I was wondering earlier, when did the receiver come to be? When I was a kid pretty much every hitch I saw was bolted straight to the bumper. Was this something that started more in the western US?

 

Got me, growing up in AZ in the 60's and 70's, everything was either a ball hitch on a step bumper, or a gooseneck hitch for the larger livestock and hay trailers.

 

They have been around a long time but they were used mostly in cars that pulled TT, PU still had bumpers that could handle a good size trailer if you put a heavy enough one on when you bought it. That was in the days when they came without them or you could order one as a option.

Denny

 

Bought my first TT in 1970 up in Washington state. 18' single axle Prowler. Dealer welded a receiver on the rear of my '66 Dodge Coronet.

 

My 88 F-Series brochure doesn't state so, but I remember the bumper being rated for 5k. Never used it as such though (5th wheel).


My 67 Ford towing brochure talks about using up to class 3 (5k) equalizing hitches on various models including T-Birds, full size Fords, and 250's and 350's.


Doesn't appear you could order with one, but Ford would provide installation diagrams covering all Ford vehicles.


They did state that Axle hitches are not recommended. Axle hitches?


Other interesting tidbits:


Add 20% of TT weight to vehicle (tongue load normally 10%, but doubled to compensate for trailer brake torque reaction)


Trailer should not exceed 75% of vehicle GVWR.

 

I remember everyone getting aftermarket bumpers that had a drop down to them for the *****.


Early 70's.


My Dad welded a hitch on his '64 F100 that we used to tow a TT. It was something like a 24' prowler.

 

First hitch I paid any attention to was the Class III my dad and I installed on his new Travelall in 1970.

 

Interesting topic. My first receiver was on my 1992 Explorer, and that was an add-on (from Hidden Hitch) I purchased from Pep Boys and installed myself. Before that, all my hitches were custom made weld-on hitches starting with a 1972 Ranchero. They were all made by my father-in-law (a master machinist) and they were permanent, strong enough to pull a Greyhound, and likely would have lasted longer than the vehicle they were attached to.

 

In the late 80's early 90's when I was a young teen I cut the lawn of an older lady outside of Cornelius Oregon. When I showed up early every Saturday morning I would grab her mail at and bring it up to the house. Her eyesight was bad so she would always ask me "what did I get today?" At least once a quarter there was a royalty check from Reese. According to this lovely lady her late husband had invented and patented the receiver hitch in the late 70's and at some point licensed it to Reese.

 

I think her memory was faulty since my dad and I installed one on his truck in 1970. I don't remember what brand it was.

 

I was thinking somewhere in the early to mid 60s that's about the time frame I remember seeing them on cars but they also may not have been Reese.

Denny

 

It was over 25 years ago and she was in late 80's so I am sure someone's memory (mine or hers) is faulty. Maybe it was the late 50's that he patented it ......or 60's, either way she was still getting checks so he did something right.

 

This link substantiates in part what you say. T. J. Reese in 1958 I believe.
Patent US2952475 - Load transferring trailer hitch - Google Patents