hitch available for the DJ ?

[Lobitz68]

Have you verified that it will fit? That would be my only concern. I would look at Mopar wholesalers online and see what you can find.I'd search for you, but on every wholesaler site I've been on you can't just paste a link to the search, it makes you start a new search every time. I've also heard that a place called Lee's sells some of the older Mopar parts that you can't get at the dealer anymore, that may be worth a shot.

Edit: Not sure if you being in Canada makes this option more difficult, but I think most of these are US retailers...

Edited May 8, 2014 by Lobitz68

[Windancer]

please send picture would like to see

Paul

Sorry I never got you message until now, I will take photos tonight when I get home.

Terry

[Windancer]

Have you verified that it will fit? That would be my only concern. I would look at Mopar wholesalers online and see what you can find.I'd search for you, but on every wholesaler site I've been on you can't just paste a link to the search, it makes you start a new search every time. I've also heard that a place called Lee's sells some of the older Mopar parts that you can't get at the dealer anymore, that may be worth a shot.

Edit: Not sure if you being in Canada makes this option more difficult, but I think most of these are US retailers...

Paul

I will ask my dealer for my part numbers on my car.

Just checked with my dealer on my work order back in August of 2010 the part used was 82210403AB and the vertical Receiver was 82208642AB. I really hope this helps.

Terry

Edited May 8, 2014 by Windancer

[webslave]

It really isn't a viable option any longer. There was a period, a couple of years ago now, when MOPAR changed the design of the hitch. That period between the old hitch and the new ones being produced was long; a year or there abouts. During that time, everyone was screaming for a hitch for their car and I'm sure every nook and cranny was searched to try and fill the demand and I doubt that you'll find one that was "overlooked" and laying about.

Now as for why they changed; the answer is strength and towing liability. As long as you used MOPAR's custom trailer hitch, things would be OK, but, as soon as someone wanted to use a bicycle rack or hitch platform, an adapter had to be used, that adapter being a right angle bar/receiver combination. As soon as the adapter is used, the tow rating of the hitch went into the dumpster; adapters reduce a hitch receiver's rating anywhere from 30 to 60% depending on the adapter type. MOPAR, legally, would have been off the hook because the hitch equipment came with such a warning (I don't have one, but, I'm sure there was some sort of "legalese" that warned of none standard usage) and the adapters would have come with the warning also, but, that wouldn't have mitigated the legal hassle and the customer dissatisfaction of having 4 bikes spread down a highway, other cars insurance companies suing because they hit said bikes, etc. or that load platform with a generator attached, bouncing merrily down the roadway. Way to cure the problem? Redesign the hitch to what you see today...the standard horizontal receiver. A known entity, very strong, many attachments designed for them and, unfortunately, butt ugly and a hazard to your shins. It isn't just a DJ issue, almost any vehicle that wasn't designed to be a tow machine (and most vehicles, the DJ included weren't designed as tow machines) have body designs that require said receiver to stick far enough out to clear the bodywork when accessories are hung from them. I've towed RVs for more years than I like to think about and boats before that, and machines that are designed to be tow machines have the bumpers and bodywork designed around the receiver so that it doesn't protrude.

Edited May 8, 2014 by webslave

[Windancer]

It really isn't a viable option any longer. There was a period, a couple of years ago now, when MOPAR changed the design of the hitch. That period between the old hitch and the new ones being produced was long; a year or there abouts. During that time, everyone was screaming for a hitch for their car and I'm sure every nook and cranny was searched to try and fill the demand and I doubt that you'll find one that was "overlooked" and laying about..

Thanks Webslave for your post. I must admit that I really haven't towed too much when it comes to different items. All I have really towed is my trailered 18' boat with an outboard motor and now my kayak trailer. I truly have no idea what the boat and trailer weighed but the kayak trailer weighs maybe 300 pounds and 2 kayaks probably 65 pounds each, plus a gear box at maybe 75-100 pounds so my car doesn't tow a very big load.

Terry

Edited May 8, 2014 by Windancer

[journeyfamily]

Paul

I will ask my dealer for my part numbers on my car.

Just checked with my dealer on my work order back in August of 2010 the part used was 82210403AB and the vertical Receiver was 82208642AB. I really hope this helps.

Terry

Thanks Terry

thats the part # im trying to find, but i cant locate one at the moment but will kep looking

[journeyfamily]

It really isn't a viable option any longer. There was a period, a couple of years ago now, when MOPAR changed the design of the hitch. That period between the old hitch and the new ones being produced was long; a year or there abouts. During that time, everyone was screaming for a hitch for their car and I'm sure every nook and cranny was searched to try and fill the demand and I doubt that you'll find one that was "overlooked" and laying about.

Now as for why they changed; the answer is strength and towing liability. As long as you used MOPAR's custom trailer hitch, things would be OK, but, as soon as someone wanted to use a bicycle rack or hitch platform, an adapter had to be used, that adapter being a right angle bar/receiver combination. As soon as the adapter is used, the tow rating of the hitch went into the dumpster; adapters reduce a hitch receiver's rating anywhere from 30 to 60% depending on the adapter type. MOPAR, legally, would have been off the hook because the hitch equipment came with such a warning (I don't have one, but, I'm sure there was some sort of "legalese" that warned of none standard usage) and the adapters would have come with the warning also, but, that wouldn't have mitigated the legal hassle and the customer dissatisfaction of having 4 bikes spread down a highway, other cars insurance companies suing because they hit said bikes, etc. or that load platform with a generator attached, bouncing merrily down the roadway. Way to cure the problem? Redesign the hitch to what you see today...the standard horizontal receiver. A known entity, very strong, many attachments designed for them and, unfortunately, butt ugly and a hazard to your shins. It isn't just a DJ issue, almost any vehicle that wasn't designed to be a tow machine (and most vehicles, the DJ included weren't designed as tow machines) have body designs that require said receiver to stick far enough out to clear the bodywork when accessories are hung from them. I've towed RVs for more years than I like to think about and boats before that, and machines that are designed to be tow machines have the bumpers and bodywork designed around the receiver so that it doesn't protrude.

thank you for that, it was very interesting, does anyone know if any of the aftermarket hitchs fit better than another, i here curt is ok, but i think curt hidden hitch and drawtite are the same company

[Lobitz68]

Have you looked at the scrap yard? May be a DJ or two in one near you... Could pull the hitch off of one of them.

[webslave]

thank you for that, it was very interesting, does anyone know if any of the aftermarket hitchs fit better than another, i here curt is ok, but i think curt hidden hitch and drawtite are the same company

I suspect that they are all going to be the same with the exception of the lateral tubes that connect the receiver to the DJ's frame..."V" shaped or arched. Any hitch is going to have to clear the spare and stick out far enough for a vertical bike rack to clear that bulbous bumper. Attachment points are going to be the same, so, the "fit", too, will be the same.

Have you looked at the scrap yard? May be a DJ or two in one near you... Could pull the hitch off of one of them.

This will probably be your only chance at one of the old verticle style hitches...and those may be scarce, i.e., they more than likely weren't a "hot seller" (they were pricey), a lot of them may still on the road (the DJ is new enough that, for the most part, only totaled units will be in junk yards) and given that most of those are going to be totaled and half of those totaled will be from rear-end collisions, the hitch, if there, is probably bent. I don't know how many of those hitches were installed in the short duration that they were even available, but, a junk yard is likely to be your best bet.

[journeyfamily]

i have tried scrap yards so looks like im going the horizontal way

[cskmom]

i have tried scrap yards so looks like im going the horizontal way

Isn't this the prefered way when it comes to it?