Jeff1024

We tow over the 500/5000lb weight carrying rating, as do others on here. Haven't noticed any issues /w the receiver. We are close to 525/6750

kbroderick

Seeing as that sounds like something I might be dumb enough to do, I'd love a few more details.

How big was the stuck truck? Bogged to the axles? Angle of pull?

Anything else that, in hindsight, might have been a suggestion that the receiver might be made unhappy by the pull?

(based on the Army manual rule of thumb of twice the weight when stuck, the factory hitch should be capable of handling most 1/2 ton pickups, but I'm sure there are times where that rule of thumb is insufficient)

Ragingun

It was another F150. Truck was buried to the frame. Pulling at an upward angle on grass dirt hill. No way it would move just pulling so it was a running start and loose chain, ya, lots of beer involved too. Not your normal situation but we got him out!

waltheraustin

I bought a Curt receiver since my truck was a fleet truck and had it removed since they don't allow towing it was removed. It was crap, it cracked within a few weeks and it was replaced with the same one. Same thing happened but Curt refused to do anything about it. Trying to remember the one I replaced that one with but can't remember the manufacturer. It's been solid. The new one and the old one we're rated the same. Curt kept saying I was overloaded but I wasn't. I bought a scale for the toung weight and sent pics but they kept that stance. I won't ever by from etrailer (they wouldn't replace either one) nor will I by from Curt. Local weilder said it was cheap Chinese steel. The replacement was even cheaper than the Curt's too!

If you're interested in what I ended up buying, I'll do some searching but stay away from Curt. Cheap steel and they are a horrible company to work with.

rkurt

I have a 2016 F150 Fx4/5.0/tow package and used a motorcycle carrier to haul a 550 pound motorcycle on a 2000 mile trip. I realize this setup creates much greater torque/moment stresses than pulling a trailer but was within the deadweight limit. Appears the receiver bent down a few degrees. Have others experienced this? Any remedies/fixes? Any alternatives or aftermarket ideas to better support the MC carrier? I like the idea of the carrier versus pulling a trailer

Flamingtaco

You were within the weight limit, but the force applied by that weight changes with the distance between the weight and the hitch.

Tongue weight ratings are with weight positioned about 12 inches from the end of the receiver. If the center of the track a bike sits in is 18 inches from the end of the receiver, the force increases accordingly. Place a 500lb bike in that track, it places the same force on the hitch as a 750lb bike sitting 12 inches from the receiver.

Yes, motorcycle carriers can bend receivers. And cargo trays. Hell, some of the wheel mount style four-position bike carriers will bend receivers if you're loaded for downhill runs and taking fire roads.

kbroderick

Are you sure it bent during the trip and wasn't a few degrees below level to begin with? There's a thread around somewhere discussing that a non-trivial number of F-150 hitches are less than level right off the lot.