I am getting ready to order a new F350 gasser. After seeing various model on the dealer's lot and scouring ford.com, I noticed something strang with regard to the 2" hitch vs 2.5" hitch.

I see F250/Diesel trucks come with the big 2.5" hitch. I also noticed the F350/Gas trucks come with the 2" hitch. Why is that? Apparently it is due to gas-vs-diesel? I thought to myself, why? Guess the diesel is rated to pull more?

Then I noticed the DRW gas also got the big 2.5" hitch. So much for the gas-vs-diesel argument.

Does anyone know the rhyme or reason why SRW gassers get the small 2" hitch?

 

I'm guessing its part of a heavy duty tow package, but I havent been in the market for a brand new truck since.... ever. So I need someone to fact check me

 

If you can spring the bucks and plan on towing on the high edge limit , go with the class V hitch. If you are just towing a small 3000lb popup camper once in a blue moon...stay with the class IV.


Class IV

1. Class IV hitches used as weight carrying are rated up to 10,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1000 lbs.
2. Class IV hitches used for weight distributing are rated up to 14,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1400 lbs.
3. A Class IV hitch usually has a 2" square receiver opening.

Class V

1. Class V hitches used as weight carrying are rated up to 12,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1200 lbs.
2. Class V hitches used for weight distributing are rated up to 17,000 lbs. gross trailer weight (GTW) with a maximum trailer tongue weight (TW) of 1700 lbs.
3. A Class V hitch has a 2-1/2" square receiver opening.

 

I'm not really looking for advice on what kind/class of hitch to use.

What I am trying to figure out is what logic Ford is using when it installs a hitch on its Super Dutys. It appears the SRW (F250 or F350) Gasser gets 2"; the SRW Diesel (F250 or F350) gets 2.5"; and the DRW (Gasser or Diesel) gets the 2.5".

This makes no sense to me. The F350 SRW chassis is the same whether Gasser or Diesel, so the Gasser seems to be why Ford chose the smaller hitch. If that is the case, why does Ford go with the bigger hitch on the DRW Gasser?

Near as I can tell, I can't choose which hitch/towing package when building a new F350 SRW. It is what it is.

 

I think speakerfritz was trying to say that it looks like F=MxA.

I bet no one but Ford could probably explain the logic...if there's such.

Not to be a smart...you know what, but what's the old saying..."life's too short, only deal with the things you can affect." Blood pressure for example.

I wouldn't expect any clear answers.

You might change it over once you can "affect" the results, after driving it home.

 

They did that to see how many people they could confuse - so it's to mess with you

I think it's the Class V scenario as shown in speakers chart,
the gas dually has all the parts & ratings to handle it whereas the gas srw does not...

other than that - there's too many other things to lose sleep over
(he types @ 6:15 on a Sat morning waiting for enough light to start loading the RV for 'vacation' !)

 

I'm sure it has to do with Tue tow ratings of gas vs diesel in a srw configuration. On my 08 my hitch says a max of 12,500 with a 1,200 tongue so anything over that which my truck isn't rated for would require a class v which I'm sure the new diesels are more then capable of

 

Look at the actual rated capacity of the hitch. Ford may have needed to go with the 2.5" to up the capacity more because the OE hitches are often tucked up underneath the truck more.

The hitch that came with my truck was rated really pathetic. Without WD it had a 600/6000 capacity, pathetic. With WD it went to 12000lbs but I don't and won't run a WD setup.

This is the hitch I put on my truck last year. It is a Class V 2" with 2550/17000 capacity.

Curt Trailer Hitch for Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty 2004 - C15410

This is the 2 1/2" version and the capacity is slightly more.

Curt Trailer Hitch for Ford F-250 and F-350 Super Duty 2004 - C15810

If you want to pull 15k-20k lbs you are better off with a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer anyway. So I am not really seeing the point to 2 1/2" hitches for our trucks.

 

My 99 F250 is rated at 5k standard and 10k WD. A couple years later the hardware was upgraded from 14mm to 18mm which resulted in 6k standard and 12.5k WD. If you search here there's a thread in the Excursion section where several members figured the hardware change.

Recently I purchased a 2.5" with 2" adapter off craigslist. It came from a 07 F350 DRW. 2.5" is rated at 8k standard and 15k WD with the adapter it goes down to 6k and 12k. Hope this helps.

 

ok , let me spell it out for you. check this chart at this link. notice the max load of the gasser is within the realm of class IV, so a class IV hitch would be the MAX needed. Now check the deisel.....the max load for the desiel exceeds class IV hitch rating so a class V hitch is needed.



http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...4q-xHB-mliU9mQ

 

Its all about cost and liability. The 2" hitch is cheaper, and like stated above, is within the 'limits' or rating of the truck. The diesel is capable of higher weights, so they needed a larger hitch to take care of it. With a 60/40 split of gas/diesel srw being sold, Ford saves a fair amount of money by equipping lesser rated trucks with smaller equipment. Duallies, by design, are capable of higher capacities, and need the larger equipment. Thank the bean counters.

 

makes no difference in price to make a 2" or 2.5" receiver. If you get one of each size hitch side by side the only difference is the square hitch adapter welded on......

 

I have seen all the charts and ratings. Here is my dilema:

If the Diesel F350 SRW can handle the bigger hitch, why not the GAS F350 SRW? If your answer is the "ENGINE" (the chassis being the same), then why can the GAS F350 DRW handle the bigger hitch?

Clearly the "ENGINE" is not the reason. If it was, the GAS DRW would not get the bigger hitch.

Clearly the SRW vs DRW is not the reason. If it was, the Diesel SRW would not get the bigger hitch.

I think it is purely marketing.

Or is there a difference between the CHASSIS of the diesel SRW and gas SRW?

 

Available gear ratios along with engine, drw gas has deeper gear choice?

EDIT: apparently both 3.73 and 4.3 are the only gears available in any configuration.. with the 6.2


Sent from my Sprint PC36100 using IB AutoGroup

 

Everyone is over thinking this. Dually, by design, can handle more. Regardless of engine, its rated for the Class V capacities. Diesel, by design, can also handle more, and is rated for the Class V capacities as well, in either configuration, SRW or DRW. SRW gas just isn't rated for the capacities of a Class V, so a Class IV will suffice. It IS a DRW vs SRW thing, as well as a gas vs diesel thing.

And straight from a Ford Service Manager, there is a noticeable up charge from Class IV hitches to Class V hitches for Ford, so equipping the lesser rated trucks with smaller equipment to save them money.

Like I stated previously about the 60/40 split gas to diesel, it all adds up when producing millions of vehicles.