Aftermarket or Better trailer hitches
01-15-2019, 06:11 AM
#131
Senior Member
How many F150 owners have had a failure of the factory hitch?
I've only observed failures of the trailer components, primarily the coupler.
I've only observed failures of the trailer components, primarily the coupler.
01-15-2019, 07:27 AM
#132
Found another one but this hitch only has 900lb tongue weight without weight distribution. Weird thing is even with weight distribution it is only rated for 1000 lbs of tongue weight.
https://www.etrailer.com/p-76136.html?hhyear=2018&hhmake=Ford&hhmodel=F-150
https://www.etrailer.com/p-76136.html?hhyear=2018&hhmake=Ford&hhmodel=F-150
01-15-2019, 12:19 PM
#134
Senior Member
Can you please go back to him and have him explain why Ford very specifically calls out the tongue weight rating as a hitch rating and all the rest of the limitations do not? No smoke and mirrors on all the rest. Why do they specifically segregate out tongue weight to the hitch on every published document?
You can easily be within Fords limitations except this one, and they chose to segregate it. Why?
E.G. I'm pulling a 3,500 lb load with a 15% tongue weight of 525lb. By following Ford's own guides exactly and literally, I would need weight distribution with their hitch no matter what payload or towing package I have, but once again, they specifically say "with the factory installed hitch receiver". Using that same guide and an aftermarket hitch receiver, I would be well within the towing limitations of even the most lightly optioned F150 without weight distribution.
"with the factory installed hitch receiver" is legalese for "We will not warranty aftermarket products".
Open to any explanation.
EDIT: On another thread someone brought up the term cognitive dissonance. This thread may be a much better example of it. For me, it took a fresh reread with a more critical approach to see the OPs side of things. That reread prompted me to contact Curt for their take on the subject. Of course we'll never know for certain unless the Engineers or Technical Writers of these documents chime in to clarify intent. Short of that, I'm getting the Curt as I exceed 500lb tongue weight fairly regularly with my single axle landscape trailer.
You can easily be within Fords limitations except this one, and they chose to segregate it. Why?
E.G. I'm pulling a 3,500 lb load with a 15% tongue weight of 525lb. By following Ford's own guides exactly and literally, I would need weight distribution with their hitch no matter what payload or towing package I have, but once again, they specifically say "with the factory installed hitch receiver". Using that same guide and an aftermarket hitch receiver, I would be well within the towing limitations of even the most lightly optioned F150 without weight distribution.
"with the factory installed hitch receiver" is legalese for "We will not warranty aftermarket products".
Open to any explanation.
EDIT: On another thread someone brought up the term cognitive dissonance. This thread may be a much better example of it. For me, it took a fresh reread with a more critical approach to see the OPs side of things. That reread prompted me to contact Curt for their take on the subject. Of course we'll never know for certain unless the Engineers or Technical Writers of these documents chime in to clarify intent. Short of that, I'm getting the Curt as I exceed 500lb tongue weight fairly regularly with my single axle landscape trailer.
Users with hundreds of combined years of towing have provided consistent responses to the OP. The OP, however, is not looking for any answers that do not match what he wants to hear. So even if the respondents are in an echo chamber (which does not determine correctness), the OP is only looking for HIS echo chamber (whether it be the correct answer or not).
Last edited by SPOAT; 01-15-2019 at 03:21 PM.
01-15-2019, 02:07 PM
#135
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I agree, except here's my take on that:
Users with hundreds of combined years of towing have provided consistent responses to the OP. The OP, however, is not looking for any answers that do not match what he wants to hear. So even if the respondents are in an echo chamber (which does not determine correctness), the OP is only looking for HIS echo chamber (whether it be the correct answer or not).
Which is what made such a mess of this, IMO. Why continue to post once it's obvious a thread is not going to provide the response you want to hear? It starts looking like a troll thread at that point, and things tend to go downhill very fast (like a 150 with 900Lb TW and no WDH.
Users with hundreds of combined years of towing have provided consistent responses to the OP. The OP, however, is not looking for any answers that do not match what he wants to hear. So even if the respondents are in an echo chamber (which does not determine correctness), the OP is only looking for HIS echo chamber (whether it be the correct answer or not).
Which is what made such a mess of this, IMO. Why continue to post once it's obvious a thread is not going to provide the response you want to hear? It starts looking like a troll thread at that point, and things tend to go downhill very fast (like a 150 with 900Lb TW and no WDH.
Its taking several pages to start getting actual factual information.
Last edited by SPOAT; 01-15-2019 at 03:20 PM.
01-15-2019, 02:10 PM
#136
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Was going to hypothicate Ford and others may use a lighter higher mounted hitch on the 1/2 ton so the damage is less when rear ended.
I’m looking for a more sturdy towing set up for my long bed work truck.
01-15-2019, 02:31 PM
#137
01-15-2019, 02:47 PM
#138
Senior Member
Thread Starter
01-15-2019, 03:08 PM
#139
Curious to see how the Curt hitch goes OP. My factory hitch is rated at 500lbs without wdh. I've towed car haulers with way more than 500lbs tongue weight without a wdh with the factory receiver and it has been fine. I should have used a wdh though, but I wouldn't mind a beefier receiver if it actually is beefier .
01-15-2019, 03:18 PM
#140
Senior Member
I closed this thread and moved it to the towing section. I'm going to clean it up a bit.
Fourteen pages is enough of this back-and-forth. I don't see any further posts as adding any redemption to the inquiries submitted.
Remember to keep all of your posts civil. If the shoe fits, wear it.
FURTHER REVIEW:
After cleaning it up and rereading the entire thread, it appears the OP had a valid question regarding the factory receiver hitch.
@mikeinatlanta wrote:
...I believe he is saying that the 500lb tongue weight restriction is due to the factory hitch receiver, not the truck, and that upgrading the hitch will increase this number. The whole bumper pull thing is just sidetracked conversation about how the factory receiver is built integrated into the bumper support.
Mike's post pretty much identifies the misunderstandings that transponded here. I hope that all participants involved in this back-and-forth would consider carefully reading a post before firing off an opinion. All here are better than that.
Thank you Mike for your diplomacy. To the OP @Joe Tom, I'm sorry for the hassle you encountered.
Fourteen pages is enough of this back-and-forth. I don't see any further posts as adding any redemption to the inquiries submitted.
Remember to keep all of your posts civil. If the shoe fits, wear it.
FURTHER REVIEW:
After cleaning it up and rereading the entire thread, it appears the OP had a valid question regarding the factory receiver hitch.
@mikeinatlanta wrote:
...I believe he is saying that the 500lb tongue weight restriction is due to the factory hitch receiver, not the truck, and that upgrading the hitch will increase this number. The whole bumper pull thing is just sidetracked conversation about how the factory receiver is built integrated into the bumper support.
Mike's post pretty much identifies the misunderstandings that transponded here. I hope that all participants involved in this back-and-forth would consider carefully reading a post before firing off an opinion. All here are better than that.
Thank you Mike for your diplomacy. To the OP @Joe Tom, I'm sorry for the hassle you encountered.
Last edited by SPOAT; 01-16-2019 at 07:42 AM.