Aftermarket or Better trailer hitches
01-09-2019, 01:40 PM
#21
Flaccid Member
In your first post, you ask about increasing “safety and comfort factor.” I don’t know what a hitch has to do with comfort factor, or how to quantify such a thing, but increasing your safety margin is a fine pursuit. The trouble is, the person best-suited to provide information about what to upgrade is you. Because no one else knows how your truck is equipped. With that in mind, they’re all saying that the hitch is not your weakest link, and they’re probably right.
You can’t legally exceed your payload or tow ratings. But you can upgrade your components to increase your safety margin. I wanted to increase the safety margin for the payload of my truck. So I reviewed the capacities of all of the components that contribute to payload: rear axle, springs, tires, and wheels. My rear axle is rated at 4,500 lbs, is the most difficult and most expensive to change, and is not the weakest-rated component. So I left it alone. I replaced the tires, the wheels, and added a leaf to each side, so that each of those components individually exceeds 4,500 lbs. My rear axle is now the lowest-rated component that contributes to payload. I’m not going to exceed my payload, but I’ve increased my safety margin.
You want to increase your towing safety margin? Figure out what contributes to its rating. Find the weakest link. Start by replacing that. If I had decided to replace my axle first, I would have spent a bunch of money and done nothing to increase my payload safety margin, or “effective payload,” if you want. No one’s going to tell you what you want to hear if what you want to hear is, “sure, all you need to do is change your hitch, and you can tow more.” Sorry that you think the answers you’re getting are stupid. Maybe some introspection is due.
Last edited by SPOAT; 01-15-2019 at 03:31 PM.
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Ned Uto (01-09-2019)
01-09-2019, 02:13 PM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The long bed XL is good from an available payload aspect.
The problems are the engine choice and the rear axle ratio. Those aren't best suited for "heavy" hauling. I don't know what your gross vehicle weight is, but some of the 2.7l engines come with a light duty frame too.
The problems are the engine choice and the rear axle ratio. Those aren't best suited for "heavy" hauling. I don't know what your gross vehicle weight is, but some of the 2.7l engines come with a light duty frame too.
Ill be well within the actual weight ratings.
Im not a weekend warrior.
01-09-2019, 02:18 PM
#23
Senior Member
Thread Starter
In your first post, you ask about increasing “safety and comfort factor.” I don’t know what a hitch has to do with comfort factor, or how to quantify such a thing, but increasing your safety margin is a fine pursuit. The trouble is, the person best-suited to provide information about what to upgrade is you. Because no one else knows how your truck is equipped. With that in mind, they’re all saying that the hitch is not your weakest link, and they’re probably right.
You can’t legally exceed your payload or tow ratings. But you can upgrade your components to increase your safety margin. I wanted to increase the safety margin for the payload of my truck. So I reviewed the capacities of all of the components that contribute to payload: rear axle, springs, tires, and wheels. My rear axle is rated at 4,500 lbs, is the most difficult and most expensive to change, and is not the weakest-rated component. So I left it alone. I replaced the tires, the wheels, and added a leaf to each side, so that each of those components individually exceeds 4,500 lbs. My rear axle is now the lowest-rated component that contributes to payload. I’m not going to exceed my payload, but I’ve increased my safety margin.
You want to increase your towing safety margin? Figure out what contributes to its rating. Find the weakest link. Start by replacing that. If I had decided to replace my axle first, I would have spent a bunch of money and done nothing to increase my payload safety margin, or “effective payload,” if you want. No one’s going to tell you what you want to hear if what you want to hear is, “sure, all you need to do is change your hitch, and you can tow more.” Sorry that you think the answers you’re getting are stupid. Maybe some introspection is due.
Without insulting the F150 too much. I’ll be honest and say the factory hitch is borderline junk and should be a class 3.
This truck has way more ability than 500 tongue.
The weekend warrior 5.5ft bed Fx4 may not be as suited. Of course a WDH will help that though.
Anyone have any real life experience with a stronger frame mounted hitch? I’d like to improve my towing performance.
Last edited by SPOAT; 01-15-2019 at 03:35 PM.
01-09-2019, 02:28 PM
#24
Flaccid Member
I'm tapped out. My weekend warrior short bed F150 FX4 with factory tow package and I are going to slink into a dark corner until this train wreck of a thread meets its inevitable end.
Last edited by DeltaNu1142; 01-09-2019 at 02:40 PM.
01-09-2019, 02:35 PM
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I’ve had one and they are fine without insulting the hitch it’s under rated without a WDH.
Prefer to get the weight up on the frame. Not my first rodeo with a basic bumper factory hitch.
Anyone upgrade to a class IV hitch?
Prefer to get the weight up on the frame. Not my first rodeo with a basic bumper factory hitch.
Anyone upgrade to a class IV hitch?
01-09-2019, 02:53 PM
#26
Senior Member
Without insulting the F150 too much. I’ll be honest and say the factory hitch is borderline junk and should be a class 3.
This truck has way more ability than 500 tongue.
The weekend warrior 5.5ft bed Fx4 may not be as suited. Of course a WDH will help that though.
Anyone have any real life experience with a stronger frame mounted hitch? I’d like to improve my towing performance.
01-09-2019, 03:06 PM
#27
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yeah it’s a weird hitch set up. If i go with approximate ford ratings I’d need a WDH pretty quickly. Not something I thought about till I bought one as my daily work beater.
01-09-2019, 04:18 PM
#29
OP, Ill give you credit. You stick to your guns even when they are missing firing b/c you put the wrong ammo in even after everyone lets you know what the scoop is. Thanks for the giggles. Head over to the towing forum here, youll have a field day over there!
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/
https://www.f150forum.com/f82/
01-09-2019, 04:42 PM
#30
Senior Member
Fun reading. 
but now I am confused. I have a 2016 F150 SCREW 6.5 bed with tow package and the 3.5 EB. It supposedly came with a class IV hitch (on the spec sheet) and it is definitely NOT attached to the bumper. It is frame mounted. So what Am I missing unless you want to go with a class 5 hitch ??? Why change it ???
but now I am confused. I have a 2016 F150 SCREW 6.5 bed with tow package and the 3.5 EB. It supposedly came with a class IV hitch (on the spec sheet) and it is definitely NOT attached to the bumper. It is frame mounted. So what Am I missing unless you want to go with a class 5 hitch ??? Why change it ???
Last edited by lomax; 01-09-2019 at 05:21 PM.