G'day all, I want to draw up some plans to build a new tow hitch for my 49 F3. The one on there at the moment is very lightweight and basic. I want to use the truck to tow around a speed boat and possibly a car trailer occasionally. I'd like to see some pics of other peoples set up to get some design ideas.

Thanks

 

I don't have any pics as I'm still doing my research... But I've toyed around with this idea myself... and there are some things that I've been working on...

1. Will you going to using the stock fuel tank or relocating it under the bed?
2. Have you thought about running a rear bumper, roll pan or nothing?
3. Is it going to be a receiver hitch or a permanent knee knocker, and it its a receiver is it going to be hidden?
4. Are you adding or already added disk brakes to you f3?
5. Since you said your wanting to tow a car hauler, have you thought about a electric trailer brakes?

All are very important thing to think about prior starting your build.

 

I'll be using the stock tank, it appears to be in great condition so don't see a reason to change it. As it will have a bed on it I won't be running a bumper or pan. I'll make it a receiver hitch for the neat look. No discs but will be looking for an F250 diff to swap in to give better highway cruising and let me get rid of the widow makers. Won't be going electric brakes, the car hauler won't have anything heavy on it, mainly 1920s cars and mechanical or hydraulic brakes will work just fine.

 

IMO electric brakes have reached a level of sophistication that no hydraulic system can match. The controllers have proportional deceleration sensors that make the difference. But that's just a wiring issue for down the road.

Around here, there are shops that do almost nothing but hitches for commercial trucks, either totally custom or adapting standard pieces. I'm not talking about U-Haul, these guys do the big stuff. I would take it to that kind of place and at least see what they recommend. But a lot depends on final ride height, so I would wait until you have that established.

 

I have no knowledge of the Aussie laws as they apply to towed vehicle brakes but here in the US most places make it illegal to tow as much weight as you are suggesting without trailer brakes. I will guarantee you that the first time you have to make a panic stop without trailer brakes you'll install the brakes right after you clean your pants.

The added picture is the hitch on my '56 F350

 

I'm not for a second suggesting towing without trailer brakes, just using mechical or hydraulic trailer brakes rather than electric. I agree electric brakes are great but not many trailers here have them.

 

Keep us informed how it goes... I don't know what the roads or traffic is over there but here in Mesa, AZ you wouldn't get me to tow anything without disk breaks and or a trailer with electric brakes on it.... I've personally have had a car trailer attached to my DD with disk brakes and the trailer was enough to push me into a intersection with a mild wet road... Just my 2 cents... But would love to see what you come up with...

 

ac

here's a thread on research I did for a '53 hidden hitch... might be of interest to you


john

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...r-hitches.html

 

Here is a post from another thread that documents what we did on my truck. I wanted my hitch receiver to be as hidden a possible. We wound up building an "inner bumper" using 4" channel steel. I'm happy with the way it turned out.

-DV

 

I just took a unit and cut the ends off and fited it in the web of the frame and welded some bolt on plates and hide the receiver behide the flipdown tag. you can't see it at all for the rollpan . I pulled my boat the other day and old yeller did good. Got one on the green truck also i'll take a pic. 2mor.

 

Just happened to take a picture of the hitch on my 50 F4. Not a receiver hitch but typical of farm trucks.

 

Now that is one beefy hitch, pretty similar to what you see on farms out here too. The white stuff on the ground looks a bit alien though.......

Raytasch, I love the Ford embossed into the rear of your tray, I may have to steal that idea!

 

When you're done....I'd like to see a pic of the speedboat in tow behind the F3!

 

That's a factory Ford flatbed (tray).

 

You'll be waiting a while... the boat is a whole other project!