Are you talking about the safety chains on the trailer, and where to hook them on the hitch? My OEM hitch has 2 loops on either side of the tube to place the chains. What hitch do you have?
Towing Question: How To Secure Cables
I hooked up my ski yesterday and realized I have no place to attach my safety cables. What do I need to purchase in order to have 2 places to attach the cables!
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Thats the problem, I am using just a ball on the bumper. I tow a jetski.
they make a ring that goes under the ball and has two attachments for the saftey chains
Go to a local fishing/ sporting goods store or a trailor store, they should have them.
Go to a local fishing/ sporting goods store or a trailor store, they should have them.
Thanks!!
Not sure about the Tacoma's bumper but most others have a hole (that is usually plugged) on both sides of the ball. You can put a large eyebolt thru each for the chains.
MOJO,
Doesn't that end up looking like HELL or is there a way to keep it looking good?
Doesn't that end up looking like HELL or is there a way to keep it looking good?
buy a real hitch... cheap... and safety first bro
yes, my hitch from uhaul only cost $125..bolted right on with hw included..solid
Cheaper to buy a hitch now, than a bumper and a hitch later.
I agree! Why not just buy a hitch?
Wouldnt look any worse than a ball on the bumperSlaveToTheNeedl said:MOJO,
Doesn't that end up looking like HELL or is there a way to keep it looking good?
just drill 2 holes 1 oneach side of ball and use stainless eye bolts
I think you're picturing the eye bolts installed upwards? But if you install them so they are under to bumper then it should look O.K.:dunno:SlaveToTheNeedl said:MOJO,
Doesn't that end up looking like HELL or is there a way to keep it looking good?
But I'd still opt for a real hitch!
It's not necessary to drill. There are 3 holes in the bumper already. Just pull out the plug.fireman9170 said:just drill 2 holes 1 oneach side of ball and use stainless eye bolts
Why install a hitch to pull a 700 pound ski? Seems a big waste of money that I can put towards my Plasma TV. I understand the eye bolts go UNDER the bumper but the nuts and threaded stud will be seen up top. I only gotta find some black soft plastic covers to strech over them and that would do the trick!
Agreed.:thumbup: I was just about to say that.SlaveToTheNeedl said:Why install a hitch to pull a 700 pound ski? Seems a big waste of money that I can put towards my Plasma TV. I understand the eye bolts go UNDER the bumper but the nuts and threaded stud will be seen up top. I only gotta find some black soft plastic covers to strech over them and that would do the trick!
I used my POS F-word Ranger with a step bumper to tow all sorts of things up to about 1500 lb without any prblms. The bumper is designed and rated for towing -up to the labled values.
The only problem that I can foresee is elevation if you have a PreRunner or 4WD. Even with my drop hitch below my bumper, I have to use a drop ball mount to tow my sailboat trailer on the level. Of course, for that trailer, level towing is a bit more important than for others since the keel guard drags over speed bumps and driveway curbs if the tongue is too high. But if you don't have an issue with the bumper mounted ball being too high, go for it.
Another alternative is that you can buy a drop frame for a towing bumper, specifically to lower the ball mounts. It bolts to the bumper using all 3 holes. This puts the ball lower, and provides a place for chains. I wouldn't use if it you were towing a trailer anywhere near the weight rating of the bumper (because the drop distance puts an additional moment on the bumper due to the vertical distance x the acceleration or braking force), but for 700 lb on a 3500 lb bumper, it should be no prblm- and a lot less expense and installation effort.
I wouldn't use one of those because if the ball comes loose and falls off then your safety chains will as well.Muddskipper said:they make a ring that goes under the ball and has two attachments for the saftey chains
Go to a local fishing/ sporting goods store or a trailor store, they should have them.
Since you don't have the OEM hitch I would get a couple of bolts that fit through the holes on either side of the ball and hook your safety chains there. That way you can crisscross the chains to make the proper safety "basket" should the trailer come off the ball.
Yeah, get a hitch. I wouldn't trust the bumper to hold much weight or abuse. I've seen lots of trucks that have bent bumpers because they don't have a Reese hitch. A hitch would be a lot cheaper than a new bumper.HUTCHSTACo said:buy a real hitch... cheap... and safety first bro
Plus a Reese hitch is a good place to attach a strap to if you get stuck in a ditch, or you're pulling someone else out of a ditch.
Get some Acorn Nuts to mount on Top, then put another nut underneath if you have too much thread on the eye bolts. Still a lump on top the bumper, but it would look slighlty better.SlaveToTheNeedl said:I understand the eye bolts go UNDER the bumper but the nuts and threaded stud will be seen up top.
If you had some really big locking Rings on the end of your chain, they might fit through the holes in the bumper, but I've never tried that.
Edit: Dang typos
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