Strength of Custom Hitch???

[Eroc]

I have a 21' Mojave with a RR Arcus front bumper and 10k winch. I'd like to remove the winch from the plate and weld a 2" hitch receiver there. There is no bolt on hitch that fits Mojave (shock reservoirs) that I've found and I'm worried the bolt ons would negatively impact approach angle of any obstacle. This setup would keep receiver higher than bolt-on.

Why?
- Winch for front and back!
- I'd like to be able to protect the winch and line from sun/weather
- I'd like to remove the weight from the front and put more center in bed box (when I need to carry a winch)

Parts
- I have the this winch plate like this (https://ruggedridge.com/p/rugged-ri...MIidT8oey88QIVU4JbCh3OnwknEAQYASABEgL2LfD_BwE)

- I am thinking this 2x12 Curt receiver (https://www.amazon.com/CURT-49120-1...78b&pd_rd_wg=QFqGx&pd_rd_i=B001GN6L4Y&psc=1)_

Local shop will weld for $50 and cut out hole in the bumper...

I know nothing about welding... and want get some feedback on if this setup would be strong enough to support the capacity of my winch (10k)?

Thanks, E

Sponsored

 

[jac04]

The winch itself adds stiffness and strength to the winch plate and helps spread out the load. Just welding the curt receiver tube to the center of the winch plate with fillet welds may be fine for a straight-ahead pull, but I'd be worried about any off-center pulls. I would think that additional gussets & strengthening will be required.

I noticed your occupation is listed as Engineering Leader. See if you can FEA model the arrangement, making sure to take into account the actual loading resulting from pulls at various angles, and remember that the winch will be mounted on a receiver cradle. Where I work, we use a factor of safety of 5 for any lifting fixtures, and we require 100% weld inspection using magnetic particle inspection. Recovery points are not something that you want to guess at.

 

[LostWoods]

I'm not enough of an engineer to give you a solid answer but I think your answer here is a custom winch plate/hitch design that works around the reservoirs or maybe even relocates them.

@jac04 posted as I typed a full response (so this is cut down) but they're spot on... the winch adds rigidity to the plate that you would be missing without the winch. I think you'd be far better off with a box steel design and reinforcement plates reaching down the frame rails for reinforcement than modifying an existing solution engineered around a piece you won't have.

 

[Eroc]

The winch itself adds stiffness and strength to the winch plate and helps spread out the load. Just welding the curt receiver tube to the center of the winch plate with fillet welds may be fine for a straight-ahead pull, but I'd be worried about any off-center pulls. I would think that additional gussets & strengthening will be required.

I noticed your occupation is listed as Engineering Leader. See if you can FEA model the arrangement, making sure to take into account the actual loading resulting from pulls at various angles, and remember that the winch will be mounted on a receiver cradle. Where I work, we use a factor of safety of 5 for any lifting fixtures, and we require 100% weld inspection using magnetic particle inspection. Recovery points are not something that you want to guess at.

Thanks @jac04. First I'll update my profile to read software engineering leader... . But secondly, its a great point on the off center pulls and fully agree on recovery points & guessing!!!

 

[Eroc]

I'm not enough of an engineer to give you a solid answer but I think your answer here is a custom winch plate/hitch design that works around the reservoirs or maybe even relocates them.

@jac04 posted as I typed a full response (so this is cut down) but they're spot on... the winch adds rigidity to the plate that you would be missing without the winch. I think you'd be far better off with a box steel design and reinforcement plates reaching down the frame rails for reinforcement than modifying an existing solution engineered around a piece you won't have.

Thanks, good point... maybe I should consider relocating reservoirs and go with a solution that's more "known" and not guessing as @jac04 posted.

 

[rharr]

Find a shop that builds custom race cars or buggies anything that does roll bars, or custom jeep fab shop. Tell them you want to do a bumper mounted hitch receiver and would like them to fab something up. They should have enough experience with forces to knock out some tube with gussets that integrates with the bumper.

It's not rocket science 1/4 thick material and lots of bracing when in doubt.

 

[jac04]

Thanks @jac04. First I'll update my profile to read software engineering leader... .

Oops, no disrespect meant, I keep forgetting that there are other Engineers besides Mechanical.

I like rharr's suggestion. Being in NC, you should have a race car fab shop nearby, right?

 

[Eroc]

Oops, no disrespect meant, I keep forgetting that there are other Engineers besides Mechanical.

I like rharr's suggestion. Being in NC, you should have a race car fab shop nearby, right?

HA! no worries... no offense taken. I'm laughing because it's true. Many types of engineers and I'm the most useless after a collapse.

Yeah, there's a few fab shops and I didn't consider car specific ones... that's a great idea.

 

[Jaxmax]

Curt front hitch fits Mojave, you do need to cut the skid plate, but plate does rest againt hitch. Had to cut the remote res. mount one bolt off, but hitch rest against it and is solid. I painted my skid plate black as the silver skid plate with the like 4”x6” hole cut in it looked odd, plus everybody has silver skid plates as very few are aluminum……Jack

 

[Eroc]

Curt front hitch fits Mojave, you do need to cut the skid plate, but plate does rest againt hitch. Had to cut the remote res. mount one bolt off, but hitch rest against it and is solid. I painted my skid pkate black as the silver skid plate with the like 4”x6” hole cut in it looked odd, plus everybody has silver skid plates as very few are aluminum……Jack

Thanks @Jaxmax, this is great. Did you use Item Curt # C31086? Did you do this yourself?

Also, can you share a "profile" picture? (if you have one) I'd like to see how far the hitch sticks out. From the picture here it doesn't appear that it would impact approach angle much.

Thanks, E

 

[rharr]

This is the setup on my xj, 3x6x3/16 tube bumper with a receiver tube welded in.

 

[Jaxmax]

Pictures I had of hitch, and what I use it for, I did it myself and duct taped the nuts in frame, that was hardest part!

 

[Eroc]

Pictures I had of hitch, and what I use it for, I did it myself and duct taped the nuts in frame, that was hardest part!

Perfect, thank you very much! E

 

[Eroc]

This is the setup on my xj, 3x6x3/16 tube bumper with a receiver tube welded in.

Thanks @rharr I just found this in another thread. This is exactly what I was thinking... maybe have to adjust.

 

[jac04]

FYI, Curt only rates that front hitch for 9000 lbs straight line pull.

Sponsored