Upgrade from OEM Receiver Hitch

[DiTrani]

Since I plan on occasionally pulling a 8-9K# tow-behind trailer I'll be upgrading the OEM hitch. I'm looking at the Reese Titan class 5 or the DrawTite Ultra Frame. I'm leaning toward the DrawTite as I already have a bunch of 2" stuff, including a WD setup, and the Reese has a 2. 5" receiver. But the Reese is rated at 12,000/1200 (10,000/1000 for the DrawTite), and that extra headroom sounds nice. Am I good with the DrawTite or should I go with the heavier Reese?



Also, is it realistic to expect to tow a 8-9K# trailer without WD? My truck will have all the HD suspension stuff, including the camper package (but no camper).



Thanks.

 

[Spyke]

Try looking at the superhitch by torq-lift. If I remember it is good for 15K w/weight distribution, I went with it because it has (2) 2" holes for the extension tube for pulling with a truck camper, so I didn't have to buy the adpter insert and it gave some up and adjustment also.

 

[JWhitcomb]

I am about to install a Tork Lift Super Hitch. I ordered it to allow me to pull my boat with a camper mounted. I needed the 48 inch extension and did not want to go with the 2. 5 inch system. While I can only pull 5K with the extension, without it I can handle anything I need to pull. Order factory direct, Karen had all the answers to my questions while local dealers failed badly.

 

[BV]

Receiver Hitch Upgrade

I have the Draw-Tite Ultra and very happy with it. Personally I would not want to tow 8k without WD since the 4k trailer I tow bounces the truck enough already and the bars stiffen it up.

The Reese is a nice hitch and for a few extra $ you can buy the 2. 5" to 2" adapter, unless they are giving them away now. Warning - - Most 2" solid stock is rated 10,000/1000 so if you want more you will need the 2. 5".

 

[QRTRHRS]

Putnam XDR

Rated at 10,000 lb weight carrying / 1,200 lb tongue weight or 14,000 lb weight distributing / 1,700 lb tongue weight.



Low profile, tucks up nicely or available in a 10" drop for large bumpers. Not as heavy as the Titan but quite adequate for your application.

 

[zman]

I have the Reese Titan V. It bolted up with out having to drill any additional holes. The 2. 5" drawbar is rated the same as the hitch. I bought the adapter so I could also use my 2" stuff when I needed it.

 

[Cooker]

I'll second what QRTRHRS had to say.



I couldn't be happier with mine.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I put a Draw-tite Ultra frame on my truck for the same reason, had a lot of 2" hitches already. Also, I did not plan on using WD bars and the draw-tite has a higher rating than the Reese Titan weight carrying, although the Reese has a higher rating WD. I towed my 35' house on wheels (pic below) for over 5,000 miles this summer in all kind of conditions which weighs 8,500 lbs and I didn't ever feel the need for WD bars. You do however need some form of sway control - I'm using a single friction type sway control and it works fine, one of the clips came out on one trip though and without it it was one wild ride!



#ad

 

[zman]

hitch links...

Here are the links to the manufacturer specs for the Reese Titan V and the Draw-Tite Ultra.



Reese Titan V (see charts at the bottom of the first first page)



Draw-Tite Ultra (choose the first link and scroll to the bottom of the page)



Steve

 

[DiTrani]

Thanks

Thanks for the replies guys.



Steve (or anyone) - have you used that front hitch for maneuvering a trailer around? I've got a pretty tight L-shaped driveway and small garage to get my race trailer into and was thinking that doing the detail work with the trailer on a front hitch might be easier.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I haven't used the front hitch to move the trailer around yet, I bought it instead of front tow hooks (roughly the same price). I have heard that they work great to manuever a trailer around though, just haven't had to use it for that yet.



Steve - I can't remember where the link was that I got the Reese WC numbers from but they weren't 10,000/1,000. A strange thing on that link that you put up is it contradicts itself in a couple of places. At the top of the page it says up to 10,000 lbs GTW (14,000 lbs WD), just below that says 14,000/1,700 WD/12,000/1,200 WC. Further down on the chart it says 14,000 WD/12,000 WC. The numbers I saw at one point (as I said I can't remember where) said 8,000/800 for the Reese - that's one of the reasons I went with the draw-tite, I wonder why all the different numbers (typos maybe?)



-Steve

 

[Thomas]

CD,



I use a DrawTite (6003???) front receiver, a no-drill installation on my model year 2000 4X4.



The difference in maneuverability with the front receiver vs. the rear receiver is night and day, especially on a long wheelbase truck.

 

[zman]

didn't notice that...

Steve -



I didn't even notice the contradictions on that page. That link is the official Reese Products Inc. website. They definitely need to clean that page up! The tag on my hitch shows 12,000/1,200 WC and 14,000/1,700 WD... .



Steve

 

[Straight6Jeff]

The front Hitch is definitely a plus for manuevering my 21' Baja boat. the driveway is 300" long, up hill, 8' wide with ditches on both sides, and off-camber. After the first time of trying to back it up, I had a fit, then remembered the front reciever. The veins quickly recessed back into my forehead after that.

 

[BK]

I have the Titan Reese hitch. For another 8 bucks you can buy the 2. 5" to 2" adapter sleeve.

I tow a 26' , 6Klbs (dry) trailer on and off road.



Since I do tow the trailer off road I wanted as much head room on the towing capacity as I could get and as much contact with the frame as I could get with a bolt in hitch. access to the spare tire is just fine.



I also have the Warn front hitch that I use for my Warn hitch and putting my trailer in my backyard through some very tight spots.

My friend as the DrawTite front hitch, and we compared it to the Warn, the Warn is made heavier and there less distance between the front of the hitch and where if contacts the frame.

His DrawTite has served him excellent, nothing bad to say about it. but from a side by side the Warn was heavier and better designed. Gotta remember it's designed to handle some nasty winching loads by Warn.



The both hitches went on with out any drilling, and fit perfect. Been very happy with both. Both very heavy, lots of thick steel on both.