What are the '04 hitches rated at for max tounge weight?
Would I need to upgrade it for the below trailer/hitch?





I have a ultrahitch.com rapid hitch (work of art) rated at 10,000 lb. Trailer GVWR and 1,500 lb. Tongue weight.





I am looking at trying this trailer out:
http://www.fleetwoodrv.com/specs/s.asp?model=GB260FS


It's GVWR is 11,400 (fully loaded). Will I be towing safe if this is fully loaded?


I will have Toyo 35" AT's 'E' rated.


How are these OEM hitches holding up? Anyone had issues?


Thanks for any info!

Factory hitch ratings are on the sticker on the hitch itself above the electrial plug in.


The factory hitches are junk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I am replacing mine right now with a Putnam XDR Class 5; there are other good choices also like Reese Titan (although that 2 1/2" pin box really messes up all the hitch setups) and Hidden Hitch Magnum.


Check out the www.rv.net/forum (http://www.rv.net/forum) and do a search for hitches and you will find lots of failed GM hitches especially if you do a search for the member "burbman"; it is a real eye opener. I was headed in his direction but my pin holes opened up before I got to his degree of problems!

What are the '04 hitches rated at for max tounge weight?
Would I need to upgrade it for the below trailer/hitch?


I have a ultrahitch.com rapid hitch (work of art) rated at <FONT color=black size=2>10,000 lb. Trailer GVWR and 1,500 lb. Tongue weight.


<font size="2">I am looking at trying this trailer out:
http://www.fleetwoodrv.com/specs/s.asp?model=GB260FS</font>


<font size="2">It's GVWR is 11,400 (fully loaded). Will I be towing safe if this is fully loaded?</font>


<font size="2">I will have Toyo 35" AT's 'E' rated.</font>


<font size="2">How are these OEM hitches holding up? Anyone had issues?</font>


<font size="2">Thanks for any info!</font>
</font>

I would be more concerned about the draw height leverage on frame with offset from big tires and truck being higher than being 1000lb over. ALso, I would consider the strain on your tranny and engine if you have not regeared it for that tires size and towing. It will feel like you are towing 16 to 18,000 or more with stock tires with your setup. Edited by: snoman

What gearing set-up would you think is best for this application?


I do most driving without a trailer so it would need to work good for all applications.


Also I will be upgrading the tranny and getting the TTS programmer and exhaust to help.

IF you have stock 3.73 with a Dmax I would suggest a 4.10 as a good compromise if you do not tow that much. I would go a little deeper if you plan to tow more weight and/or a lot on hills. If it is a gasser I would say a 4.56 would be in order.

If you're going to load up your trailer to GVW, it would be a good idea to replace the factory receiver with something stornger. I have the Titan V and with the reducer sleeve the 2 1/2" receiver is no problem. The Putnam is also a good hitch and you don't have to fiddle with the sleeve. Does the Rapid hitch have any provision for sway control? You'll want it for a trailer of that weight. If not, a Reese Dual Cam (or Straitline) or an Equal-i-zer would be a good choice to make the trailer behave.

TC

He will have no problem with stock hitch at 10,000lbs or so as long as he uses a ball on a solid bar in receiver. It is quite sturdy.

I've never heard of a factory tow package breaking or coming apart.


But I have personally experienced it getting torqued and bent pretty bad. It was due to an accident on ice while towing an 18ft cargo trailer. The truck fish-tailed on ice on the highway and hit the cement center divider on the highway, the trailer spun around and jacknifed into the passengers side of the truck. Even though the truck and trailer suffered $15k in damage, I did drive away from the accident pulling the trailer another 15 miles.


I use a solid receiver for my towing applications and avoid the hollow ones as much as possible. Even though the solid receivers are a bit more expensive, they are rated for 15k whereas some of the hollow ones are rated much less.


http://photos.onlinedesk.net/silverado/accident/dscn3602.jpg


http://photos.onlinedesk.net/silverado/accident/dscn3617.jpg


Edited by: andrewfessler

I don't have much faith in the stock hitch for heavy loads. The drawbar locking pin hole on mine became elongated after a couple thousand miles of towing just my 2,500lb Coleman popup trailer. There was no way I was going to risk pulling my big Fox with that thing. I believe there are other members here who have experienced cracked welds and twisted receivers while towing heavy trailers within the rated weight of the stock hitch. There are also other stories at www.rv.net.

