Looking for a 7500 lb trailer hitch

[1997XLTRollover]

Hey guys; looking to get a 7500 lb hitch for my 96 5.0 AWD Ex. The most I see without weight distribution is 5000 lbs. Does anyone make a 7500 lb hitch without weight distribution? My truck is rated for 6700 lbs and I always like a little room for error. I don't know why but I can't seem to find one.

My trailer is 7000 lb gross and does have electric brakes on both axles, so I'm not too worried about stopping because the trailer basically stops itself. But I do want a nice solid hitch on it. I do tow 7k lbs on occasion so do need this.

I am doing an AAL as well to help out the rear leaf packs, although my truck already has the H-rated pack. It also has a factory trans cooler so I should be ok in that respect too, so long as I don't get any really large hills. I'll be monitoring trans temps via an ultragauge.

Anyway in a nutshell I need a 7500 lb hitch without weight distribution but can't find one; any help is appreciated.



EDIT: Maybe I'm looking at this the wrong way. For anything over 5k lbs maybe I should have the weight distribution hitch? In that case does anyone have a 7500lbs weight distribution hitch they like?

BTW I do have a full X-Spec kit on my truck too to help stabilize it.


Maybe this guy?

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/Explorer/1996/75096.html?vehicleid=

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Anyone?

 

[colintrax]

I think there's still one being made out there, but no idea who makes it. I've seen it on here though.

 

[clevalley]

My .02 and experience;

I tow a lot of trailers and I would hesitate to tow anything close to and even over 5K with my Explorer, even then I would be sweating. I tow a 3200# horse trailer with two horses for a total of ~5500 pounds in my 2013 F-150, non weight distributing, and that is enough for me with that truck.

If I would tow anything over 5K on the Explorer I would go with a weight distributing setup. The guys at Etrailer.com are top notch (from my experience) and should be able to get you the right stuff.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

My .02 and experience;

I tow a lot of trailers and I would hesitate to tow anything close to and even over 5K with my Explorer, even then I would be sweating. I tow a 3200# horse trailer with two horses for a total of ~5500 pounds in my 2013 F-150, non weight distributing, and that is enough for me with that truck.

If I would tow anything over 5K on the Explorer I would go with a weight distributing setup. The guys at Etrailer.com are top notch (from my experience) and should be able to get you the right stuff.

Heh. I've towed 7500lbs with my old 99 F-150 with just a regular hitch and it towed like a champ. Drove straight, no sway, no braking issues. I'm not saying I'll be towing 7k lbs all the time, most times I'll be towing under 6k, but I just want the ability just in case.

I do have a 98 F-150 I'll be towing with 99% of the time too, but I want my ex as a backup if something happens to the truck is all. I'll rarely if ever tow with my ex. Short wheelbase isn't my first choice when towing believe me haha. The 150 just has 230k miles on it and it's all original drive train wise, so I don't want to get into a bad spot and not have a backup tow vehicle.


EDIT: MY biggest gripe with the weight dist setup is they're just so damn expensive for something I'll rarely if ever use. It's not that I don't want one.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Well this is irony at its best. I was supposed to tow a car to the scrap yard this weekend and guess what happened last night on my way home. F-150 threw a flashing CE light and is running like complete garbage. haha

I'm glad I can laugh at this; I'm sure it's just a coil pack that took a dump, but this is exactly why I want my ex equipped to tow. The trailer I was supposed to be towing is maybe 3500lbs so the ex would have towed it perfect. I also refuse to tow off the bumper.

Any clues as to where this mysterious 7500 lb hitch may be hiding?

 

[koda2000]

if anyone has one etrailer would be the place to look.

 

[colintrax]

Search on here, I think its a class IV or V

The explorer is fine for towing that much weight, I've done more. Just gotta remember its got soft suspension and a short wheel base.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

can't help you with the hitch receiver but I will say that a weight distribution hitch is worth every penny. The benefits of better handling, more even tire wear, more balanced braking, etc. sold me a long time ago. Just having to buy new tires or brake jobs less often will pay for the WDH itself. You can find them all day on amazon for ~$200 shipped....not expensive at all, IMO.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

if anyone has one etrailer would be the place to look.

