Front receivers - is there any margin in the ratings?

[chrispitude]

Hi all,

I'd like to put a front hitch on my truck to make the sharp right turn into my my driveway. However, the front receivers are rated for 500lb vertical and 5000lb pull, and the tongue on my trailer weighs 720lbs.

How realistic is this rating? Because in fact, all front receivers I see have this same rating:

Curt 31078 for 2017 Ford F-350 Super Duty - 500lbs vertical / 5000lbs pull
Curt 31071 for 2017 GMC Sierra 3500HD - 500lbs vertical / 5000lbs pull
Curt 31067 for 2017 Ram 3500 - 500lbs vertical / 5000lbs pull
Curt 31077 for 2017 Nissan Titan XD - 500lbs vertical / 5000lbs pull

Has anyone used a front hitch for low-speed maneuvering (<5mph) into a driveway? If so, what's your tongue weight, and do you remove the weight distribution bars before you do it?

Thanks!

[fncampn]

Back in 2007, I had a 2007 F350 CCLB 4x4 and a 30 foot TT. The driveway next to my house allowed for 6 inches of clearance between the eave of the house and the fence along the property line. Even with a spotter, it was nearly impossible to make small corrections when backing in with such limited clearance without hitting something.

I put a Curt front hitch on and steering the TT into perfect alignment for the final push into the driveway was considerably easier. I would line up the awning parallel to the roof eave with 3 inches of clearance (driver's side) and then "trust" that I had the clearance on the passenger side even though I couldn't see it. I also used 4-Low so I could just idle the TT into the driveway.

Hitch was rated for 500 pounds tongue weight and 5000 pounds "towing" weight. TT had 1000 pounds tongue weight and total weight was 8000. Other than the front of the truck squatting quite a bit, I never had any issues with either the hitch or the front suspension in the 2 years I used this setup.

Best part was seeing the look on my neighbor's faces when I would push the TT down the street so I could line up the turn from the opposite side of the street. Priceless!

[mkirsch]

chrispitude wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I don't understand the value of a front receiver though..... why not just back your trailer in to where it goes?

I have a narrow 300ft driveway, 90 degrees off a public road. Sometimes neighbors park across the street. Truck plus trailer is about 46'. It would be much easier with the steering wheels right at the pivot point, as I can adjust the trailer's angle with much less tow vehicle input.

Front hitches are not the cure-all for not being able to back into difficult spots. The rear of the truck is going to "cut" every corner. Okay if it's just grass, but not okay if the obstacle is the corner of a building, and the truck has to follow the trailer around that corner.

If you were thinking this would allow you to be able to keep both vehicles on the driveway, you're mistaken.

[wanderingbob]

On my Ram I use a hitch made by "Bodiak ", It mounts on the two tow hooks , I have lifted the front end of truck off the ground from this hitch !

[demiles]

Industry standards for a hitch rated 500TW/5000 draw requires it holds 2800lbs vertical, 2700lbs longitudinal, and 1500lbs lateral for at least 5 seconds. You will probably break something on the vehicle front suspension before you break the hitch.

[BenK]

Spot on and add 'duty cycle' to this excellent post

Meaning an occasional use over the 'ratings' won't hurt...except the amount over the rating factors

Like, say a rating of 100 lbs and you place 1,000 lbs on it...that won't last long, even with an occasional use

Other factors in all things designed/engineered...

• Speed
• Terrain
• Angle
• etc
• etc

Also, on 'breaking' vs 'usage/working' ratings also apply outside of chain/rope/cable/etc

mowermech wrote:
IMO, all manufacturers build a safety factor into their ratings.
Nobody knows what that safety margin is, and they more often than not won't tell anybody.
Yes, the receiver will handle more than it is rated to handle. The "Breaking Strength" is not advertised, as it is on rope, cable, and chain.
If it were me, I would go ahead and use the front hitch to slowly move the trailer. If the hitch broke, I wouldn't even bother to tell the manufacturer. Exceeding the ratings voids any warranty, it would make no sense to bother Customer Service with it!

[Airstreamer67]

I installed a front hitch to get extra maneuvering ability in really tight spots. However, it does take a spotter because your vision is just about totally blocked by a travel trailer. I have a long truck mirror that I hold way out to see on my side when backing with the front hitch, but the passenger side is hopeless without a spotter.

Maybe cameras would work. Never tried them. Yet.

