Hitch vise

[Bert_]

This week I made this mount for a vise. Fits a 2" receiver. I put another receiver off to the side on my service truck so I don't have to pull out the ball and the tailgate will clear it.

Just a cheap harbor freight vice. I wanted another 4 1/2" Doyle but they only had one and that got put in my garage.

I won't leave it on full time. I just wanted something to hold strut when cutting, or drilling holes and making brackets. I've gotten by without one until now.

 

[sparky 1971]

Nice. I bought the vise that's ready to install in a hitch. It's main purpose is holding the arbor when I have to change core bit sizes. I would try to change them at the shop, but if I forgot and would have to do it in the field, I would use two pipe wrenches, but I've smashed my fingers for the last time doing it that way. If I'd been thinking, which rarely happens when I'm pissed off, I would have made a mount like yours and used a vise I already had.

 

[Bert_]

Nice. I bought the vise that's ready to install in a hitch. It's main purpose is holding the arbor when I have to change core bit sizes. I would try to change them at the shop, but if I forgot and would have to do it in the field, I would use two pipe wrenches, but I've smashed my fingers for the last time doing it that way. If I'd been thinking, which rarely happens when I'm pissed off, I would have made a mount like yours and used a vise I already had.

I did buy the hitch vise first. I opened it, put it in the hitch and decided to return it. It would work but it was knee height.

I determined the height on mine by wandering back in the shop and picking up the first thing that looked good. Piece of 1 1/2 sch80 black pipe, didn't even cut it. Ended up just under elbow height so about perfect!

I'm thinking a mount for a pipe vice would be handy too.

 

[retDAC]

I have a Wilton branded version of that vice. Much better than you might expect. The swivel has serrations or 'gear teeth' and positively locks, unlike the cheap ones that depend on mere compression or friction.

 

[Bert_]

I have a Wilton branded version of that vice. Much better than you might expect. The swivel has serrations or 'gear teeth' and positively locks, unlike the cheap ones that depend on mere compression or friction.

This vise was the best looking of their central machinery line. I think you're right that it will be decent. I'm not going to do anything too demanding with this one.

The biggest thing I don't like is the exposed screw. The Doyle has a more sealed jaw screw. The dirt and dust is pretty hard on a vise when it's on the back of a truck.

They had a 6" Doyle but $200 and 80lbs was more than I wanted.

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I have one of the straight hitch vise mounts from Harbor Freight that I've used a handful of times, but this would be way easier on the back. Might have to weld up one like this.

 

[GaryM909]

I made one just for personal use. I use it in my garage and I have taken out to where our RV is parked. There is a hitch on it. I have a 4” Gray Vise and a 2” Ridgid pipe Vise that are easy to swap out.

 

[tiredoldironworker]

In my utility bed, I installed the HF step bumper receiver hitch inverted in the right rear corner. I installed my vise on the HF receiver insert. I put it in backwards to clear my tailgate. When I have need of the vise I reverse it in the step bumper receiver and it clears my lowered tailgate by about 4 inches. It works quite well!

 

[Mgdoug3]

I made one that goes into the hitch as well but mine is adjustable and sets on the ground. The only downside is my vise is a Reed 204R and can be a little heavy setting it up.

 

[Bert_]

I made one that goes into the hitch as well but mine is adjustable and sets on the ground. The only downside is my vise is a Reed 204R and can be a little heavy setting it up.

That's an interesting idea. What is the advantage of sitting on the ground? Do you have to take the vice out to drive?

 

[Mgdoug3]

The leg sits on the ground so it's a little more stable than using only the receiver hitch. I could raise the vise up off the ground and drive but I take it out.

I can lower my tailgate and then I have a mobile bench too. I figured it would be handy to have a good vise out in the field but mostly I use it to rebuild hydraulic cylinders outside when the weather is nice or doing a bunch of grinding and keeping dust out of the shop.

 

[whateg01]

A lot of the evergy trucks have a Wilton bullet bolted to the back. I'm surprised nobody steals them.

I don't have a hitch vise but have thought of doing that. I do have other things I've made that use the hitch, and thus the truck, as a fairly solid place to mount them.

 

[dscheidt]

A lot of the evergy trucks have a Wilton bullet bolted to the back. I'm surprised nobody steals them.

they're almost all welded on. Most don't spend enough time unattended that someone is going to attack the truck with a grinder or torch.

 

[Bert_]

I made one just for personal use. I use it in my garage and I have taken out to where our RV is parked. There is a hitch on it. I have a 4” Gray Vise and a 2” Ridgid pipe Vise that are easy to swap out.

How is the slop with 2 couplers between the truck and the vice?

I welded up the corners of the square tube so it fit tighter in the receiver. When I first tried it there was a lot of slop and the vice would rock a couple inches.

 

[GaryM909]

How is the slop with 2 couplers between the truck and the vice?

I welded up the corners of the square tube so it fit tighter in the receiver. When I first tried it there was a lot of slop and the vice would rock a couple inches.

It's a little sloppy. I was thinking of adding a couple set screws (probably bolts) to tighten it up but I haven't really had the need. I don't use it for any precision work.
Welding the corners would definitely help. Years ago I shimmed my dads bike rack that he used on his motorhome. That helped with the slop quite a bit.