Here I am

Missing bumper bolts..

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Weekend at Sand dunes and weighed beast

Towing capacity question - MegaCab

Well here we go again. . , I stopped in at the Hitch place to get a lower Ball Mount so I can tow my little trailer instead of drag it when in the rougher camp sites. The fellow there asks me what kind of hitch I have and I tell him its a Dodge 1 ton biggest you can get.

"Hmmmm. . " he says not to impressed.

He says "we better go have a look at the hitch you've got. "

Oh brother... here we go... going to try to sell me something anfter the ol scare tactic or something. After looking at my hitch, factory by the way, He points out that there are 2 bolts missing from the bumper to the hitch. You know, the ones in front of the licencse plate. The holes are there but no bolts. He says the factory must have forgot to put them in. So, after getting my Lower Ball Mount for my hitch I call the dealership and the parts person says that they don't show any bolts for it at all. I say "the holes are there. " she says" no bolts on the screen. nothing. "

Does any body else have the bolts or are they missing on every ones?
 
My 04' uses bolts. The 05' I had and my dads 07. 5' dont. yours is welded but still has the holes for bolts. Trust me the welds are much better than factory grade 5 bolts:rolleyes:(I streched both of them going down the road with a trailer#@$%!)
 
Thank you. That solves that one. So if I was to upgrade tp a heavier duty hitch I would be grinding out welds? Just wondering. How heavy was your trailer when you stretched 'em?
 
Understand that some hitches are factory installed and some of the dealers make up their own trailer tow packages..... they make more profit on their packages... when its dealer installed, its usually a lower rated design... .

If you see the invoice and its on the factory invoice its factory installed, other wise its a dealer installed unit. .
 
I'm not sure about which years but Dodge has a TSB for factory hitches developing cracks too. I know that it involves my 98. I went to a class V hitch anyway.
 
I am lost here, my truck hitch has no connection to the bumper whatever, strictly a frame mount. What am I missing?
 
From my reasearch theres only 2 types of factory hitches on 3rd gens. 1 is the one with bolts and has oval slots for the saftey chains, the other is welded and has circle holes for the chains. I have bent both styles and the class V is due in shortly:cool:
 
Just went to the hitch place again to check on equalizer hitch. We both (me and the service guy) looked under the truck and could not find a weld any where. It's just simply bolted to the frame. pretty cheesy at that. Class V for me to in the fall. No more dicken around.



Here's a link to a Putnam Class V (not recommending it's just a link to a diagram)



25211 Putnam Class 5 XDR Receiver Hitch No Drill Application for Dodge Pickup



on the page there is a link to installation instruction, check out the 3rd page in the PDF and it has a bolt and hardware list. For those that have the vehicles without the bolt to the bumper. I will order them today and install to make sure they fit from the Bolt Supply. Seeings how Dodge doesn't have a clue about them.



Yep. . , they fit!
 
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