Receiver hitch "no drilling required"?
 

Hi all,

I want to put a class III receiver hitch on my truck. But I don't want to drill holes in my frame to mount it. Are there any receiver hitches that mount to existing frame holes, no drilling required? AND allow you to keep the spare tire in its stock position under the bed?

Some receiver hitches claim "No drilling required". For example, this one (picture below) I found on Ebay claims that it is made for our trucks and has "No drilling required". But I am skeptical.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=86048

No pic, no link. There are plenty made for about anything, but it does get harder to find as trucks get older. Some things are cheaper locally by the time you figure in shipping.

No such thing as a NO DRILL hitch on these trucks. There are no holes on the bottom of the frame rails, where a hitch mounts

And most allow you to keep the spare but restrict access to the 'handle' to get it down.

I welded a drop on mine in order to use the lug wrench as a lever.

No pic? The pic I uploaded is visible to me. Can anyone else see it? Thanks for the advice, I would rather buy locally if possible.

Thanks Brad, Jim et al. I saw there were some pre-existing holes on the sides of the frame rails back there, as well as some under the step bumper, and thought maybe some hitch might mount to those. But if you guys say "no drilling required" doesn't exist, despite manufacturers claims to the contrary, I believe you over them!

I suppose I'll drill if I have to, and it sounds like I will. Seems like Ford would have realized that lots of people like to put a reciever hitch on their truck, and provided a few holes in the frame to facilitate that.

Although granted, my little F150 has a 3.08 rear and a manual 4 speed OD transmission, and therefore posseses an awesome towing capacity similar to a Geo Metro. Or maybe a Honda Fit. But still, I'd like to be able to tow extremely light things and like how a reciever hitch looks on a truck.

I can see the pic fine.

Still don't think there are any existing holes back there.

But still.... you need a place to hang your Truck Nutz.





























:-missingt

Funny! I hate those things! Something tells me the ladies are not impressed by truck nutz hanging off the back of a vehicle.

NO ONE is impressed by truck nutz, except some kid who is not old enough to drive yet.

I still dont see any pic or link:-huh

No pic and no link.

I see the picture just fine, it is coming from Galendor's FTE album and the direct URL to it is:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/p...ictureid=86048

Screenshot below of what I see....

Take a tape measure and check to see if the dimensions I sent in a PM match.
Mine has the notch needed to fit frame flush as that one does.

my 86 i had to drill the 6 holes !

What brand receiver, and were you able to retain the stock spare tire position?

I have a reese hitch on my 86, had to drill 6 holes, and just had to shorten the "pipe" on the spare tire mount.

EDIT: This one - http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitc...cleid=19865386

The large hole locates over the rivets on the frame while you clamp it in place to mark the frame. It's not hard to drill, just need a good bit and some penetrating oil to use as a cutting fluid.

reese or draw tite ?
I have had several and some came from junk yards !
if the hitch is the same size as the out side of the frames are then the spare will fit if it is around the stock size tire !
do not get one with 4 holes as they are of lower weight rating ! always get the 6 hole type !

Interesting. Did our trucks come from the factory with a receiver hitch as an option? When I bought my truck, it already had one. I guess I need to crawl under it tomorrow to see just what kind I have. Never thought to look before.

Thanks for this thread.

Thanks guys for the helpful information. Archion that etrailer website is good, they even have pictures of the hitches mounted to older pickups.

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitc...eid=1986208528

My little truck with its weak manual OD transmission can only tow light things, like perhaps a little plastic cart full of feathers. Maybe I should just get one of those Class I or II hitches with the little 1" receiver opening. NOT! My poor truck would die of shame.

Besides, if my truck has a gender she's a girl. Why hang truck nutz on a girl? It's just so stupid.

I saw a pair of pistons hangin the other day...

Ok, I got a good deal with free shipping on a Draw-Tite receiver hitch that fits our trucks (model 75038). It has arrived and looks good.

Problem is it is heavy (37 lbs) and I need to position it and clamp it to the frame rails so I can drill the holes for mounting.

