Receiver hitch for a Unibody. 63 Chevy II Wagon

Looking for ideas on building a hitch for my new project, a 63 Chevy II wagon.

Plenty of room behind the bumper, but the unibody scares me. I won't being hauling anything super heavy, but I would like to pull the race car and our small vintage travel trailer.

I see they are making Cl*** III hitches for Hondas, so I am thiking it should be ok if engineered correctly.

Pics are always appreciated.

Thanks

Root

 

Anyone?

Bueller.......

 

Root,
We had a 66 Dodge Coronet wagon (also a unibody) that had a factory trailer towing package on it. It had a 1/4" x 3" plate welded on each side of the outside frame rail that extended down low enough for a 2" diameter pipe to be welded between the plates that cleared everything under the car (the pipe ran across the car under the gas tank). The pipe was about 12"-14" forward of the rear bumper and pararrelle to the bumper. (It was about 1/2 way between the rear axle and the rear bumper.) Welded at the center of the 1 1/2" pipe was a 2" square tube that ran out of the back of the car (think "T" joint here). The ball was bolted to the square tube (it was not a receiver type setup, if I remember right, the end of the tube was cut 45 degrees and the ball bolted to the top of the tube). I see no reason you couldn't use a receiver tube for this. There was a 1/4" x 2" x 3' long angle welded across the top of the square tube and it was bolted to the rear body flange that the bumper was bolted to with 4 bolts.

That wagon hauled my car trailer and dirt car back and forth to the race track for 3-4 years. Before me it was used to pull a camping trailer all around the country. It did have 11" x 3" drum brakes all around, a very large radiator, shroud, and solid 8 blade cooling fan, the big 727 trans with a big transmission cooler, a posi, and 15" tires. It was probably a lot bigger car then your Chevy II wagon is.

If you decide to bolt your hitch to the car rather then weld it (I would bolt it on) you just need to be sure you are not relying on the structure of the "frame rails" to keep the bolts tight. Drill your mounting holes through the plate & all through the frame rail. Then drill the inside rail hole just large enough for a piece of pipe with an ID the mounting bolt fits nice inside. That pipe length needs to be the same length as the frame rail cross section. When you bolt the whole thing up, add a 2" square 1/8" plate (or a very heavy duty large diameter washer) with a bolt diameter size hole over the bolt, add the cut to length pipe, insert it through the hole on the inside of the frame rail with the bolt p***ing through the outside of the rail. Now add the welded trailer hitch ***embly vertical brackets and insert a flat washer and lock nut (I don't trust lock washers and regular nuts for this kind of stuff). Tighten to specs for the bolt you are using (have everything hung and all your bolts started before you tighten anything, then tighten everything together). I would use at least a 1/2" diameter, grade 8 bolt, one bolt per vertical flange on each side. The bolt will be in double shear. The cross piece at the rear can use the bumper bracket mounting bolts if they face front and back, the brace just needs to reach both sides (and 2 bolts per side) and the bolts have to be tight. This cross brace will be carrying all the tongue weight that is on the hitch, be sure it is up to the task, at least 1/4" thick. The weight of the car will be more of a limiting factor then the hitch will be. Gene

 

Thanks. I'm designing it in my head right now.

 

When you get it figured out let me know, I want one for the Falcon wagon

 

If you buy a hitch for a unibody car or minivan they come with a wire gadget for pulling bolts inside the frame. It is like a straight piece of piano wire with a coil of wire at the end. The bolt threads into the coil, you feed the wire into the frame and thru the bolt hole then pull the bolt thru.

I would make a cross bar just inside the bumper, then a second cross bar as far forward as possible. Connect them in the middle to make an H shape. This is the strongest trailer hitch.

If there is a spare tire well or gas tank in the road it might be easier to make a K shape. I don't like the Reese hitches that just have a single bar. When I put one on I like to reinforce it.

I would measure the distance between the frame rails and go junk yard hunting for a hitch the same width. A cl*** 3 receiver with the square hitch socket.

Then modify as necessary to bolt onto your frame. And add the second part to make the H, also bolted to the frame. Make brackets for the sides and use the factory holes if possible. Most vehicles come with holes for adding the factory hitch. Why let their engineers work go to waste.

 

Actually, there is a nice place to mount one right behind the bumper, aft of the fuel tank. It should work out perfect for a hidden hitch behind the tag. I have an old Caddy flip down license plate from the 70's that should be perfect. I may tie it into the bumper mounts as well.