| Author |
Message |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005 - 7:10 pm: | |
As I reached for a new 2" ball for my car hitch, I noticed that
Reese makes a small(ish) mount to fit the step bumper of the
typical pick-up truck. Neat, I thought..... and now I'm wondering
why I can't use that on the bus bumper...
When towing a car, there isn't "down pressure"; no weight
hanging on the bumper, just pulling and some pushing, right?
Has anyone tried this? |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005 - 7:26 pm: | |
I do not think the hitch weight is a problem on most toads. The hitches you mention are rated for a specific towing weight and that is what I think you would have to be careful of.
I suspect what you saw was a class 1 hitch designed for 200 lb. tongue weight and 2,000lb. towing weight.
http://www.reese-hitches.com/info/hitchselect_info.htm
Richard |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005 - 8:15 pm: | |
Well, I think it was model R-81377 shown here:
Class II Step Bumper & Receiver Hitch, but it looked beefier.
I'm not concerned about the durability of the hitch, as much as
I am about the MC9 bumper and it's mounts. Has anyone
tried this arrangement? |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005 - 8:29 pm: | |
There's also 5k/500lb Curt model....
http://www.curtmfg.com/DEALER%20SITE/pdfs/E-1INS.pdf
|
Earl-8-Ky
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005 - 10:50 pm: | |
Do not try to pull with the bumper on a MCI. They are not ment to be used for this. Attach your hitch to the frame. |
David (Davidinwilmnc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 4:16 pm: | |
I'd be curious to know if it would work, as I need a hitch too. Does anybody have plans (drawings, schematics, dimensions, etc) of a hitch for an MC-8? I've seen people describing their hitch, showing pics of their hitch, etc, but nothing to actually help somebody build one. I'd love to hear from somebody who has done it. |
Jim Ashworth (Jimnh)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 6:44 pm: | |
I know a guy who mounted the hitch to the bumper of his MC-7 and towed a car for 14 years like that. Never a problem. But the bumper corner fell off his coach when the washer went into spin cycle and vibrated the bus. I assume the bumper center section was bolted on a little better!
As for me, I'll take the frame mount anytime.
Jim |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 7:01 pm: | |
Jim-
Thank for the input.
Prior to starting this thread, I looked over the bumper and
the way it's mounted. It looked beefier than most pickup
truck bumpers. I found that there's a number of ways I can
attach through the bumper and into the framework to further
strengthen the area, but it seemed unnecessary. I guess that's
why I asked here..... If anyone's used this idea and if any
other modifications are needed.
(If I were towing a trailer, I wouldn't consider using this).
Thanks again. |
john w. roan (Chessie4905)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 8:22 pm: | |
That would probably work on a T drive coach, but don't try it on an Angle drive GM as the engine hangs partially from the rear supports. You would need to add some type of attachment from the rear bulkhead to the hitch receiver for them. |
Stan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 8:50 pm: | |
John MC9: Look in your manuals to see how the bumper is fastened to the bus. If it is like most MCI's it has two short pieces of 3/4" (about 6") pipe fastened to the bumper blade. These slide into two pieces of 1" pipe and have a sheet metal screw through a hole in the side of the 1" pipe and threaded into the 3/4" pipe. That is, the bumper blade is held on with two sheet metal screws in shear. |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 9:25 pm: | |
Stan-
Thank you for the "head's up". My parts manual is in the bus,
about 4 miles from here. I'll take a look tomorrow and see
how it's affixed to the frame.
It was difficult to inspect completely a few days ago, but after
seeing the bolts through the frame that appeared to go into the
bumper, I assumed they held the bumper solidly in place. I
haven't removed that bumper yet, but then I haven't gotten to
a number of tasks yet. My purpose for asking here, was in
the hopes of finding someone that's "been there; done that".
It's the "hand's-on" experience that can make jobs go quicker.
With all the delays life's tossed us these past years, I'd like
to save a few minutes here and there, if I can.
