Building a Class III hitch

[ColdNorth]

Howdy. I've got a class III hanging under my 4Runner now, but I'm about to SAS it, and I'm hoping to get rid of that departure-angle-robbing POS...

...But I am still hoping to be able to tow (flat or trailer, not sure yet) my G/F's '87 Samurai when we go travelling next year.

So my question is, can I build my own trailer hitch - ie, am I going to get in trouble for doing so :flipoff2: - or should i try to find another soluition?

What I was intending was to build a receiver into my rear bumper, use 1/2" x 2" plate from the frame to the bumper, and then run 1/2" x 2" plate between those brackets, with the receiver sitting in the middle, and the rest of the bumper (2"x4"x.188" wall [laying down]) around it (and behind the 1/2" x 2" plate)...

Thanks in advance for your input.

[RodeoRob]

what kind of weights are you looking to tow? all the way up to the max of class III? how frequently will you be towing and what sort of distances?

one thing to consider is, depending on the height of your SAS, if you build the hitch up into the bumper, you're gonna need a sizeable drop hitch to sit the trailer were it needs to be. drop hitchs cut max capacity and once over about 6-8" they get sketchy.

-Rob

[Trailer Guy]

Another thing to think about, is that it will only be as strong as the frame of the truck. The Yota frames just aren't thick enough for a really stout set-up. I've built a few for guys that wanted what you are looking for, but when I'm done building it, there is no chance on removing it, not without removing the rear of the frame. And, the ones that I have done, have also been done with custom rear bumpers, not stock units. What you have planned sounds like it'll be fine, but the bolts can and will pull through the frame if they aren't backed with a plate, like 1/4".