You could not be more right. When it comes to towing or hauling I am stunned at some of the things I see, I only pray I am not behind them on the highway.

While back I pulled up on I 10 heading into San Antonio and zipping past me was a motorhome pulling a trailer. The trailer was clearly mis-loaded and out of control to put it mildly. I saw a flip in their future. I guess they had not been on the road long as the entrance ramp right before I got on there was a RV park there.

They were driving the left lane and clearly in a rush. I pulled alongside and its an older couple, I am trying to give some kind of a signal to get them to slow and pull over. The woman looks at me, I see her turn to her husband and they speed up. I am in my dually thinking this is crazy we are at 80 mph and I am frantically giving the slow down signal. She looks at me and PULLS down the window shade!

I touch brakes and get far behind as they speed up even more. Finally the small trailer has had enough and flips scattering junk on the road. They pull over on the shoulder on the left lane. I pull to the right and keep on going.

 

There isn't a motorhome on the planet that has tires rated for 80MPH, especially in the heat. I drive my MH safely and rarely over 70. After all, if I wreck, I will be the very first one at the crash site.

I am constantly amazed at what I see on he road.

FYI, longtime Weller drinker here.

 

Just stopped into tractor supply and tried the 3/8" clevis hook(biggest they had) and the clasp couldn't close properly. You could get it with some major angle but then it was a pia to get back off. 😞 WHY FORD WHY!

 

Have been since college days and for the special times Its Ranger .36, maybe the best that has ever passed my lips and a lot has: Ranger Creek .36 Texas Bourbon

 

What is bolted to what there with the two bolts above and to the left and right of the receiver? Is the safety chain bracket BOLTED to the hitch? If so someone can design something better to work with hooks that real people use.

 

The safety chain bracket is welded to the receiver. Those bolts in the pic are for a support bracket under the plastic part of the bumper directly above. It supports where you would likely "step" on the bumper.

 

 

Heres my thoughts on the matter. Since these are rated to 10 tons off the receiver hitch, it'll be required to support that in the case of a ball or hitch failure. They have made the opening to be as large as possible while maintaining adequate strength. If it was larger, there would be less material. I would imagine it came down to a strength vs aesthetics and they assumed the owner would make the needed changes to fit their individual situation.

I think the clevis looks fine but the guys that are ordering the black powder coated ones will be slick

Brett

 

This is on a 17 SD 350 with the 3" receiver. This is the way they all should be!! Plenty of room to hook whatever!

 

Yea I was wondering what everyone was talking about as all my trailer hooks fit ok..

 

Jace...I believe you are incorrect. That is the exact opening that everyone IS having trouble fitting their existing hooks in. At least that what I understood from the previous posts. It's not the size of the hole in question...it is due to the angles and double width of the hook holders. The snap can't come back under and close. See the pics in the beginning of this thread. The 2011 - 16 were a single piece of thin steel that worked GREAT. The new ones...not so much. Someone please correct me if i'm wrong.

 

Let me know. I saw some with the smaller holes like the OP but we're ALL 250's then on the 350's I saw the larger holes. I'm not sure either so someone with a 350 please chime in by all means.......

 

This is a pic of the back of my truck, a 350, and the holes are much larger than the others. Check it out.........


I see what you are talking about with it doubled though. Haven't picked my truck up so I'm not sure.

 

Yeah...I did see they were asking if this was only the 2 1/2...but the width (thickness) looks the same on both causing the snap hooks not to be able to close. I've got the 3" on my 250 HD Tow but have not tried my boat or utility trailer hooks yet. Thanks for the pics. I think the 3" shaft hitch hole is bigger...but not sure if it will work will all hooks without modifying it.

 

+
But remember...it's not the size of the hole that's giving everyone grief..it's the inability of the hooks to stay in place or even have the one's with a snap spring fully close. This is the pic i'm talking about.