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Reese on the front bumper

prljeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Toledo, OH
I found a Reese hitch in my garage the other day and would like to install it on the front bumper. The hitch is the type that you simply bolt to the rear bumper using the three hitch holes (on most bumpers).
I doubt just affixing it to the front bumper would hold a thing? Right?

Thanks
PRL
 
Not a stock bumper, no. Stock XJ bumpers aren't much more than tinfoil.

Even the OEM towhook mounts use reinforcing plates rather than the stock bumper mounts as well.
 
If you look at the stock front bumper mounting brackets you will notice they are just stamped sheet metal......they break easily....(I pulled my front bumper off of the rig while towing it) If you plan on doing any mounting hardware work tie it all into the 'frame' as best you can.....
and you know this will take some custom work on your part....
 
Even the small "dead weight" hitch from the factory on teh rear bumper wasn't only attached to the bumper, it hit the body as well. To give perspective of bumper bracket strentgh (and the front isn't more than the rear) my Jeep was hit at maybe 10 mph at the rear, when I finally replaced teh bumper (three years later!) I saw that one of the bumper brackets was torn.
 
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