I received my tow hitch today:


It's a "Quality S 93-98 T100 class 3 trailer hitch". Got it on ebay for a pretty good price. Here is a product description: http://www.suspensionconnection.com/...uscon/070.html

It's a cheap, cheaply built tow hitch. The only thing I plan to tow with it is my jetski(single trailer).

 

Onto install:

The T100 has 4 placeholder bolts in the frame, that were pretty rusty. Luckily I was able to remove them with a extractor socket:


Next, I quickly noticed my homemade bumper had to be removed (should have made the post a bit longer). So that had to go:


After that, It was simply a matter of bolting the hitch brackets to the frame one-by-one. Then bolting the center hitch to the brackets:


Now it's a matter of adding a bit of metal and reattaching the bumper.

The only thing is... It seems really low to me. My question is: How bad would it be to move the hitch up to the 2wd bracket holes? How about flipping the hitch center?

 

it should be low to clear a factory bumper, you could make new holes on the side brackets and move it up as far as you can

 

I'd either flip it or drill new hols to tuck it close to your bumper when you get it back on. only issue is your might need a good size drop hitch. its best to tow with the trailer as level as you can but some rake aint gonna kill you. plus a little bit of up in front helps with topping the tank in the ski off

 

The brackets came pre-drilled with 2 set of mounting holes(4wd & 2wd). It's mounted in the lower(4wd) holes. besides ball drop, is there any problem with moving it up (strength, ect). If flipped would there be any similar integrity issues(my safety chains are more than long enough)?

 

Also If I move it up it should be safe to cut the part of the bracket that hangs down?

 

No issues with making the bracket shorter.

Im assuming the back up the hitch has bracing behind the angle iron?

 

Some more pics to show ya what I'm talking about:

Hitch bracket:


Hitch:



Thanks for the replies!

 

Only thing i see that i wouldnt like is the cheap looking bolts. cant see the grading.

 

8.8 JH for the center hitch to brackets
8.8 JD for the brackets to frame

 

Bolt away for the quick fix.

 

I'll see if i can match the bolt sizes to 10.9, flip it, and move it up. Find a new way to hang my licence plate. Then I'll drive it to my buddies shop and see if he slaps me, before I cut the remaining bracket off.

 

So I flipped the hitch and moved it to the 2WD slot:


After playing with my bumper for a wile, I decided against flipping the hitch. The bumper just would not sit where I would like. I'm simply going to put it right side up in the 2WD slot and get a drop ball once I do some truck & trailer measurements. This will eliminate the need to cut the bracket at all, give me a little more clearance than if the hitch was lower, and give me a little extra protection in the event a small car rams my tail:


Started to remount my bumper, cut up some 3" extensions and attached the tube:




BTW, I know I'm terrible at welding. When I bought the truck, a bit of the rear bumper would fall off every time I hit a little road bump. The pipe and square stock were leftover pieces from the seawall railings at my camp.

My homemade bumper is no where near off road or heavy duty quality. However it does pass state inspection, feels more solid than any stock truck bumper I've seen, and has cost me about $85 including the hitch.

I've ordered a license plate light that should arrive next week. I'm thinking of bolting it to the tailgate since it will no longer sit under the bumper. Any ideas?

 

http://www.amazon.com/License-Plate-.../dp/B001QZ3MQC

Dont know if it will pass your state inspection but i like better then drilling a new hole in my tailgate

 

As long as the police can read the plate at night while tailgating you, it's legal here. I was actually looking for those but decided on this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ef=oss_product

I can only see mounting it to the tailgate, or mounting it on the end of the bumper, leaving it vulnerable to impact.

 

why wouldnt the way it was mounted before work? looks like theres enough room from the pictures?

 

I can fit it between the bumper and hitch, you just have to be exactly eye-level to read it, even then, the top of the number is cut off by the bumper a little.

 

ouch.. what about off to the left or right mounted under the tube, still mostly protected from shopping carts and those yellow poles that jump out of the ground. out of the way of the hitch as well

 

Thought about that, the plate would sit even lower than before. I banged it up enough on logs and such before. I'm really thinking the tailgate mounting is the best solution if done cleanly. It will be out of way and legal. Also my tailgate and bed are pretty rotted so It's not like I'm drilling into a perfect looking tailgate. Kinda wish Toyota made the T100 tailgate with an access panel like my 86 tho...

 

Make a mount that hangs over the top of the tailgate. Use the holes from the access panel to secure yer new plate bracket.