Trailer Hitch? Is this an accident waiting to happen?

I'd like to have a hitch on my coupe to pull a motorcycle trailer on occasion. I don't want to clutter the rear end up with a big receiver hitch though.

Is something like this safe? I'm sure they logged thousands of miles back before the advent of the receiver hitch.

TIA, JH

 

I wouldn't tow anything with a hitch like that.

 

As a doorstop, I believe that would be safe

 

Ask yourself if you you trailer and bumper are worth the $5. that the hitch is worth.

 

Anchor?

 

I wouldnt run it.
Why not make the hitch cross tube permanent and make the receiver tube removable? Then the hitch will not be an eyesore when not in use.

 

There used to be an ad campaign for Bell helmets.
"If you have a $5.00 head,,,,buy a $5.00 helmet".
If you have a $5.00 bike and trailer...

 

Jim,no doubt a hitch like that was used a lot in the 50's & 60's to haul small boats and utility trailers with a push type lawnmower but to trust your bike with that I would suggest against it. HRP

 

now about that 5 dollars they keep talking about

i'd use it on my 51 as a conversation piece...

 

People towed thousands of miles with hitches like that. for a motorcycle trailer it should be fine. It will damage the chrome on the bumper. Here is the caveat. Is it for your car, is the bumper shape correct? Is the hardware the correct grade. Most of the cars that towed with these were All Stock O.E. cars. repro parts seem to have a lower quaulity than O.E. parts, such as bumpers, hardware, brackets, bumper bolts. If the Bumper , brackets,etc are up to snuff, I'd do it. If they are like my cars, a little bent, aftermarket bolts, etc, I wouldnt touch it with a 10 foot pole.

 

Depends on how much you like your bumper and whatever you tow? They do amazing things with hidden hitches.

 

how much total weight would you be pulling? when you say "motorcycle trailer" do you mean one to haul a motorcycle or one to pull behind a motorcycle?

 

some of us are OLD enough to HAVE used those....

 

Reading the responses, I think I interpreted that wrong. If motorcycle trailer means the small, luggage trailer like I see behind Goldwings , then yes, If your pulling a bike on a trailer, No. Too much weight. I wouldn't tow more than600 pounds total loaded weight with that hitch.

 

Only as strong as the bumper! AND the braces!
I needed a hitch for a van and went to a hitch shop in Ventura, CA. They made one from 2"x 1/2" material in NO time. They had a press which bent the material into the proper shape, then drilled, finished, and bolted everything together. Give the professionals a try. I bet they come up with something you can be proud of.

 

they do make smaller reciever hitches. I had one on my Datsun 510 wagon. no need for a hitch capable of 5000 lbs when you will only be towing 500

 

As some of the older guys mentioned, sure, we used those almost exclusively back in the 50's and maybe even the 60's. They were pretty much all we had until frame and receiver hitches came out. My Dad towed our boat all over, even on several hundred mile trips, with one on his car.

The major drawback is that they are only as strong as your bumper and it's brackets. They tend to deform thinner bumpers where they clamp down and as I recall, my Dad had to keep checking his often as it would loosen up. They also scratch the chrome of the bumper.

Would I use one today ? Not on your life. There is a reason you don't see them any more (besides the fact cars don't have true bumpers any more) and that is because they simply are not safe overall.

Don

 

My dad RENTED one of those for his 68 Catalina back in '73 to come tow my 66 full size Mercury about 30 miles...up Chapman Highway,through Knoxville,and out to Oak Ridge.. It worked,but even as a 20 year old pothead,I knew it wasn't a good idea..

Harrison,would YOU use it on Chapman Highway??

 

It would tow the trailer you sold me six or seven years ago.

 

Weld it to the bumper and it would work. I'd personally opt for a low profile receiver. Even if it was something you could un-bolt from the frame if you were concerned with looks.

I was with a neighbor many years going to launch his 14' boat and he had one of those on his Dodge. We got maybe a mile from the ramp and the boat and trailer p***es us on the left. Luckily it crossed in front of us and stopped against a curb.

Bob

 

Is that thing even legal these days? How is it's weight carrying limit, or cl*** determined. I wouldn't go anywhere near it speaking as someone who's been in an accident where the strength of the hitch became an issue

 

No reason to use something like that. You can build a hitch that bolts quickly to your car frame. I built one for my '46 Chevy that goes on or off in about five minutes or less. I have towed a big pop up camper with many hundreds of miles. P.M. Me if you want pics and ideas.

 

a look at a different one ...
http://www.webstore.com/Vintage-Acm...950s,name,28221934,auction_id,auction_details

 

http://www.webstore.com/Vintage-Acme...uction_details


"Stamped Acme Mfg. Co."

Isn't that the same company Wile E coyote buys his stuff from? They don't seem to work very well for him.

 

Those things worked for decades. Would I pull a full sized airstream with it? Nope. Would I pull a jet boat with it? Have a million times.

 

Traditional hitch on a traditional car with a traditional bumper hauling a traditional trailer with all the weight ratings in spec.

Guess what the traditional answer would be......

 

Small single axle trailer with your bobber on it... no problem.

ANYTHING bigger... nope.

Rich

 

I THOUGHT THIS WAS A TRADITIONAL SITE?? GO FOR IT! Its not about getting there safe, its the adventure of trying to get there.

 

You are joking.... n'est-ce pas!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

 

I think its traditional