so, how strong of a bumper pull hitch can I put on my 05 F350 DRW? My other F350 DRW has a steel flatbed with a real stout receiver and I have a 15k ball, but this 05 has a regular bed and came with a receiver that says it's limited to less than 10k unless I get a load-balancing hitch. Can I replace this receiver with a stronger one? Maybe I have to buy a real stout bumper with integrated hitch?

 

You can pretty much make any change you want as long as what you do is rated to handle what you want to pull. Every component has a weight rating as does your truck.

Steve

 

You can get a heavier hitch, heck I have a 16k on my F250, but the weight distribution caveat is the same. It's not the hitch itself that requires the WDH, it's the truck overall. It's simply not designed to carry more weight than that just on the hitch ball. Think about the leverage 1000-1500 pounds of tongue weight places on the rear suspension when it's on a trailer hitch 4' behind the axle center line.

 

Makes sense, thanks. What is the max weight I can pull with a bumper hitch on my DRW 350 without a WDH?

 

Let me google that for you

or

http://www.fleet.ford.com/resources/...wing_Guide.pdf

 

It's not how much you can pull but what hitch weight can you carry.... Looks like 1500 pounds MAX without a WDH. May be as low as 1200 from the looks from the guide above.

 

You should always stay within your truck’s tow weight ratings and make sure that your trailer hitch is rated to haul at least as much weight as your truck is. Have you had a chance to look at SuperHitch?

SuperHitch Truck Receiver Hitches | SuperHitch Hero 15K | SuperHitch Original 17K | SuperHitch Magnum 30K | Torklift International

SuperHitch is designed to handle the highest towing capacities of today’s trucks. It sounds like the SuperHitch Original 20K or SuperHitch Magnum 30k might be a good fit for you depending on what you plan on hauling.

 

Yes, I did. Nice looking hitch. This truck has a hitch now, and I actually use my other, flatbed truck to do my towing. But just bought it and wondered what it'd do with the conventional bed set-up. Sounds like it'll do as much as I want to pull.

 

I put an 18,000lb trailer capacity (WC or WD), 2000/2500lb tongue weight (WC/WD) hitch on my dually. It's a 2 1/2" receiver. Matching draw bar and high rated ball. I tow a 14k/lb dump trailer which, if full, would be at my towing limit. Most loads would be 7-10,000lbs. So well within the rating on the hitch. I had the factory 2-1/2" hitch but the weight carry was something like 8000/800 trailer/tongue so I wanted to upgrade.

I have no ideas of the legalities of this but I like knowing the hitch/receiver is rated beyond my trailers capacity.


I believe this is the one I have. You may need more depending on needs. If I was loaded to near max all the time I'd really look into a WD hitch. I just don't know how those would work with constantly varying loads vs the constant weights of travel trailers.


http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Draw-Tite/45293.html

 

That's exactly my situation. I have 14000lb trailers but I try not to go over 10000lbs. Looking at my hitch, without WD, it's only good for 8000. Was trying to figure out if it's cheaper to buy a WD or a stronger hitch, if I decide to upgrade this truck.

 

I bought the hitch because I figured I wouldn't use the WD with the dump trailer. If I had a consistent weight trailer I would've considered WD.

 

I have had multi 5W hitches and, currently the B&W Companion. The biggest difference is no yanking the handle trying to get it released to disconnect. The B&W can be opened with a couple fingers, just move the handle forward, done. If for any reason it does not release immediately there is a hole to pin the handle in the open position, pined the jaws can not stay shut. I have had to do this one time in about 30,000 miles of towing.

 

Wrong thread, or something...

 

I have 2004 F350 and pilling 14,000 5th wheel with bw companion hitch and love it! This is not the sliding hitch. I built a cart so I can slide the hitch right out of the bed onto it; it’s still a bit heavy though but very well built and comes apart in two pieces to lighten the work load if necessary.

 

This thread is about bumper pull hitches.