Full size sport utility vehicles (SUVs) often must prove more versatile than purely dedicated off-road machines. For example, duties may include hauling cargo for the household and kids to activities, and pulling boats, campers, or cargo trailers. The enthusiast insists, though, that the vehicle remain capable of negotiating fairly challenging off-road obstacles. Demonstrating ingenuity in modifying the SUV to perform many such seemingly incompatible functions well is part of the fun of ownership.

Toward this end, some time ago I addressed a shortcoming in the setup of my 1983 Dodge Ramcharger (a.k.a. The Old Gray Mare). When I purchased the truck, it had the stock rear chrome bumper and a load distributing Class III 2" receiver hitch bolted to the frame rails along the sides of the fuel tank. This presented three problems.

First, the hitch height was acceptable for standard trailers, but was too low for my use. The trailer which I primarily pull is an M-416 military surplus trailer, the pintle hitch of which is quite high. With a high hitch, I could always drop back down for those rare occasions when I pull a standard hitch height trailer. Second, the receiver was low and extended almost to the bumper, reducing angle of departure. Finally, the standard chrome bumper did not allow access to the roof of the truck, and made climbing in through the back hatch a challenge.

I tend to address problems like this over a long period of time, considering plenty of alternatives before making any changes to the truck. After much contemplation, I finally decided to make a number of modifications:

1. Obtain factory skid plate for rear fuel tank
2. Remove Class III hitch
3. Obtain factory step bumper
4. Fashion custom receiver hitch onto step bumper

The first step necessitated the last 3, as I found that I was unable to fit the Class III hitch over the skid plate. I took the skid plate from a '75 Ramcharger which I gave to my brother as a farm truck. After much searching, I found a standard Ramcharger step bumper (apparently it differs slightly from the one that was put on the pickup trucks) at a junk yard in serviceable condition. Fashioning the receiver hitch, however, required some effort.

The step bumper extends farther back than the standard chrome bumper, reducing angle of departure almost back to what it was originally with the bolt-on receiver hitch. Placing a bolt-on receiver beneath the step bumper, as is commonly done, would have reduced angle of departure to less than the original configuration. Therefore, a local welding shop and I decided to cut a hole in the sheet metal of the step bumper where the license plate would normally mount and place a 2" receiver across the plate where a hitch ball would normally mount. The shop added additional steel behind the step to provide added strength to the receiver. This setup allowed use of standard 2" receiver hitches and accessories while maintaining angle of departure and use of the skid plate and step bumper. I also added two threaded links through the chain holes of the step bumper to simplify connecting and disconnecting trailer safety chains.

Since I had to relocate the license plate anyway, I had the shop cut one of the license plate holes larger to accommodate a standard semi-trailer electrical plug. I still plan to cut out the other hole to handle a standard RV style circle plug. I maintain pigtail cables and adapters to handle the other varieties of trailer electrical plugs. I mounted the license plate using the standard square nylon threaded holders on the driver?s side of the bumper, and added a standard light over it.

For a total investment of less than $200, I was able to increase my angle of departure, raise my hitch height, and provide a convenient step to the back of my truck. I can now more easily access cargo stored in or on the truck, take better advantage of the high hitch height of my trailer, and avoid the "clunk, clunk, clunk" of my receiver hitch slamming against each step along a rock ledge when I go wheeling!