MTP hitch rating???

[guppydriver]

I am a member of a boat forum and someone mentioned that the max tow package also increases the hitch weight rating on the hitch itself. This is the first I have heard such a thing and it has always bewildered me that Ford limits the tow rating of the hitch at 5000 pounds. I did a lot of research on the MTP, and never saw this anywhere.

Is there any truth to this?

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[guppydriver]

Nothing?

I'll just assume the guy was incorrect because I'm pretty sure in m research I would have found where the MTP gets you a higher hitch weight rating (instead of 5K)

 

[JohnMcClane]

- Class IV Trailer Hitch Receiver
- Upgraded Rear Bumper

This is what the B&P shows for what’s included in Max Tow.

 

[greyphox]

2022 F-150 Towing Guide
Bumper only: 5,000 #

Class IV Hitch (53B)
2.7L & 3.3L: 6,000# without tow package
3.5L & 5.0L: 7,000# without tow package

The hitch will handle whatever those tables say when properly equipped.
Example, if you get a 3.5L SuperCrew Shortbed 4x4 with MTP, you can pull (up to) 13,900#
The caveat here is that the ratings above 5,000# require the use of a weight distributing hitch.

See the bottom of page 8 for details from Ford.

 

[guppydriver]

2022 F-150 Towing Guide
Bumper only: 5,000 #

Class IV Hitch (53B)
2.7L & 3.3L: 6,000# without tow package
3.5L & 5.0L: 7,000# without tow package

The hitch will handle whatever those tables say when properly equipped.
Example, if you get a 3.5L SuperCrew Shortbed 4x4 with MTP, you can pull (up to) 13,900#
The caveat here is that the ratings above 5,000# require the use of a weight distributing hitch.

See the bottom of page 8 for details from Ford.

Thanks.

That's what I thought. No matter what package you get, you are limited to 5000 pounds if pulling bumper only. The problem is pretty much every boat pulls by the bumper. It's the lowest of any bumper rating amongst it's competition.

 

[JohnMcClane]

Thanks.

That's what I thought. No matter what package you get, you are limited to 5000 pounds if pulling bumper only. The problem is pretty much every boat pulls by the bumper. It's the lowest of any bumper rating amongst it's competition.

Yeap, documentation does say that, but something seems off.

Look at page 8, chart: " AVAILABLE TRAILER TOWING PACKAGES "

Package 53C is the only one that comes with an " Upgraded Rear Bumper "

I can't find anything that says it gets you a higher tow capacity on that bumper, but that just seems odd to me.

Is there a specific reason you don’t want to utilize a received/hitch setup?

It appears a camper may be in our family’s future and the weigh safe hitches look like the bees knees.

 

[guppydriver]

Yeap, documentation does say that, but something seems off.

Look at page 8, chart: " AVAILABLE TRAILER TOWING PACKAGES "

Package 53C is the only one that comes with an " Upgraded Rear Bumper "

I can't find anything that says it gets you a higher tow capacity on that bumper, but that just seems odd to me.

Is there a specific reason you don’t want to utilize a received/hitch setup?

It appears a camper may be in our family’s future and the weigh safe hitches look like the bees knees.

I tow a wakeboat, not a travel trailer. Like the vast majority of boat trailers, mine utilizes a single tongue with surge brakes (not electric over hydraulic). In addition, most boat trailers have a foldable tongue. You just can't really use a WDH with virtually any boat trailer. My boat is about 8000 pounds at its heaviest and usually more like 7700 pounds.

My boat has about 700 pounds of tongue weight and obviously incurs far less drag whilst towing. It just sucks that my 2020 Tundra can legally handle my boat (higher hitch rating), while the Ford can't.

 

[guppydriver]

I'm still referring to the receiver hitch, but the receiver hitch itself is limited to 5000 pounds without a WDH. I'm not talking about connecting a ball to the actual bumper

 

[JohnMcClane]

Thanks for the clarification.

Makes a lot more sense now.

 

[greyphox]

So I did some more digging on the competition. Manufacturer towing recommendations are as follows:

Ford - WDH over 5,000# (see previous document link)
Ram - WDH over 5,000# (last sentence, page 39 Ram Towing)
GM - WDH over 7,000# (table page 319 GMC 1500 Owners Manual)
Toyota - WDH over 5,000# (3rd bullet page 185 Tundra Owners Manual)
Nissan - WDH over 5,000# (footnote 2 page 599 Titan Owners Manual)

So Ford is right in line with everyone except GM. Not sure how they are getting a different rating for bumper pull.

