towing questions
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towing questions
will a factory receiver hitch from a 1997 F-superduty fit on my 05 F-350? I need to tow a 5000 pound trailer about 200 miles each way. Will my F-350 be able to safely tow it? The trailer has surge brakes.
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Originally Posted by E350superduty
will a factory receiver hitch from a 1997 F-superduty fit on my 05 F-350? I need to tow a 5000 pound trailer about 200 miles each way. Will my F-350 be able to safely tow it? The trailer has surge brakes.
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Senior User
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Im towing this 5k load once, but I will be towing a smaller load(1-2k) once or twice a week. The receiver tube from the F-superduty is a class 5 designed for the 450 frame so it won't fit. I will be buying a reese class 4 receiver and a scooter carrier next week. Im also unsure of how to mount a receiver hitch. My mom says it should be bolted to the frame, but I was told to weld it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,292
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From: NJ where fun comes to die
They come with instructions. I have a 10K hitch not. I had to drill the holes but it was easy. The bolts are fine. You don't have to weld, although I did it on another truck. Disconnect your battery if you weld.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Georgia
The hitch is designed to be bolted in place. The engineers know what they are doing when they design these things. I guarantee the hitch bolted in place has a significant safety factor calculated into the rating. If you weld it you could actually end up weakening the metal in the hitch.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Burnsville, MN
I would second the concern about welding. I don't think a modern chassis is made of the old "soft" steel that people used to weld to all the time. In fact, I've seen a number of semi trailers with big signs saying "heat treated - do not weld".
Also, I ordered my '05 350 to be built by the factory last year with a 15K receiver, and it was installed with four big honking bolts on each side.
Use the bolts.
Also, I ordered my '05 350 to be built by the factory last year with a 15K receiver, and it was installed with four big honking bolts on each side.
Use the bolts.
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