Frame Hitch Installation

[mjhaltom]

Any tips on where I should locate my frame hitch? How far forward or backward should I drill the holes? I am using the factory bumper (not a step bumper) and it is not installed at this time. I may need to install it to figure this out, but I thought if any of you had already done this and had the same setup I could get some measurements/PICS from you. Thanks, Mark

[fordman]

i would put the bumper on and then hold the hitch up there to make it fit where it neds to go. as far a i understood it the factory bumper is the step bumper. the sport chrome bumper is also a factory bumper.

[knightfire83]

When I did mine I had the bumper on it already. I placed the receiver hitch assembly up on the frame, then positioned it to not stick out past the bumper. (Without the ball mount in the receiver.)

Hold it to the frame with a couple large c-clamps, then drill the holes for it. Which by the way really isn't fun when you have allot of hot metal pieces falling on you when your drilling. Use safety glasses. I believe my old hitch had six 1/2" bolts holding it on. Get a very good quality sharp drill bit for this task, and save yourself the extra work.

You can use large washers for spacers if you need to drop the hitch down a little from the frame, to clear the bumper.

My old hitch:


You can kinda see how it attached to the frame here:

[mjhaltom]

Thanks for the replies. I will put the bumper on first.