I'm looking to buy a class III 2" hitch for my 01...

uhaul wants 145+tax sent to local store, hitchesonline.com wants 177 shipped. I keep reading that guys get theirs for under 125, but where? I'd like a hidden hitch or similar design, so only the port and chain loops are exposed. It'd just be to pull our 18' car hauler home from the storage yard when empty (we use the Ram when loaded), but I dont trust the bumper pull even with the empty trailer to go the 5 miles to the storage facility. eTrailer wants 134 + shipping for ClassII and 165 for class III.

Also, the trailer is wired for the Ram's 7/8 pin harness, how hard would it be to wire that socket into the Dak wiring, and where would I want to mount the socket?

 

Check your local junk yards, usually they will charge maybe $75, and you can get a complete wiring harness from autozone, or any other auto parts store for around $25-$35 bucks, and they are plug and play.

 

^^^ That is the way to go. I got mine for my dak for 50 at our local salvage yard.

 

What tools, and would durangos be the same? I know when i went bumper hunting, there was 1 dakota and 2 durangos across the 5 local domestic junkyards. I wouldn't know if they had the receivers or not, i was shopping at the opposite end.

 

Do any of the yard's keep track of there part's with an inventory list? Give them a call and see if they know what they have got. I think they frames are a different width, but I have no clue, best bet would be to take a tape measure with you and measure them out. As far as tools, I think all of mine have been 3/4" bolt's and nut's. Some differ, but take a small tool bag, a tape measure, and find what your looking for, nothing a day of hunting around wont cure. Plus, what you will be spending of your own time you will be saving on the pocket book

 

i picked up a reese class III hitch for $125. i got it at pepboys i think.
you can see it in my sig its not really hidden but i don't mind.

 

Do you have a body lift? Sure seems exposed + alot of fender clearance. I want something that's halfway tucked up under, or at least looks good if it has to be exposed. Sport trucks weren't meant to tow

 

I've wanted- and been looking for- a frame mount Class III hitch for my new 02 since I got it a few weeks ago. Haven't bought one yet, but have looked a lot- and keep coming back to one deal.

JC Whitney has Curt brand hitches for our Dakotas in two versions. One is the old-fashioned square-tubing, that shows a lot under the rear bumper. Price is $140(Let's agree that $139.99 = $140, OK? Thanks)

You mentioned:"I'd like a hidden hitch or similar design, so only the port and chain loops are exposed".Me too- luckily they have one of those also! $143 for the round-tubing hidden version. At Whitney, both these hitches currently offer a free ball mount, Curt brand, 2" drop, Class III, with purchase. You supply ball & pin.

Shipping estimate to my NE Texas zip was $20.

Whitney Coupons & discount codes are available online. Google "JC Whitney Coupons/discount codes/etc. You should fnd some for % off, some for free shipping. Be warned- as far as I can tell you can't combine 'em. Best one I've seen lately is for 20% off on purchase over $100- and it disappeared a few minutes ago. Just keep searching around, you may find free shipping, or 10, 15,maybe eanother 20% off coupon. A 15% off of $143 is worth more than $20 shipping- but only by about a buck & a half!

Link to the Curt round-tubing "hidden" hitch at JC Whtney, type in your truck details: http://www.jcwhitney.com/class-iii-r...questid=672994

Link to the best JCW coupons I found- wait, the 20% off is back!: http://www.shopaneer.com/store/jcwhitney.com

If that works, with no tax, should be less than $135 shipped for hitch & free ball mount.

Wiring- A few companies make a snap-in, no splicing or cutting needed trailer wiring harness for our Dakotas. I bought a Hoppy #42115, new old stock, on FleaBay for about $21 shipped. It works up through 2003 or so, but the packaging was so old it only mentioned thru 1997! Still, it beat paying $30-$35 for the same thing. But- these are for the flat 4-pin trailer harness. Still, it might be the easiest thing to put one of these in, & then get a 4 pin to 7 pin adapter kit. Or maybe someone makes a direct snap-in 7-pin setup. I dunno- try Googling Dakota Trailer Harness or similar. For the round 7 pin sockets, most people seem to mount 'em on the underside of the bumper.

Good luck, & let us know what you get.

 

i never put a lift on it myself, but i bought it used so maybe a 1" body lift.
mines really tucked in there becasue when i go to put my trailer on it barely
clears the bumper. i think the hidden hitchs stick out farther from the bumper.

and small trucks weren't meant to have a v8 but i still got one

 

WOW. Thank for showing me this! makes me much more hopeful.

I'm an electrical guru. Wanna bet I can't get one of those 4 pin harness, and cut the 7 pin off a junkyard truck?

I'll poke around the junkyards, see if they have any daks w/ hitch. It's 1997 to 2003, correct? How do I check year by VIN?