First ever front tow hitch - DIY custom made

[BlueBronco]

5 minutes in a cad program and a laser cutter would have made easy work out that bracket. I hate to think of how much time and energy you spent drilling and cutting those bolt holes. Also, for version 2.0 I would suggest cutting out the center of the plate for the receiver hitch to nest in, this way you can weld the receiver to the front and back of the plate. With a full weld front and back I wouldn't hesitate to use that hitch set-up with the proper recovery gear (assuming that plate is at least 3/8" thick)

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[MattyAg]

5 minutes in a cad program and a laser cutter would have made easy work out that bracket. I hate to think of how much time and energy you spent drilling and cutting those bolt holes. Also, for version 2.0 I would suggest cutting out the center of the plate for the receiver hitch to nest in, this way you can weld the receiver to the front and back of the plate. With a full weld front and back I wouldn't hesitate to use that hitch set-up with the proper recovery gear (assuming that plate is at least 3/8" thick)

Good points on the welding, but it is not easy to measure twice and cut once in my book. The bolt holes only took about 30 minutes to step drill and then used a grinding wheel to finish up the notch. As far as my typical projects go, this one went pretty smooth. I do wish I had a laser cutter and a drill press. Would have made it a breeze.

 

[Tex]

Good points on the welding, but it is not easy to measure twice and cut once in my book. The bolt holes only took about 30 minutes to step drill and then used a grinding wheel to finish up the notch. As far as my typical projects go, this one went pretty smooth. I do wish I had a laser cutter and a drill press. Would have made it a breeze.

Companies like SendCutSend make it super easy to draw out your own parts. You specify the material and dimensions, they cut it however you like and send it to you. For your next welding project, give it a try, you might find that it saves a lot of time and maybe even money. It's especially handy if you need tight tolerances or a particular material or a shape that's not easy to cut without CNC stuff (like cutting precise hex holes in titanium).

 

[MattyAg]

Companies like SendCutSend make it super easy to draw out your own parts. You specify the material and dimensions, they cut it however you like and send it to you. For your next welding project, give it a try, you might find that it saves a lot of time and maybe even money. It's especially handy if you need tight tolerances or a particular material or a shape that's not easy to cut without CNC stuff (like cutting precise hex holes in titanium).

I will keep it in mind. Thanks

 

[Gramd]

Companies like SendCutSend make it super easy to draw out your own parts. You specify the material and dimensions, they cut it however you like and send it to you. For your next welding project, give it a try, you might find that it saves a lot of time and maybe even money. It's especially handy if you need tight tolerances or a particular material or a shape that's not easy to cut without CNC stuff (like cutting precise hex holes in titanium).

sounds easy, but it will not make you a better fabricator

 

[Moto26]

I could see a number of uses for a front hitch mount. Mother-in-law's seat...

Hmmm... like Mad Max style!

 

[Tex]

sounds easy, but it will not make you a better fabricator

Sure, let me just buy all of the CNC tooling they operate as well as the huge quantity of stock necessary to keep their prices lower than my local steel supplier, all for my own personal projects in the pursuit of becoming a better fabricator. That's a lot like all the youtube "homemade milling machine" or "DIY hobby lathe" videos, which all start out with something simple and believable like gathering stock and hardware, then step two is to fire up the old 5 axis Haas VR-14 and put the parts in it. Sorry man, my home isn't attached to a large scale machine shop.

If my choices are welding together precision CNC parts or welding some parts I made with a cutoff wheel and belt grinder, I'm going with CNC, especially if I'm fabricating a-arms or shocks towers or whatever from plate steel. I tried that route when there wasn't an alternative, and not only was it time consuming, but it probably ended up costing more money for a less professional result. Gotta be realistic sometimes my dude. Ultimately, it makes me and anyone else that can't afford to run a huge production shop a better fabricator because you get better products finished in less time.

 

[JohnnyBoots]

I love this mod, homemade, purpose driven, it’s mods like this that are dying in the off-road community and I’m here for it!

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