SUNNY Z Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 (edited) Since a mod ninja edited my title. It USED TO READ: If your car doesn't have a hitch, it's a .................................Race car. Thought I'd start my own thread about this "hitch" subject. As some of you know, I'm building a hitch for my car, and a datsun pickup bed trailer to pull behind it. This is yesterday, after I spent the last week finishing the walls, re-wiring the ceiling, and putting up lights I bought a flip-down license plate cover, so none of this will ever be seen unless I'm hooked up to a trailer. These aren't exactly in the correct order, but it makes more sense this way. Here is the hitch, as it sits in the hatch. The cross brace is 2" Square tubing, 3/16" wall. The angle iron on the ends is 2" x 2" x 1/4". The hitch is a cheapo universal receiver from Harbor Freight. I'm going to be adding more material to this, so I have at least 3 bolts per side holding it through the frame. After I had it where I wanted it, I measured (like 6 times haha) and got everything where I wanted it. Then I made a cut from the inside, and drew the box on the outside. Here it is, all tacked up and ready to weld. ] That's all i got done in the 3 hours i worked on it last night. Hope to get it welded today, and install tonight! PS, i'll be running like a 10" drop hitch to make it the right height. Edited June 6, 2013 by SUNNY Z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 Looks cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted June 3, 2013 Share Posted June 3, 2013 I put mine anchored where the rear bumper bolts on to the back, using a slip-in technique I made a combination 2" Box receiver holder/tie down ring for each side. having a 2" receiver is handy with all the accessories, and for when it comes to jacking up the car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted June 4, 2013 Author Share Posted June 4, 2013 (edited) Finished the hitch tonight. Just need to take it out, clean, and paint it. I ended up with 6 Grade 8 1/2" bolts holding it in. Definitely overkill. I put 2 of them in (the back ones even, so the "weakest" ones) and jumped on the hitch. the car just squatted a little. I'm 110% confident it will do WAY more than I ever need it to. I'd guess it weighs about 25 to 30 pounds. At least its in a good spot (for traction in a straight line). Thats all. Hope to start on the trailer tomorrow! Edited June 4, 2013 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Like what Tony said my 280Z when I purchased it had a hitch that had been attached into the stock huge bumper. I don't remember if they had done anything else to reinforce it, but they just cut a hole in the bumper so the hitch would fit through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihiryu Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 So did you just drill a hole and put a nut on the other side? You should make these and sell them. I would probably interested if you wanted to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1ghtymaxXx Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Looks good. A club member just built a hitch for his 78 for autocross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted June 5, 2013 Author Share Posted June 5, 2013 (edited) So did you just drill a hole and put a nut on the other side? You should make these and sell them. I would probably interested if you wanted to Yes. I thought about making a plate for the bottom side, but I think it will be more than substantial with the large washers i used. The problem with this is, IDK how many people are OK taking a cutoff wheel to the body of their car. Granted you won't be able to see any of it unless I have a hitch in. Another thing, It wasn't just a slap together and weld project. The rear of my car is raked up about 5" (on the frame rails at least). So I made it tilt slightly down to achieve 0 degrees (level). Kinda makes it tedious, and setup-dependant. Now if someone brought me their car, that might be a different story. Edited June 5, 2013 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Update! Uninstalled the hitch, and prepped/ painted it. Trimmed the plastic to fit around it Also started doing work on my trailer to be. Picked up this gem a while back. And tonight after I started tearing it down Big things for this trailer - I hope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 (edited) Finished installing the hitch last night. You can see here the pin is very accessible. Also insulated the floor.... Kinda blurry. Edited June 7, 2013 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 I built a carrier to go in the receiver hitch as well. Its just a very temporary solution for cargo space. I'm getting a little flex out of the board thats bolted to the insert, but most of that is just rotation of the insert in the hitch.....if that makes sense. Its not that bad in real life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I like the carrier. Where will you put the license plate? Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 I like the carrier. Where will you put the license plate? Joe Thanks! The carrier was a last minute fix. I intended to make one out of steel, but the shop closed before I could go pick it up yesterday. I'm going to the track tonight, so I had to have it! License plate is on the car. I don't know exactly if its legal- not being able to see it that is. Its on a flip up. I'll post a picture once I remove the carrier. You can't even tell there's a hitch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollyon12 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Another similar solution. With tires as wide as yours, they might be wider than the car when you have them side-by-side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLOZ UP Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I like this. People who use pickup truck beds as trailers are my hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 I have to ask: With that hole back there...how did you seal it from fume intrusion? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted August 9, 2013 Author Share Posted August 9, 2013 (edited) I have to ask: With that hole back there...how did you seal it from fume intrusion? LOL! It probably lets more fumes out than in. Not somethiing I've been worried about, and I haven't noticed any change in the amount of fumes (I've always had a lot). Now, after thinking about it, It wouldn't be hard. I'd just put some weather stripping on the back of the license plate to seal around the hole. There is plenty of tension applied by the flip down plate springs. Edited August 9, 2013 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 10, 2013 Share Posted August 10, 2013 That's what I was thinking as well, a strong spring on the plate and something like door weatherstripping should seal well enough.... Why don't you use a CL3 Plate mount? You can install the drop hitch with a 2" Receiver to stick it into. As probably the only other guy in the world with a CLIII 2" Receiver we are equally diseased... My dually has a similar hidden hitch receiver behind the plate, but it's CLIV and the CHP didn't like the 'plate thrown in the bed' so I ended up having one of those Vinyl Sticker Places replicate my truck's plate in Vinyl and I applied it to my trailer above the Trailer Plate. I have been stopped several times by the CHP to see HOW I attached my plate (and they saw the license plate tossed in the bed...) and then wanted to know how I got the vinyl sticker made as they thought it was a great idea. "Never can read a tow vehicle plate when I drive by anyway, but I could see you didn't have one!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 I used to know a guy who had a very similar hitch welded into his Z. He towed another Z with it to the Z convention in LA and sold it. I thought he was batshit crazy, but he said it towed just fine... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 (edited) I used mine to tow Z's, I may do this setup for the fat-bumper turbo 260 2/2... I towed my Corvair with it, he'll I used it for pulling fence posts and dragging downed trees. Never underestimate the use of a Z-Car with a trailer hitch as the TRUE original SUV!!! Most any car I'll flat-tow another of same configuration. I've been doing that with VW's and Corvairs since the tail end of the 70's! Z's ate no different, you just have to be reasonable. You start cooking at 80mph across the deserts because it's flat, and you can.... That R180 is gonna get REAL hot! Frankly, the differential is the suckiest point on the car...put a cooler on it, and you're set! Oh, and run real, full synthetic! Edited August 11, 2013 by Tony D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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