

| Subject: | Re: 77 Trailer Hitch Question |
| Date: | Wed, 15 May 1996 21:01:24 -0500 |
2 kinds frequently were available for the bus, similar in some respects but not in the important ones. Both typically had an 1/4" thick L shaped plate that bolted to the face of the bumper in the center. Through this went a steel bar tongue, solid 2" x 3/4" or so, now on the cheaper this went back and sat under the rear engine mount bar around which there was a U bolt that positioned it, this plus being bolted to the bottom of the L that projected from the bumper and had a couple of holes for safety chains was what you got. Unfortunately didn't work well and reallly killed rear engine mounts. On the better ones the tounge went back to a framework that hung between the two frame attachment points for the rear engine mount bar. Both were typically only class 1, we purchased one of the better sort from Whitney in the late 70's when our '76 was new and towed a 6 person pull camper for many summers with it with no large problem. If this is what Whitney still sells I don't know. Cost $65 or so at the time. Later I picked up a very nice heavy duty class 2 hitch made out of a heavy famework of 1.5" square steel tube that bolts directly to the frame under the bumber mounting bolts. Found it on a junker bus. I would look for something built like it, make a frame that goes between the rear frame rails. And be prepared to really slow down on steeper grades, take it easy and don't overwork and overheat the engine. John
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