Towing Upgrades

[bobsanmid]

We have a 2000 Ford 350 diesel. We are currently towing a FW. We are looking into getting a TT. The Sunnybrook Titan or Northwood Artic Fox have the features and floorplans that would work for us; we are full timers. Our truck is rated at conventional towing with weight distribution 10,000 lbs and max. tongue weight 1,000 lbs. We know that newer trucks are rated at 12,500 lbs. Does anyone know what Ford did to increase the conventional towing rates in the newer trucks? Is there anything that we can do to upgrade our truck's conventional towing capacity? The TTs that we are considering are rated between 10,000 and 11,700 GVWR. The tongue weights when unit is fully loaded would be over 1,000. Please share any experiences in towing TTs that might be helpful.

[bobsanmid]

We have a 2000 Ford 350 diesel. We are currently towing a FW. We are looking into getting a TT. The Sunnybrook Titan or Northwood Artic Fox have the features and floorplans that would work for us; we are full timers. Our truck is rated at conventional towing with weight distribution 10,000 lbs and max. tongue weight 1,000 lbs. We know that newer trucks are rated at 12,500 lbs. Does anyone know what Ford did to increase the conventional towing rates in the newer trucks? Is there anything that we can do to upgrade our truck's conventional towing capacity? The TTs that we are considering are rated between 10,000 and 11,700 GVWR. The tongue weights when unit is fully loaded would be over 1,000. Please share any experiences in towing TTs that might be helpful.

[TXiceman]

You may want to get the GVWR (door jamb) and GCWR (owners manual) for your truck and weigh you truck loaded for travel. This way you can see what you real tow limits are. If you hitch is not rated for enough tongue weight, see about replacing the hitch with a higher capacity hitch.

GCWR - loaded truck = max loaded trailer weight
GVWR - loaded truck = max loaded trailer pin weight.

Ken

[Uturn]

The 2005 and up trucks had the frame strength increased and larger brakes installed. This increased the GCWR to 23,000 for SRW trucks and 23,500 to 26,000 lbs for DRW trucks. As far as conventional towing, I believe the main reason for the increase were the lower profile tires and an uprated hitch reciever. Since the two biggest factors in conventional towing are tongue weight and sway, then the best upgrade would be larger rims and lower profile tires to help increase sway resistance and making sure the reciever can handle the increased tongue weight. When towing a TT make sure you have enough tongue weight, 10% to 15%, and be carefull backing. You will be surprised as to how limited your turns are after pullin a fifth-wheel.

[bobsanmid]

Thanks Uturn, that's what we needed to know.

We researched everything before we purchased the truck and FW in 2000 and have a great match. We really do not want to get another truck.

I also emailed Ford, waiting for their answer.

Anyone out their towing TTs, I would like to hear from you. What do you use for receivers, weight distribution hitches, etc? And experiences and advice.

Anyone that have towed both TTs and FWs.

Thanks, Sandy

[450Donn]

Really just curious, but why the change to a TT. I personally find the fiver tows better than any trailer I ever owned. No sway issues either.

[Suburbbus]

I am kinda suprised that your F350 PSD is only rated at 10,000lbs for conventional towing. I have a 2001 Suburban w/8.1 and it is rated at 10,900lbs. Anyway, I tow a 29' Four Winds TT and I have been using a Hensley Arrow for the past 4 years. I used a regular w/d hitch w/bars and chains and always had a problem with sway. Switched to the HA and it is never a problem anymore.

It is an expensive hitch set-up, but at least take a look at it before blowing it off as too much money.

http://www.hensleymfg.com/

I personally would not tow any TT in this length range without this hitch.

Just my opinion.

Rodney

[Randy the sly old fox]

Hopefully the TTs you are looking at are within the towing capabilities of your truck. Hitches come in several classes the largest is Class V and it will be required for larger TTs. Ford and Chevy are just starting to put them on the larger rigs. There are several aftermarket ones out there - Putnam is but one brand. I see that you are considering Arctic Fox - a good choice IMHO. You might want to checkout www.afnash.com a little website run by AF and Nash owners - it has an excellent forum that will answer any questions you might have on those units.

[ChiefJohn]

I thought Ford had been putting the Class V hitches on their F-350s for a few years. My 2005 had one, 2 1/2in receiver with a 2 in adapter.

[Uturn]

If you are using a standard equilizing hitch, you want the ball of the hitch as close to the receiver as possible. You can have the insert cut and redrilled if necessary. It will hurt turning radius slightly but helps with sway. As to the question posed by Suburbus. Suburbans and Excursions make great TT tow vehicles due to their short rear overhang and a body that flows into the trailer. He also has a good point in that the Hensley Arrow artificially puts the pivot point of the hitch right by the rear axle, virtually eliminating sway. Ford has only used the 2 1/2 receiver since 2005 when they uprated the trucks to 12,500lbs conventional towing.

[bobsanmid]

Everyone thanks for the info. Randy, thanks for the site.

Sandy

[gearman]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by bobsanmid:
We have a 2000 Ford 350
Is there anything that we can do to upgrade our truck's conventional towing capacity? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

There is nothing you can do to change the manufactures weight ratings. There are too many legalities.

You can however do things to aid in helping your tow vehical handle max load.
I would upgrade shocks to something like bilsteins/rancho 9000, air bags/timbrens, heavier tires (tires with higher wieght rating than stock), you get the picture.

To answer your question "what Ford did to increase the conventional towing rates in the newer trucks?" I am sure there is some new tech. in the new trucks along with new redesigned parts, but I am sure that most if it is that they are just bumping numbers up to be competitive with the market, there truck could always handle that much weight, they just choose to be conservitive with there wieght ratings, but that is just my opinion.

[Every Miles A Memory]

We tow a 25' Sunline TT with a F250 PSD Crew Cab. We are currently using a regular Reese w/d hitch with Bars & Chains although cumbersome to hook-up, we have had no sway problem with this set-up.

Almost everyone I ahve talked to has recommended the Hensley hitch, but we thought if we had somw sway issues, we'd switch rather than spend the money up-front.

I'm not sure if you're towing with a dually which would make the sway issue non-existient, but unless you're towing a really long TT, the sway shouldnt be too much of a problem.