WTP-GC wrote:
At the end of the day, you're towing a rig not intended to be towed with a 1/2 ton truck. Somehow, Ford continues to inflate their performance data (through empirical, trade-secret methods) while decreasing the weight of the truck body, powertrain, drivetrain, etc. It won't be long until Ford 1/2-tons are rated at the current level of their 1-tons. My 1996 F350 7.3PSD was rated to tow 12,200 pounds. Well now, there are 1/2-tons on the market that make similar claims.
If the slight adjustment of pin weight location makes that much difference, that would be all the evidence I need to know that my TV was undersized. I fail to understand how Andersen (as a company) should be berated because one user feels the chosen product is not suitable for using on an undersized or marginal tow vehicle. I would question the installation condition of the Andersen UH, the height of the ball, the height of the hitch, the height of the pin box, the type of pin box, the flex in an aluminum bed, and the rigidity of the underbody frame work.
The hitch is absolutely not the problem. Just like the B & W is absolutely not the solution. I don't know what Ford rates the payload at that model, but you can be assured that its rated in a manner that favors Ford's ability to claim a higher number. So if the number is, say, 1500 pounds, that doesn't mean that you can put 1500 pounds in the bed (either cargo or pin weight) at any one particular spot.
And not that I am one to cast judgement, but with a 2017 truck, 2 different new rigs, and many new mods for the TV, it would have likely been less expensive, safer, and a far better experience just to upgrade the truck.
Sincerely, a non-Andersen-fan-boy and non-B&W-basher
The OP test sounds very conclusive to me and your theory above is not backed by any tests with the OP configuration.
BTW... You do realize that todays 1 ton truck ratings have drastically increased from 1996 as well so it's just not half tons.
