Trailer hitch

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 27 Apr 2010 19:58

It's time for my semi-annual trip to Oregon to visit family and get my TR8 out of storage for a week. I'm thinking about getting a trailer hitch installed so I can do some chores that I could do if I had bought "something practical." Does anyone have photos of a Class A receiver installation on a 7 or 8? Thanks.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 27 Apr 2010 20:00

I guess that should read a Class I receiver.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

PeterTR7V8 · Postby **PeterTR7V8** » 27 Apr 2010 20:58

This kind of thing?

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 27 Apr 2010 23:49

Yeah, that's sort of what I have in mind. Did you build it yourself, or have someone do it? Since I only get a couple of weeks a year with my car, I'm more interested in driving it than working on it presently. Maybe I'll try a couple of trailer dealers in the Portland area while I'm down there. Your photos assure me that it can be done. Thanks.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

PeterTR7V8 · Postby **PeterTR7V8** » 28 Apr 2010 02:08

It was done by professionals judging by the invoice. We have garages that do nothing else but fit towbars so I'd bet you have the same kind of thing over there. Good luck with it.

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 28 Apr 2010 15:54

Thanks Peter.

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 28 Apr 2010 19:30

Or this one supplied by Belgium BL dealers in the late 70's ...

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, currently being restored)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 28 Apr 2010 20:21

That looks pretty tidy. I just need to find someone with a stash of 30-year old un-sold hitches...

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

Odd · Postby **Odd** » 28 Apr 2010 21:13

I think mine is neater...
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> You've got my attention now [:p] <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> Thanks Beans... [:)] This is it:

But please: Don't follow this path, this was just a "What's technically possible?"-engineering exercise
triggered after I said I don't want a spiders web of girders etc under my car (and also added:
"I definitely don't want to drill any holes in it!")

And since I view a car without a tow ball not fully equipped/complete ...
We did this in powder coated stainless steel. [:D]

Remember: the attachment of the rear bumper bar to the body was significantly improved so as
to allow us to use its inherent strength as the load carrying main member of the design. Fortunately
this is not easily visible from the outside - you have to crawl under the car to get a glimpse of it. The
bumper bar has got 14 fastening bolts now (as opposed to the 6 measly oem ones)...

PS
Ken,
I need youe e-mail address - I've got a series of pictures (that might give you some ideas
for your project) that I want to send towards Anchorage...

My two 1980 Wedges...

Vegas_M · Postby **Vegas_M** » 29 Apr 2010 00:48

I dug around my old newsletters from various clubs, because I knew I had seen a nifty hitch design. Found the article tonite, but in pdf form which I don't think I can attach here, so I scanned in two of the the pics. It is from a Miami Valley Triumph Club (in Ohio) newsletter in 2003, but doesn't say who the article's author is.

Here are the pics.

It is a 2" receiver which are normally for class 3 towing, but the author say's he rarely tows anything except a utility trailer. Cost him $75 to have it made up at a welding shop, including powdercoating. Ahh, those were the days. [:D]

I have a pdf of the article if anyone wants it, pls email me.

Martin

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 29 Apr 2010 21:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Odd

I think mine is neater ...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
You've got my attention now [:p]

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, currently being restored)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Last TR · Postby **Last TR** » 29 Apr 2010 22:56

Odd,
Very nice hitch. Is it a permanent installation, or is it readily removable?

Ken
Anchorage, Alaska

1980 TR8, 1973 TR6, 1965 Volvo PV544, 1958 MGA, Jeep Cherokees

Odd · Postby **Odd** » 29 Apr 2010 23:00

It's removable - but I never do it.
Partly due to the electric wires being 'permanent'...

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 30 Apr 2010 18:24

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Odd

It's removable ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Very nicely built, but I wouldn't use it as it doesn't spread the load ...

<center>

1980 TR7 DHC (my first car, currently being restored)
1981 TR7 FHC Sprint (better known as 't Kreng)
[url="http://www.tr7beans.blogspot.com/"]My Weblog[/url]</center>

Odd · Postby **Odd** » 30 Apr 2010 19:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Very nicely built, but I wouldn't use it as it doesn't spread the load ... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> True - if you only count the detachable ball part.
But if you take into account the rear bumper bar and its beefed up attachement points the load is nicely spread
into the rear subframe components of the car body. But remember, as I wrote, this was an engineering excercise,
not really down to earth and sane/practical. A true one-off - built purely to prove it could be done. It can handle
the allowed towing weight of the TR8 which is the important point...

My two 1980 Wedges...

Anonymous

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