marketic

I’ve owned 5 trucks over the years and have been towing boats on trailers that weighed a few thousand pounds up to about 9,000 lbs.

So, a week ago I picked up a 2020 Ford F250 to tow a 12,000 lb boat I just purchased

Tonight, I went through my collection of tow hitches and tow balls that I’ve used over the years to move the new triple axle trailer so I could pull the boat out of the water and WTF, every hitch rattled around in the tow hitch receiver like a tooth pick in a toilet bowl

I thought tow hitch receivers were stock when it came to sizing—-one size fits all. I have tow hitches rated for 11,000 lbs that came with my Tundra—-when placed in the receiver of the Ford F250 it hangs at a 45 degree angle—-huge amount of slop

Is it a Ford hitch thing or is it when you go from a 1/2 ton to a 3/4 ton, the hitch receiver diameter increases?

Thanks for any comments out there

default_user8

Bigger truck, bigger hitch. Go by O'Reilly and get a new tow bar.

BadgerS

Most 250s these days come with a 2.5" hitch. The heavy tow option on the 250 and the 350 get 3" htiches. You should have an adapter that came with the truck

redink

That up there. A bigger tube with the same thickness can support more. Don't ask me how, I just go with it.

marketic

OK, i saw adapters available that will make a 2” bar fit in a 2 1/2” receiver but I’m thinking it’s probably better (safer?) to just pick up a proper 2 1/2” hitch ball mount....thanks....now I get to stare at a large pile of 2” ball mounts that I can’t use any more....

autobaun70

Do it once and be done. Can even add a Pintle head if needed.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hit...rt/C45902.html

toemandooug

Not so according to my dealer......When I bought my 2020 F-250SD in January, I was told Ford stopped including them with the truck, but I could pick one up at the parts department for $70. FTS!

Tractor supply is where I bought my new 2 1/2" ball mounts.

nevermind...

No, you can still get the adapter sleeve.

Reel 007

The receiver comes in three classes, class III 1/78, class IV 2", class V 2.5, make sure to get the appropriate draw bar and ball.

budbrande

When I bought my Ram 2500 I ordered a Gen-Y Mega Duty drop hitch ball mount. The mount is rated for twice the capacity of my truck but the thing I like most about it is there is no slop in it. I have never been big on adapters as most that I have used ended up adding even more play in the mount. The Gen-Y was expensive but fits better than any other mount I have tried in the past.

swampr

I went from 150 to 250 recently. 2" to 2.5". I purchased this B&W and have been happy with it. I like the stow away feature.

https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hit...hoC7gsQAvD_BwE

kernmw10

x2 on the Gen-Y. I bought one as well for my duramax. I like the adjustability and utility. I’ve got a 1 7/8 ball for a small jon boat I use for waterfowl hunting, 2 inch ball for my utility trailer and 2 5/16 ball for the center console boat. I’ve also got the pintle option which I seldom use but it’s nice to have the capability. It’s a big, heavy hitch. Solid shank and strong. I’ve heard great things about the bulletproof hitches, B&W and rhino hitches too. They are all good.

marketic

Just spent the day trying to source a CLass V hitch locally——total waste of time. Inventory is either cleaned out, or the available applications wouldn’t work:

1)) I found two 2 1/2” adapter sleaves, thinking I could use my existing 2” ball mount—- either too long (rear of the adapter hit the spare tire so pin holes wouldn’t line up ) or...adapter was too short: welds on the lip of the adapter wouldn’t allow for sufficient penetration into the hitch receiver for the holes to line up
2)) Finally found a Class V Reese 2 1/2” hitch at another store but I got spooked by the placement of the pin holes—-they were in the extreme rear of the ball mount bar which meant at best, I’d have 3” of penetration into the receiver with approx. 12” of bar hanging out—-that looked super sketchy to me having all that tongue weight with only 3” of penetration of the 2 1/2” bar

Got home to my PC and did what I should have done yesterday: ordered the B&W suggested by swampr, knowing that at least it’ll fit into the receiver hitch of an F250

I didn’t think things had gotten so complex—-it almost looked to me like Ford was placing their pin holes in the receiving hitch so as to exclude certain other manufacturer’s towing stuff

You’d think there would be some industry agreement on this...no such luck

7.62Kolectr

not to sidetrack the thread but you bought a truck that was at least $70k and they couldn’t give you a $70 part? If I bought a vehicle from them it woulda been the last one after that.

autobaun70

understand your logic, but those adapters are garbage and rattle like hell. Why would anyone want a rattling hitch in a 70k truck. Or a $5 truck.

BlueShamu

Get this in the 2.5” shaft and never look back.
Weigh-Safe

7.62Kolectr

completely different aspect. Certainly could have told him to go get whatever he wanted up to a reasonable amount and bring them the receipt. I would have. Simple point I was making is he bought quite an expensive vehicle and the dealer told him to go pound sand when he asked for one. Now here he is telling us on a public forum his tale of woe instead of bragging how the dealer took care of him. How many other people has he told that same thing too? Like I said that woulda been the last vehicle I bought from them.

toemandooug

Yup! This exactly.......Expensive Brand new truck, and the dealer wouldn't cover it....I have let everyone I know hear my bitch....LOL......Had they provided it, I would have told everyone that story instead........someone gets the point.....

Finfever21

Check out bullet proof hitches they have what you're looking for.

autobaun70

what else is the dealer supposed to throw in for free? It’s the factory that cheaped out, why take it out on the dealer and press their margins over something menial?