Front Hitch Installed on Lightning - Good news

[Tom Jensen]

I had searched in vain for a front hitch for my 2023 Lariat. Several months ago, Garrett Blake posted photos here of a hitch he had fabricated. It looked solid, I asked (begged, really) if he’d make one for me, and he agreed. Bless him. The hitch arrived recently, installed in about 15 minutes, and works like a charm. It is engineered with precision, built like a tank, and will meet all my needs for boat trailer maneuvering, bike rack carrying, surf fishing gear hauling, and all the rest. Like any hand-made work of art, it wasn’t inexpensive, but it absolutely is worth every penny.

Here are some photos:

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[Iroc34a]

Quality or cheap. Can't have them both.
Quality right there! Looks good too !

 

[Tom Jensen]

Quality or cheap. Can't have them both.
Quality right there! Looks good too !

I believe that Mr. Blake is trained as an engineer. The design of the hitch shows meticulous attention to detail, right down to the smallest features. Even the hand-made shipping crate was a model of careful thought and execution.

 

[Bwanapete]

I think I want to buy one for my ‘22 Lariat. How do I make contact? What was the cost?

 

[PrimeRisk]

Wow, that thing is gorgeous! That is true craftmanship right there.

 

[Ricks Lightning]

Do you have any idea what the tongue weight rating is?
Do you keep the tow hook loop adapters on and only remove the hitch when not in use?
yes a cleaver idea without any vehicle modifications.
Rick

 

[Tom Jensen]

Do you have any idea what the tongue weight rating is?
Do you keep the tow hook loop adapters on and only remove the hitch when not in use?
yes a cleaver idea without any vehicle modifications.
Rick

Yes. I keep the brackets/adapters on and remove the hitch when I know I won’t be needing it. It’s very simple and smart design. Also, I use locking pins to hold the hitch to the brackets - I don’t want anyone to walk away with this beauty. I do not know the tongue weight. My uses do not come close to pushing the probable limits. I’d encourage you to write Mr. Blake to see if he’s done a calculation.

 

[Sneakypetie78]

Looks quite skookum! However it will/can impede front sensors and cameras. I'm sure you've found this thusfar.

 

[Maquis]

This thread jogged a memory from my past. 40 years ago, I was pulling my bass boat with my Jeep CJ and decided I wanted to be able to go camping on my fishing trips. Got rid of the CJ and bought an Econoline cargo van that I made into a camper. I was used to the ease in backing a trailer with the CJ. Great visibility and short wheelbase. The van was horrible in both respects. So I fabbed a front hitch bracket thinking that was the ticket for backing my boat in and out.

I tried it exactly one time before I figured out unhooking and re-hitching was way more of a pain in the ass than learning how to back up a trailer the right way using the side mirrors. Never used the front hitch again.

 

[Tom Jensen]

This thread jogged a memory from my past. 40 years ago, I was pulling my bass boat with my Jeep CJ and decided I wanted to be able to go camping on my fishing trips. Got rid of the CJ and bought an Econoline cargo van that I made into a camper. I was used to the ease in backing a trailer with the CJ. Great visibility and short wheelbase. The van was horrible in both respects. So I fabbed a front hitch bracket thinking that was the ticket for backing my boat in and out.

I tried it exactly one time before I figured out unhooking and re-hitching was way more of a pain in the ass than learning how to back up a trailer the right way using the side mirrors. Never used the front hitch again.

Thst’s something to be proud of for sure. I find a front hitch very useful for precise maneuvering of a boat trailer into and out of my boathouse. I’ve got about 2” clearance on either side after folding the mirrors in and, to make things more interesting, the boathouse and ramp are not on the same axis; the ramp is angled about 15 degrees relative to the boathouse. So, one has to turn within that tight space. And to make it even more interesting, the length of the boathouse is about 1” shorter than the trailer and boat. When leaving the boat in the boathouse, I remove the hitch from the trailer tongue so front and rear doors can close. Even after many years of successful trailering with trucks and SUVs, I welcome the advantages provided by a front hitch. Beats the heck out of crunching transom or trailer into a wall or post. It’s also a great place for rod holders, cooler racks, and bike racks when pulling a trailer.

 

[Maquis]

Thst’s something to be proud of for sure. I find a front hitch very useful for precise maneuvering of a boat trailer into and out of my boathouse. I’ve got about 2” clearance on either side after folding the mirrors in and, to make things more interesting, the boathouse and ramp are not on the same axis; the ramp is angled about 15 degrees relative to the boathouse. So, one has to turn within that tight space. And to make it even more interesting, the length of the boathouse is about 1” shorter than the trailer and boat. When leaving the boat in the boathouse, I remove the hitch from the trailer tongue so front and rear doors can close. Even after many years of successful trailering with trucks and SUVs, I welcome the advantages provided by a front hitch. Beats the heck out of crunching transom or trailer into a wall or post. It’s also a great place for rod holders, cooler racks, and bike racks when pulling a trailer.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t my intention to diss your use case. What you’ve done looks fantastic and useful for all the things you plan to use it for. I’m just an old guy and it made me smile that your post jogged this memory!

 

[Sneakypetie78]

Add any of the accessories the OP spoke of, and therein lies the issue.

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