Why are pulling hitches so expensive?

B

BigB82789

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Sep 23, 2007
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I see people wanting $400 for 4 pieces of metal welded together and a loop? Are they that hard to make. I need to get my hands on a welder and some steel....:doh:
 
i thinck the prices are bull SH*T but that is me saying that
 
Supply and demand.

A VCR has tens of millions of transistors, LCD display, remote control, dozens of mfr'd metal parts, some with tolerances better than +/- 0.0002 inches, and must be transported by ship 8,000 miles.

You can buy one for less than $50.

But they make millions of them.

Deluxe pulling hitches could be had for <$80 if you order as few as 10,000 units.

Anyone game?
 
2500hdd said:
Supply and demand.

A VCR has tens of millions of transistors, LCD display, remote control, dozens of mfr'd metal parts, some with tolerances better than +/- 0.0002 inches, and must be transported by ship 8,000 miles.

You can buy one for less than $50.

But they make millions of them.

Deluxe pulling hitches could be had for <$80 if you order as few as 10,000 units.

Anyone game?
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That isn't supply and demand, that is quantities of scale! But that is the price that the supplier is happy selling them at for 'X' quantity.
 
Ok, so with that being said where short of making your own can you get them cheap? If possible.
 
Make your own, or go to a welding shop. If you buy the pintle ring, I am sure that would bring the cost down. Now that being said, there is some time and equipment involved with the custom build pulling hitchs that cut the hole in 1/2" plate.
 
Because not everyone can make one. A hobyist with a small welder can't weld 1/2" steel...it takes a heavy duty mig welder that can cost well over 1K dollars. Not to mention decent skill to make a weld that actually penetrates completly. Steel isn't cheap and neither is someone elses time
 
My Lincoln crack box welds absolutely everything I need it to. Use a 3/16" rod turn it up to 200amps, get everything ground with a good bevel and cleaned with parts cleaner, then heat it in the oven for a while. After you weld some 1" plate to 2" keystock like that those parts stay HOT for a long freaking time.

I actually plan on building another one in the next couple weeks just for kicks and giggles lol.
 
zstroken said:
That isn't supply and demand, that is quantities of scale! But that is the price that the supplier is happy selling them at for 'X' quantity.
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Let me guess, accountant? :D

You find 10,000 customers, and sell for $80.

Find 10 customers, sell for $800.

The more the merrier. No demand, no cheap deals.
 
For those who want to make their own, www.mcmaster.com has pretty much anything and everything needed to fabricate anything.

If you do not have a welder, you can bolt pieces together.

Heads up though. Drilling 5/8" holes through mild steel is not for puzzies. Use alot of oil and patience.
 
2500hdd said:
Let me guess, accountant? :D

You find 10,000 customers, and sell for $80.

Find 10 customers, sell for $800.

The more the merrier. No demand, no cheap deals.
Click to expand...

LOL, nope electrical engineer. With several accounting classes when working on my masters stuff.
The beauty of mass production and quantities of scale=Wal-mart!
 
if you are out to make a really nice lookin ghitch like i am, you have to figure the 1" plate steel is expensive, let alone the $110 per hour that he water jet cutter is going to whacks you for. :doh: the $113 shank for the reciever tube (at napa's cost), big grade 8 bolts, 1/4" plate for the reinforcements, time, beer, paint......it adds up really quick. I have enough to make 4 hitches, only need one though, I figured i might be able to sell a few at the next pull and recover some of the costs............. :poke: $.02
 
Wow, get in the infinite line of people who all want something for nothing!

The pintle ring alone that I use costs $100. Add some machining time to that if you want the regulation 3.5" hole that many organizations require.

Able to scrounge steel? Good for you. For everyone else, go to a steel service center and price out small pieces of 1" solid plate and see how much that costs. Price out 2.5" solid square bar, see how much that costs...and get back to me.

Oh yeah, you want it fully machined so it fits perfectly and all the weld joints fully beveled for full penetration welds? OK...

Oh and yeah now we need someone with a nice big welder who knows what they're doing. OK...

Oh and finally, it can never break or people will get on the internet and badmouth you to hell and back. Oh, you bent it because you jerked the sled and now you want a new one? OK...

$400 allows someone to do all that and make a small profit to keep the lights on. Barely.

Stuff costs money these days!
 
nwpadmax said:
Wow, get in the infinite line of people who all want something for nothing!

The pintle ring alone that I use costs $100. Add some machining time to that if you want the regulation 3.5" hole that many organizations require.

Able to scrounge steel? Good for you. For everyone else, go to a steel service center and price out small pieces of 1" solid plate and see how much that costs. Price out 2.5" solid square bar, see how much that costs...and get back to me.

Oh yeah, you want it fully machined so it fits perfectly and all the weld joints fully beveled for full penetration welds? OK...

Oh and yeah now we need someone with a nice big welder who knows what they're doing. OK...

Oh and finally, it can never break or people will get on the internet and badmouth you to hell and back. Oh, you bent it because you jerked the sled and now you want a new one? OK...

$400 allows someone to do all that and make a small profit to keep the lights on. Barely.

Stuff costs money these days!
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:clap: Very well put
 
I think $400.00 is NOT enough for a good hitch..... Last one we quoted was closer to a Grand Installed. How can you spend a Day designing, fabbing, and then installing for much less than $700.00, then you gotta pay for the steel.
 
Yeah steel is expensive, that's for sure. I was going to make one last year and I was going to be into it close to $200 just in materials. I'm sure it's gone up since then too.

Jack the Bear, I think these guys are talking about something that goes into a receiver, not the type that would be on a full out dedicated puller which is what it sounds like you are talking about?
 
I think these guys are talking about something that goes into a receiver, not the type that would be on a full out dedicated puller which is what it sounds like you are talking about?
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Yup.

Wow, get in the infinite line of people who all want something for nothing!

The pintle ring alone that I use costs $100. Add some machining time to that if you want the regulation 3.5" hole that many organizations require.

Able to scrounge steel? Good for you. For everyone else, go to a steel service center and price out small pieces of 1" solid plate and see how much that costs. Price out 2.5" solid square bar, see how much that costs...and get back to me.

Oh yeah, you want it fully machined so it fits perfectly and all the weld joints fully beveled for full penetration welds? OK...

Oh and yeah now we need someone with a nice big welder who knows what they're doing. OK...

Oh and finally, it can never break or people will get on the internet and badmouth you to hell and back. Oh, you bent it because you jerked the sled and now you want a new one? OK...

$400 allows someone to do all that and make a small profit to keep the lights on. Barely.

Stuff costs money these days!
Click to expand...

I never said I wanted it for nothing, and sorry I'm not an expert in steel pricing or sled pulling. I simply asked why. Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed.:bang
 
Cheapest pulling hitch around: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200247824_200247824
And yes 2.5" opening will work with most hook's out there.... PLUG AND PLAY!

What I suggest:
Buy this:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200312040_200312040
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Then go to your local metal yard and select a piece of 2"x2" solid stock (steel) about 8 inches long.

Take those pieces to your local welding shop (check phone book)...
Have them weld the pieces together to work with your receiver and drill the pin hole for you.

Overall you'll end up with about $125 in the setup and you'll have a rock solid hitch.

$400 for a pulling hitch? Is it made out of freakin gold or something?
 
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