Hitch install / 91 sport

[spdy0001]

Well I just got a reese hitch from a fellow member and I started to install it and realized that when I lifted it into place there is a bumper bracket blocking the hitch on both sides. Has anyone else ran into this problem and would you think its ok to grind down the bumper brackets to make room for the hitch? It seems like I am running into this problem because of the lack of space related to my X being a sport. The hitch is kinda getting jammed between the shakles and the bumper braces. Any thoughts?

 

[kponhlo]

Without seeing exactly what you'e talking about grinding its hard to say for sure but my gut tells me losing a little metal isn't going to make anything come apart. My buddy put a '97 hitch on a '98 and had to make some "modifications" to the bumper mounts too. Generally speaking, as long as you have a little experience in these areas, if it looks marginal to you there's probably more than enough metal to do the job - there's a pretty big factor of safety in designing things like bumper mounts. Another rule of thumb - if the metal "flange" around a hole is at least as wide as the hole diameter, you're good to go. Lastly, try not to make any sharp edges, as that's where cracks tend to form.

 

[zip96]

I had the same problem with my wifes 91 4dr. I ended up taking the bumper off and cutting out a small portion of the brackets. I figured I wouldn't tow off of the bumper with the hitch so a little trimming would not be a big issue.