Weight Distributing Hitch?

[kjohnson709]

This years reunion (last week) was the first time I towed my heavy boat (8600 pounds loaded) any real distance with our Ram 1500 Ecodiesel. Last year we had a loaner 3/4 ton truck as mine was in the shop. I was really impressed with how well it did. Driving through the Rockies did slow us down to 55 on some of the larger climbs, but overall I was blown away at how well it did. Honestly I would pick our half ton over the brand new 3/4 Ram cummins we drove last year. It had terrible brakes. Like SCARY BAD! We also did 1-2 MPG better in our little truck, at 12-13mpg for the trip. Probably double what a Hemi would have got.
These new half ton trucks are the new 3/4 tons of yesterday and a perfect match for our mid-weight boats.

For sure and as other members noted our boats are well balanced and have low tongue weights compared to say a travel trailer. My older trailer though has surge brakes and if I had electric brakes I wouldn't have any worries at all!

It just bothers me that the hitch sticker says 5,000 lbs max GTW without a WD hitch and I am over that. I also just found out that I can upgrade to a true class IV receiver that would give me 10,000 lbs GTW capacity without a WD hitch but the factory tow pkg. I have is integrated with the rear bumper and can't really be removed. So if I wanted to upgrade to a heavier duty hitch/receiver I would need to run a dual receiver setup and that looks plain stupid to me.

[wired1236]

For sure and as other members noted our boats are well balanced and have low tongue weights compared to say a travel trailer. My older trailer though has surge brakes and if I had electric brakes I wouldn't have any worries at all!

It just bothers me that the hitch sticker says 5,000 lbs max GTW without a WD hitch and I am over that. I also just found out that I can upgrade to a true class IV receiver that would give me 10,000 lbs GTW capacity without a WD hitch but the factory tow pkg. I have is integrated with the rear bumper and can't really be removed. So if I wanted to upgrade to a heavier duty hitch/receiver I would need to run a dual receiver setup and that looks plain stupid to me.

You can remove the integrated hitch with some ease and order a replacement number mount from your ford dealer to replace it for $140. Then you can put on a class IV hitch like normal. I know cause I did it.


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[kjohnson709]

You can remove the integrated hitch with some ease and order a replacement number mount from your ford dealer to replace it for $140. Then you can put on a class IV hitch like normal. I know cause I did it.


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YES!!!! This is what I was thinking of doing!!!!!!! So can I ask, is this the replacement bumper mount you are referring to? From there the class IV hitch will tuck nicely under and look almost factory?

https://www.carparts.com/details/For...owfitment=true

[wired1236]

YES!!!! This is what I was thinking of doing!!!!!!! So can I ask, is this the replacement bumper mount you are referring to? From there the class IV hitch will tuck nicely under and look almost factory?

https://www.carparts.com/details/For...owfitment=true

Yep. That looks like the part. The hardest part is getting the bumper off. Ford, in their infinite wisdom put two bolts under the plastic bumper cover near the license plate lights that you can only get to by pulling off the plastic over. Then getting the cover on correctly is a PITA as thy have plastic tabs that like to fold over rather than going back into their holes in the bumper. You’ll get it. It will look stock.


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[Bamer]

Can all you guys that have contributed to this thread look up the GAWR for the rear axle of your half ton truck and the curb weight of the truck itself? I suspect that once you add 500-600lbs of people plus 100-200lbs of gear in the bed to the truck plus tongue weight that your are at or exceeding the rating of your rear axle. Thanks in advance!!!


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[MtnMan210]

are we still on tow rating of half tons......or can we move on to the brakes and transmission part of equation

[sandm]

or can we move on to the brakes

this is where tow ratings really matter. when that stupid moron in front of you isn't paying attention and stops for no apparent reason.

[Bamer]

are we still on tow rating of half tons......or can we move on to the brakes and transmission part of equation

Agree, but I can easily find crew cab half tons with 14-16k GCWR so these trucks have plenty of stoping and acceleration capability. Most these truck have bigger engines with 373 or similar gears with 6-8 speed transmission, but the highest GAWR that I can find is 4000lbs or so. Based on my calculations according to my current Chevy manual, the weight on the rear axle is right at 4000lbs.


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[Zackdogg]

are we still on tow rating of half tons......or can we move on to the brakes and transmission part of equation

Bingo! My last truck was a half ton Chevy that I towed through the sierras a lot. Trans lasted until 60k, and 3 sets of brakes by 100k when I traded it in. It dragged it down the road just fine. I’ll never own a half ton again, even though they are nice to drive with no trailer.


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[UNSTUCK]

If you guys are relying on your trucks to stop your trailers you have bigger issues. Surge brakes are marginal, at best and will probably never be as good as electric brakes, but my trailer stops itself just fine. I don't feel much braking action in a soft stop, but it never feels like the truck is braking the trailer. In a hard stop, the trailer is stopping itself and probably the truck a little as well.

[Zackdogg]

Could be my driving, all around, can’t fully blame trailering, but my half ton just didn’t hold up to frequent trailering. My 3/4 ton didn’t need brakes until 200k, using it the exact same. I know everyone uses their trucks differently and if I lived in Oklahoma, I’d be just fine trailering with a half ton. I drag trailers into and over the sierras, a few times a week, for the most part, and a 1/2 ton is basically a throw away truck the way I use it. I also drive fast, hunt out of my truck, drive in ice and snow, launch from the beach at our lake, and the list goes on. Half tons are good for 3-4 years when I drive them, and they’re falling apart in that time. I’ll have 10 years on my current truck next year, and I could probably get at least 5 more out of it, only thing that has ever gone wrong is the trans started to slip at 200k, it never broke though.

For me it’s a no-brainer. I completely understand that I’m out of the norm.


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[tigemech]

Just a FYI, you cant use a weight distribution hitch with surge brakes. Im aware that there are apparently manufactures that make some they say are compatible with surge brakes, but i havent seen one in person, so buy at your own risk.

[kjohnson709]

The bulk of my towing consists of a 2.9 mile distance from vacation home garage to the launch ramp. Any long hauls the boat is towed with my brother's Duramax. But I have ran the calculations on payload, axles, suspension, and tires for my F-150 and I am within spec. on all components except the 5,000 GTW hitch. Thanks all!