Anyone custom built a hitch? Purchased everything for $100. 12" receiver tube, tekonsha wiring kit 118651 and a 7 way plug. Going to use the factory steel bumper under the plastic and reinforce the bumper with some angle. The Edmonds site shows some great pics on the trailhawk bumper... www.edmunds.com/jeep/renegade/2015/long-term-road-test/2015-jeep-renegade-trailhawk-behind-the-scenes-at-the-body-shop.html ...and www.edmunds.com/jeep/renegade/2015/long-term-road-test/2015-jeep-renegade-trailhawk-crash-tested.html Seems strong enough for 2000 lbs. I'll add my own picks as I build the hitch if anyone's interested...it will be a few more weeks before I have time thanks Sent from my SM-G930P using ToasterJeep mobile app
The factory rear bumper is pretty stout on the trailhawk, but it sticks out in the center to contact the backside of the bumper cover so that the vehicle does better in the low-speed impact tests. It might be hard to add a receiver without that receiver sticking out from the bumper cover and being an obstruction to bang one's knee on or not. Stout as it is, I'm not really sure if it's as stout as a hitch would be or not, and both the factory red hook and the thread-in point for another kind of recovery hook are at the ends where the bumper has brackets connecting to the multi-layer sandwiched sheet metal that serves as a sort of frame on the otherwise unibody vehicle. Those points are unlikely to suffer bending like the middle would, plus they're more intended for short-term use than for towing for an extended period of time. Would like to see your progress as you go though. When I installed the OEM hitch on ours I was surprised that the factory bumper was so heavy, so I could be unduly pessimistic.
I did pull the bumper cover screws on the bottom and pulled it back to see for myself. And there is a factory hitch on ebay so i saw the differences. That's where I'll use the 2.5" angle iron to tie the two sides together straight across from bracket to bracket. The curt hitch only uses 2 bolts and hangs below the bumper on long brackets. The factory brackets should be plenty strong if curt thinks 2 bolts on a long lever is good enough. I dont mind a little stick out. Better for to jack knife in a tight spot but worse load handling. Also I wont use all the 12 inch tube just enough to get clearance for the hitch pin. Thanks for your input. It will be a few more weeks before I get to work on it. I'll post some pictures then. Sent from my SM-G930P using ToasterJeep mobile app
If I have some time I'll take some pictures of the stock rear bumper so that you can compare prior to removing your bumper cover. One of the other problems that to remove the cover you have to break some clips, so figure you might want to see more of what you're getting into before you commit to something that requires even more parts.
That would be great. I would like to see how thick the brackets are where they bolt to the body. And where are the clips located and how many so i can order some. Thanks again Sent from my SM-G930P using ToasterJeep mobile app
Unfortunately I don't have any clip pictures, but the Renegade Ready instructions have some good ones. Hope these help.
This one isn't a TARDIS, just a police box. It doesn't actually travel through space and time. I built it to house my air compressor so that it didn't have to be installed inside of my shop where I'd have to listen to it, and where the neighbors wouldn't have to listen to it too much either.
Thanks for the pictures. I'll look for the clips before i get too wild. Sent from my SM-G930P using ToasterJeep mobile app
You know, if you were to cut the bent tube out and weld a straight tube in its place, that would pull the assembly far enough into the bumper cover to make it not stick out. You'd probably be best off tracking down either the bezel insert or else a whole replacement bumper cover that was already intended for a hitch-vehicle, you could test-fit and figure out where to then weld-in the receiver.
That may work as well. Finding the correct size rectangular tube may be difficult if they didn't use a standard tube. What is the O.D. of that tube. Sent from my SM-G930P using ToasterJeep mobile app
Pictures are kinda dark but should get the point across. 3.561" by 2.367" in Freedom Units. Roughly. Measuring in the dark who knows how good I got. This is within a millimeter of 90mm by 60mm.
