F M J trailer hitch Info?

slant six

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
41
Does anyone have a frame hitch on their Volare/ aspen / Dippy / Gran Fury?

I want to put one on my 79 Aspen wagon.

I bought an NOS Algonquin mfg hitch ( prolly made in canada in the 80's) receiver for the wagon.. it's missing some parts so I wanted to see if anyone had one installed and could share some pics of the mounting points?
It also has a goofy 1 5/8" receiver tube that I am going to replace with a 2" tube.

Thanks for any help!
 

MiradaMegacab

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
1,847
Reaction score
753
Location
Long Island NY
The vertical uprights use one of the bolts that retain the bumper shock assembly (located behind the taillights)

A4AF1AD4-8E8A-4647-94CE-4F3C9FE6AE17.jpeg
The horizontal tabs use the big bolt that retains the rear bumpers shock (through the bottom of the frame rail). Simply remove the big bolt located to the left of the spring shackle (drivers side pictured for reference) and replace with a longer bolt.
I’d recommend drilling a 1/8” hole in the side of your frame rails (in line with said bolts) and spray RustBuster/ Liquid Wrench on the threads to aid in removal……

78E90C5C-6897-42DC-A8AA-E35D8268619C.jpeg


AE386F84-CD48-4A99-8399-F05E9ACE6624.jpeg
 

slant six

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
41
Got it thanks.

Thats kind of what I thought.

My hitch is missing the parts that bolt to the bumper shock in the frame above the leaf springs.
I will also have to reconfigure the tailpipe a bit too.

Some fab time with grinder / welder and cut offs are in my future.

Greg
 

slant six

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
41
I hope to be soon. I Have 3 F bodies currently and Having the ability to haul a small trailer around with the current Classic MoPar is very handy. I Built a fairly Nice Frame Hitch With Minimal fuss out of a VW Golf Hitch for my '64 Dart. It turned out so well that I waned to do this with a few more of my cars. I hope to have a hitch for at least 2 of my F's sometime.

Here's A little Write up on my '64 Dart Hitch:

I got a Great Deal on a Hitch - Craigslist $tyle for $20.... It's catalogue application lists it for a VW golf. @ 39 Inches it was 3" too wide for the 'ol MoPar A body Frame rails... which are Dead on 36" Wide Centers.

This receiver hitch also had some mounting ears at different elevations... So I had to solve that as well.
No Before Pics, but Here is what CURT MFG says they look like new:
52000764405_193563cd3a_c.jpg

Designed to fit this Generation of the VW golf? MK VII Maybe?
52000228026_8e190ae235_z.jpg


So after Relocating the Mounting ears and Taking 1 1/2" out of each side of the tube to the uprights I Broke out the hot Glue Gun and stuck it all back together.
Some Test Fits for Marking Hole Locations:
51997929966_63f02c1c59_c.jpg

51996921637_037f9c0fe0_c.jpg

51997929881_60ee0a923c_c.jpg

Carriage bolts, Mount Plates and Fishwire is all that's needed here.. and they are home in the frame rails.
51998466940_5519f03e81_c.jpg

51997990113_bbdf675770_c.jpg

Bolt up / Mock Up required a re-do of the Battery shut off switch too.
51997990063_f044ed2ca2_c.jpg

51998198279_fd98991cae_c.jpg

51997990013_fc60659ec2_c.jpg

51997929596_4150ca5276_c.jpg


51998466755_96b3f3ea8b_c.jpg

51998198159_ed667a2c23_c.jpg

Not a great Picture, But the Painted version came out nice - and it Towed the empty 800# ValianTrailer flawlessly.
51997929526_16b683f212_c.jpg

Maybe it serves as a rear Tow Point for the Road Racing Track days too?
51998198059_4e8cb8e26c_c.jpg


And towing my home made enclosed trailer through the mountains of VA and WV:
52028661056_1cfc528310_c.jpg
DSCN1416 by Hyperpack, on Flickr
52028696333_854a4fb6c0_c.jpg
DSCN1460 by Hyperpack, on Flickr
 

Mikes5thAve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2020
Messages
1,375
Reaction score
539
Location
Canada
There's a universal fit hitch out there. The ends slide into the center bar so you can adjust the width of it and you can adjust the height of the receiver by turning the center bar up or down. I have one but never tried test fitting it on an M.
Whatever the hitch is the car is still only rated to tow 2,000lb. The 80s ones anyway.
 

slant six

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
41
Sounds good.

I think some of the F's were rated for 5000# if they had the factory 360.... I will hafta to dig out my owners manual or service manual to confirm..
I bet with proper gearing and modern Engine Management, Good springs and Air Shocks, you could do that. Remember 3.21 Gears were prolly the steepest you could likely get from the factory in the late 70's -early 80's.
 

