Question About Factory Hitch

[RaymondSmith]

I have a 7300 pound boat that has a tongue weight of about 550 pounds. Mt truck is an 05 2500 quad cab 4X4 with the factory tow package. Since the truck sits higher than my previous tow vehicle I needed a new drop hitch. I went to a local, reputable hitch dealer (Tork-Lift) to buy the hitch. The salesman there asked what I was going to be towing and I told him. He then said that I would be overloading the factory hitch if I didn’t use a weight distributing hitch with spring bars. He said that the factory hitch is only rated for 300 pounds of tongue weight without the weight distributing hitch. Of course he said that he could take my factory hitch and “beef it up” so I would have nothing to worry about.



I kind of got mad at this guy because I though he was full of bologna. I told him to just sell me the hitch and I would worry about the receiver. After I left I looked in the owners manual and sure enough on page 290 it says “Equalizing hitch are required for Class III or Class IV trailer hitches and tongue weight over 350 pounds.



I sure as heck don’t want to use a weight distribution hitch on a boat trailer with surge brakes. Do you guys think there is an issue not using them with the factory hitch even though the owners manual says I should? If the answer is yes, I’ll probably go with their super duty modified hitch.



Thanks,



Ray

 

[lmills]

I wouldn't sweat it. I never pull out the distribution set up unless I am towing the 32' travel trailer

 

[Tomeygun]

I have a 7300 pound boat that has a tongue weight of about 550 pounds. Mt truck is an 05 2500 quad cab 4X4 with the factory tow package. Since the truck sits higher than my previous tow vehicle I needed a new drop hitch. I went to a local, reputable hitch dealer (Tork-Lift) to buy the hitch. The salesman there asked what I was going to be towing and I told him. He then said that I would be overloading the factory hitch if I didn’t use a weight distributing hitch with spring bars. He said that the factory hitch is only rated for 300 pounds of tongue weight without the weight distributing hitch. Of course he said that he could take my factory hitch and “beef it up” so I would have nothing to worry about.



I kind of got mad at this guy because I though he was full of bologna. I told him to just sell me the hitch and I would worry about the receiver. After I left I looked in the owners manual and sure enough on page 290 it says “Equalizing hitch are required for Class III or Class IV trailer hitches and tongue weight over 350 pounds.



I sure as heck don’t want to use a weight distribution hitch on a boat trailer with surge brakes. Do you guys think there is an issue not using them with the factory hitch even though the owners manual says I should? If the answer is yes, I’ll probably go with their super duty modified hitch.



Thanks,



Ray

WOW, i did not believe ya until I just pulled an owners manual and saw it for myself



What a joke, I go by the squat of the truck, if it pulling wheelies, I break out the dist. hitch



But that with a 28' car hauler that is poorly loaded (those backup engines and trannys are light!)

 

[AlexWV]

The manual says the tow package comes with a class IV rated at 12,000 lbs

and 1200 lbs tongue weight.



There should be sticker on it giving the ratings. Usually there are two set of

ratings given for max tongue weight, one with distribution hitch and one with not.

Check and see what the sticker on the hitch says. My truck is not here otherwise

I'd check it out for you.



Here are example ratings from a drawtite class IV hitch:

Weight Carrying ------------- Weight Distributing

Up to 1,200 lbs. TW --------- Up to 1,400 lbs

Up to 12,000 lbs. GTW ------- Up to 14,000 lbs. GTW

 

[Big_H316]

I haul trailers for a living and I have pulled some extremely heavy single trailers. I'm talking one's with a HUGE generator sitting right behind the hitch and my 3500 dually was really squatting and wandering and the receiver never budged. I'd say from experience that you have nothing to worry about. 500 lbs

 

[WM-300]

One thing to keep in mind. If you had a tragic accident, people were killed or hurt, they will look for anything to strengthen their case. Going past the published load on that hitch could cause you problems you dont even want to think about. Forgetting all the sueing, your insurance company could refuse to pay. Just my thoughts



WM-300

 

[RaymondSmith]

Thanks for the input. WM-300 brings up a good point. I'm just dissapointed that it looks like I will have to replace a hitch on a heavy duty tow rig with a factory tow package just to legaly pull a 7300 pound boat. Like the others, I'm sure it would be fine the way it is but I would sure hate to risk getting sued if I was in an accident.



Thanks again,



Ray

 

[MChildress]

I was disappointed in the factory hitch being mounted on the end on the frame. I installed the Reese Titan V and it grabs about two foot of frame just for piece of mind.

 

[Tim]

Most any boat that uses surge brakes requires an extra heavy duty trailer hitch because you can't use the bars. That is basically why Draw-tite and the Reese Titan own this market.



Get a better hitch. In my case it was cheaper to get the bars because my trailer has electric brakes, so I got the bars. Either way, don't overload your hitch. There's a reason why it's not rated to tow a heavy trailer as a weight carrying hitch.