Caught in a bind - '08 F-150 & Aluma 7818

[Reg]

I would worry about (work Hardening) of the aluminum tongue that might occur if changing the design by adding the weight distribution, and wonder if this is a possible reason the manufacturer with reference to this model- is not in favor of weight distributing hitches...??

Clearly we have differing understandings of the term "work hardening" (-:

 

[bandaidmd]

Just for the sake of discussion I'm going to add this.

It seems everyone is blaming the trailer mfg. when actually its that the capacity of the truck that is at fault?

Maybe now that you have pointed out there omission of a wd hitch warning they will add it to there literature.

The dealer that sold it would be the one to have a beef with if you honestly told him what you were going to pull it with (1/2 ton) and the load you were going to carry.

He should have known that wd hitches were not to be used on the product he sells.

 

[jejeosborne]

Just for the sake of discussion I'm going to add this.

It seems everyone is blaming the trailer mfg. when actually its that the capacity of the truck that is at fault?

You fail to realize that many 3/4 and 1 ton class trucks have the exact same weight limitations. What class of truck do you expect is needed to tow a 7000 lb trailer?

 

[CurlyDave]

...It seems everyone is blaming the trailer mfg. when actually its that the capacity of the truck that is at fault?...

The dealer that sold it would be the one to have a beef with if you honestly told him what you were going to pull it with (1/2 ton) and the load you were going to carry.

I have to disagree a bit here. If I buy a trailer, with a given weight rating. I expect it to be able to carry that weight with any tow vehicle using only industry-standard components. I might only plan to carry a small tractor at this point, but there is no reason I should have to tell the dealer everything I might want to do in the future.

What if a neighbor moves to the city and offers me a screaming deal on his 5500 lb. tractor? I can't possibly know this is coming, but if I have a 7000 lb. trailer, why should I have had to know about this when I bought the trailer?

The manufacturer is supposed to know that when he rates his trailer, that every truck in the US is going to need a WD hitch to carry that load. Making a trailer that can't be set up to carry the full rated load with the trucks available sounds just plain fraudulent to me.

If you can't use a WD hitch with the trailer it should be de-rated to 5000 lb. max load, because that is the practical limit. And, I bet I could buy an all-steel trailer rated at 5000 lb. which would weigh less than this aluminum one, have a higher payload, and cost less to boot.

 

[Reg]

I have to disagree a bit here. If I buy a trailer, with a given weight rating. I expect it to be able to carry that weight with any tow vehicle using only industry-standard components. I might only plan to carry a small tractor at this point, but there is no reason I should have to tell the dealer everything I might want to do in the future.

What if a neighbor moves to the city and offers me a screaming deal on his 5500 lb. tractor? I can't possibly know this is coming, but if I have a 7000 lb. trailer, why should I have had to know about this when I bought the trailer?

The manufacturer is supposed to know that when he rates his trailer, that every truck in the US is going to need a WD hitch to carry that load. Making a trailer that can't be set up to carry the full rated load with the trucks available sounds just plain fraudulent to me.

If you can't use a WD hitch with the trailer it should be de-rated to 5000 lb. max load, because that is the practical limit. And, I bet I could buy an all-steel trailer rated at 5000 lb. which would weigh less than this aluminum one, have a higher payload, and cost less to boot.

Others might argue that it CAN carry the full rated load as long as it is behind a truck that can take the tongue load.
How does that trailer need to be de-rated when it is behind a medium duty TRUCK, say a Kodiak or F650 ?

i.e. both trailer manufacturer and truck manufacturer could say the problem isn't theirs, it is with the mix 'n match situation that the OP finds himself in.

Nothing WRONG with pants that have a 30 or 32 inch waist band, not too much wrong with a man that has a 34 inch waist, etc.

A lot of us might say that clothes 30 and smaller don't make sense in the MEN's department, they only fit teens - that is a different issue.
Men with waists over 44 are presumed to be at increased risk of all sorts of things - another different issue.

Personally I wouldn't tug 3 1/2 tons around with a 1/2 ton truck (any more than I would try to squeeze into my skinny pants from way long ago).

 

[timswi]

Others might argue that it CAN carry the full rated load as long as it is behind a truck that can take the tongue load.
How does that trailer need to be de-rated when it is behind a medium duty TRUCK, say a Kodiak or F650 ?

i.e. both trailer manufacturer and truck manufacturer could say the problem isn't theirs, it is with the mix 'n match situation that the OP finds himself in.

Nothing WRONG with pants that have a 30 or 32 inch waist band, not too much wrong with a man that has a 34 inch waist, etc.

A lot of us might say that clothes 30 and smaller don't make sense in the MEN's department, they only fit teens - that is a different issue.
Men with waists over 44 are presumed to be at increased risk of all sorts of things - another different issue.

Personally I wouldn't tug 3 1/2 tons around with a 1/2 ton truck (any more than I would try to squeeze into my skinny pants from way long ago).

I agree with most of that as a 31" Levis's wearer (either 30" or 32" on the shelf)..However, I do drag a 9000# camper with an appropriately prepared 1/2 ton GMC with no problem whatsoever...Utility/equipment/car trailers are a load weight and balance issue, mostly balance, as far as I've seen and experienced.

 

[94BULLITT]

Any update?