Mikes5thAve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2020
Messages
1,375
Reaction score
539
Location
Canada
Yeah my 79 was a 360 car with 6 leaf springs set up for towing but it only had a bumper hitch on it. The manual did say something about higher tow rating if properly equipped but that seemed to disappear after the 360s were gone.

I think this is the hitch I have.

hpr001.jpg
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
Thats 76 but more or less is all the years of the light duty.

Here is some of the 78/79 info with the higher rates with the 3.23 and the frame mounted hitch like it looks like is planned.

HD Tow.jpg
 

slant six

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
41
Here is some work I did converting my hitch to a 2" receiver tube from the Odd sized 1 5/8" tube that was originally on there.

52572037224_4fb649cb5d_c.jpg
52572037269_daeecfe9ab_c.jpg
52572208910_4a37daf7c7_c.jpg
52571760491_c34cbdbcbb_c.jpg



Next I hafta fab up the "ears" the bolt up to the Rear Bumper impact absorber
 

armataz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
221
Reaction score
54
Location
springfield OR.
I built my own using parts I got from a trailer supply/repair shop.
they toss left over parts from kits into a scrap bin and I just test fitted different hangers, to find the ones I needed, mesured the distance between my bumper mounts and baught a piece of square tube .
dry fitted everything together, drilled and taped to bolt it all together.
once it was all set in place. I then took it all back to the shop to have everything welded up.
I also bought some load handler over load leaf spring braces while I was there.
I'm going to add 2X4 square tube to re enforce the body next.
I had a build file for it, but I cant find it.. sorry.

brooks 7717 012.JPG
 

armataz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
221
Reaction score
54
Location
springfield OR.
not the build but it shows the tow bar in the wagon and the before and after ride hight with the load handler braces.

way gone update 001.JPG


way gone update 002.JPG


way gone update 003.JPG


way gone update 004.JPG


way gone update 006.jpg
 

slant six

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2014
Messages
57
Reaction score
41
@MiradaMegacab - Thank you for your pictures. Those were helpful in kicking off my project here!

Mock up in the car / under the rear bumper.
In my situation I found that it hit the tailpipe so I bent it down a bit to clear and not hit the hitch frame... more on that later.
52592947835_818f7a6d13_c.jpg
52592523041_920618ee73_c.jpg



In this picture you can see where it bolts to the Bumper Retention plate on the inside of the impact absorbers.
52592523021_39fec5be23_c.jpg


Another angle showing the plate and bolt location:
52592947805_28589e740c_c.jpg
52592947795_64dc4a4819_c.jpg


My hitch actually contacts the lower lip on the rear bumper... Mirada, Diplomat, Gran Fury, Caravelle, and '80 Aspen /Volare may be different somehow.
52592038062_d504e0f7e4_c.jpg


Stock 3/8" Bolt Removed from Rear plate - It's too short - Replaced it with a 1" or 1-1/4" Long Grade 8 Bolt with Washer.
52592783009_71978659f2_c.jpg


Template for my "Ears"
52592038007_0b8a7cf2d0_c.jpg


Ears cut and installed for mock up.
52592947720_24912217a5_c.jpg



Right Side Ear .. I added a New attachment point for the exhaust hanger.. To keep the tailpipe ~3/4" Lower
52592522816_baa6e719b8_c.jpg


In the "Paint Booth"
52592947635_25995309cf_c.jpg


I will bolt it all back in tomorrow and then add the flat 4 Wiring as needed.
 

Mikes5thAve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2020
Messages
1,375
Reaction score
539
Location
Canada
It would have been better to find a way to lower the whole bar. A big part of the strength is having the receiver sleeve right on the bar.
A simpler way to fab it up would be to forget the bar and make a bracket to bolt the receiver right on to the bumper.
 

armataz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
221
Reaction score
54
Location
springfield OR.
It would have been better to find a way to lower the whole bar. A big part of the strength is having the receiver sleeve right on the bar.
A simpler way to fab it up would be to forget the bar and make a bracket to bolt the receiver right on to the bumper.
this is why I went to a trailer supply and rummaged their scrap bins to find the drop downs and other connectors I needed all 1/8 " pre welded stock also uses factory bumper mounts including the one behind the license plate.
since there is no direct mount kits available it's, much easier to mix and match the parts you need and also much cheaper then a factory kit, because it's just scrap metal to them.
 

armataz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2022
Messages
221
Reaction score
54
Location
springfield OR.
this is why I went to a trailer supply and rummaged their scrap bins to find the drop downs and other connectors I needed all 1/8 " pre welded stock also uses factory bumper mounts including the one behind the license plate.
since there is no direct mount kits available it's, much easier to mix and match the parts you need and also much cheaper then a factory kit, because it's just scrap metal to them.
dont think it would be a good Idea to mount the ball direct to the bumper for towing.. since it is a safety bumper, unless you remove the shocks, by mocking up solid bumper mounts to replace them.
 
Back
Top