Frame too narrow!
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Great American SouthWest
Frame too narrow!
So I checked every trailer hitch supplier on the Internet, and they all said the Curt 15012 would fit my 79 F350. Well, they were wrong. The hitch does fit my 78 F150, so I put it on the brown truck.
The hitch was about three inches wider than the frame. What gives?!?
Any recommendations out there for a nice Class 5 12k or 10k capacity that fits something closer to 34 inches?
The truck doesn't have the big drop bumper, but does have a step bumper that sits a little lower and farther out from the body. I guess that was a camper special thing...
The hitch was about three inches wider than the frame. What gives?!?
Any recommendations out there for a nice Class 5 12k or 10k capacity that fits something closer to 34 inches?
The truck doesn't have the big drop bumper, but does have a step bumper that sits a little lower and farther out from the body. I guess that was a camper special thing...
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Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,504
Likes: 652
From: Sioux Falls Area
You need:
because your frame is approx:
and if you have the usual bumper these old dogs wear, after you get it installed, it will look something like:
IIRC, the one i got is 600/6000 WC 1000/10000 WD, and it is a Curt. They don't list it on their website, but it fit mine like a glove.
I paid U-haul $40 to install the hitch. this was after speding 3hours underneath attempting to drill one of the 8 holes required.....
you're smart than me, though ... i've got a hitch that fits nothing now, cauz i ordered the wrong one the first time.
completely off topic .... look out for that left rear wheel too .. the lug nuts are left handed. ask me how i know ....
because your frame is approx:
and if you have the usual bumper these old dogs wear, after you get it installed, it will look something like:
IIRC, the one i got is 600/6000 WC 1000/10000 WD, and it is a Curt. They don't list it on their website, but it fit mine like a glove.
I paid U-haul $40 to install the hitch. this was after speding 3hours underneath attempting to drill one of the 8 holes required.....
you're smart than me, though ... i've got a hitch that fits nothing now, cauz i ordered the wrong one the first time.
completely off topic .... look out for that left rear wheel too .. the lug nuts are left handed. ask me how i know ....
Thread Starter
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Great American SouthWest
[QUOTE=meborder;11650723]completely off topic .... look out for that left rear wheel too .. the lug nuts are left handed. ask me how i know ....[/QUOTe
I hope you didn't break one by trying to take it off the wrong way...
The lugs are short enough to leave considerable thread exposed, and I noticed/felt that thay were LH. I always tell the guys at the tire shop, but they never believe me!
I was going to swap them out, but couldn't get them locally, so I decided it wasn't worth the effort.
I hope you didn't break one by trying to take it off the wrong way...
The lugs are short enough to leave considerable thread exposed, and I noticed/felt that thay were LH. I always tell the guys at the tire shop, but they never believe me!
I was going to swap them out, but couldn't get them locally, so I decided it wasn't worth the effort.
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Joined: Jan 2012
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I'm trying to remember the part number for 9/16 dia. wheel studs. I wanna say the short ones are Dorman 610-300 and the long ones are Dorman 610-301. Any parts house that carries Dorman stuff should keep them in stock. I was gonna upgrade my F250 front hubs to the bigger size when I swaped in the D70 but got rid of the truck before I could. Now I've got the studs to replace the left handers on my crew.
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,504
Likes: 652
From: Sioux Falls Area
[quote=PapaBearYuma;11651755]
yep! put my dumba$$ hat on ... got out the 4ft cheater, and spent an hour and a half twisting one off.
one of those days ... i KNEW something was wrong, but got too stuborn to stop and think about it.
in my defense, i had never hear of left hand nuts being used on a car before i found these..... was completely new to me.
cost me 140 bucks (2 hours of shop time) to pay my mechanic to tear the hub apart and replace the stud.... "stupid tax"
i'm gonna have to look up that Curt number you posted ... sounds like a better hitch than the one i got. Always amazes me, these things lived 30 some years without a hitch! why have a truck with no hitch!?!?
completely off topic .... look out for that left rear wheel too .. the lug nuts are left handed. ask me how i know ....[/QUOTe
I hope you didn't break one by trying to take it off the wrong way...
The lugs are short enough to leave considerable thread exposed, and I noticed/felt that thay were LH. I always tell the guys at the tire shop, but they never believe me!
I was going to swap them out, but couldn't get them locally, so I decided it wasn't worth the effort.
I hope you didn't break one by trying to take it off the wrong way...
The lugs are short enough to leave considerable thread exposed, and I noticed/felt that thay were LH. I always tell the guys at the tire shop, but they never believe me!
I was going to swap them out, but couldn't get them locally, so I decided it wasn't worth the effort.
one of those days ... i KNEW something was wrong, but got too stuborn to stop and think about it.
in my defense, i had never hear of left hand nuts being used on a car before i found these..... was completely new to me.
cost me 140 bucks (2 hours of shop time) to pay my mechanic to tear the hub apart and replace the stud.... "stupid tax"
i'm gonna have to look up that Curt number you posted ... sounds like a better hitch than the one i got. Always amazes me, these things lived 30 some years without a hitch! why have a truck with no hitch!?!?
