BAM298

Thanks for the post and input.

Couple questions I have though....I haven't read the Ford RV and Trailer Guide but if that's the case why does Ford put this sticker on a F350 trailer hitch? Picture is of a friends OEM trailer hitch...

http://i988.photobucket.com/albums/a...psowfmjmgj.jpg

I know it's not an F-150 but you said Ford requires a WDH for any trailer with TW over 500lbs.

And I do plan on having at least 10% tongue weight, just not sure what that may come in at yet. Our boat is still being built and won't be ready for pick up until end of April so I was just trying to get prepared for it.

I haven't towed many "heavy" trailers but even the travel trailers I've towed that are not aerodynamic in the least swayed/gave me issues while towing.

As to hitches not being available I'm finding plenty, and for good prices, but I'm unsure how they will LOOK when mounted. Looking at pictures it appears they all have the bar mounted BELOW the bumper versus tucked up behind the bumper and just the hitch mount hanging below. Also, I have the factory tow package which mounts the trailer plug connectors to the factory hitch, so I would have to figure out a new mounting setupf or that.

Here is one I'm considering....
I'd like for it to be "hidden" but if they just don't offer one with the capacity I need I guess that's what I'll have to do.

I may hold off on buying anything until getting the boat and weighing it as well as seeing how it tows.

-Matt

miller

The recommended trailer tongue weight for boat trailers falls within a range of 5 percent to 7 percent of the total weight of trailer, boat, motor, fuel and gear. Single axel trailers perform best at 6 percent while dual axel trailers perform best at 5 percent. For trailer campers and other larger rigs, a higher ratio is often used. In these situation's it is best for the travel trailer community to not comment as most have no experience towing boats. A weight distribution set up cannot be applied to a trailer equipped with surge breaks as forward motion of the trailer is needed to activated the cylinder for the brakes. At a 6% tongue weight on a 6500 ibs boat being 390 ibs just hook up and go.

smokeywren

Ford's actual words are: "Over 5,000 pounds gross trailer weight ... most applications require a conventional weight distributing or 5th-wheel hitch." In other areas of the towing guide they state that conventional trailers should have between 10 percent to 15 percent tongue weight. Therefore a trailer with over 5,000 pounds gross trailer weight will have tongue weight over 500 pounds.


If you look hard enough, you can find inconsistencies in Ford's rules, The sticker on that dually receiver is one example.


The laws of physics do not change. If 500 pounds max tongue weight is the rule, then it doesn't matter if the cargo is a boat or a bunch of sacks of cement or an RV trailer. You will run across lots of folks who claim that boat trailers are somehow different, so different laws of physics apply to them.

mvander

Boat trailers are indeed different as their axles are typically located much further back then other types of trailer. The lever effect on the tow vehicle is less due to the axle placement so sway is less likely to be induced. So it goes that a boat trailer requires less tounge wt to tow safely (5-7%).

More tounge wt will not hurt except for running over your receiver rating without the need to.

Z7What

I'm going to ask a dumb question as I havnt towed anything to push the limits of a truck that I have owned. Or I should say never towed anything that I was thought to be to heavy to not just hook up and go.

If Ford says I can tow 8000lb does that mean only with a WD hitch?

Wayne