lowering ball hitch?

[mbulriss]

Rose Mary,

You need to go to a competent trailer hitch shop. The standard plate
style hitch on the old Birds was rated for plenty of strength to otw
about any reasonable load, much less a rolling small toad.

Here's what I did on my 83 PT (and most other people did the same when
converting). I bought a standard 2" tow hitch receiver. I removed
the ball from the current mounting plate, it's just screwed on with a
big nut on the bottom, and then had a welding shop weld the receiver
to the top of the plate where the current ball mounts. I think I paid
the welding shop $15-20. You can then go to a good trailer supply
place and get whatever length drop mount you need to assure a level
fir at the height that BlueOx recommended. See this site to examples
of drop hitches available: http://www.etrailer.com/c-BM.htm

Get the proper drop hitch (at least a class IV in my opinion), insert
it in the receiver, screw in the ball and hook the toad up. The load
distributing drop hitches are god if you need to adjust the ball
height for several different types of loads or toads requiring
differing ball heights, but they are a tad more work when adjusting
the heights.

Good luck,

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Rose Mary"
wrote:
>
> Hi group
>
> Just went thru getting a blue ox system set up so I can tow a CRV
> behind the bird.....
> I had ordered the aladdin for ease of use and weight..
> I took the coach by so they could see/measure etc. I was told with the
> rollers etc and current hitch (which I told them could go away) the
> mounting plate for the 2" receiver wouldn't work, would need some
> major modifications $$$. Went for a second opinion, ditto.
>
> Ok I had the acclaim style sent. In the meantime the CRV was set up
> with wiring and baseplate. When the acclaim came in yesterday I took
> it and the coach in. Problem, the bird's hitch is too high and the
> ball is also about 2" extra high. They couldn't get the ball off and
> didn't have time( were short handed as well as Short Friday) to torch
> the ball off and repair any possible collateral damage. Changing the
> ball alone would only gain about 2 inches or less. @#!@#
>
> There is about a foot rise, blue ox recommends only 7" max. How can I
> get a drop hitch type setup.....I have a welder but my skills with it
> are minimal and physically not up to it right now.
>
> Have to head to Bend tomorrow for a 2 week job then was supposed to go
> to Washington for another. Bend is about a 4 hour drive and they told
> me it would be okay.....don't want to damage anything....#@!#
> I get so tired of incompetency, anyway with all you folks towing,
> didn't think it was such a problem with the bird. Is this hitch a
> factory setup? Heavy channel iron welded to the frame and bolted to
> the bumper?
>
> Thanks
> Rose Mary
> 82 FC 35
> Oregon
>