Thanks again for your civil and decent reply. |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 01, 2005 - 9:40 pm: | |
My Prevost has really strong bumper mounts. I could probably tow 12,000 lbs with the mounts. Trouble is the bumpers are attacheed with four 5/16 inch carriage bolts. Don't even know if they are gade five or grade two. When I mounted a class 2 hitch on a full size van it had 6 to 8 1/2 inch grade 5 bolts and it was rated for 5000 lbs. I think the problem that we will run into is that our bumpers are lightly held on to hold the bumper in place to be hit, not to pull something. |
David (Davidinwilmnc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 8:12 am: | |
I was hoping for some details of a hitch design (or somewhere to buy one) for my MC-8. I can try and design one, but I'd rather not lose my toad on the highway! |
T. (Bluegrass)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 11:24 am: | |
Go to (Google search engine)Type In Fred Hobe Look for this url
Fred Hobe Pg2 · Fred Hobe Pg3 Fred Hobe Pg4 Fred Hobe Pg5 · Fred Hobe Pg6.
Click on It and go from there, I put a hitch on my MCI-7 last winter towed a trailor to Florida, Louisiana, and back to Ohio with never a problem
the only thing that I did different was to use a reese hitch type reciever.
Tony |
David (Davidinwilmnc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 2:47 pm: | |
Tony (Bluegrass), do you have any pics of your hitch? Thanks for the reminder about Fred Hobe's hitch info; I'd forgotten about it. I like your idea of the receiver part, too. It's nice to remove it when not in use or to use one of the nicer tow bars. |
Ian Giffin (Admin)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 6:19 pm: | |
David,
You may want to read "Jones Offset Hitch" by Dave Galey in the "Articles of Interest" on this web site, for additional information and ideas.
Ian
www.busnut.com |
John Jewett (Jayjay)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 10:18 pm: | |
Hey Steve, sometimes 'ya gotta' wonder about mechanical dodads, 'cuz the 210 HP Lycoming on a Mooney is held on with four 1/4 in. bolts, and the old 180 HP model was with 4 # 10's!!! Thaings that make you go Hmmmmm. ...JJ |
T. (Bluegrass)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 10:48 pm: | |
David
I dont have anything In the way of pictures, I started out with Freds hitch and went on my own and put the reciver In.
Tony |
John MC9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 11:37 pm: | |
Stan-
There's a lot more than a sheet metal screw holding my MCI
bumper blade to the framework.
My MC9 does not have the "shock absorbing bumper", it has
the solid type. There is a 3/4" nut holding the bolt that is attached
firmly to the bumper blade. There are two of these bolts, one
at each end of the blade.
If I do decide to go this route, I would add at least two more
bumper bolts through the hitch mount, through the blade and
through the framework, to further reinforce the blade and hitch.
This affair wouldn't be suited for a trailer or boat, but pulling
a car shouldn't be much of an effort.
I haven't made up my mind yet. We don't usually tow anything.
I just need a hitch for those rare occasions when I'd like the van
along with me... Like when the bus has to be dropped off somewhere,
or for the ride back from the storage facility.
Thank you for your suggestion.. |
gusc
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 02, 2005 - 11:37 pm: | |
Ian,
This type hitch sure looks like the way to go. I had thought about this and have even seen some on buses I looked at but didn't know for sure how they would work.
Some of our local farmers have three different size hitch balls on their pickups for different trailers and for when towing oversize farm equipment. |
David (Davidinwilmnc)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 10:34 am: | |
Thanks Ian. I agree that it looks like the way to do it, but it sure does look odd having the hitch offset like that! If it keeps me from dragging my toad over a curb, then it's definitely worth doing. |
Jim Bob
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 3:06 pm: | |
I HAVE dragged our Explorer over the curb with a hitch that was centered. Go figure, the 35' bus went around the corner but the car climbed the curb. Looked like it was going to flip over in the rear view mirrors!!!
Next hitch I do will have a centered receiver for bike racks, etc, and the offset receiver for towing to keep the toad safe and so I can see it as we go down the road.
Actually, I have a factory receiver for an Expedition (very wide) that I am going narrow & install on the Eagle to the engine cradle/frame rails. |