what is the actual tow rating on a factory 2.5" hitch?

[4drdually]

Is the real tow weights what is on the sticker on the hitch? I bought the truck with the factory hitch to make my life easier. But with a 2.5 hitch, the max it says i can go weight carrying is 8000 lbs! It's nuts considering tounge weight on a load distributing is 15000, but it drops off so dramatically. It's a well built hitch and looks identical to the putnam, just different ratings. I'm going to be towing a 12k deckover for a small backhoe, pintle hitch. I'm towing COMMERCIAL. do you think i should toss the hitch and buy one that has the tow rating stamped on? Smokey, I hope to hear from you on this one. Thanks all, Dan

[SmokeyWren]

Yep, the sticker (and the same numbers embossed into the metal frame of the receiver) is the official weight limits on the receiver.

And yes, WC (weight carrying) is a lot less than WD (weight distributing).

I'm not a fan of pintel hitches, except for very slow moving around on the farm or ranch. If I'm going to get on the highway and go more than about 30 MPH, then I want a weight-distributing hitch hooked up to a receiver that's rated to handle my trailer weight.

If you're going to haul commercial on the highway, then I'd be sure the receiver is rated for the load. If you can't replace the pintel hitch on the trailer, then replace the receiver with one that's rated over 12k WC.

[DezRacer]

That 8000 is the max weight of the trailer, without WD. That is a good sized load. Your tounge weight is different. I have a custom 2.5 hitch, tougue weight is rated for 1700 lbs.

8,000 lb trailer x .20% hitch weight = 1600 lbs on tounge.

10,000 lb trailer x .20% hitch weight = 2000 lbs on tougue. (Too much).

I think your answer lies in the math, you cannot have too much tougue weight. Therefore, a heavier load mandates WD, to distribute the TW.

What does the tounge of the BH trailer weigh? I am sure you could adjust the BH front and rear to make this work.

[4drdually]

Thanks Smokey, that's how I was looking at it. From everything I've been exposed to so far in commercial vehicles, ignoring a weight limit, even if it seems ridiculous, is not a smart idea. Dez, I see what your saying, we're using 10% on the hitch. But its all weight carrying. So my hitch is useless. Who at Ford decided it was a good idea to put these hitches on their trucks? With my 2.5" adapter out, my hitch is rated for 8000 pounds! far from an advertised 15000. If ford had told me the hitch was grossly underated for weight carrying, then I would have opted out and not paid them 250. Similar hitches are only off by around 2000 pounds weight carrying to weight distibuting. The Reese TowBeast is 14000/12000. We're going to be towing a john deere backhoe with a weight of 7700 pounds. Trailer weight will be around 3500 pounds. Hence the 12k trailer. Have to go pintle to make everything work out.

Smokey... I understand the concept of using sway control and weight distributing on a BOX trailer when you have other forces on the trailer such as wind which cause sway. But on an equipment trailer, where the weight is over the axles, I cant see the help it would have. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weight distributing kinda works like a sway bar in a car. The bars act as a spring and actually torque the hitch to one side or another and spread that weight onto the rear axle. So the trailer doesn't react independently of the truck. I understand your concern and i value all your input, but here's my hang up on the whole weight distributing thing. You have the electric companies and gas companies towing there backhoes around behind there 250s, 450s ,and 550 dumptrucks using pintle everyday. These guys gross 12k on the trailers daily. Never do you see one use WD. Same with dump trailers. I don't see how they would benefit, and I don't think they do eithier. Any ideas?

BTW, I'm weighing the idea of a goose still. Just a lot more money and won't be able to be towed by a dump in the future.

Thanks guys.

Dan

[T_Bone]

Hi Dan,

WD hitching is for pavement pulling. Read the instructions and most mfg will recomend disconnecting WD hitching on ruff terrian or when backing.

Pintel hitching allows for movement on ruff terrian so the coupler doesn't bottom out on the ball hitch frame. Frame mounted pintel hicthing doesn't have the 5/8" pin limits on a typical pavement use receiver.

Most receiver type hitching is way underdesign for the weight rating they carry. GM has a huge problem with there over rated receiver designs.

99.9% tag trailers are happy with 12% TW placed ahead of the trailer axles. A good rule of thumb for correct TW is when the TV bumper drops 2.5" when fully loaded, you have just the right amount of TW/PW.

Your hitching stress greatly increases when you leave the pavement and takes a huge pounding. GN or 5th wheels are a great increase in design strength VS tag hitching.

I've now converted all my trailers to 5th wheel hiching as it's so much easier to use. GN is a PITA to hitch without hitching aids. 5th wheel you just set for the correct hieght and back up until she locks.





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[SmokeyWren]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 4drdually</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Correct me if I'm wrong, but weight distributing kinda works like a sway bar in a car. The bars act as a spring and actually torque the hitch to one side or another and spread that weight onto the rear axle. </div></div>

Either you didn't 'splain it very well, or else you're wrong. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img]

First, seperate weight distributing (WD) from sway control. That's two different things.

Weight distributing distributes some of the hitch weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle and to the trailer axles. So instead of adding, for example, 1,200 pounds of weight behind the rear axle, when properly hooked up it adds 400 pounds to the front axle, 400 pounds to the trailer axles, and only 400 pounds to the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

(That's why receivers can be rated much higher weight with WD than with WC - because the receiver is only carrying about one third of that weight when WD.)

Sway control is sorta like you described. I don't claim to understand it, so I'll let your description ride. [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img] But it has nothing to do with weight distributing. You can have sway control without WD, or WD without sway control. Granted, most RV WD hitches have the sway control option included with the WD hitch.

[4drdually]

I follow what your saying Smokey. Just can't see from an engineering stand point how you can transfer weight to the front axle with out exerting the same amount of force on the hitch as if the weight was just acting down. The "Hitch" still takes the same strains, just not the truck. My opinion though.

I'm gonna rip that hitch off and go pick up a Reese Tow Beast in order to carry the weight. Considering my proof of my GCWR for the DOT is on the opposite page of the manual as the hitch rating, I don't think the DOT would be too happy. Thanks for your help. Dan