This got touched on in another thread but since it was tangential to the conversation I figured I would start a specific thread (hope that is legal!)

I am custom ordering a 2015 Super Duty F-350 Diesel SRW King Ranch. I have heard that some of the factory towing options are nice, but "cheap" and that aftermarket stuff would cost the same and be better quality. Are there any factor upgrades available for the bumper pull? I assume most of that is what you buy after you get the truck.

For the gooseneck/5th wheel options...I see you can order a package from Ford. Is this a gooseneck or a 5th wheel? Is it with ordering or should I get it aftermarket? I heard the package is "cheap" but it may be worth getting it if for nothing else than the convenience of having the plug in the bed of the truck.

Thanks for the help and advise!

 

I guess it depends on what you mean by "cheap"

If their ratings meet your needs, I don't see why you would spend more for an unnecessarily heavy part.

 

That makes sense. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't spending money for nothing.

Does the factory stuff from Ford come with 5th wheel or gooseneck towing? Thanks!

 

The factory 5th/ goose prep has the 4 pucks for mounting a 5th wheel, the center hole for a gooseneck ball, and the plug in the bed. You can then either order the 5th wheel hitch, or the gooseneck ball and chain hooks with the truck, or after the fact through the parts department. Or elsewhere online for less as it's just a Reese Elite hitch.

 

My F350 DRW that I just sold had the factory 5th wheel/gooseneck option and I'd highly recommend it. It takes all the guesswork out of mounting a fifth wheel hitch in the bed. I bought the B&W OEM fifth wheel hitch and it makes all of the competitors systems that mount on rails look like cheap junk! The best part is that it looks like it came from the factory with the truck and it can be removed or installed in about 30 seconds leaving a completely flat bed that can be used like a normal truck.

 

Welcome to FTE..BTW read this:

6. Personal Items For Sale . For Sale items are not allowed in the automotive and general discussion forums of FTE. This includes placing ads or links to ads in your signature. We have a Classifieds section that you can list your items in. Want ads are allowed in the forums so long as you post a follow-up when you find the part(s). Vehicle value discussions are permitted, however, if we find it turning into a for sale thread, the thread will be removed. The only exception to this guideline is the Chapter Forums. There is a specific thread in each Chapter Forum, for Chapter Members only, that is intended for local for sale items.

 

Thanks for the head's up. I would gladly post my hitch for sale in the classifieds section, but when I attempted to, it popped up the silly rule that I had to wait 10 days from when I joined the forum (today) and have 5 posts before I could use that sub forum.

I guess this post will count towards my 5 minimum and in 9 days I will make a legitimate for sale thread in the classifieds.

 

Yes. You can get two different brands of aftermarket "bumper pull" receiver hitches in lieu of the factory receiver hitch, and both brands (specific models) may be rated higher than the factory hitch. However, they might not be better.

Here's why:

1. When you order the factory trailer towing package, in addition to the receiver hitch, you also get the trailer tow wiring already done, along with the fuses and relays to complete the package. In addition, you also get a built in brake controller that uses some of the truck's vehicle dynamic inputs shared over the truck's network bus, instead of just a pendulum or accelerometer in a hokey aftermarket box dangling from the dash. This vehicle integration can generally be more reliable than aftermarket splice jobs done by the youngest, lowest, least experienced service techs on the totem pole at the local truck upfitter shop.

2. Even if you found a trailer hitch suitable for a Peterbuilt 379 Class 8 semi tractor, your towing capacity is still limited to whatever Ford states it is, based on the vehicle and options you ordered. The hitch that Ford installs will meet or exceed, by a suitable safety margin, the highest trailering capacity the truck you are ordering is rated to tow. There is no point in putting on a larger hitch. The factory hitch's that Ford installs are actually rated higher than almost every aftermarket hitch made, except for three specific models from three different brands, which I'll get to in a minute.

3. A hitch isn't just a hitch... it is also a mounting system. The hardware design is very much a part of the hitch, and Ford uses excellent hardware. Some of the details that go by unappreciated are the corrosion protection coatings on Ford hitch fasteners. Then there is the anti rotation features... the use of nut plates that tie two fasteners together in pairs, to prevent either fastener from loosening. And then there are the nuts and bolts themselves, that have flange heads that help distribute the clamp load over a wider area around the fastening hole, without adding a lot of slip surfaces like load distributing washers. I've seen bigger hitches by aftermarket companies, but I've never seen better hardware implementation than what the factory installs.

Ok now on to the aftermarket alternatives...