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Great American SouthWest
CURT Manufacturing | Search Results for 15012
It's an awesome hitch. List is over $400, but you can get it all over the Internet or E-Bay for about $200
The one I just ordered (hope it fits the yellow truck) is:
CURT Manufacturing | Search Results for 14082
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Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Sioux Falls Area
it should fit. i looked at the instructions and it looks the same as mine in that regard.
i was actually thinking about sending Curt an email and asking them to list our 140" wheel base trucks in their listing.
the other hitch fits "all" except the crew cabs ... which is how i got the wrong one, but it fits "all" except crew cabs and 140" WB .... woulda saved me $150.
are you going to install it or pay someone to deal with it? just curious, i tried but that frame drills REAL hard.
i was actually thinking about sending Curt an email and asking them to list our 140" wheel base trucks in their listing.
the other hitch fits "all" except the crew cabs ... which is how i got the wrong one, but it fits "all" except crew cabs and 140" WB .... woulda saved me $150.
are you going to install it or pay someone to deal with it? just curious, i tried but that frame drills REAL hard.
Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Jersey Shore
crew cabs come w/ 2 width frames...soooo..... when ordering/searching you need to know frame width of 34 or 37.... I have owned crews and p/u's w/ different frame widths 78 f350 2wd crew w/ 34" rear frame...78 f250 4wd crew w/ 37" rear frame and a 77 f250 4wd crew w/ 34" frame
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Great American SouthWest
I put it on a floor jack, and stuck a ball mount in the receiver to move the center of gravity. Not fun, but it worked
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: Sioux Falls Area
i did the same, but i was able to get a c-clamp on it to hold it up.
one hole on the pass. side was in the right spot, so i used that with a bolt through it to hang that side.
then i drilled one hole on the other side .... got a bolt in it, stood back ... DAM! its crooked! broke two more bits trying to get another hole drilled ... gave up and hired u-haul.... they used my hole, so it is crooked a bit to this day .... oh well, tows just the same ...
one hole on the pass. side was in the right spot, so i used that with a bolt through it to hang that side.
then i drilled one hole on the other side .... got a bolt in it, stood back ... DAM! its crooked! broke two more bits trying to get another hole drilled ... gave up and hired u-haul.... they used my hole, so it is crooked a bit to this day .... oh well, tows just the same ...
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 605
Likes: 1
From: Castle Rock, CO
[QUOTE=meborder;11652498]
yep! put my dumba$$ hat on ... got out the 4ft cheater, and spent an hour and a half twisting one off.
one of those days ... i KNEW something was wrong, but got too stuborn to stop and think about it.
in my defense, i had never hear of left hand nuts being used on a car before i found these..... was completely new to me.
cost me 140 bucks (2 hours of shop time) to pay my mechanic to tear the hub apart and replace the stud.... "stupid tax"
i'm gonna have to look up that Curt number you posted ... sounds like a better hitch than the one i got. Always amazes me, these things lived 30 some years without a hitch! why have a truck with no hitch!?!?
My 74 F350 SCS also has the LH nuts on the driver side wheel. Is that the way they all came? Sorry, not trying to get off your topic but this is the first time somebody else talked about it. I thought it was just mine?
yep! put my dumba$$ hat on ... got out the 4ft cheater, and spent an hour and a half twisting one off.
one of those days ... i KNEW something was wrong, but got too stuborn to stop and think about it.
in my defense, i had never hear of left hand nuts being used on a car before i found these..... was completely new to me.
cost me 140 bucks (2 hours of shop time) to pay my mechanic to tear the hub apart and replace the stud.... "stupid tax"
i'm gonna have to look up that Curt number you posted ... sounds like a better hitch than the one i got. Always amazes me, these things lived 30 some years without a hitch! why have a truck with no hitch!?!?
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 6,504
Likes: 652
From: Sioux Falls Area
[quote=74 F350 SCS;11654614]
the way i understand it, all Dana 70's in these trucks had the LH lugs on the left rear
I think some of the D60's did as well, but i wouldn't swear by it.
wish i would have known it before i got stupid
I think some of the D60's did as well, but i wouldn't swear by it.
wish i would have known it before i got stupid
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Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Great American SouthWest
Installed a Curt 14082 receiver hitch under the yellow truck. It's rated 10k/1k WC or 12k/1200 WD. It's the highest capacity receiver I could find for it.
Installation wasn't as bad as I expected. I did have to drill four new holes, and drill out two rivets from the last crossmember. My drill is torquier than I am, and just before the rivet broke through, the drill bound up, and twisted out of my hand. Not sure how it happened, but I guess it pulled my left pointing finger back (or whacked it pretty good) and it sure hurt! I can extend the finger, but it doesn't yet curl as tight as it should. Went to a Vietnamese place for lunch today, and chopsticks were no fun at all...
But it's all worth it, right?!?!
Installation wasn't as bad as I expected. I did have to drill four new holes, and drill out two rivets from the last crossmember. My drill is torquier than I am, and just before the rivet broke through, the drill bound up, and twisted out of my hand. Not sure how it happened, but I guess it pulled my left pointing finger back (or whacked it pretty good) and it sure hurt! I can extend the finger, but it doesn't yet curl as tight as it should. Went to a Vietnamese place for lunch today, and chopsticks were no fun at all...
But it's all worth it, right?!?!