Today Emily made a grocery run off the mountain.
She brought back my Curt 13401 class 3 receiver hitch along with the mail.
So after work I bolted it on to my 1986 M1009.
Was slightly different than a civy Blazer install.
1. The square tube bar that connects the two halves of the "military" hitch bracketry had to be removed.
2. The metal loops that hold the safety chains on the military bumper required bending upward to clear the hitch.
3. There is an existing bolt on each side through the frame rails associated with the military pintle hooks that helps/hinders installation and requires a trick.
First I removed the military square tube at the bottom of the bumper.
Then I fished the square washers included with the hitch through the back of the frame and into position over the existing unused hole in the frame.
Next I used duct tape and a calibrated stick to drop the forward hitch bolts into the square washers and through the hole in the frame rail.
Then I removed the existing rear most bolts occupying the holes the hitch uses just forward of the bumper and accesible between the bumper and tailgate.
Now for the "trick".
Due to the bolts holding the military pintle brackets being in the way of simply putting the hitch directly up to the frame;
I left the included rear most hitch bolts out and slid the back of the hitch bracket between the pintle bolts and the frame then pivoted it up on those pintle bolt till I could get the forward hitch nuts threaded on loosely.
Then It was just a matter of lining up the rear most holes and dropping the last two hitch bolts in and snugging everything up.
It sounds complicated so I included pictures.
You'll see what I mean if you ever do one.
The stick trick.View attachment 698471View attachment 698472Bending the military chain loops.View attachment 698473
Below this hole is a bolt that the rear tab of the hitch needs to be slid over pinching the hitch tab between the frame and that bolt.View attachment 698474View attachment 698475
It looks low to the ground but I am backed up to a bump in the ground to facilitate the installView attachment 698476
This is the square tube that is removed to clear the hitch.View attachment 698477
I got to keep my license plate bracket by doing it this way and most of the rear bumpers integrity as well.
Tools used;
3/4" x 1/2 drive socket, 6 inch extension, 1/2"ratchet
3/4" open/box wrench
5/8" x 3/8 drive socket, 3/8" ratchet
5/8" open/box wrench.
Hi Lift jack to bend the military chain loops upwards to clear the hitch.
duct tape and a stick I found in the forest.
wd 40 rust breaker.
I will wire up a 4 way trailer connector tomorrow.
The M1009 already has all the wiring right there so the T3 connector I bought is not really needed.
Just a plain 4 way pigtail will work.
NO DRILLING WAS REQUIRED
No, I will not be towing a 30' house boat with my 6.2.
Just need to shuttle trailers now and then and have a backup for my 76 K5 this winter when we take the garbage trailer off the mountain every two weeks.
I haul the garbage trailer over the snow on a big set of steel skis using a 1972 Thiokol Snowcat.
Get it to the nearest plowed road and take it the rest of the way with my 76 K5.
Dump the garbage in town, fill the trailer with beer and packages for the lodge and reverse the process.
I will try not to use my M1009 for such duty since I know they weren't made for such duty.
But life happens and I would rather have the hitch and not need it than need it and not have the option at all... aaanndd..
Now I have a valid excuse to buy a receiver mount winch setup!
I really didn't need an excuse but now I have one!
She brought back my Curt 13401 class 3 receiver hitch along with the mail.
So after work I bolted it on to my 1986 M1009.
Was slightly different than a civy Blazer install.
1. The square tube bar that connects the two halves of the "military" hitch bracketry had to be removed.
2. The metal loops that hold the safety chains on the military bumper required bending upward to clear the hitch.
3. There is an existing bolt on each side through the frame rails associated with the military pintle hooks that helps/hinders installation and requires a trick.
First I removed the military square tube at the bottom of the bumper.
Then I fished the square washers included with the hitch through the back of the frame and into position over the existing unused hole in the frame.
Next I used duct tape and a calibrated stick to drop the forward hitch bolts into the square washers and through the hole in the frame rail.
Then I removed the existing rear most bolts occupying the holes the hitch uses just forward of the bumper and accesible between the bumper and tailgate.
Now for the "trick".
Due to the bolts holding the military pintle brackets being in the way of simply putting the hitch directly up to the frame;
I left the included rear most hitch bolts out and slid the back of the hitch bracket between the pintle bolts and the frame then pivoted it up on those pintle bolt till I could get the forward hitch nuts threaded on loosely.
Then It was just a matter of lining up the rear most holes and dropping the last two hitch bolts in and snugging everything up.
It sounds complicated so I included pictures.
You'll see what I mean if you ever do one.
The stick trick.View attachment 698471View attachment 698472Bending the military chain loops.View attachment 698473
Below this hole is a bolt that the rear tab of the hitch needs to be slid over pinching the hitch tab between the frame and that bolt.View attachment 698474View attachment 698475
It looks low to the ground but I am backed up to a bump in the ground to facilitate the installView attachment 698476
This is the square tube that is removed to clear the hitch.View attachment 698477
I got to keep my license plate bracket by doing it this way and most of the rear bumpers integrity as well.
Tools used;
3/4" x 1/2 drive socket, 6 inch extension, 1/2"ratchet
3/4" open/box wrench
5/8" x 3/8 drive socket, 3/8" ratchet
5/8" open/box wrench.
Hi Lift jack to bend the military chain loops upwards to clear the hitch.
duct tape and a stick I found in the forest.
wd 40 rust breaker.
I will wire up a 4 way trailer connector tomorrow.
The M1009 already has all the wiring right there so the T3 connector I bought is not really needed.
Just a plain 4 way pigtail will work.
NO DRILLING WAS REQUIRED
No, I will not be towing a 30' house boat with my 6.2.
Just need to shuttle trailers now and then and have a backup for my 76 K5 this winter when we take the garbage trailer off the mountain every two weeks.
I haul the garbage trailer over the snow on a big set of steel skis using a 1972 Thiokol Snowcat.
Get it to the nearest plowed road and take it the rest of the way with my 76 K5.
Dump the garbage in town, fill the trailer with beer and packages for the lodge and reverse the process.
I will try not to use my M1009 for such duty since I know they weren't made for such duty.
But life happens and I would rather have the hitch and not need it than need it and not have the option at all... aaanndd..
Now I have a valid excuse to buy a receiver mount winch setup!
I really didn't need an excuse but now I have one!
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