Mil T
Full Access Member
This modification came in 3 parts. 1. Raise the stock tow hitch up approx 2-3 inches. 2. Build new prerunner bumper. 3 Dove tail bed. All to establish better clearance in the rear.
I started out removing the rear stock bumper. I saw that the tow receiver hitch used 3 bolts on each side for mounting to the frame. The upper mounting area on the hitch was very long and the angle looked like it would work to remove the upper bolt holes and cut the mounting area off by 2-3 inches. Because of the angle of the mounting tabs on the stock bar and frame, I had to add a new mounting tab for where the stock bolt holes were located. This was done by using a ½ inch thick plate plasma cut to fit the mounting area of the hitch and extend it out to where the stock mounting holes on the frame were located. For added strength from losing one of the bolt holes I added a tab made from ½ inch plate along the frame rail and used grade 8 hardware to attach it. It’s as strong if not stronger than OEM. The following pictures shows what I did.
Hitch after cutting top bolt holes off of stock hitch and adding ½ inch plate for new mounting holes.
Here you can see the ½ inch plate I added to run along frame rail.
Here you see the ½ inch plate I added to extend the OEM mounting tabs out for the stock hole mounts. I trimmed the bolt plate that used to hold 3 bolts down to 2.
Now on to the bumper.
I decided to use 1.5 inch 120 wall round steel tubing. I did the bends I wanted. I mounted the top piece and then welded the bottom tube in place at the angle I wanted. My idea was to extend bottom piece out to match the receiver tube and to create an area for a step and to mount the towing electrical plug up and out of the way.
I’m just going to add the pictures as I was building. I also used some 3x3 inch 16 gauge angle for my step area and 4 inch 16 gauge plate for the fill in area for mounting back up lights at a later date.
Here is the semi finished product. I still have back up lights to install along with more grinding and filling in for smoother cleaner look. I will also be adding some expanded metal on the step.
You can see that the trailer wiring plug fits nicely and out of the way.
At this point I moved on to dove tailing the bed behind the rear tire.
This was pretty easy to do actually. I wanted to be a little different in the way it would end up looking. I thought for a more factory look that trimming the fender at the angle you see it would be ok but also trimming the piece under the fender that holds the stock oem plastic guard so that it stayed attached to the remaining portion of the fender would look better. So instead of just cutting the whole fender at the angle off, I cut a V out of it and worked on bending and welding the two pieces back together as I went. Then with grinding and welding to make it look smooth, I used some glazing compound to fill pinholes and covered it with Rustoleum bed liner spray.
I’m sorry I did not get pictures of the process. I’m really terrible about taking pictures as I go. So what you are seeing is the finished product as it was completed so far.
I’m happy with the way the dovetailing turned out and I was able to create much more clearance for those U type dips that we sometime encounter.
My project is complete with the installation of the license plate lights, backup lights and raising the exhaust.
I started out removing the rear stock bumper. I saw that the tow receiver hitch used 3 bolts on each side for mounting to the frame. The upper mounting area on the hitch was very long and the angle looked like it would work to remove the upper bolt holes and cut the mounting area off by 2-3 inches. Because of the angle of the mounting tabs on the stock bar and frame, I had to add a new mounting tab for where the stock bolt holes were located. This was done by using a ½ inch thick plate plasma cut to fit the mounting area of the hitch and extend it out to where the stock mounting holes on the frame were located. For added strength from losing one of the bolt holes I added a tab made from ½ inch plate along the frame rail and used grade 8 hardware to attach it. It’s as strong if not stronger than OEM. The following pictures shows what I did.
Hitch after cutting top bolt holes off of stock hitch and adding ½ inch plate for new mounting holes.
Here you can see the ½ inch plate I added to run along frame rail.
Here you see the ½ inch plate I added to extend the OEM mounting tabs out for the stock hole mounts. I trimmed the bolt plate that used to hold 3 bolts down to 2.
Now on to the bumper.
I decided to use 1.5 inch 120 wall round steel tubing. I did the bends I wanted. I mounted the top piece and then welded the bottom tube in place at the angle I wanted. My idea was to extend bottom piece out to match the receiver tube and to create an area for a step and to mount the towing electrical plug up and out of the way.
I’m just going to add the pictures as I was building. I also used some 3x3 inch 16 gauge angle for my step area and 4 inch 16 gauge plate for the fill in area for mounting back up lights at a later date.
Here is the semi finished product. I still have back up lights to install along with more grinding and filling in for smoother cleaner look. I will also be adding some expanded metal on the step.
You can see that the trailer wiring plug fits nicely and out of the way.
At this point I moved on to dove tailing the bed behind the rear tire.
This was pretty easy to do actually. I wanted to be a little different in the way it would end up looking. I thought for a more factory look that trimming the fender at the angle you see it would be ok but also trimming the piece under the fender that holds the stock oem plastic guard so that it stayed attached to the remaining portion of the fender would look better. So instead of just cutting the whole fender at the angle off, I cut a V out of it and worked on bending and welding the two pieces back together as I went. Then with grinding and welding to make it look smooth, I used some glazing compound to fill pinholes and covered it with Rustoleum bed liner spray.
I’m sorry I did not get pictures of the process. I’m really terrible about taking pictures as I go. So what you are seeing is the finished product as it was completed so far.
I’m happy with the way the dovetailing turned out and I was able to create much more clearance for those U type dips that we sometime encounter.
My project is complete with the installation of the license plate lights, backup lights and raising the exhaust.
Last edited:
