My 2004 f-150 came with the wiring for a hitch but no hitch reciever, i was wondering if i need to buy the "frame" reciever or just the small piece that bolts to the bumper ?

 

Did you order the trailering package?

 

no i didn't, i am looking at getting a hitch reciever. i was just wondering if i needed to buy the full hitch reviever or if there is just an attcahment that bolts on the bumper. My cousin has a 02 dodge ram, all he had to purchase was a peice that bolted on the bumper. i was wondering if the 04 f150 was the same.

 

To my knowledge it's a whole assembly that wil need to be bolted up and different from the Dodge. You came to the right place though looking for an answer. The folks that post here are first rate and VERY helpful. I've been a member for about two weeks and have learned a lot from them.

 

Thanks, so far it looks good, i've been a member for about an hour now...lol

 

I had a reciever that bolted to my bumber on my old F150. They work ok, but are limited to class III (3000 lb) trailer. The frame hitches usually have a higher capacity. The factory hitch with the trailer package is rated for 4000 lb with a conventional hitch and over 9000 lb with a wieght distributing hitch.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the info ctfordguy, i did not realize the the weight compasity was different between the 2. I will look into more thural.

 

Ok Froste, heres the deal.
You should have a small 4 pin connector for basic trailering. You can order a seven way connector wiring assembly from your ford dealer but it will not actually come with the seven way socket or bracket to attach it to your vehicle. You can get the socket seperately but will have to fabricate a bracket. I used a bracket from a 2003 F150 and modified it to work with existing 4-way bracket.

As for the hitch. If you have had the dampner installed from Ford for the vibration issues they have been having with the 2004 F150's. (It mounts under the frame and to the spring support at the rear on the drivers side.) You will not be able to install a frame mounted reciever assy unless you remove and discard the dampner assy. The hitch mounts under the frame in the same location. If you are a welder and fabricator you may be able to modify the dampner to work. I already had the hitch installed and the dampner wasnt able to be installed.

The recievers that mount to the bumper are OK if you are pulling light duty trailers but wont work for weight distributing hitches.

 

Thanks troll45, the heaviest thing i would be pulling is a 17' luminaweld boat, others would be a 250 lb trialer with a 3 or 4 hundred lb 4wheeler or a 150 lb mower, so i think the bumper asembly might be ok, i can always go with the other if needed later on.

thanks agian!

 

froste, I would still go with the reciever hitch. When using the bumper you can not control the height of the ball which could make your tow too light on the tongue weight. With a reciever you can use a 2" (probably close to right for truck height) drop insert.
If the tongue weight is too light the trailer will have a tendency to swing back and forth.

 

there is a reciever hitch that bolts below the bumper, that is what i am planning on getting. You can get them in just an adapter that fits under the bumper or the whole hitch reciever that bolts to the frame. I understand what u mean by using the bumper that would be way to high for what i have to pull.

 

i ordered the trailer tow package, so i can pull up to 9000 lbs with it. Please let me know if this is correct.

 

Sure, it depends on what ever weight limit u want, u can go down to a 3000 lb limit. It's just your decision.

 

I allways laugh at people who use their bump to pull anything. I'm not sure why but then again I would never buy a truck that didn't have hitch. First, the drop down bracket that bolts on to the bumper will change the stresses on the bumper. Instead of pulling from the top of the bumper down, you will be pulling with the bottom of the bumper up. Will it make that much difference,,,I don't know. Second, I found that you can buy a bolt on hitch from Etrailer.com about $150.00 shipped. The bolt on drop down style I could find for about $35.00 shipped. For the $115.00 difference, I would much rather have the true hitch. Even if you are not going to pull anything over 3000lbs for now , sooner or later one of your Chebby buddies will need to get pulled home. How much would it be worth (bragging rights) to be able to do it.


Just my .02
Jeffery