Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[Dftodd]

I've seem Fords doing the same thing as well.

I've posted this a couple times on here.

Ford has a frame rail support kit that needs to be added if your gonna use the truck under certain applications.

The issue his lots weight past the rear bumper.

The weight of the engine is so heavy, when weight is placed behind the rear bumper, it causes the frame to crack right behind the cab.

I have three trucks at work that had to go through the recall and have the rails installed.

Two of the trucks, it was a pretty big ordeal since the utility bed needed to be removed.

Both trucks had hydraulic controlled air compressor generator combos, and my service had the added issue of having a crane.

The flat bed wasn't a big deal. Ford un-bolted the bed, lifted it and did the repairs.

The service trucks had to go to a third party outfitter to have the beds removed and reinstalled.

Those bed campers as well as certain towing applications would fall under needing the frame rail supports installed.

 

[Renze]

Ford has a frame rail support kit that needs to be added if your gonna use the truck under certain applications.

How does it look like ?

Is it an inner liner for the frame, another C channel that fits tightly in the main C channel ? Or is it a crossmember that prevents the frame rails from buckling ?

When installing a truck crane on a Sprinter double cab chassis, Merc prescribed in the body builders instruction that you had to extend the crane subframe under the cab.

 

[goeduck]

Yeah, I saw it. But I'm not going to assume or believe this is the first or worst case of overloading imposed on that poor truck. Any owner or custodian who is going to do that to their truck, is likely a habitual abuser.

I really like my Weigh Safe hitch with a built-in gauge. It takes the guess work out of what you are putting on your receiver.

Weigh Safe Drop Hitch

The only hitch with a built in scale for measuring tongue weight!

www.weigh-safe.com

 

[Dftodd]

How does it look like ?

Is it an inner liner for the frame, another C channel that fits tightly in the main C channel ? Or is it a crossmember that prevents the frame rails from buckling ?

When installing a truck crane on a Sprinter double cab chassis, Merc prescribed in the body builders instruction that you had to extend the crane subframe under the cab.

I couldn't tell you what it looked like. I do know they had to order a special tool to drill the frame and the supports were bolted and welded into place

Edit: I was able to find a photo of the brackets that get installed.

Looks like they turn the frame from a C channel to a boxed channel in the effected portion of the frame

 

[WinterDeere]

I really like my Weigh Safe hitch with a built-in gauge. It takes the guess work out of what you are putting on your receiver.

Weigh Safe Drop Hitch

The only hitch with a built in scale for measuring tongue weight!

www.weigh-safe.com

I'll admit that's pretty cool. But my God... $300 - $500 for a hitch that can't even take WDH?!? That's awful high.

I'll have to dig into this, since if they had a WDH variant at similar pricing, that'd actually be something I might use. But as it stands there, I can do the same with a $15 bathroom scale, a piece of timber, and a jack stand... all of which most of us already have. That Weigh Safe hitch definitely saves time, so it has a place, I'm just not sure I'd want to spend $500 to save 10 minutes on those rare occasions my hitch weight is actually high enough that it warrants weighing.

There's also jack-stands topped with trailer balls and integrated scales on Amazon, which if I recall mostly ran $50 - $100. Set them at desired truck ball height, drop trailer onto them, voila! Not as convenient as the Weigh Hitch, but definitely much cheaper.

I just checked 2" x 8" size, and it's only $364, but there's no 1-7/8" ball option. Some of my trailers are 1-7/8", as that was a very common size in the 1970's and 1980's, and I tow a lot of vintage boats/trailers. I think the hitch I use now for those boats cost like $20 - $30, and the ball was probably another $20... so $40-$50.

 

[BigBlue1]

I'll admit that's pretty cool. But my God... $300 - $500 for a hitch that can't even take WDH?!? That's awful high.

I'll have to dig into this, since if they had a WDH variant at similar pricing, that'd actually be something I might use. But as it stands there, I can do the same with a $15 bathroom scale, a piece of timber, and a jack stand... all of which most of us already have. That Weigh Safe hitch definitely saves time, so it has a place, I'm just not sure I'd want to spend $500 to save 10 minutes on those rare occasions my hitch weight is actually high enough that it warrants weighing.