About the hitch and truck ratings, those are for maximum-effort usages such as found on the highway. For the few feet that a front hitch would be used at slow walking speeds, I ignore the ratings without problems.

I also use the front hitch for other things. For instance, when towing, I attach a tool box platform to carry a couple hundred pounds of heavy stuff like tools etc. It puts enough weight hanging off the front end to eliminate the need for a weight transfer hitch used to compensate for the hitch weight of a trailer.

I can also use the front hitch for attaching a wench, like I do on my Jeep.

It's certainly worth the few bucks it cost.

[4x4ord]

chrispitude wrote:

4x4ord wrote:
I don't understand the value of a front receiver though..... why not just back your trailer in to where it goes?

I have a narrow 300ft driveway, 90 degrees off a public road. Sometimes neighbors park across the street. Truck plus trailer is about 46'. It would be much easier with the steering wheels right at the pivot point, as I can adjust the trailer's angle with much less tow vehicle input.

I'm not seeing any value in a front receiver. Say you install a front hitch on your truck.
The trailer is parked on your driveway, where you want it, and you want to hook up and go camping. Would you hook on to your trailer with your front hitch or back hitch to get things into the road? If it will drive out .... it will back in.

[Dougie123]

Hi Chris:

I think I'm am going to have this issue too with our new 38' trailer.

With a dry hitch weight of 885lbs, I'm thinking front hitch is out of the questions (unless I put the family in the back of the TT).
I'd be interested to hear about your Parkit360 experience as I too thought it "would be the answer to all my problems", but now really getting worried about getting up and around my driveway.

[chrispitude]

BarneyS wrote:
How do you plan to see around the front of the trailer while you travel along that 300ft driveway? Can't wiggle back and forth and see where your are going like you can with the tongue on the rear of the truck. I can see making it easier to back in from the street however.
Personally, I would just use my mirrors and back in all the way like normal.
Barney

I wish it were that easy, trust me. I have a mailbox on one side of the driveway entrance, and it's on the side that I need clearance on (due to the way the driveway width tapers from entrance width to its narrow width).

I'm experienced with backing a trailer into position. I can keep the trailer on the driveway, or the truck on the driveway, but not both. When I go offroading and the ground is wet, I mess up the yard pretty good.

I bought a ParkIt360 Force10k and I've used it once. Unfortunately it's not quite as effortless as I hoped. I'll take some YouTube videos soon and share them here; it's on my to-do list. Plus again, the whole rain thing.

I've been pondering the visibility aspect too. I'm hoping I can either solve it or deal with it. Maybe a couple of cheap Chinese magnetic wireless cameras that I can stick on the trailer frame and view on my phone, who knows... Those could be handy for hitching up too!

Also considering adding some stone along the driveway. 🙂

It's all on the table...

[BarneyS]

How do you plan to see around the front of the trailer while you travel along that 300ft driveway? Can't wiggle back and forth and see where your are going like you can with the tongue on the rear of the truck. I can see making it easier to back in from the street however.
Personally, I would just use my mirrors and back in all the way like normal.
Barney

[chrispitude]

4x4ord wrote:
I don't understand the value of a front receiver though..... why not just back your trailer in to where it goes?

I have a narrow 300ft driveway, 90 degrees off a public road. Sometimes neighbors park across the street. Truck plus trailer is about 46'. It would be much easier with the steering wheels right at the pivot point, as I can adjust the trailer's angle with much less tow vehicle input.

[4x4ord]

I've towed implements with 1500 lb tongue weights behind various trucks with hitches rated for 500 lb tongue weight and had no issue.

I don't understand the value of a front receiver though..... why not just back your trailer in to where it goes?

[chrispitude]

boogie_4wheel wrote:
05 3/4t Dodge with Curt (if I remember correctly). I've pulled the sticker and repainted it over the years. 90% sure it's a Curt.

demiles wrote:
I used a front hitch to set my trailer in a tight spot in my yard. Tongue weight was in the 700-750 range, the truck was a 2500 Silverado EC LB. It really depends on how well the front suspension can handle the weight.

Awesome, thanks to both of you. The tow vehicle will be a 2013 Yukon XL 2500 "DuraBurb" (converted to the 6.6L DuraMax drivetrain), so based on both of your experiences, the front suspension should take it for what I need.

[demiles]

I used a front hitch to set my trailer in a tight spot in my yard. Tongue weight was in the 700-750 range, the truck was a 2500 Silverado EC LB. It really depends on how well the front suspension can handle the weight.