I checked on there. No dice.

Search on here, I think its a class IV or V

The explorer is fine for towing that much weight, I've done more. Just gotta remember its got soft suspension and a short wheel base.

I'm running an X-spec kit, Rancho Shocks and an AAL with TT. It's fairly stiff but I do agree, point taken.

can't help you with the hitch receiver but I will say that a weight distribution hitch is worth every penny. The benefits of better handling, more even tire wear, more balanced braking, etc. sold me a long time ago. Just having to buy new tires or brake jobs less often will pay for the WDH itself. You can find them all day on amazon for ~$200 shipped....not expensive at all, IMO.

I agree, but this is more of a beater truck for me and I will really rarely tow, this will not be a dedicated tow vehicle. More of a backup; so I don't want to dump tons of money into it.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

I agree, but this is more of a beater truck for me and I will really rarely tow, this will not be a dedicated tow vehicle. More of a backup; so I don't want to dump tons of money into it.

The point that I was poorly trying to make was that a wdh can be had for not much more than a class 3/4 receiver hitch, with the added benefits of the wdh that I mentioned earlier. I personally would not call that dumping tons of money but I guess it's all relative.

On a side note, I went through a similar hitch receiver search with my suburban 1/2 ton. The receiver is rated for 5k dead weight (no wdh) but I was tugging a 5700b load. Tried to find a class 4 hitch rated higher but no one made them. Discovered that even the 3/4 ton suburbans came with the same stock receiver hitch that my 1/2 ton has. Mind you that this was for a very capable and very popular tow vehicle and I still could not find what I was looking for. Chances are slim, IMO, that you would find a 7500 lb dead weight rated receiver for your Ex because that is pushing class 5 ratings and usually only see those in full ton trucks or heavier duty trucks.

Anyways, good luck.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

The point that I was poorly trying to make was that a wdh can be had for not much more than a class 3/4 receiver hitch, with the added benefits of the wdh that I mentioned earlier. I personally would not call that dumping tons of money but I guess it's all relative.

On a side note, I went through a similar hitch receiver search with my suburban 1/2 ton. The receiver is rated for 5k dead weight (no wdh) but I was tugging a 5700b load. Tried to find a class 4 hitch rated higher but no one made them. Discovered that even the 3/4 ton suburbans came with the same stock receiver hitch that my 1/2 ton has. Mind you that this was for a very capable and very popular tow vehicle and I still could not find what I was looking for. Chances are slim, IMO, that you would find a 7500 lb dead weight rated receiver for your Ex because that is pushing class 5 ratings and usually only see those in full ton trucks or heavier duty trucks.

Anyways, good luck.

Ok I think I see what you're saying. Or maybe I don't but I got an idea either way haha. I can find that hitch in my first post in the yard for probably 50 bucks, then get a weigh dist kit for it online for 200 or 250 so it's rated for 7500 instead of spending 200-250 on a dead weigh 7500 lb hitch because that I doubt I'll be able to find in a scrap yard.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

Ok I think I see what you're saying. Or maybe I don't but I got an idea either way haha. I can find that hitch in my first post in the yard for probably 50 bucks, then get a weigh dist kit for it online for 200 or 250 so it's rated for 7500 instead of spending 200-250 on a dead weigh 7500 lb hitch because that I doubt I'll be able to find in a scrap yard.

BINGO!!

Actually, I was assuming that you already had a receiver hitch and was looking to swap it out for one with higher capacity. My thought was to keep your current receiver hitch and spend the ~$200 or so on a wdh instead of a new receiver.

Your way works too though...LOL

Happy tugging!

 

[1997XLTRollover]

BINGO!!

Actually, I was assuming that you already had a receiver hitch and was looking to swap it out for one with higher capacity. My thought was to keep your current receiver hitch and spend the ~$200 or so on a wdh instead of a new receiver.

Your way works too though...LOL

Happy tugging!

