1986 Trooper bumper towing?

I've seen a post that mentioned towning with the bumper on a

1987 Tro :I'm thinking about drilling a hole in the middle of the step :bumper on my 1986 Trooper so I can tow my ATV. The total :weight of trailer and ATV would be less than 750 pounds. Am :I nuts for thinking this won't result in a disaster? : :------------------------------------- : :There's a place on this earth my people call home, :There's hills and hollers everywhere and lots of room to roam, :We're noted for our hard times and God's greatest creation, :We're the people of the Hillbilly Nation.

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There's a place on this earth my people call home, There's hills and hollers everywhere and lots of room to roam, We're noted for our hard times and God's greatest creation, We're the people of the Hillbilly Nation.

If the 1st gen is anything like the 2nd gen, there were bumpers made for towing - a three piece contraption with a trailer ball hole in the middle, and the flimsy sheet metal bumpers that most troopers came with. If you don't have one of the former, I'd avoid drilling the bumper.

Look behind the bumper, at the center. You may have a mount for a trailer hitch (at least I do on my trooper). There are 4 tapped holes that a hitch can bolt to.

If you know a welding/metal fabrication shop, they should be able to cut down a hunk of stout angle iron and drill to match for a few bucks.

New Bright Concepts (or something like that) was a company that used to make a hitch for the trooper that would bolt right up.

-Dondo

:On Fri, 17 Oct 2003 02:10:41 +0000, King Ghidora wrote: : :> I've seen a post that mentioned towning with the bumper on a 1987 :> Trooper. Is there a difference in the bumpers? Can anyone help me out :> here? :> :> :If the 1st gen is anything like the 2nd gen, there were bumpers made for :towing - a three piece contraption with a trailer ball hole in the middle, :and the flimsy sheet metal bumpers that most troopers came with. If you :don't have one of the former, I'd avoid drilling the bumper. : :Look behind the bumper, at the center. You may have a mount for a trailer :hitch (at least I do on my trooper). There are 4 tapped holes that a :hitch can bolt to. : :If you know a welding/metal fabrication shop, they should be able to cut :down a hunk of stout angle iron and drill to match for a few bucks. : :New Bright Concepts (or something like that) was a company that used to :make a hitch for the trooper that would bolt right up. : :-Dondo

The older generation Troopers aren't the same. There are two bolt holes in the cross member above the bumper but the steel there is pretty weak. There is a reinforcement that attaches to those bolt holes and goes under the bumper but again this isn't the strongest steel. Only about 1/4 inch thick and not real good quality.

As for a good welding shop most of them won't touch a project like that with a ten foot pole because of liability issues. I did know one guy who did exactly what you mention to my old Dodge Raider and it was as strong as any hitch ever made. It was made from half inch angle iron and it would pull a battleship if you could have hooked one up. But that guy now has a full time job and is building a barn on the side. I talked to him about it and he said he would call if he got time but I ain't holding my breath.

I put a ball in the stock bumper and I'm towing with it right now. All I'm pulling is a 300 pound trailer with a

400 pound ATV on it or sometimes a 250 pound lawnmower. So far so good but that could change any time. I'm keeping my eye on it.

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There's a place on this earth my people call home, There's hills and hollers everywhere and lots of room to roam, We're noted for our hard times and God's greatest creation, We're the people of the Hillbilly Nation.