Your current setup is not following manufacturer's requirements based on trailer weight, although with surge brakes I don't know how you can use a WDH. 2020 Tundra manual specifically states "If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2268 kg), a weight distributing hitch with sufficient capacity is required. " The only mention of surge brakes in the Toyota manual is that a trailer brake controller won't work with them, while other manufacturers call special attention to surge brakes.

Nissan states this in the Titan manual "A weight-distributing hitch system may affect the operation of trailer surge brakes. If you are considering use of a weight-distributing hitch system with a surge brake-equipped trailer, check with the surge brake, hitch or trailer manufacturer to determine if and how this can be done."

 

[blackhawkrider]

Anyone use anything like this?

https://mrtrailer.com/wdhboats.htm

What do you think is the limiting factor for 5,000 lbs? Side force loads? Suspension?

 

[guppydriver]

So I did some more digging on the competition. Manufacturer towing recommendations are as follows:

Ford - WDH over 5,000# (see previous document link)
Ram - WDH over 5,000# (last sentence, page 39 Ram Towing)
GM - WDH over 7,000# (table page 319 GMC 1500 Owners Manual)
Toyota - WDH over 5,000# (3rd bullet page 185 Tundra Owners Manual)
Nissan - WDH over 5,000# (footnote 2 page 599 Titan Owners Manual)

So Ford is right in line with everyone except GM. Not sure how they are getting a different rating for bumper pull.

Your current setup is not following manufacturer's requirements based on trailer weight, although with surge brakes I don't know how you can use a WDH. 2020 Tundra manual specifically states "If the gross trailer weight is over 5000 lb. (2268 kg), a weight distributing hitch with sufficient capacity is required. " The only mention of surge brakes in the Toyota manual is that a trailer brake controller won't work with them, while other manufacturers call special attention to surge brakes.

Nissan states this in the Titan manual "A weight-distributing hitch system may affect the operation of trailer surge brakes. If you are considering use of a weight-distributing hitch system with a surge brake-equipped trailer, check with the surge brake, hitch or trailer manufacturer to determine if and how this can be done."

Great research@greyphox !

Because my hitch on my Tundra is stamped at 10,000 (F150 is 5000) pounds, I assumed that was what the hitch by itself was certified for.

The only "gray area" is with Ram. Their manual states :
"The recommended tongue weight for a conventional hitch is 10 percent of the gross trailer weight. The maximum tongue weight for Class IV hitch receiver is limited to 499 kg (1,100 lb). Weight-Distributing Hitch is recommended for trailers over 2,268 kg (5,000 lb). "

That word recommended might leave leave some wiggle room as far as liability goes.

That being said....

10 years ago, it was rare to have a recreational boat (re: wakeboat) that weighed over 5000 pounds. Now they all do. Every single one. Like I said, a boat averages 6-8% tongue weight as compared to 10-15% on a travel trailer and they don't produce near the parasitic drag as a TT.

Bottom line is every single boat you see on the boat ramp on weekends towed by a 1/2 ton is out of compliance. I assume SD/HD trucks have much higher ratings when bumper pull only. You know how many WDH I have seen on boats in my decade or so of boating?
None. Zero. Zilch.

It would be interesting to look at the promo material Ford puts and see if a WDH is visible behind the trucks pulling boats in every single promo catalog.

 

[guppydriver]

Anyone use anything like this?

https://mrtrailer.com/wdhboats.htm

What do you think is the limiting factor for 5,000 lbs? Side force loads? Suspension?

Lawyers more than likely. But I'm sure the propensity for a tall trailer without a WDH is pretty high and likely pretty frightening.

Two issues with the pole tongue adapter.

1. Only works with equal-i-zer, which I think retails for like 2.1 million dollars or something like that ($700 bucks IIRC)
2. It won't work with a folding tongue which 90% of boat trailers have allowing people to store their boat in the garage.

 

[UGADawg96]

Can't find the thread where @PungoteagueDave shared his WDH setup on his boat trailer, but maybe he can chime in.

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