The frame is the worry.
i do not know the exact thickness of the metal but I am for overkill and just thought it would be a good idea to re-enforce it while it is apart instead of tearing it all apart to repair it.

 

Well for now I'm just going to weld the hitch to the frame..... Then I'm buying some triangle brackets and then weld that to the hitch and the frame this way it spreads the force on the frame over a larger area of the frame.

 

Adding a front hitch will strengthen the frame up front. Go back to the first page. Mine was welded to the crossmember but also to the frame rails

 

If he is looking for a 4x4 crossmember that means he is 2wd and doesn't have a front crossmember right now. Meaning anything he adds in there will be stronger then it is currently. What is a hitch, 16 gauge or thicker? I'm pretty sure that is plenty strong. No need to reinforce it more unless you plan to pull out a tractor trailer that is buried to the rockers. (which wouldn't happen in a ranger anyway)

 

reenforce the heck out of it. And whatever you do... don't do this:

 

He ripped off a tow hook, not his frame.

 

look at 2:25. Frame is done for.

 

Either way, he doesn't deserve tow hooks since he obviously doesn't know how to use them properly!

 

He just ripped the front plate that the tow hooks mount to, the frame isn't done for

 

No its not.
he ripped the crossmember and mounting brackets off. the Ranger bumper is designed to do that, in order to save the front of the frame.

I hope we've all learned here that you don't just put it in reverse and gun it.

Again, I don't see why you want to really re-enforce more than what a front hitch will do. If you re-enforce it too much and you do try to pull something (god forbid you act like the idiot in the video) you WANT the hitch the rip out before you DO any frame damage.
The ONLY benefit i see from re-enforcing the front of the frame, is better crunching in an accident and i don't think anyone here plans on getting in an accident.

 

Exactly.

 

OK I learned smething today.

 

okay so i finally got around to doing this bulid last week ..... it was EASY!!!!!! only 2 problems but werent big ones.... my trans cooler hoses were in the way.... and the bolt from for the bumper was kinda tight......

but we got it in and it works AMAZING!!!!!!!!! i went mudding and got stuck and the front was just as strong as the rear!!!!!!!! i love it!!!!!!! ill post pictures tomorrow when its sunny!!

im thinking about getting a winch to mount on a 2" hitch so i can pull myself out inststed lol