Mopar Trailer Hitch Install

Discussion in 'Renegade Write-Ups' started by JK4Life, Mar 10, 2016.

  1. Mojave

    Mojave Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2015
    Messages:
    66
    Media:
    3
    Albums:
    1
    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Do you have the part number for this bumper?
     
  2. JK4Life

    JK4Life Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2015
    Messages:
    132
    Location:
    Toronto
    ImageUploadedByToasterJeep1467079841.644353.jpg


    Here's the info. The top line is receiver, the second line is the Trailhawk rear bumper (5VX23LXHAA) and the bottom line is the bezel.
     
  3. Mojave

    Mojave Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2015
    Messages:
    66
    Media:
    3
    Albums:
    1
    Location:
    Virginia Beach, VA
    Thank you sir... That just answered my question... I'll go with the renegade ready version. I have a sport, but I'll purchase the TH tow hook and drop it into the renegade ready kit.
     
  4. JK4Life

    JK4Life Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2015
    Messages:
    132
    Location:
    Toronto
    FYI, those are Canadian prices... So US would be cheaper, but I get you... If I had been in US I would have done the same thing. Enjoy - it's great when you get it installed!
     
    Jakob1200 likes this.
  5. nmwranglerx

    nmwranglerx New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2017
    Messages:
    7
    Location:
    Albuquerque, NM
    That is an insane amount of work for just a hitch receiver. It does look really nice though. Nice work.
     
  6. JK4Life

    JK4Life Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2015
    Messages:
    132
    Location:
    Toronto
    Thanks - just sucks Jeep didn't have very many of them around... and they are such a pain to install. But we use it regularly with our bike rack so it was worth it for us


    Sent from my iPhone using ToasterJeep mobile app
     
  7. Webspells

    Webspells Member

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2017
    Messages:
    58
    Location:
    Perkasie, Pennsylvania
    Let me know how that works out! If I can sneak my Limited into looking like a Trail-hawk and get those better angles that would be amazing!
     
  8. ayost

    ayost Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2016
    Messages:
    61
    Location:
    Grand forks ND
    NOTE: the directions from Jeep are for the non-Trailhawk bumper. The Trailhawk bumper is much more structural than the other bumpers. The non-TH bumpers do not have the extension into the frame.

    [​IMG]

    How much stronger is the hitch then the factory bumper? It looks like the hitch has 2 extra bolt holes. Could you just cut a hole and weld in a 2" hitch adapter? That factory bumper looks like it would hold better then the other hitches that go under the bumper.
     
  9. TWX

    TWX Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2016
    Messages:
    225
    Media:
    31
    Albums:
    3
    Location:
    The Blast Furnace
    Probably not, if you want it to look right.

    First, the factory bumper's horizontal structural component sticks out to meet the back side of the bumper cover in the center. The hitch's equivalent part is recessed, so where the 2" receiver is welded to the horizontal member is a few inches inside of the bumper cover and the receiver itself does not stick out the back of the cover.

    Second, the inset-bezel provides clearance to reach the eyes to put the chains on to, and provides a place for the wiring harness to terminate.

    Third, the hitch is purpose-built to support the weight of a trailer, and assuming that the same hitch is used on the Canadian models that have a much higher-rated towing capacity, it's been tested to handle around two tons of trailer. To be polite, the bumper is not manufactured to the same precise standards, and while it's strong where it enters the unibody-sandwiched, "frame," there are no provisions for attaching to it across that horizontal member, so it may not be strong enough.

    Plus fundamentally when it comes down to it, you're already in for a pound to take the back of the Jeep apart to get to that bumper anyway, you may as well spend the money for the hitch instead of trying to adapt if you really want to tow with the vehicle.
     
    Clifford's Red Rocket likes this.
  10. aclaypigeon

    aclaypigeon New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 21, 2017
    Messages:
    6
    Location:
    Green Bay
    Renegade Ready Hitch.jpg

    Got my Renegade Ready Hitch installed as well. Thought I'd toss a quick tip in here for everyone.

    If I would have used a razor knife of some sort to try to cut out the insert for the bezel trim as they recommend, I would have been at it all day. Instead, the guy I was working with to get this together came up with an idea that I thought was pretty clever. He modified a jig saw blade by grinding the back of the blade off to form a sharp point, similar to the image I have shown below.
    Blade for Rear Bumper.jpg

    I know they do not recommend using a jig saw, but as long as you're careful, go slow, put down plenty of masking tape to prevent scuffing, and have an extra set of hands to hold the bumper steady, it worked like a charm. Grinding it into a point like that allowed us to plunge into each of the holes that are drilled out, then cut away each insert. Just be conservative on staying inside the lines and you'll be fine. I know others had mentioned being able to see some of the slots outside their bezel, but mine came out perfect using this technique.

    I hope this helps save others time!
     
  11. Thomas Duryea

    Thomas Duryea Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2016
    Messages:
    212
    Location:
    Jonesboro AR
    Get the $30 harbor freight body saw, the small maroon colored one, and use the blade that comes with it = massive success lol

    Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
     
    Jimmy Lee Smith likes this.
  12. Javier Perez

    Javier Perez New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2017
    Messages:
    1
    Location:
    Clifton Park, NY
    Did you reuse the original bumper (facia)?

    Thanks,

    JP
     
  13. TWX

    TWX Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 18, 2016
    Messages:
    225
    Media:
    31
    Albums:
    3
    Location:
    The Blast Furnace
    When I installed ours I did use the original bumper cover. The Renegade Ready kit that we used came with the template for where to cut-out on the current cover so that the hitch bezel would fit.

    The bumper cover is fairly substantial, goes all of the way up under the headlights and up to the wheel opening, and is painted in places to match the body. To replace it would probably be cost-prohibitive.
     
    Newadventurer likes this.
  14. Newadventurer

    Newadventurer Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2016
    Messages:
    91
    Media:
    2
    Albums:
    1
    Location:
    Richmond, Va
    We just installed a hitch bumper using the Renegade Ready template and instructions. It turned out pretty well! Only problem was my fault, for not cutting the slots big enough. There is a little deformation of the bumper cover by the tabs. The instructions were great, though. Even put the tow hook on there while we were at it. IMAG1291.jpg
     
  15. keylin1994

    keylin1994 New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2019
    Messages:
    9
    Location:
    Cave Creek, AZ
    For ease of use I combined the instruction manual into a single PDF document....
     

    Attached Files:

    IDoMy0wnRacing likes this.
  16. Whiterenegade

    Whiterenegade New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2021
    Messages:
    1
    Location:
    VT
    What size are the six bolts underneath having a hell of a time finding them
     
  17. zuke

    zuke Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2018
    Messages:
    294
    Media:
    1
    Albums:
    1
    Location:
    Virginia
    IF there the ones I think you mean, They're M10x1.25x35.00, Mopar Part Number 68201983AA
     

Share This Page