A. First, there is the Reese Titan for the F-450 pickup. If you decide to order a Reese Titan, be sure and LIE to your supplier and tell them you have an F-450 PICKUP instead of an F-350 pickup. This way, you will receiver the higher rated model of Titan. (I don't keep up with the part numbers on all these products, and you can google all of this for the details, should you need them). The reason why this works is because the F-450 pickup is built on the same dimensioned "wide frame" as the F-350 pickup. Yet the F-450 pick up had a higher tow rating than the F-350 pickup up when the 450 pickup came out in 2008, so the folks at Reese redesigned and beefed up their Titan that normally would be installed on the F-350.

The changes are subtle, but as I recall they thickened the side plates from 1/4" to 5/16" plate, and added an angled rib for stiffening the side plates. This increased the gross trailer weight rating from 14,000 lbs for the regular Titan, to 18,500 lbs for the F-450 version of the Titan.

B. If you think 18,500 lbs is substantial capacity for a tag trailer (it is), then take a look at what CURT has done within the past few years. Curt aimed it's sites directly at blowing away the tripoly of Cequent Performance Group's ownership of Reese, DrawTite, and Hidden Hitch by introducing a new line of receiver hitches that blows all other brands away when it comes to ratings. Keep in mind, there is the prince's version of the Curt, and the pauper's version of the Curt. If it sounds like a reasonable price, you are probably buying the pauper's version, and for maximum towing capacity (that needlessly exceeds what your 350 can tow), you want the high dollar prince's version. This top of the line Curt hitch boasts tag trailer towing capacities of up to 25,000 lbs. Bumper pull. Dayum.

C. The truck camper's standby: Torklift. This is the double or nothing receiver hitch with two 2" receivers, one on top of the other. By comparison, the Titan and the high dollar Curt receiver hitches have single 2.,5" openings.


On this note of receiver size openings... one very important thing to keep in mind is that the towing system is only as good as it's weakest link. The highest ratings of these receiver hitches presume that you are using weight distribution spring bars. Otherwise, the weight carrying capacities are lower. However, one now must pay attention to the ratings of each and every component of the weight distribution system.

Take my system for an example. Many years ago, I standardized on Reese, back when their products were made in the USA and Canada. (Now almost all Reese products are made in China). The WD system I chose was their High Performance Dual Cam WD and anti sway system. One key piece to this system is the stinger (adjustable draw bar) that slides into the receiver hitch. There are 2" stingers, and 2.5" stingers. The 2" stingers were limited to 1,200 lbs tongue weight. The 2.5" stingers were rated to 1,700 lbs tongue weight.

Therefore, I knew I had to get a 2.5" receiver opening, so that I could utilize the heavier rated stinger. That was the problem with hitches like the TorKlift that had the standard 2" receiver opening. Just because it had two of them, didn't help when it came to using a weight distribution system. So evaluating every component in the system is important.

That all being said, I highly recommend you select the Ford trailer towing package, and accept the perfectly adequate and well integrated and installed receiver hitch that comes with your new truck.

Yes you can. Get it. Highly worth it. I could write a book on why, but I've already written one book in this post, and don't want to bore you with two.


It is both. And it is neither. It is actually the underbed mounting pucks for a 5th wheel hitch, and/or a gooseneck hitch. It is quite slick actually. You can use Ford's accessory hitches, or the Reese Elite equivalents without the Ford logo emblazoned on them, or some aftermarket 5th wheels that fit into the pucks, from B&W as shown above, or from Putnam (Super 5th, Super Glide), as well as Hensley's BD3 Trailer Saver air suspension hitch. Lots of options, but the important thing is that you get the mounting foundation from Ford, built in factory.


Get the Ford underbed mounting system when you order the truck. Reese does sell an aftermarket installation kit that will put the pucks in the same place, but the aftermarket retrofit mounts entirely differently to the frame, and is not nearly as robust as Ford's factory version. Ford received two patents for their implementation of a design initially invented by Reese. Again, from the bed surface up, both systems look and function the same. But BELOW deck, the Ford underbed rails are better engineered and integrated into the frame.

My suggestion: Don't listen to what people say, including me. Search for images and see for yourself. The difference between the factory underbed rail mounting, compared to the aftermarket Reese equivalent, is immediately self evident. And I agree with you... you will appreciate the convenience of the factory installation... no hole cutting, no breaks in corrosion protectioin, no drilling, no metal shavings, no repainting, no wiring. Simply done, and done right.

Add whatever 5th wheel above the pucks that suits your fancy. Get the drop in gooseneck ball from Reese or Ford, whoever sells it to you cheaper. I'd negotiate with the dealer and have the above bed hitch parts included at cost plus 10% or less even, as part of the package deal.

You're quite welcome!