Nope. Nothing at all. I don't think this thing ever towed. Although it may have because my bumper is ****ed back a little bit so who knows.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Does anyone know if this 7500 lb hitch without weight dist even exists?

 

[1997XLTRollover]

I'm looking at these weight dist systems and these suckers are expensive. There's no way I can afford one of them so I'm looking for that magical unicorn of a 7500 lb hitch if it exists. Any help is greatly greatly appreciated.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

Not saying you won't find it but here's why I think you won't...

With weight distribution, a hitch receiver's capacity could double it's dead weight capacity. So for a tow vehicle equipped with a 7500lb dead weight-rated receiver, properly set up, it could be rated for up to 14k lbs. In your example, your tow vehicle is rated for 6700lbs. Can you imagine the liability that a hitch manufacturer would have if it readily made available a hitch that is rated for up to 14k with weight distribution for a tow vehicle that is only rated for 6700lbs? Plenty of people out there that would think, "Oh, I'm rated for 14k with weight distribution, I'm good tugging my 10k lb trailer." Well no, because your tow vehicle still has a 6700lb capacity.

There is a reason why manufacturers only make hitches up to a certain class for certain vehicles. It's called CYA.

You might want to look into getting one fabricated. I have no clue what that would cost though.

Quick search on etrailer.com and found 6 receivers for under $255, 3 of which for under $215. Here's one on Amazon for under $200 shipped (if you are prime member)

http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufact...508&sr=8-8&keywords=weight+distributing+hitch

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Not saying you won't find it but here's why I think you won't...

With weight distribution, a hitch receiver's capacity could double it's dead weight capacity. So for a tow vehicle equipped with a 7500lb dead weight-rated receiver, properly set up, it could be rated for up to 14k lbs. In your example, your tow vehicle is rated for 6700lbs. Can you imagine the liability that a hitch manufacturer would have if it readily made available a hitch that is rated for up to 14k with weight distribution for a tow vehicle that is only rated for 6700lbs? Plenty of people out there that would think, "Oh, I'm rated for 14k with weight distribution, I'm good tugging my 10k lb trailer." Well no, because your tow vehicle still has a 6700lb capacity.

There is a reason why manufacturers only make hitches up to a certain class for certain vehicles. It's called CYA.

You might want to look into getting one fabricated. I have no clue what that would cost though.

Quick search on etrailer.com and found 6 receivers for under $255, 3 of which for under $215. Here's one on Amazon for under $200 shipped (if you are prime member)

http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufact...508&sr=8-8&keywords=weight+distributing+hitch

Can you back up with that? All the cheaper ones I found for that price point you cannot back up.

 

[wifes2011xlt]

Hmmm...that's weird. The Amazon link does not link to Amazon. Not sure how that happened. Take 2: http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufact...136&sr=1-8&keywords=weight+distributing+hitch
I believe you can back up with this one.

Here's the one I use for an extra $30 and I back up with it frequently without any issues.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...earch_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1#productDetails

If you read the reviews and Q&A, most issues of backing up are when performing very tight maneuvers such as when backing up a camper into a camping site. If that's still a problem, you can always unhook the bars for those last few intricate reversing maneuvers. The issue is not having enough slack in the chains when...say...you're almost jack knifing your trailer.

 

[1997XLTRollover]

Hmmm...that's weird. The Amazon link does not link to Amazon. Not sure how that happened. Take 2: http://www.amazon.com/Curt-Manufact...136&sr=1-8&keywords=weight+distributing+hitch
I believe you can back up with this one.

Here's the one I use for an extra $30 and I back up with it frequently without any issues.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...earch_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1#productDetails

If you read the reviews and Q&A, most issues of backing up are when performing very tight maneuvers such as when backing up a camper into a camping site. If that's still a problem, you can always unhook the bars for those last few intricate reversing maneuvers. The issue is not having enough slack in the chains when...say...you're almost jack knifing your trailer.

This is probably a really stupid question, but can I use those systems when I tow with my F-150 too? or are those specific to the explorer?