If you install the mopar hitch you loose your recovery hook. Is the hitch strong enough for recovery with a shacke mounted hitch? I would say yes but its only rated at 3500 lbs and looking at my TJ the front tow hooks are rated at 7 or 8 thousand pounds so doesn't that mean a recovery point should be higher than 3500 lbs?

 

recovery points should be mounted close to the frame, I myself would not trust a center mounted hitch unless it has added bracing.

 

I guess the mount is ok, but the stress would be at the pin? That is my concern. Are there two holes on the hitch? Maybe using two pins will help increase the stress rating.

 

The ball mount and pin are rated at 6,000 lb. The hitch is the weakest link.

 

I just received and mounted a hitch receiver on my 4-door JK. It is the aftermarket one that I believe is being manufactured in California - got it off of Ebay. Here is my review of the Hitch Receiver that I received:

1. The part is quite heavy, and solidly constructed. It has a very attractive black crinkle coating on it that is difficult to scratch and seems very durable. Overall, it is a much more substantial pice of equipment than the tow hook that it replaces - probably weighs three times the tow hook.

2. The tow hook that comes with the JK bolts onto the JK with three large bolts. The Hitch receiver is wider than the tow hook and bolts on with four large bolts. One of the bolts is slightly smaller in diameter, and I found out that this was because one of the holes in the bumper is a slightly smaller diameter. (I thought this was just sloppiness on the manufacturer's part of miss-matching bolts) Therefore, the hitch receiver bolted on perfectly and the mounted product is extremely solid. It would definitely not be the weak link! It blended in perfectly with the JK .

 

I thought his concern was with the limit that was on the pin that holds the ball mount in the receiver. The 2" ball mounts are used in recievers up to 6,000 lbs. However not all recievers/vehilcles can pull 6,000 lbs. That was the statement I was trying to make. I did not mean to infer that the hitch was of bad design. I put one on mine, and consider it substantial. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

 

I don't think I would use a ball mount at a recovery point but a shackle mounted into the hitch. I guess it would be strong enough tho, on my TJ the rear tow hook is only held by two bolts and the hitch is held by 4. I guess if in doubt use a higher grade bolt and a strong pin.