| Re: [GMCnet] trailer hitch [message #198006 is a reply to message #197944] |
Sat, 09 February 2013 23:47   |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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| KB wrote on Sat, 09 February 2013 11:35 |
...My concern is, if somebody hits your bumper, the force will
be transmitted through the hitch directly to the frame.
Without the hitch, the shock absorbers would help absorb
the impact, hopefully saving the frame from damage.
Seems like a better design would have the hitch passing through
the center plate of the bumpers without being welded to it.
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Having the end of the hitch unsupported would be a bad idea because of the long lever arm it would become. It would greatly decrease the tongue weight capability of the hitch. Further the rear cross member is a simple "C" channel about 3" tall with 1 1/2" legs...might be 11 gauge (1/8" but I don't think it is). C channels are very weak in twist and unless your hitch was bolted to the C, extended back to tie into the frame, and was really robust, it just wouldn't be much of a hitch.
My 'Henderson Hitch' bolts to the bumper via extended length carriage bolts and also to the rear cross member using extended bolts where the spare tire holder bolts on. Not that makes it any weaker than welding....just removable.
Short of an SUV or something larger, I'm not sure much of anything on the road these days would do much more than self compress upon striking the rear of the GMC unless they were really moving and you were stopped. There is more steel in the GMC bumpers than there is in half the unibodies of most the foreign cars imported. 
Seriously, the 5mph bumpers things are a joke. You get hit, something is going to bend or buckle. How much is a function of how hard you get hit and how heavy they are. Physics.
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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