Making a Class III Hitch?

My father-in-law just bought a 1995 Buick Roadmaster Estate (wagon) with the full factory towing prep package. It only needs a hitch and trailer wiring. Apparently Class III hitches are no longer being made by anyone. Not good. I can get a Class II hitch no problem, but I'm worried my FIL will overload it (he has a history of stuff like that).

So, has anyone had a hitch fabricated before? Should I just look for a welding shop or maybe a RV store?

Slefain, etrailer offers a class III for the Buick still. http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1995_Buick_Roadmaster.htm

81cpcamaro wrote: Slefain, etrailer offers a class III for the Buick still. http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1995_Buick_Roadmaster.htm

Sadly that one is for a sedan. The rear frame rails on the wagon are boxed, so the mounting is different.

I did find plans for a Class IV hitch on a GM wagon forum:

was just going to post that. otherwise wait around on the forums one will pop up, but be prepared to pay $300+. my buddy just got a used one for $350.

Have you tried trolling craigslist for the exact car with a hitch and offering to buy it from them. I've found that people are willing to make a quick $200 or so provided you remove it from the car for them. VS building one yourself I mean.

Or have you tried the junkyard? Any B-wagon hitch should work.

slefain wrote: I did find plans for a Class IV hitch on a GM wagon forum:

Seems like you could just make the frame mounts, then cut any ol' class IV truck hitch to do the center section.

EvanR wrote:

slefain wrote: I did find plans for a Class IV hitch on a GM wagon forum:

Seems like you could just make the frame mounts, then cut any ol' class IV truck hitch to do the center section.

frame is way farther apart than most trucks which is why this can't be done. i took the hitch off my impala, it's wide. very wide.

i found a guy on CL parting one and told me $75 for the hitch, then he told me he sold the rest of the car whole the day i was going to get the hitch. pull a part has had them on occasion but it sucks getting an old hitch off without air tools or torch. otherwise i'd snatch them up and sell them for profit.

slefain wrote:

81cpcamaro wrote: Slefain, etrailer offers a class III for the Buick still. http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-1995_Buick_Roadmaster.htm Sadly that one is for a sedan. The rear frame rails on the wagon are boxed, so the mounting is different.

Dang, I even searched their site for the wagon. Oh well. Of course if you are willing to build one, could you modify the sedan one to work?

I did some checking and while no one lists one for the wagon, the ones for the sedan fit from 1978 to 1996. Might be able to find a used one off a wagon from those years.

77-96 share the same frame and hitch.

How hard would it be to modify one for the sedan?

Appleseed wrote: How hard would it be to modify one for the sedan?

From what I can find it is too narrow. I found some references on a wagon forum to a spacer used to make it fit, but I'd be concerned with something breaking due to the stress of the spacer.

If you put a sleeve in the extensions extending into the original crossbar it will actually be stronger.