Another trailer hitch thread...

ALL Righty then,

So as not to muddy up the other threads already active about trailer hitches for wagons, I'll start this one.

Over the last several day's I've spent many hours on the phone and on line, looking for a hitch for my '89 Boxie.

I can now state, with great confidence, that there is not a Class III (2" X 2") hitch, that will fit a "B" Body GM Wagon, available new, any where in the US or Canada. There is no manufacturer that will sell any parts to build such a hitch. U-haul, in Arizona, told me they never made a class III for the B Body wagons, (there was one on my '78 Impala, that still had the U-Haul sticker on the hitch, when she was taken from me by a drunk driver in '86.)

What do you guy's think of the idea of purchasing a Class II (1.250 X 1.250) hitch and replacing the small receiver with a 2" X 2", as well as adding some triangulation bracing to the cross bar and side plates?

Is it worth the trouble, or am I wasting my time and building something dangerous?

I had considered fabricobbling a class 3-4 hitch from scratch, but the time and materials soon outrun the cost of modifying the smaller one.

Does anybody know the difference in attachment points between the two hitches?

It's about time to exercise my "red neck engineerin'" skills and solve our problem...

Let the games begin.

(As usual, sarcasm, humor and smart azzed comments are solicited, and will be graded for originality and content)

Thanks,

Paul

Go look at a class 2 hitch on eBay, eTrailer, wherever. Then look at the class 3/4 in the other threads here for the whales. There is a huge difference in strength and size.

If anything I have considered taking a class 3 sedan hitch and cutting it up and welding it.

But at the moment I am talking to a local race shop about building 2 of the hitches that were sketched out by a forum member based on a proven design.

That's what I would do if the other forum member doesn't build more.

The attachment points are the same. I took the hitch off my 1983 Electra Estate Wagon and bolted it right on my 1992 RMW. Unfortunately, it went with the car to the wrecker.

A couple of notes to consider: When I got the 96, I designed the one referenced by autoarcheologist to fit it, but when rabalc built a run based on those measurements, MalibuSSwagon found they would not fit his 92 car properly.

The difference is the location of the exhaust pipe. Apparently the right hand pipe of dual-exhaust LT1 wagons is further outboard than the single pipe of the earlier models, even though the LT1 cars actually have a narrower fuel tank. The mounting points on the frame are the same, but the earlier exhaust is further inboard on the right hand side and strikes the hitch frame. I did not realize this when I came up with my design. (In my defense, I was trying to stick with readily available stock instead of stamping out custom shapes with a 30 ton press).

j2rossit has both a 96 and a 92 and tried his rabalc-built version on both. He says the hitch frame needs to be 1" narrower, and the mating surface 1" wider on the right hand side to fit the 92. That would sneak it between the larger fuel tank and the exhaust pipe. He also noted that body and frame tolerances can lower the rear bumper cover as much as 3/8", and recommended lowering the drawbar sleeve that amount to compensate.

buickwagon wrote:

The attachment points are the same. I took the hitch off my 1983 Electra Estate Wagon and bolted it right on my 1992 RMW. Unfortunately, it went with the car to the wrecker.

A couple of notes to consider: When I got the 96, I designed the one referenced by autoarcheologist to fit it, but when rabalc built a run based on those measurements, MalibuSSwagon found they would not fit his 92 car properly.

The difference is the location of the exhaust pipe. Apparently the right hand pipe of dual-exhaust LT1 wagons is further outboard than the single pipe of the earlier models, even though the LT1 cars actually have a narrower fuel tank. The mounting points on the frame are the same, but the earlier exhaust is further inboard on the right hand side and strikes the hitch frame. I did not realize this when I came up with my design. (In my defense, I was trying to stick with readily available stock instead of stamping out custom shapes with a 30 ton press).

j2rossit has both a 96 and a 92 and tried his rabalc-built version on both. He says the hitch frame needs to be 1" narrower, and the mating surface 1" wider on the right hand side to fit the 92. That would sneak it between the larger fuel tank and the exhaust pipe. He also noted that body and frame tolerances can lower the rear bumper cover as much as 3/8", and recommended lowering the drawbar sleeve that amount to compensate.

Do you or j2rossit have pics of the pipe clearance issues on the 92? I'm kicking around the idea of making a run of hitches, and would like to make them fit 77-96.

I don't but j2rossit posted some here: https://gmlongroof.4umer.com/t10451p120-class-3-4-hitch

Found it, thanks. Now looking for the modded sedan hitch that was converted to wagon. I think it's a matter of widening the spacing..

I have a sedan hitch that I made spacers to widen it for the wagon rear frame. It worked great and is especially tight and up close to the bumper.

I'll be watching your progress. Thanks for taking charge of the problem!

I would hit the salvage yards...I have a CIII wagon hitch waiting for another wagon that I picked from a salvage yard for $40. Also a good start would either be a sedan hitch (like I did on my first wagon) or...a hitch for a C10 (or something comparable) and then modify the mounting points.

Does anyone know what the difference between the Sedan hitch and Wagon hitch are? I suspect just the mounting plates on the side. I wonder if those could be cut off and different side plates fabricated.

Seems easier than fabing the whole hitch.