Trailer Hitch

[naossoan]

Hi all,

Long story short I'm moving halfway across the country on my own dime, and hell if I'm going to pay $2000 to rent a U-Haul truck, so I'm just going to rent one of their 5 x 8 trailers instead for $200 and tow it myself.

I've got a 2.8 SWB 4M40 engine. My truck right now has a tow hook apparently bolded on to the back where what appears a trailer hitch may be able to go.

If I unbolt that tow hook, will a hitch fit in there? How hard is it to wire up the lights for a trailer? Simple as a wiring kit attached to the battery kind of deal or what? I've never had a vehicle that has been able to tow anything before, let alone actually towed anything so I have no idea where to even start. Is it stuff I can just go pick up at Canadian tire? Including the hitch?

I've read that this truck should be able to tow around 4000lbs which should be good enough, I don't have a shitload of stuff.

[LeeHammy]

I guess by asking if you unbolt the hook can you insert a hitch that means you haven't tried unbolting it yourself. It's solid behind that hook. You need to search on the web and find one that will bolt onto where the rear step will or find one that will bolt on like the hook just with the hitch fitting on it. You can just get a tow wiring kit from crappy tire and follow the instructions. Should be straight forward. Watch those hills with the little 4m40 and use your OD button efficiently and keep the rpm over 2000 and under 3200 max. Having a pyro is a very good idea. Just be glad its winter and sucking in cold air.

[sasquatch-hunter]

Princess Auto sells a pintle hitch adaptor plate (for 2" receiver). If you need one quick, that's the way to go(they hang down a bit). Otherwise, I have seen some import stores sell the actual 2" receiver tube that is a direct bolt on.

[Dino]

http://www.canadianhitches.ca/shop/?fin ... 872|329595

Looks like these should work, not certain of the bumper clearance though.

[GISdood]

I think the actual brand of hitch on my 93 LWB might be different, but in style & size it looks identical to this model from that previous link posted:


http://www.canadianhitches.ca/shop/curt ... ch-121810/

[Pajero]

I bought one similar to that curt hitch from maximumoverdrive.com just bolts on.

Joe

[naossoan]

Oh sweet that looks perfect. Bumper clearance is a non issue because the portion with the trailer hitch is all indented in and whatever.

This should work great. Thanks!

[Torqueluvr]

Uhaul sells a pintle bolt-on style hitch for a round $60 - similar to the Curt ones. you just have to find a location that carries it. I saw it AFTER I bought one from 4wheelauto in Edmonton for $130.

Good Luck!

T

[naossoan]

What is a Pyro? Someone mentioned up there "having a pyro is a good idea."

Also I bought this hitch instead.

http://www.canadianhitches.ca/?s=CURT+T ... pe=product

It's a Class III instead of a Class II like the one listed above. Not sure why you would need the one posted above over the one I just posted.

I'll let-chall know how it works out.

[pajerry]

I wouldn't worry about a pyro. Just watch your temp gauge on long climbs and with head winds, Im sure you'll watch your speed with that much weight regardless.

I installed a pyro, but have rarely looked at it after the first couple hard summer drives Aftermarket coolant gauge has way more relevance in every day driving conditions, I have seen it get to pretty scary temps before your stock gauge shows any readings.

Good luck with the move! Ya heading East or West?

[thedjjack]

problem with a diesel is you can get EGT so hot you can melt a piston, valve, or head...

EGT spikes very fast and coolant temperature will not show the melting temperature (takes huge amount of energy to melt change the temperature of coolant)...

Stock properly tuned should not reach those temperatures....but pulling a heavy trailer up a long step climb or into a head wind??

I have one that RichD sells...I like it as it has a light you set to go off at a danger temperature...I never look at mine until the blue light goes off....

Gauge was cheep, cylinder head not so cheap...

[Mr. Flibble]

What is a Pyro? Someone mentioned up there "having a pyro is a good idea."

Also I bought this hitch instead.

http://www.canadianhitches.ca/?s=CURT+T ... pe=product

It's a Class III instead of a Class II like the one listed above. Not sure why you would need the one posted above over the one I just posted.

I'll let-chall know how it works out.

An explanation (and unfortunately also an advertisement) can be found here about a Pyro:

http://www.bankspower.com/techarticles/ ... -Important

Or, from Wikipedia:

An exhaust gas temperature gauge (EGT gauge) is a automotive meter used to monitor the exhaust gas temperature of an internal combustion engine or rotary engine in conjunction with a thermocouple-type pyrometer. By monitoring EGT, the driver can get an idea of the car's air-fuel ratio. At a balanced air-fuel ratio, the exhaust gas temperature is lower than that in a lean or rich air-fuel ratio. High temperatures (typically above 1600 degrees F) can be an indicator of dangerous conditions that can lead to catastrophic engine failure.

Applications

This meter is most used in tuning turbo-equipped cars. If the sensor is installed at the manifold collector before the turbo, the turbine inlet temperature can be monitored. If the sensor is installed after the turbo, the exhaust temperature can be monitored. Because EGT will typically drop 200-300 degrees F across the turbine, installers in general will try to put the thermocouple as close to the cylinder head as possible to give a true reading that will require less mental math to read properly, and a reading that will react faster to the engine's condition compared to an installation after the turbo.

In short, when towing a load, or doing anything that could put your diesel under high load, you can reach a condition where your exhaust gases are extremely hot, starting the beginnings of damaging your engine - but you might not see this in your coolant temperature at all, or perhaps not in time. Due to conditions such as a strong headwind, your radiator could be dumping much of your waste heat, so your engine coolant temp does not show any change, but your turbo or cyl head is about to melt.

This is not a common thing to have happen, but when towing a trailer combined with a hill or an oncoming wind, or any combination of factors you could have a problem and not know about it until it is too late.

A Pyro is best placed in a plate where you cover up your EGR valve on the 4M40 engine (because the EGR should be removed anyways) and this gives you the best reading of the temperature of your exhaust.

[naossoan]

Ok well it sounds like a good idea. Where do I get it and is it easy to install myself/any instructions for installing?

Thanks

[Mr. Flibble]

There are LOTS of posts on the forum, just search for pyrometer install or EGT install.

Here is one example: http://www.delica.ca/forum/boost-and-py ... 10720.html

[thedjjack]

Delica Google EGR blanking plate (you want the one with the threaded hole for the thermal couple)

I like RichD kit (install is not bad need to run wire from thermonuclear and a 12V power supply (he has the blanking plates as well)

or any parts store will have a Autometer or someone gauge (very common item)...but I like the warning light on RichD style gauge.

Try this tread http://www.delica.ca/forum/pyro-and-boo ... 66-90.html