It seems like a 2 person job. Would one of you guys mind coming over to help me hold it up and get it clamped on? ;)

USE A JACK TO JACK IT UP
USE ROPE ON EACH SIDE TO CINCH IT UP TO THE FRAME

I was wondering if C clamps could work somehow....

I used c clamps when I did mine. Of course after I'm done the neighbors friend comes over and has a magnetic drill press for doing jobs just like this...

Of course there is drilling required, thats the same style bracket as mine and I had to drill 6 holes, its not that big of deal, but with as hard as I was pushing on the drill I broke my creeper. But the bolts that mount them offered an ideal location to hang my mudflap brackets

Gotta love a portamag! I miss the one at work. Just be glad you're not drilling an F350 frame, I think the thing is 1/4" thick.

Yeah, I plan to clamp it on with C clamps, then drill the holes. My problem is holding it up there by myself and getting the C-clamps on at the same time, without dropping it and braining myself. It would be easy with 2 people to get it clamped on.

I like the floor jack idea to help you hold it up while you clamp it in place.

I built one for my truck. I couldnt find One I liked, so i built one. The back part is built into the bumper, and the front part where it hooks to the frame also serves as my mud flap mount.

I don't have a floor jack! Only a bottle jack and an inclined gravel driveway. Plus the hitch has a wierd center of gravity. But thanks for all the suggestions, I'll try them out.

like i said use rope to cinch it up since you aint got a jack then put C-CLAMPS ON IT TO HOLD IT TIGHT TO THE FRAME WHILE YOU DRILL !
and start off with a small bit first then move up to a little bigger on and then a little bigger on till you get to 1/2" hole !

Got it cjo6, that's probably the way to do it as a one-man job. If I can find a way to wrap the rope around the frame rail. Thank you for this excellent advice.

Did you draw it up? If not, can you? Or provide several pictures? And, can the spare still be mounted there?

The reason I ask is that Dad's truck has an UGLY hitch sticking out below the bumper. Once I get the thing transformed (lots of body work, paint, engine, transmission, brakes, etc) then the hitch has to go. Have started thinking about making my own as I have all the needed tools, but if you have a plan that works I'd like to see it.

I just wanted to report that this particular hitch, Draw-Tite model 75038 does not fit correctly on 80-86 F150, in case someone else finds this thread and is shopping for a receiver hitch. Their advertisement claims that it fits, but it does not. It could probably be made to fit with modifications, but even if so it would interfere with the stock spare tire mount. Fortunately I was able to send it back for a refund.

I'm looking at the design on etrailer, it looks similar to my Reese, what about it made it not fit?

It fit in terms of width. But there is a recess on each reciever rail that is meant to accomodate rivets on the frame rails. However, when the reciever hitch is centered over those rivets, the most posterior two attachment bolt holes are just off of the frame rails (nothing to drill into). If you move the reciever back (towards the truck axle) far enough to get these posterior attachement holes over sufficient frame rail to drill a mounting whole, then the recesses aren't over the frame rail rivets (and thus it isn't flush with the frame rail anymore).

You could attach the reciever fine if you just ignored the two posterior-most attachment holes, and only affixed it with 4 bolts. But I was too irritated with it at that point to rig it.

Finally, the way it is designed, even if mounted with 4 bolts the 2" reciever opening is crazy-low, way lower than it has to be. It would stick out parallel to the ground but at least 5 inches below the underside of the standard step bumper of these trucks. If mounted, I think you would need a significant tongue "rise" to make up for the unecessarily low reciever. It looked kind of funny so low, it should he mounted higher so that the reciever opening is right below the bumper. It is not.

That's the way the hitch on Dad's truck is, and I hate it. Looks ugly and would put the tongue too low - although I haven't yet towed with it so don't know for sure. Anyway, I plan to modify the hitch at some point, or modify and bolt on one of the others I've taken off parts trucks. But, the problem with them is that they don't allow the spare tire to be under the rear tank.

Surely there's a good design that tucks up under the bumper and allows for the spare.

One would think. That has been my question all along, only I wanted one I could purchase rather than fabricate myself. It seemed a small think to ask for. But I suspect the junkyard might be the best source, as others here have already tried to inform me.