My girlfriend bought a boat today. The truck is geared a little tall but I was impressed by how well it pulled the boat. It probably onlly weighs 1200 lbs or so, but never the less, being really rich, and over geared, it did alright.
However, I have one of those cheesy bolt on reciever hitch things, and by the time we got it to storage, the bumper was tilting down pretty good. Guessing I lost about 5 or so inches of height at the hitch itself.
When we pulled the trailer off the truck, the bumper returned to about where it was.
Does anyone else have the issue of spongy bumper brackets?
Does anyone know if I should just get a whole new bumper or just brackets? I plan on putting the ball directly on the bumper from now on, but those brackets seemed to be made out of balsa wood.



Ideas?

 

i wouldn't pull anything with a 1st gen truck

 

You could always find an actual tow-hitch style bumper.
I know with the smittybilt rear bumper that i have i've pulled our boat, motorcycle trailer, and jetskis around with no problems like that at all.

I also pulled our boat once off the old bumper that comes stock.
You might check out the mounting points on the frame and bumper, they could be messed up.

 

It was kinda weird because the bumper itself held up, but like I say, when we uncoupled the trailer, the brackets themselves "sprang" back to normal or close to. I checked the frame, and it was fine.

I guess I should just go and get a new bumper, brackets included?

 

Those bumpers are not designed to haul anything. If you plan on towing the boat, and as a matter of saftey for everyone else on the road, you need to take it in and have at least a class II or III receiver hitch put on the truck.

Don't get a new bumper...you need a receiver hitch. There is a big difference. Plus, what about electronics? Does the trailer have electric brakes? You might need to think this through a little before you spend money on something that will not gain you anything.

 

no trailer brakes, I was just thinking to get a new bumper because the rest of the truck did pretty well. I have pulled before with the truck with no problems.

It sounds like maybe I should look into getting a different truck? Or can these frames deal with having a reciever put on and the added weight of a trailer?

 

Ive got a 2" reciever hitch that bolts to the frame and comes out below the bumper Im trying to sell and also a heavy duty bumper that was made for towing

 

where are you? how much?
PM me

 

You should definitely get a reciever hitch, or even like a smittybilt style bumper should be sturdy enough. My 86 had a factory reciever hitch an i used it to tow a ski boat a few times, just be careful...