Adding Trailer Hitches to N Scale River Point Station Fords

cfritschle Dec 11, 2019

  1. cfritschle

    cfritschle TrainBoard Member

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    I have been seeing a lot of ¾-ton and 1-ton trucks pulling trailers lately, so I decided to add trailer hitches to a few more of my River Point Station Fords. The process I used for the two pickups was to bend a short segment of 0.015 inch music wire into a “U” or “J” shape, and then I inserted one end of the wire into a hole drilled into the bottom of the bumper. The hole was drilled with a #79 drill bit. The hitches made with the bent wire represent trailer hitches with the hitch receiver mounted to the frame of the pickup. The trailer hitches are functional, but do not look very prototypical, especially when viewed from a “street level” perspective. However, if one views them from a more typical angle for an N scale model, the trailer hitches seem to be a little less offensive, even without the trailer.

    The first set of photos show a RPS F-250 XL with and without a GHQ Bobcat and trailer.
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    The next set of photos show a RPS F-250 XLT with and without a trailer kitbashed from Showcase Miniatures parts and Evergreen Styrene shapes that is hauling an Artitec Fordson Dexta tractor. I still need to add a ramp/tailgate to the trailer.
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    The final set of photos show a RPS F-350 with and without a Showcase Miniatures 6-ft by 10-ft utility trailer. I damaged the etched mesh floor of this trailer during assembly, so I used some New Rail Models plywood sheets to cover the damage.
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    The extended rear platform on the F-350 utility truck was not conducive to a “frame mounted” receiver, so a very short piece of 0.015 inch music wire was “threaded” though a hole drilled with a #79 bit in the stepdown portion of the rear bumper/platform. While this is a simpler process, the hitch is too high for the tandem axle trailers shown above. Scratch building a flatbed tandem axle trailer with the trailer tongue at the appropriate height to look right with this bumper hitch is definitely on my “to do” list for this winter.

    Carter
     
  2. cfritschle

    cfritschle TrainBoard Member

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    I "discovered" an easy to build trailer to pull behind one of my kitbashed River Point Station F-250 pickups. ;)

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    One of my Atlas F-100 pickups lost a mirror, so I did what many have done when a prototype pickup is no longer "driveable." I removed the cab and bent the frame to form a tongue for a trailer. I decided to add some round hay bales for interest. While the F-250 pickup easily handles two bales, the trailer with its F-100 suspension is maxed out with one. :D

    Carter
     
    rray, BNSF FAN, Sumner and 3 others like this.
  3. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    That was a great idea and looks cool. Seen many a trailer like that throughout the years. (y)
     
  4. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Yep, I've got one outside the house that I made some years back and use to haul the ATV, dirt bike and other stuff. Of course since I'm a Chevy guy it is a Chevy ;). Thanks for the idea,

    Sumner
     
    BNSF FAN likes this.
  5. Inkaneer

    Inkaneer TrainBoard Member

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    Safety chains?
     
    Kez likes this.
  6. woodone

    woodone TrainBoard Member

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    Gee, I thought that you just went down to the U-Haul place and them install the hitch!
     
  7. cfritschle

    cfritschle TrainBoard Member

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    I will have to give some thought to adding the safety chains. Maybe one could use some really small strands of copper wire.

    Carter
     
    mtntrainman likes this.

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