Bumper/nerf bar/rock slider design exercise

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by Ben10281

I have an RB and my 285 tire fit in the stock location. I also have a tow hitch. My hitch is curved however, so that may be why the tire fits. I can take a pic tomorrow if anyone cares to see.

Yes please!

Thanks


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[shenrie]

I have the same curved hitch and had a 285/75/16 tire under there when I bought the rig.

as for sliders, the only design ive seen that is easy on the eyes imo is the aluminess (yes I know they weren't designed as sliders). I would have purchased a set of them as they were the only affordable piece they offered then they jacked up the price all of a sudden with no extra features added. only thing id do different is having a full length step on each side instead of just on the passenger side. that would make it easier to reach stuff on a rack, help fold in the topper when stowing, etc.

another thing that might be cool is to have a swing down additional step for barn door access when camp is setup. I know we generally gravitate towards water as do most, and banks always fall off towards water, so we find ourselves with levelers under the passenger side (or both?). if another step would easily fold out it would be super handy. like have it fold up and sit flat against the battery box where it would kind of double as a skid plate for the batteries or whatever else one might have installed there. to deploy it would swing downward and out and have some sort of locking mechanism to keep in place. that in conjunction with rob's idea to have sliding frame rail mounts or at least mounts that could attach in various locations the length of the slider would be great.

anyway, me thinking out loud trying to contribute to all these great ideas. carry on!

[Ben10281]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

Yes please!

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Scotty, take a look at my profile, I just uploaded 5 pics of my spare under the van to a new album. I don't use the undervan space as I have a tire carrier, and am planning to put an understorage box in that space, but when I bought the van the spare 285 was tucked under the van.

Ben

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Originally Posted by Ben10281

Scotty, take a look at my profile, I just uploaded 5 pics of my spare under the van to a new album. I don't use the undervan space as I have a tire carrier, and am planning to put an understorage box in that space, but when I bought the van the spare 285 was tucked under the van.

Ben

Hey thanks for uploading those pics. Very cool to know that a hitch exists that allows a 285 to fit.

Can you see any kind of manufacturer's name on that trailer hitch? (Either a sticker or stamped into it?) Would be cool to know who makes that, and if it's still available.

I like the idea of still being able to use that area for a 285-sized spare on my RB-length (short overhang) van at some point. (Maybe even just to be able to carry along a *second spare* in addition to the one already hung on the rear Aluminess carrier.....for those trips on rugged trails that are known for eating tires....)

[Ben10281]

There is no sticker, but I will look again for a stamping of any kind.

[rallypanam]

Ben, that's what I've seen on all my vans that I've had/worked on.. same set up. Sometimes a 33" won't quite fit, so you can check two things:

1. Make sure the hitch as as far out as possible, there's a little wiggle room in the bolt holes.
2. Cut off one of the tabs on the front of the tire carrier hanger thing. See my circles on one of Ben's pictures.

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Okay, hey this is cool.
Just spent about ten minutes on etrailer.com , and found that Draw-Tite still makes a V-shaped (as viewed from the top or bottom) frame-mount trailer hitch for the E-series vans. Looks to be about similar dimensions to the one shown in Ben10281's photos.

Only caveat: It's limited to a Class III tow rating.

Draw-Tite Class III Max Frame Round Tube Receiver Hitch - Ford Van


The one under my van (that the PO installed, and apparently used to tow a car of some sort back/forth on their trips to Baja) is the Draw-Tite Class IV and V -- which doesn't leave as much room for the spare tire.

Draw-Tite Class IV & V Ultra Frame Receiver Hitch - Ford Van

-------------------------------------------------------

So if you've got an RB.....and you need a Class III-sized trailer hitch for medium-duty towing/installing rear racks of some sort......and you (for some reason) still want to fit a 33" spare tire under your van.......there's still an available frame-mount hitch that (based on Ben10281's experience and rallypanam's frame-trimming advice) will still allow you room to snug that 285 up underneath.

Haven't hunted further to see if anyone else possibly sells a Class IV or V -rated hitch that is similarly V-shaped to allow a 285 to fit.

[JackTuppVan]

Originally Posted by MountainBikeRoamer

Can you see any kind of manufacturer's name on that trailer hitch? (Either a sticker or stamped into it?) Would be cool to know who makes that, and if it's still available.

I have that exact OEM hitch on my van .
There is a OEM Ford decal to the left of the receiver socket.

FORD OEM E-350 Super Duty -Trailer Hitch p/n CC2Z19D520A

Other Part Number: F7UZ-19D520-AA , F2UZ-19D520-A

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Originally Posted by JackTuppVan

I have that exact OEM hitch on my van .
There is a OEM Ford decal to the left of the receiver socket.

FORD OEM E-350 Super Duty -Trailer Hitch p/n CC2Z19D520A

Other Part Number: F7UZ-19D520-AA , F2UZ-19D520-A

Rad, thanks!!!

[boywonder]

Mine's a class 5 and pretty much like the lower picture above in Jackupvan's post.....straight square tubing.

It's a Ratco brand... (helluva Company name....)