Off-road trucks are still alive and well, especially in southern California, where a quick jaunt down the freeway can land you in some of the country's premier desert playgrounds. A problem for many off-road enthusiasts is the ability to tow their other toys, gear, and belongings behind the primary off-road rig. Spare tire holders, shock hoops protruding through the bed, air compressors, etc., limit the useable bed space for a serious off-road enthusiast and a trailer is often a must-have commodity. Custom bumpers, steel cages, or building a strong hitch from welded sheetmetal are typical solutions, but we found a perfect fit in Street Scene Equipment's Hidden Street Hitch series. Load rated at 5,000 pounds maximum trailer weight, these hitches are very strong and will suffice for most applications. You may be wondering how a street hitch could solve an off-road truck problem? Easy. Street Scene designed its hitches to be placed behind one of its roll pans for a clean, stealth appearance. This same philosophy could be used on an off-road truck without a bumper-the hitch would tuck up neatly to the bed, be a completely functional hitch, while also strengthening the frame and providing added safety. If it sounds too good to be true-it's not.
To get the hitch on the truck in a timely fashion, we contacted Summit Racing, who carries a full line of Street Scene parts. For under $200, Summit had the hitch in stock and ready to ship. A couple clicks of the mouse later and our part was on the way. Check out how we bolted on a Street Scene Hidden Street Hitch in just a matter of minutes and in doing so, gave our off-road truck added functionality without sacrificing good looks.
Arriving to the Truckin' Speed...
Arriving to the Truckin' Speed Shop, this off-road Ranger was in need of a tow hitch that could pass the owner's request for complete functionality and good looks.
After opening the box from...
After opening the box from Summit Racing, we checked out the Street Scene Hidden Street Hitch that is load rated for a maximum 5,000 pounds.
On a lowered truck application...
On a lowered truck application with a roll pan, the hitch would be mounted in this orientation, however we had different plans for the hitch.
Turning the hitch upside down,...
Turning the hitch upside down, we aligned the hitch bolt holes with the preexisting holes in the frame and started tightening the supplied bolts.
Using a 13/16-inch socket...
Using a 13/16-inch socket and wrench, each bolt was torqued down with the supplied flat washers.
This shot gives you a good...
This shot gives you a good idea of how much stronger the rear frame was after the hitch was installed. A virtual 90-degree union of thick steel, the hitch reinforced the frame at each end.