KDS Class III/IV Hitch

Stingroo, I agree. (No I won't ask, I say things like that WAY too often) I just think the whole concept was over thought. I would have stopped at nesting channel iron and a short compression spring, (like Packard's in the 20's-'30's) absorb impact, auto return to original position, done.

Up until the early '60's, bumpers were really designed and mounted to be bumpers, If your wife used the braille method to parallel park the land yacht, a little bump was no big deal. But, that was a simpler time...

Paul

You just never know what your going to run into when you start turning the wrench. I just had to turn down a class III off a young kids wagon he was going to sell me pretty cheap. The more I got to looking at the rust on the underside and thinking about having this sketchy looking kid around my garage while I got it off his car, I decided to decline. part of me is kicking myself. Ill continue following your thread....looking good so far.

redcaddy wrote:

Just an aside: I believe I would replace the shock absorbers with a solid (non collapsing) strut.

Tucking the bumper closer to the quarter caps, eliminating the filler plastic/rubber would, to me, improve the overall appearance, while not compromising safety. I believe that the only thing helped by the govt. mandated 5 MPH crash bumpers was the bottom line of big insurance

Paul

Something to consider for later, and I think you are referring to more of the boxy wagon bumpers with the 1/4 panel fillers. . Right now, I am trying to get the bumper in the correct position to check for a STOCK fitment.

On a related note, I was contacted by a forum member to develop a hitch that fits under the aftermarket rear cover, and has the receiver located behind the license plate recess. I had a chance to look at another guys rear cover, and I have some design ideas that would make for a nice hidden hitch if you used a fold down license plate mount like the sedans use. So, those of you with the 91-96 aftermarket fiberglass rear cover, I have something that will work for you. The already eliminated bumper structure would be replaced by the hitch, I can create something that protects the 1/4 panels outside the frame rails as well.

^ Now that is interesting to me.

.

Now we have one bumper shock from two. Lopped off the ends, ground and trimmed to length and welded it back. I put some heat into the welds, I still had the welder set for welding 1/4", but it will hold very well.
Back to the hitch works in the AM , once the temps are in the double digits.

First hitch welded together. I have a few tweaks to the side plates to make, and I have some ideas about the gusset and chain plate to make the design a little more efficient, but this is essentially what my production design will look like.

yeeee Hawwwww. We're getting a new hitch...

Have you considered selling just the cut and formed side plates and bumper shock mount brackets, for us diehard DIY guys?

Paul

redcaddy wrote:

yeeee Hawwwww. We're getting a new hitch...

Have you considered selling just the cut and formed side plates and bumper shock mount brackets, for us diehard DIY guys?

Paul

I'd consider selling all 6 pieces shown above with the inner carriage bolt retainers (not pictured) as a kit. Basically BYO tubing and receiver tube.

Yes ! Cause I so need a hitch .

Yes please. Price and lead time? (Shipping to 34293)

Thanks, Paul

redcaddy wrote:

Yes please. Price and lead time? (Shipping to 34293)

Thanks, Paul

I'm finalizing pricing for the laser cut pieces, I should have it by the end of the week.

I would definitely like to know what the cost will be , so I can get my money together .

Will the side pieces be supplied "ready to weld" (pre bent)?

Thanks, Paul

redcaddy wrote:

Will the side pieces be supplied "ready to weld" (pre bent)?

Thanks, Paul

Yes, they will be prebent. Test fit on a boxy wagon should happen this weekend.

I would be interested in a completed hitch. I'm debating on getting a Class II while they're still available. Do you have any idea on when you'd be in production or a final cost?

Thanks,
JAMBO

JAMBO wrote:

I would be interested in a completed hitch. I'm debating on getting a Class II while they're still available. Do you have any idea on when you'd be in production or a final cost?

Thanks,
JAMBO

I have a few things I am trying to get finished up before I start taking orders.
1)Trying to nail down the final cost with the laser cutter. I was expecting pricing yesterday, but it did not develop. Will try again on Monday. He's been great with cutting and bending my prototype pieces, but getting him to figure out the pricing takes him off the shop floor and they are very busy right now.

2) Test fit on a boxy wagon. This is planned for this evening. Pics soon to follow.

3) I have not drawn up a mounting bracket for a 7 way connector. This will likely be a bolt-on option, as even a beeeeeefy bracket may get bent in shipping. But it will be beefy..

Okay, thanks for the update. I'll keep checking in.

Jambo

I would like to know the final price also we you get ready to take orders.  I really don't want to miss out on getting a hitch .

