I plan on removing my class111 hitch off my 1997 f-150 and just using the bumper, how well will it hold up? I remember our old 95 f-150 4.9 towed my 68 chrysler monstor show car off the bumper, but I just want to make sure I can tow my race trailer (3 flat track three wheelers) on a single axle steel/aluminum trailer (only weighs around 300 tops itself). And what about a dual axle car trailer? say with a 91 lincoln town car on it? I jsut want to make sure my bumper can handle it, the hitch is ugly, my truck is lowered and it helps me get stuck often, lol, its gots to go!

 

Check the rating on the bumper. Somewhere on it should be the max tow weight and tongue weight. If your trailer fits that then you are good to go.

A wild guess is that your dual axle car trailer with load is probably going to be pretty hefty and probably won't work well with most bumper hitches.

The other problem with bumpers is usually they are too high off the ground so the trailer will not be level unless you have some sort of adapter.

A heavy trailer really benefits from a good weight distributing hitch and sway control. A bumper hitch just doesn't cut it for serious towing.

You might be able to do a bumper tow, but you may not like it. The three wheeler trailer is the one most likely to work with the bumper assuming you can keep it level.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

well my truck is lowered and the bumper hight it spot on for most trailer for sitting level, of course under weight it would sag, but I have 2600 series firestone airbags on my truck so leveling out is not a problem, I was more concerned with the capacity of my bumper, all the tow ratings on the pads are non existant since everything was sanded smooth and painted.

 

and plus tow ratings are so underrated in my opinion I wanted a reall world answer not a desk jocky answer

edit: desk jockey wasnt ment for anyone here, just the crack heads who design parts that actualy never feild test anything and ride a scwinn to work

 

They claim the bumper can handle 5000/500, but its only a class II. You are required to have a class III if you are hauling a certain number of square feet of "sail" space. I wouldn't trust the bumper to 5000lbs, I've seen too many of them that are severely bent.

 

Why don't you get a roll-pan and hidden hitch? Even better looking than a stock bumper. If I remember from my old F150 yours should be rated at 500/5k, should be fine just check those bolts.

 

well this truck is a driver, and even though a roll pan would look better, and I wouldnt bother getting a hidden hitch as I would just cut and weld in my own hidden hitch, I like my spare tire still under my truck wich the rollpan/hitch would not allow and the fact that with a hidden hitch it puts the hitch so far in to be safe for trailer clearance you have to run a hitch extension wich im not ever cool with, so the bumoer stays.

 

An extension might be safer than the bumper.