Hi all, full disclosure, this isn't for an RV. Sorry, but I think this might be the best place to find help. I recently bought a 2009 Ford E350 shuttle bus to haul my crew (adoption) and need to install a tow hitch to haul our deck boat. The concern is that a regular hitch would be too far under the body. It has these extensions welded on for the bumper brackets, should I consider strengthening and bolting a hitch to those? Is there a hitch built for these that sticks out further? Is there an extended ball mount that you guys use? Any help is very much appreciated, thank you!
I hope that the RV dealership was able to get back with you on a trailer hitch solution. This is a picture of the Hidden Hitch (brand) found on ETrailer.com website.
Basically you have the drivers and passenger side brackets to mount to the frame. The center section with the receiver already welded on fits in between the side brackets, and is bolted in place once holes are drilled into that section, and you are done. Installation time is about 2 hours.
Unless your frame extension is 34" wide, then the E-350 club wagon hitch will not fit the E-350 RV chassis. Like stated above, my E-450 chassis is 42" wide, so the passenger van hitch will not fit it.
This page has 5 hitches that will fit frames from 18" to 60" wide. Only the 3 on the bottom of the page offer a decent tow rating of 5,000 pounds, and are priced in the $200 - $240 range.
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Specialty_Trailer_Hitches-sf-RV_Hitch.aspx
I hope that you find what you are looking for!
I would not be installing a hitch on your frame extension,(based on the pictures that you posted of the extension, it does not look all that strong) unless it is strengthened first. But if you are only going to tow 3,500 pounds, it might be OK as it is. Problem is if you fatigue crack the frame extension, the only way you will find out about it is when the rear cap starts to pull apart, or something expensive to repair starts falling apart. It would be better to mount the stronger hitch to the factory frame section, then use a 18" long hitch extension or a very long receiver hitch.
That is why I am going with a custom made hitch, welded up and then bolted to the factory frame.
Fred.
Basically you have the drivers and passenger side brackets to mount to the frame. The center section with the receiver already welded on fits in between the side brackets, and is bolted in place once holes are drilled into that section, and you are done. Installation time is about 2 hours.
Unless your frame extension is 34" wide, then the E-350 club wagon hitch will not fit the E-350 RV chassis. Like stated above, my E-450 chassis is 42" wide, so the passenger van hitch will not fit it.
This page has 5 hitches that will fit frames from 18" to 60" wide. Only the 3 on the bottom of the page offer a decent tow rating of 5,000 pounds, and are priced in the $200 - $240 range.
http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Specialty_Trailer_Hitches-sf-RV_Hitch.aspx
I hope that you find what you are looking for!
I would not be installing a hitch on your frame extension,(based on the pictures that you posted of the extension, it does not look all that strong) unless it is strengthened first. But if you are only going to tow 3,500 pounds, it might be OK as it is. Problem is if you fatigue crack the frame extension, the only way you will find out about it is when the rear cap starts to pull apart, or something expensive to repair starts falling apart. It would be better to mount the stronger hitch to the factory frame section, then use a 18" long hitch extension or a very long receiver hitch.
That is why I am going with a custom made hitch, welded up and then bolted to the factory frame.
Fred.
Hi,
I just bought a 2001 23' long Champion shuttle bus too. Mine is based on the slightly heavier duty F-450 chassis, and my hitch is bolted to a much beefier extension than yours is. What I plan on doing is get my nephew who is a certified welder to build me a hitch. The frame in my case is 42" apart, so it is a non-standard hitch. I could have ordered a kit from ETrailer.com that can be adjusted from 30" to 44" wide, and then it bolted together, the cross frame is slid into the side mounts, then you would drill 1/2" holes into the cross piece, and install the included grade 8 bolts through the frame mounts and cross pieces.
However my nephew can acquire the 3/8" thick flat plate at his work, and cut a 3" square hole into the end of it, then punch 1/2" holes in the section that will bolt onto my frame. I will have 4 bolts into the Ford factory frame, and 2 more into the frame extension. The 3" square tubing will go from one side to the other, and a 2.5" square tubing in the center will hold the standard 2" receiver for my trailer hitch. I want to be able to tow a 10,000 pound trailer with it someday, if I buy a toyhauler travel trailer.
Because I will be making custom flat plates for each side mount, I can make them long enough to go to the factory frame, and then come rearward about 12" so that the cross member is only a few inches behind my bumper. Then the 2.5" bar that will go through the 3" crossmember will extend out to the edge of my bumper. Depending on the height of my bumper off the ground, I might cut out 3" square from the bumper, or mount it below the bumper. I still need to figure that part out.
