It has been along time since discussing front mounter receiver hitches. I searched but most of the pictures are missing from the older posts. Has anybody recently mounted a Draw-Tite 65041 front mount receiver to their truck. I would like to use it for a winch. In addition to bolting it in place would there be a disadvantage to welding it as well? Would permanently mounting the receiver not allow me to access the front of the engine or not be able to get something else out?

Bumping this back up - Nobody has recently installed a front mount hitch??

Nope. However, they look decent for the front frame after I make a few mods on it.

If I do one. I going to extend those attachments so I can have 2 more bolts on each side under the frame rails. More like how the back bolts on.

The downside to doing that is that it would remove the crumple zone on the front rails.



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A buddy put one on his 04 Taco, Curt I think, and a superwinch hitch mount, he never used it, a bit of bear to put in when needed, but it works, and you do have access to the skid plate for servicing. I wouldn't weld it, the bolts are stronger than welds, although there's not much to the tow hook square tacked on nut inside the frame. I tucked a warn M8000 right under the bumper, lots of room, mounted to some transport frame cut up to slip over the frame rails and bolt up, I also add metal to the front frame inside and tacked the nuts in place for added support, you going to have a lot of leverage with a hitch mount winch hanging that far out from the frame rails IMO, so careful winching.
crumple zone, 4Rs don't crumple they bounce but I guess it depends if you have fatlip bumper or the regular old school bumper without crush cans

Not the Draw-Tite unit but I did install a Warn front hitch.

https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3045369-post158.html

Did not even know that was an option! Thanks! did you simply just bolt it to the bottom of the frame rails? Did you ever mount a winch to it?

It bolts there, yes, and you have to drill a hole into each frame rail and pop a big grade 8 through it. It's a pretty stout install. It only fits the 96-98 bumpers as far as I can tell.

I have never really had to use it much but I have no doubt it would work great as a recovery point... certainly way better than a hook on a frame rail. That was my main purpose is getting it.

I had the same hitch as JZiggy and agree with him.

I also had the warn w/winch cradle for it, thought it sat pretty low and outward for what I like to do. My skid plate did work with it.

What I initially wrote after install:
It sits just under the bumper valance, about 2" lower than the frame at the bottom. Wish it were a bit higher, even with the frame would be nice being able to have a portable winch will be good.
19 1/2" from the ground at its lowest point.
(had a 3" lift at the time- throwback not-thursday)




Recovery-wise and bike rack wise it was useful at the time. Winch cradle-wise, too low/ approach angle limiting.

All that is sitting in the basement now because I've got a front hitch in the 4xInnovations bumper instead...