TC

Bear in mind the something has to give if you jackknife trailer and it is better to have hitch give and bend than the frame of the truck. Something has to be a "fuse".Edited by: snoman

Since my GM hitch failed in the pin hole area and was being replaced this weekend, we did some experimenting with it. Bear in mind that these things are rated Class 5 which "should" be pretty heavy duty.


Basically we hooked up the trailer and adjusted the weight distribution bars from having no tension on them to full tension on them. The interesting part is that as you increase tension on them, the hitch would bend away from the bumper around the bolt holes up to a 1/4 of an inch. Remember, the hitch should not move. This means that the hitch is twisting between the pin box and the frame and you can not get good weight transfer to the front of the vehicle. As a matter of fact, when measuring the the front of the truck at all four wheel wells, each side would be different heights which means that the hitch rotates and weight is not shifted evenly to the front on both sides of the frame rails. This weight shifting when you are going down the road helps to steer the truck probably in places you are not intending to go.


Replaced it with a Putnam XDR class 5 and there is no twisting or flexing of the hitch and I am getting extremely excellent weight transfer to the front of the truck. Has even made a big difference in the feel of the truck going down the road with trailers attached.


I still stand on my original post above that the GM hitches are junk and probably should be replaced if you are doing any sort of medium to heavy duty towing. (JMO)


Snoman, I don't think in any case, you would want the hitch to bend or break or anything for that matter. The hitch should be one of the strongest if not the strongest part of the frame of the vehicle. If anything should give in an accident or other failure I would rather it be the ball or ball mount or the frame of the trailer that gives. Remember, you do not want it getting away from the tow vehicle; and since I thought of it, why would you put the safety chains on the hitch if you are trying to keep the trailer with the hitch via safety chains in case of breakage, but the hitch is the weak link?


I still say wander over to the rv.net/forum and you will see that these things are failing. The hitch dealers are having a hard time keeping the Class 5 Reese, DrawTite and Putnams in stock.

I stand by my post, I have towed up to 12000 lbs with them with no problems. A jackknife is not a "test" of hitch strength unless you would have rather had truck frame bend instead as the frame in the truck is not that strong anyway and yoy want the hitch to be weaker than the frame anyway because if something bad goes wrong I do not want the trailer taking me with it. I hate to say it but Dodge does have a much heavier frame in back than a GM P/U

My opinion on this subject boils down to you want a strong truck frame and hitch with the truck in control of everything behind it so that if there is a problem, that problem will be with the trailer side (from the ball on back) of the equation. After that, then we let the police and the lawyers handle it because I have done everything I can from the hitch forward to prevent an incident.

Wow..that is one heavy tongue on the trailer you are trying out. Keep in mind that the weight listed is dry, which does not include LP tanks, battery, and a number of other options. I'd guess that you would easily come very close, or exceed the 1500 lb weight distributing rating of the factory receiver. You also did not mention a weight distributing hitch, which is a must for this application. First thing I would do is head to the local truck stop scales and weigh your setup. You may be suprised at what you find.


Also, do something for sway control, especially with the larger tires. Not sure what your price range is, but a Hensley would be optimal. You can find them used for around $1500. I have one and would not tow without it.

This is what i did to my factory 2000 F350 trailer hitch, i was pulling a 35' bumper pull w/o wieght distribution. This is the weld on the back side of the hitch. I am now using wieght distribution on my new 04' 3500 DRW Chevy. 6000 miles and no problems. I measured the tounge wieght and it was 1700 lbs. Alittle heavy for factory hitch w/o distribution setup.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/uploads/597_DSC03025.JPG

LRTDmax....unless they have changed the specs, I believe you are too heavy for the factory receiver when running a w/d hitch. Mine maxes out at 1500 lbs for wd towing.

He will have no problem with stock hitch at 10,000lbs or so as long as he uses a ball on a solid bar in receiver. It is quite sturdy.


The stock hitch on post 2001 Gm trucks is junk. I have had to change mine over to a Titan and I have seen many others do the same. I would rate the stock hitch at maybe 6500lbs trailer weight.


If you look at pre 2001 stock hitches they are a true class 4 hitch.


imho

Wow! And I thought I was being "picky" when I gave the stealer a ration of crap. 19 years as a heavy equip operator, and could not BELIEVE what I was seeing beneath the rear bumpers of all three makes! I thought "what is this?" I just ordered a nice class II for my wifes Murano from JCWhit and it looks sturdier than the junk under the new GM's! I've even hauled two HD's on a trailer behind the Murano and that was pushing the limit, but I never doubted the hitch! Guess I'm picking up a new Titan or otherwise on Saturday!


Thanks!