You might want to look at this link.
http://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Trailer-Hitches/Draw-Tite/41990-16.html
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/pics/4/1/41990-16_d_50.jpg
By using 16" long frame brackets, they can be mounted so that they fit on the factory frame, and extend rearward, and downward. Then the cross member is welded to these brackets by a certified welder. Or just go to a welding company that can built a trailer hitch, and they will say $300 installed, and you are on your way. . . The picture shows the 16" side brackets upright, I would be using them on the other side and sideways, so that they extend from the front of the chassis by 16" toward the bumper, and only drop about 3" below the frame level. Then install 6 bolts from the Ford chassis through these brackets, and weld in the cross piece. This hitch kit is about $200.
You might also be able to buy a 'kit' hitch from a place like U-haul. Problem is that it is a welded hitch, ready to install on a F-350 or E-450 motorhome, and is $367 for just the hitch. U-haul will take one look at your frame, and say 'no way can we bolt this 5,000 pound rated hitch onto this extension'. So you are going to have to seek out a pro welder anyway. I did price a hitch at u-haul for mine, but planned on building one that will be much stronger.
I also considered buying a used hitch from my local Craigslist, that is 43" wide, and looks like I could modify it to fit my needs, but it is 50 miles away, and $100 that I probably will not need to spend, when I can get the raw steel the correct size for about $50. And have my nephew weld it up himself.
Good luck with your project.
Fred.
I just bought a 2001 23' long Champion shuttle bus too. Mine is based on the slightly heavier duty F-450 chassis, and my hitch is bolted to a much beefier extension than yours is. What I plan on doing is get my nephew who is a certified welder to build me a hitch. The frame in my case is 42" apart, so it is a non-standard hitch. I could have ordered a kit from ETrailer.com that can be adjusted from 30" to 44" wide, and then it bolted together, the cross frame is slid into the side mounts, then you would drill 1/2" holes into the cross piece, and install the included grade 8 bolts through the frame mounts and cross pieces.
However my nephew can acquire the 3/8" thick flat plate at his work, and cut a 3" square hole into the end of it, then punch 1/2" holes in the section that will bolt onto my frame. I will have 4 bolts into the Ford factory frame, and 2 more into the frame extension. The 3" square tubing will go from one side to the other, and a 2.5" square tubing in the center will hold the standard 2" receiver for my trailer hitch. I want to be able to tow a 10,000 pound trailer with it someday, if I buy a toyhauler travel trailer.
Because I will be making custom flat plates for each side mount, I can make them long enough to go to the factory frame, and then come rearward about 12" so that the cross member is only a few inches behind my bumper. Then the 2.5" bar that will go through the 3" crossmember will extend out to the edge of my bumper. Depending on the height of my bumper off the ground, I might cut out 3" square from the bumper, or mount it below the bumper. I still need to figure that part out.
You might want to look at this link.
http://www.etrailer.com/Specialty-Trailer-Hitches/Draw-Tite/41990-16.html
http://www.etrailer.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/pics/4/1/41990-16_d_50.jpg
By using 16" long frame brackets, they can be mounted so that they fit on the factory frame, and extend rearward, and downward. Then the cross member is welded to these brackets by a certified welder. Or just go to a welding company that can built a trailer hitch, and they will say $300 installed, and you are on your way. . . The picture shows the 16" side brackets upright, I would be using them on the other side and sideways, so that they extend from the front of the chassis by 16" toward the bumper, and only drop about 3" below the frame level. Then install 6 bolts from the Ford chassis through these brackets, and weld in the cross piece. This hitch kit is about $200.
You might also be able to buy a 'kit' hitch from a place like U-haul. Problem is that it is a welded hitch, ready to install on a F-350 or E-450 motorhome, and is $367 for just the hitch. U-haul will take one look at your frame, and say 'no way can we bolt this 5,000 pound rated hitch onto this extension'. So you are going to have to seek out a pro welder anyway. I did price a hitch at u-haul for mine, but planned on building one that will be much stronger.
I also considered buying a used hitch from my local Craigslist, that is 43" wide, and looks like I could modify it to fit my needs, but it is 50 miles away, and $100 that I probably will not need to spend, when I can get the raw steel the correct size for about $50. And have my nephew weld it up himself.
Good luck with your project.
Fred.