There's also jack-stands topped with trailer balls and integrated scales on Amazon, which if I recall mostly ran $50 - $100. Set them at desired truck ball height, drop trailer onto them, voila! Not as convenient as the Weigh Hitch, but definitely much cheaper.

I just checked 2" x 8" size, and it's only $364, but there's no 1-7/8" ball option. Some of my trailers are 1-7/8", as that was a very common size in the 1970's and 1980's, and I tow a lot of vintage boats/trailers. I think the hitch I use now for those boats cost like $20 - $30, and the ball was probably another $20... so $40-$50.

Yes, $300 is a bunch. But it is a very high quality hitch. I've had a 10" drop version of it since I got my 2017 Ram 2500. It was right about $300 back then. It works great and it is just simple. Sure, your scale/jack stand idea works, but that's an awful lot of futzing around vs simply looking at the hitch to see where it is sitting. No disconnecting the trailer, no nothing. If you are trying to set up a trailer for a single type of load you'll repeat continually then maybe your idea makes sense to "mess with it once and you're set", but if you transport multiple combinations of equipment and cargo that's a pretty painful way to save $150 (versus another brand/model of quality aluminum adjustable drop hitch).

As for 1 7/8"... I haven't had a trailer with that size ball hitch for about 20 years now. I guess your situation makes you an outlier from most folks towing situations. If I had that I'd just have another cheap hitch with that ball.

That said, to each their own. You must have a system that works for you. Weigh Safe works for me.

 

[masscity]

Yes, $300 is a bunch. But it is a very high quality hitch. I've had a 10" drop version of it since I got my 2017 Ram 2500. It was right about $300 back then. It works great and it is just simple. Sure, your scale/jack stand idea works, but that's an awful lot of futzing around vs simply looking at the hitch to see where it is sitting. No disconnecting the trailer, no nothing. If you are trying to set up a trailer for a single type of load you'll repeat continually then maybe your idea makes sense to "mess with it once and you're set", but if you transport multiple combinations of equipment and cargo that's a pretty painful way to save $150 (versus another brand/model of quality aluminum adjustable drop hitch).

As for 1 7/8"... I haven't had a trailer with that size ball hitch for about 20 years now. I guess your situation makes you an outlier from most folks towing situations. If I had that I'd just have another cheap hitch with that ball.

That said, to each their own. You must have a system that works for you. Weigh Safe works for me.

I have an aluminum drop hitch just like that without a scale that I bought for $275 25 years ago. It has all three ball sizes. I

like it, because it is much lighter than a steel one.

 

[KennyG]

Those hitch scales are really convenient but I can't justify the cost with the limited amount of towing I do. Instead, I find the "Haul Gauge" that plugs into the OBD port and connects to a cell phone app works well for less than $50.

 

[Renze]

That said, to each their own. You must have a system that works for you. Weigh Safe works for me.

What works for me is loading as much as i can on the drawbar. If my headlight height adjustment cant cope, its too much.

Having your headlights shine horizontally at least avoids police suspicion at night.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

I'm just not sure I'd want to spend $500 to save 10 minutes on those rare occasions my hitch weight is actually high enough that it warrants weighing.

Back when I did less towing, and with bumper pull trailers, I got a Sherline scale. They're affordable, and also useful for weighing other things.

Still using bumper pulls, but now towing a lot, I eventually got used to judging the weight by the sag of the tow vehicle's suspension. Plus if it felt right when tightening the chains on the weight distributing hitch. Lastly, the amount the headlights needed to be adjusted down would confirm if the weight was right.

These days, with a 3500 DRW and gooseneck trailers, the headlight adjustment is the only tool used to tell if my experience helped get the weight right. Well, that and how it all feels when going down the road, of course.

Thankfully, with a decent tow vehicle and a gooseneck trailer it's almost hard to get too much weight on the tow vehicle, making life a lot easier and safer.