane and the main body of the hitch (some hitches have a built in step to them where the receiver tube is below the main hitch body. Either style could be made to work, I just found one style to be easier)


If you're going the custom route, I wouldn't buy a new hitch. I'd look for a used class III meant for a full sized vehicle. This gives you a beefy platform you can cut down to size.   



This might be a better pic

Last edited on Mon Jan 1st, 2018 10:29 pm by Jimmyspy