Rear Bumper Setup for Sled Pulling, Suggestions please
 

I would like to modify this bumper setup to allow for a 2 or 2.5" receiver, so I can adjust the height for towing and or sled pulling. The bumper is welded to the frame, so that is good incentive for me to keep this bumper setup.

Here is what is looks like now:
http://www.puredieselpower.com/pics/bumper.jpg

Yes, I know the plate sticker isn't up to date (new sticker is in the glovebox) and the ball is rusty, but don't worry about it :p


Here is a rough idea of what I want to do.. Basically I want to remove the ball and weld a 2 or 2.5" tube to have a receiver hitch and have it welded to the back plate of the bumper as well. I would then reinforce the bumper as need from behind.
I made 13 hooks last year off this bumper, using a clevis through the currently pictured ball-hole, with ~400HP. I'm a little higher now.

I want this to be DHRA compliant as I'd like to make a pull or 2 this year. The rules state it needs to be "Reese Style" so I imagine this would work, I would just build a custom slide-in receiver that would meet the 26" hitch-height criteria.

http://www.puredieselpower.com/pics/bumperedit.jpg

If anyone has ANY better ideas (besides removing the bumper), I'd greatly appreciate any suggestions!

Garrett

a two inch receiver will be more than strong enough to handle the weight if you get the thickest gauge you possibly can. Im not certain what is would be, but i do know that it will cost you money. your weakest link on that would be the welds of coarse. It all depends who you trust to weld your hitch on there. The reciever wouldnt be much of a problem. I know, i have seen my dad weld some hitches and gooseneck hitches that just will not break, heck one guy even brought a truck he crashed witha gooseneck in tow and the hitch didnt even budge, but experience will tell you how much you heat you need to penetrate and weld the receiver correctly. In my pullin hitch that my dad welded up im sure it will hold, its my crappy rear bumper that im sure will not. Ill give u a ring tomorrow and see what u have in mind..

as far as teh height adjustment goes.. not sure what u can do on that one...

Rick

You might be able to get away with using a 10" drop bumper reciever hitch. The top of my reciever tube is 6.75" down from the bottom of the lip on the rear portion of the frame rail, that's with a Putnam 10" drop hitch. I think they make a 12", too. If that's not the clearest I can try and snap a pic this weekend showing where I measured from.

Gee Garrett, That idea sounds familar!!!lol, I have not got my bumper done yet!, Im still doing it like we descussed over the phone, but, Im just so dang busy lately, I decided to have the welding shop do it, but hes had my dementions for over 2 monthes and is now to busy to do it, so I might have to take a brake from making stack boxes and get my rear bumper,trac bars and air ride all done up for this season!lol, keep me informed on how the bumper goes!