Is your hitch bolted with two or three bolts on each side to the body?  If you 
are only using the factory mounting holes, you will destroy them if you use 
the hitch to carry any dead weight such as a luggage carrier.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
>From:	vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu  On Behalf Of mark keller
Sent:	Thursday, August 14, 1997 5:05 PM
To:	Multiple recipients of list
Subject:	Re: Need Reciever Hitch 82 Diesel Westy For Hitch Haul Basket

Yo Mark,

Hey I caught your post on the hitch hauler/ receiver hitch request.
I just got it done.  But in case somebody is interested I'll tell the story.

  I wanted to install a receiver hitch and Hitch Hauler for my 91 Carat BUT
the 5" receiver portion is to long to hide completely beneath the bumper's
dripline, water that is, otherwise the install is ok.

I had the hitch builder EXTEND the bumper mounting flanges 2" and shorten
the reciever to 4 1/4". This means that the bumper now is 2" further from
the van, and that the entire hitch will "hide" sans the receiver, behind
the fiberglass bumper cover.  That last point is a good reason to install a
hitch alone.

 The fiberglass bumper cover on the rear is a cosmetic device.  The factory
isn't required to install a crash beam on the rear of trucks. So the
vanagon has no rear crash beam, but a a cosmetic doodad bumper cover. I
just had a list member photo the setup, so it can be posted on the net.

Mark Keller
91' Carat WLE
"Lazarus"

>Volks,
>I saw that someone on the list was fabbing up some nice reciever hitches
>that connect to the frame for our Vanagons. I am in need of one
>w/hopefully a 2" reciever (1&1/4" will work). I will install a Hitch
>Haul basket carrier on this unit for extra gear on the Diesel Westy.
>Also, anyone done this?
>Mark B. Magee
>87 GL
>82 Diesel Westy
>Kemah TX