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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 59 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 59 | Anyone installed a trailer hitch on there 50's truck< for light towing
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,878 . | | . Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,878 | I put one one my 52 1 ton, and then moved it to my 48 2 ton.
I called all the hitch manufacturers and they all said "we don't have one". So I asked if they had one for something with a 36" outside the frame rails measurement, still nothing. They did say I could use an "RV" type hitch that is adjustable.
Then I went to the local trailer hitch place who has a tractor trailer load of new hitches, pick any one you want and they are all the same price. The plan was to find something suitable that I would cut and weld as needed, ended up finding a perfect bolt on hitch.
Best you can do is take a tape measure and go looking in a junk yard or at a place that installs hitches.
I doubt that the hitch I used would work on your 1/2 ton frame, as it is different than mine.
Grigg | | | | | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 428 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 428 | For what it is worth. I was rummanging around in the bed of an abandoned 49 3/4 ton. There was not much left, but I came away with the screw jack, lug wrench, and a bumper hitch. From what I have found out it clamps to the bumper. It sorta looks like a c clamp with a flange to attach a ball. I sandblasted it and painted it Chevy orange. And yes I plan to find a 50s camp trailer to restore and pull behind the 52. Unsafe? yep, But if I was worried aboute safe I would drive an Audi. LOL. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 Moderator | | Moderator Joined: Mar 2007 Posts: 4,215 | Up here, you are not allowed to weld on a hitch, don't even think a home made hitch is allowed either. We have to get our trailers and tow vehicles inspected every year. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,703 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,703 | im customizin a class 2 hitch to fit on my truck with some xtra support bars to the frame crossmember ...so I can haul my bassboat to the local lake, only. it is a nice easy ramp, most other lakes I fish the ramps are either so steep or in such bad condition that I have half the drivers seat sucked up my arse hopin I dont sink the Rig, that I dont back in unless the Ol Dodge is in 4 wheel.
So the Bolt will haul to the local lake only!...but will be good to go haulin a decent size trailor on the road. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,317 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 1,317 | I fabricated my own heavy duty trailer hitch for my 54 truck and the install was basically about the same as for a Reese-style hitch. With the extended insert and 2-1/8" ball I've yet to pull a trailer, but I've noticed that drivers for some unknown reason, seem to stay MUCH FURTHER away from my back bumper!!!!!
Dave | | | | | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 549 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 549 | | | | | | Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,897 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,897 | Draw-Tite website only goes back to 63. 55 on up have a 34" frame width, which is pretty universal as far as the hitches go. 54 and earlier half tons have a frame that is tapered from front to rear, and is about 46 inches wide in the rear. Some level of modification generally needs to be done to come up with a suitable hitch. You may try to find the widest hitch you can, and cut it down to fit as needed.
John | | | | | Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,897 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,897 | I saw a F@#d Expedition parked by my house. I just happened to have a tape measure handy and noted that the hitch was 50 inches wide, with the square tube going through the mounting brackets. That would work on an AD truck with very little modification... grind weld away from tube, enlarge opening in bracket to reweld the tube at a slight angle to match frame, weld, paint, bolt on.
John | | | | | Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1,904 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2001 Posts: 1,904 | This reminds me of the hitch I put on my '51 Chevy car in about 1962. It was designed for the '51 and attached to the back of the bumper with a bolt. I had to get a hole cut through the bumper with a torch. It also attached to some cross piece between the frame rails. I pulled a plywood Sande Ace runabout with it.
I'll be putting a hitch on my '48 3/4-ton some day but those frame rails are really far off the ground.
1948 3/4-Ton 5-Window Flatbed Chevrolet 34 Years. Now with a '61 261, 848 head, Rochester Monojet carb, SM420 4-speed, 4.10 rear, dual reservoir MC, Bendix up front, 235/85R16 tires, 12-volt w/alternator, electric wipers and a modern radio in the glove box.
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | When I was looking for a hitch for my CJ-5 I found one that was a universal fit- It had a bunch of pieces that all bolted together to fit pretty much any frame width, and it fit pretty well. I wish I would have kept it, I haven't found another like it.
My truck came with an old hitch that seemed to be made for it, but its not a receiver hitch, it has a little bracket that bolts to the rear bed crossmember and another part of it bolts to the frame, and it has a tongue that fits over the top of the bumper. The only problem is that it is too high for most trailers.
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A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,031 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 2,031 |
Last edited by carolines truck; 04/01/2008 2:56 PM.
Jim & Caroline
The highway is for gamblers, better use your good sense."
Gooday-that's my 1¢ answer due to the lousy economy ~ cause I ain't got - no . mo . doe
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