2017 / 2018 Ford Factory 3" Receiver Hitch Extension

[BradW]

Anyone using the 2017 / 2018 Ford factory 3" receiver hitch with an extension while hauling their TC?

I had originally planned on getting a big Torklift hitch, but after looking at the massive 3" OEM hitch, I believe I will use that.

My extension will be 30" to 36" (hole to hole) and pull 7,500 lbs on a WD hitch with about 500 lbs of tongue weight.

Brad

[Kayteg1]

So the 3" hitch is build with slightly thicker metal, but I think it is secondary as bending strength of tubing goes with square of its height.
2.5x2.5=6.25
3x3 = 9
Meaning 3" square bar is almost 50% stronger than 2.5" square bar.
It is more complicated with tubing and differt thickness, but is giving you an idea.

[BradW]

Just a follow up on the Ford Super Duty hitch.

I took my trusty plastic $6 Chinese Tool Store digital micrometer with me to the Ford dealer and checked the steel thickness on the OEM 2-1/2" and the 3" hitches.

My micrometer only reads in .01", but here goes:

2-1/2" = .160" to .180" thickness (approx.)

3" = .210 thickness (approx.)

The measurements apply to the cross tube and the structure which bolts to the frame.

BradW

[Kayteg1]

You want to buy my 2.5 for 60 bucks + shipping?

[jimh406]

I only knew because I was looking for a 2 1/2 and saw the 3s. 🙂

[Kayteg1]

I stand corrected. Looks like Chinese in last year put some good stuff on US market.
This is the mount I would chose if it was available a year ago. Still less than truck rating, but close enough.
Looks like the same manufacturer to my 2.5"
So all the wait now is for 3" supertrust

[jimh406]

There are plenty of 3 inch ball joints on etrailer, tractor supply, Amazon, and eBay. I'm not sure where you are looking.

[Kayteg1]

3" receivers are about 2 years old. Hardly new.
CURT had front receivers available for new trucks a year ago, but I still don't see 3" ball mounts. The best I could find was casted mount in 2.5" size with 18k rating. Made in China.
Truck has tow rating at 22k, yet no hardware available.
Just check my mount order. Since March 2017 the price went from $39 to $61 on Amazon. Chinese do it right.

[BradW]

Kayteg1 wrote:
I wonder how long it will take Torklift to start making 3" supertrust.
Those should be not only way lighter than present setups, but also way cheaper as single tubing will be stronger than double tubing on old design.
And again, my 3" tubing cost me $30 and about 1 hr of labor to make light-duty extension.

If it makes sense, they will do it. They seem to always be coming up with new stuff.

[Kayteg1]

I wonder how long it will take Torklift to start making 3" supertrust.
Those should be not only way lighter than present setups, but also way cheaper as single tubing will be stronger than double tubing on old design.
And again, my 3" tubing cost me $30 and about 1 hr of labor to make light-duty extension.

[taycotrains]

What I liked about the 2017 Ford factory hitch is that it's beefy enough to to be reworked for my truss hitch setup ... The custom hitch on my 2011 was not going to work on a post 2016
truck .

https://imgur.com/gallery/RHOEP

[cewillis]

BradW wrote:

Kayteg1 wrote:
It can be done technically, but will sacrifice the safety.
Lately I was hauling garden sculptures on equipment trailer.
Whole trailer was probably in 8k range, but due to the load shape, the tongue was light.
I could not drive with it faster than 55mph as with any maneuver the trailer would start fishtailing.
That was with no extension, where extension is fishtailing amplifier.

Been there! 😮

Picked up a load of 12' composite deck boards on my 8' utility trailer towed behind my 2-door jeep. I knew it would be light on the tongue (maybe 100 lb tongue weight). I'm guessing the trailer/load weighed 1,500 to 2,000 lbs (maybe more). When I hit 45 it got BAD squirrely. If I had tried to drive over 45, I would have lost it. Of course it was also raining, dark and Friday rush hour traffic. I made it 15 miles home driving 40 and I will never do that again.

Me too -- similar situation. Light tongue weight is the symptom of the actual cg being too far back. Situation is mathematically and physically unstable.

[BradW]

Kayteg1 wrote:
It can be done technically, but will sacrifice the safety.
Lately I was hauling garden sculptures on equipment trailer.
Whole trailer was probably in 8k range, but due to the load shape, the tongue was light.
I could not drive with it faster than 55mph as with any maneuver the trailer would start fishtailing.
That was with no extension, where extension is fishtailing amplifier.

Been there! 😮

Picked up a load of 12' composite deck boards on my 8' utility trailer towed behind my 2-door jeep. I knew it would be light on the tongue (maybe 100 lb tongue weight). I'm guessing the trailer/load weighed 1,500 to 2,000 lbs (maybe more). When I hit 45 it got BAD squirrely. If I had tried to drive over 45, I would have lost it. Of course it was also raining, dark and Friday rush hour traffic. I made it 15 miles home driving 40 and I will never do that again.

[BradW]

Here are photos of the hitch extension I built in 12 years ago and am still using on our 2006 F350. Its made from 2-1/2" X 1/4" wall square steel tube. I believe it is about 22" to 24" hole to hole. I have towed our 7,500 lb car hauler many 1,000s of miles with it.

The new extension will be longer, 30" to 36" and will be made of 3" X 3/8" wall steel tube and have similar side chains/turnbuckles. I agree that 1/4" wall would be plenty, but I will likely use 3/8" so I don't have to think too hard about it. The trade off for added strength is cost and weight.

I agree that 500 lb tongue weight seems low for a 7,500 lb trailer. But I'm pretty sure that is what it is. I remember weighing it when I was setting everything up, but that was 12 years ago and the remembering part of my brain ain't what it used to be. I was trying to keep the tongue weight as low as possible to reduce the torque on the hitch, but still have stability on the highway. It was easy to adjust the tongue weight by just positioning the jeep fore or aft on the trailer. I still have the two walmart bathroom scales I bought to weigh it.

I love the WD hitch set up we currently have. The truck actually drives much better on the interstate with the trailer than without.

The added leverage on the receiver hitch is my main concern. When the weather clears up, I'm going to crawl under a 2018 and check the side plate thickness and thump it with a small ball peen hammer.

[Kayteg1]

Just run into This SuperTruss video that shows how they work during driving.
They flex quite a bit, even the guys did not say what is the trailer weight.
Showing how serious the connection is.
Steel can handle pretty good flexing, but at some point metal fatigue comes to play.