Some learnings this evening with test fitting on an 87 wagon, the differences are minor, but will prevent a 91-96 hitch to work on a boxy. . The drop in the center of the bumper pushes the receiver down another 1-1.5".
This isn't in surmountable, I will likely need to put the receiver tube down 1.5", and revise the gussets and chain plate.


Also, the very end of the framerail is different slightly, there is a bulge right near the end that fouls the side plate. 30 seconds with a hammer will be needed to flatten it. It will not be visible with the hitch on, but you may be taking a hammer to your frame.

It occurs to me that with a little bit of fabricobbling, a "hidden hitch" type set up would be QED. A flip down plate holder would make access easy. Any thoughts?

Paul

redcaddy wrote:

It occurs to me that with a little bit of fabricobbling, a "hidden hitch" type set up would be QED. A flip down plate holder would make access easy. Any thoughts?

Paul

It's possible, but would be a 4th variant of hitch design.
1-91-96 conventional
2-91-96 hidden design with fold down plate for roll pan style aftermarket rear cover
3- wagon under plate design
4 -wagon hidden hitch with fold down plate.

Only 1 and 3 can use the same side plates but will have different receiver tubes and chain plates. That's a lot of jigs for not many hitch sales.

OK. I have final pricing! I will be creating a webpage at kds-performance.com in the next week. Until then, please post your interest.

91-96 Hitches. $225+shipping
This also includes the mounting hardware.
2 - 1/2"-20 Flange Nuts
2 - 1/2"-20 Carriage bolts
2- inside frame retainers
4- M10 bolts
4- M10 nuts
4- Exhaust hanger bracket screws.
The M10 fasteners are for the bumper beam attachment, it is strongly recommended that you drill the bumper bolt holes out to accept the M10 bolts. Factory is M8, so you are not drilling new holes, you are enlarging the existing ones.

Full install instructions will be available for download on my website.

77-90 Hitches - $235 + shipping As noted above, the receiver tube needs to hang lower than on the Sedans, I need to start with a larger  receiver tube, notch it, and the chain plates are different. These will also include the same hardware noted above.  
** Installing on a 77-90 frame will require tweaking the very end of the frame to provide room for the side plate. See pics in my previous post regarding 77-90 hitch fitment.


DIY Builder kit $110+Shipping- This is a kit consisting of all the laser cut pieces. Save a bunch on shipping, and have the satisfaction of DIY pride...
2- Pre-bent side plates
2- Bumper plates
2- Inside frame plates
1- Chain Plate
1- Gusset Plate
You will need to locally source and add:
1- 2.5" x 0.25" square tube
1- 6" Receiver Tube - These are available online and at places like Tractor Supply and Harbor Freight
All mounting hardware

All hitches will be shipped RAW, non painted or coated. This will minimize packaging cost, and NO worries about chipping the finish
Please post up your interest. I need to order the pieces in a min quantity of 5.  

I will begin shipping ~ 2 weeks after I have 5 orders.

I am in for a DYI kit to zip 30041. 1996 Buick Roadie

Damn turborat, you have a vehicle for any occasion. Youbdo need a boat however.

Well, my Buick is definitely a land yacht.

I'm in for a DIY for a 1989 Boxie, to 34293. (I've been looking for a reason to add a stick holder to my old Dial arc 350 TIG machine, I think I just found it...)

Thanks, paul

I'm definitely in for one for my 96 RMW

I want one for my 93 wagon  need to know the shipping cost to 38111 .

I want a 91-96 hitch for sure.

I'd like a completed one for my 94 RMW. Can I get an estimate on shipping to 29715?

How about you post up the location zip so people can get an estimate for shipping on their own, with out having to ask you for one?

scoffman wrote:

How about you post up the location zip so people can get an estimate for shipping on their own, with out having to ask you for one?

Excellent idea

Shipping from 48334 - drop off at FedEx ground location.
Weight - ~55#
Dims, 51x27x10

Estimate to 38111 was about $43.

JAMBO wrote:

I'd like a completed one for my 94 RMW. Can I get an estimate on shipping to 29715?

$45 ish

Ok, I'm in then. Let me know what to do next.

Thanks for doing all this. JAMBO

JAMBO wrote:

Ok, I'm in then. Let me know what to do next.

Thanks for doing all this. JAMBO

I"ll be talking to my "webmaster" on Sat to create an ordering page on my website. Stay tuned.
Thanks.

Interested in a DIY kit for a 94 wagon. What would shipping run on loose parts to 99504? USPS Flat rate boxes are valid to get all the way up here if pieces can fit into a couple of them.

