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Hi everybody- long time listener. First time caller. I recently purchased an F350 with the Turbo IDI and got a very good price because of a few things, including this crack in the frame. My guess is that somebody used it to pull a stump.
I am looking to equip my truck to tow and would like to safely repair this. I’m currently thinking of taking out the bumper, welding the crossmember together, and then installing an aftermarket hitch. I have no welding experience but might be able to call upon a few buddies. How hard would this be? Would it be difficult to align the crossmember? Any other tips?
That’s just the trailer hitch. If you drop your spare tire, you’ll see how it bolts onto the actual truck frame. As long as someone hasn’t welded it to the frame, easily changed out for new.
Could be attached to an aftermarket or deep bumper on that too, can’t tell from those pics.
Look up Curt hitches (pick your favorite brand, I like Curt these days), and search their site for the one that fits your needs, weights, and height/drop.
If you're not an experienced welder, this isn't the place to learn.
Or perhaps more correctly: If you have a welder (or access to one), feel free to drop this one out and have at it! (Welding, that is.) However, for the sake of everyone else on the road with you, please don't put it back into service until you've either, A) Gained A LOT of experience and are ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN the weld is going to hold, or B) Have a welding shop do this for you.
Have fun! It's never to late to learn, but please consider the safety of those around you.
Yeah, don't mess with it. Take it out, scrap it and replace it with a new hitch. Don't mess around either. For your F350 diesel truck, use the: Curt 15300 Xtra Duty Class 5 Trailer Hitch. Even if you don't plan to ever max it.......It will be there for the unexpected time, you get tempted to push a class 4 when you know you shouldn't. For the price difference......Don't risk life's. That's what I put under my F250 years ago (it had a different part # then). The back half of the frame had to be replaced but that hitch was still solid, well after a decade. I had the certified welder who replaced the frame inspect it too and he agreed it was still very good. Hooked up 99% of the time to just a 2k lb wood chipper, but I twitch logs with it, hook onto trees with ropes to help pull them over and sometimes tow a dump trailer, that's probably only 4k lbs loaded at most too, but I know I can count on it and not have to think about it too. I inspect it all the time for rust and cracks, but unless I see anything, I don't worry about working it. These diesels can pull more than the truck should. You want a hitch at least equally as impressive as the engine.
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