Thanks!

By the way, can we get some installed pics of the hitch?

NO RTR 7 wrote:

By the way, can we get some installed pics of the hitch?

I'm setting up some pics for the website tonight with the unpainted (as shipped) part. I'll then get the hitch on my wagon for the last time and will post pics.

ajharman wrote:

Interested in a DIY kit for a 94 wagon. What would shipping run on loose parts to 99504? USPS Flat rate boxes are valid to get all the way up here if pieces can fit into a couple of them.

Thanks!

I have not found a Priority box that will work, though the "board game" one was close, just needed to be 1" thicker, it's a 3" box and the bent tab is  closer to 3.75 with the two side plates stacked.

So... Fedex Ground says ~$70, USPS says $83...

EDIT - My mistake, that was for Priority 2 day. Standard post is $34 or so, looks like 2 weeks ship time.

Crazy that a 1" taller box takes it from $18 to 5x as much.

beertestr wrote:

I have not found a Priority box that will work, though the "board game" one was close, just needed to be 1" thicker, it's a 3" box and the bent tab is  closer to 3.75 with the two side plates stacked.

So... Fedex Ground says ~$70, USPS says $83...

EDIT - My mistake, that was for Priority 2 day. Standard post is $34 or so, looks like 2 weeks ship time.  

Crazy that a 1" taller box takes it from $18 to 5x as much.

It's all good. Yeah the shipping can be super unpredictable. I actually ended up finding a class 3 on a wagon in a local pull-a-part day before yesterday. So just went ahead and snagged that one. Had been looking for one for months with no luck (go figure).

I like the looks of your kits though. I'm glad you're offering this service. I know this is something that many people have been struggling to find recently, so it's a very good option to have available.

Thanks!

Hey Beertestr,
Do you have any update or a projected date when you could be shipping these out?

I know of a different one that's available right now, but I'd rather buy one from you since I told you I would.


Thanks,
JAMBO

JAMBO wrote:

Hey Beertestr,
Do you have any update or a projected date when you could be shipping these out?

I know of a different one that's available right now, but I'd rather buy one from you since I told you I would.


Thanks,
JAMBO

Tubing is in, receiver tubes are on order, I'm waiting on my laser cutter to make the first batch of 5-6 sets. I hope to start shipping DIY kits by the end of the week.

Installed pics uploading shortly.

Installed pics. My bumper cover needs the clips on the bottom, hence why it's resting on the hitch. I also have some exhaust work that needs to be done. Factory routed exhaust should have no clearance issues.

Hey Beertestr,

Been checking your website for update on hitch. Let me know how to get you paid for the DIY kit shipped to 30041.

Thanks - Paul

Website is coming along, Paypal links should go up tonight or tomorrow. Receiver tubes should be here tomorrow, tubing is in, almost all hardware is here. I'm waiting on the "production" retainer plates, I had some pieces punched for the carriage bolts by a local steel shop and they...... were not up to my standards, they could not punch square holes in the the retainer plates without warping them, and did not like my advice on how to improve the quality. They are happy making wavy snow plow mold boards I guess.

Here's a teaser for the 5 sets of pieces I picked up yesterday...

91-96 Hitches and DIY kits are first up. 77-90 kits need a little more work with the dropped receiver tube and revised chain plate.
Peruse the links on kds-performance.com, and ask any questions you may have. The pages are just a rough draft right now.

Awesome. Can't wait to order one of these bad boys.

I would still like to get in on this if possible - please let me know.

I currently have parts to build (6) 91-96 hitches. I have been trying to set up my site to take payments and work out shipping, but that's not going great. So, here's how this is going to go.

Please visit my website, kds-performance.com  Links to each product are below.

91-96 B-Body Wagon Complete Hitch Assembly

or here for the DIY kits

1977-1996 B-Body Class III Hitch DIY kits

If you like what you see and are ready to order, please email me directly at michael@kds-performance.com.
Please include your ZIP code, and note if I am shipping to a residence or business address. I will then contact you with the shipping price and sales total. Once you agree to that total price you can make payment via Paypal.

EDIT: When you email me, please consider also including your forum username. I'd like to keep a roster for those that have purchased and want to respect your privacy by not including your actual names.

Again, this is for the first batch of 6, I will be doing another run. I will manage the orders first come first served. I plan to start shipping within the next week.

77-90 Hitches need a little more trial fitting before I'm ready to start offering those, but they are coming soon.
Thank you!

Michael
KDS-Performance
www.kds-performance.com

2 Sold, 4 Left.