Before You Buy: Finding The Right Hitch Setup For Your Super Duty

Posted by Corey Decker on 6/26/2020 to Before you Buy

Chances are if you are like me, one of the many reasons you own a truck is because of towing. If you own a Super Duty then you probably have it because you have a need for a truck with serious towing capabilities. When it comes to towing, Ford hooked up the Super Dutys with high quality leaf springs and the right combination of horsepower, torque, and towing capacities up to 15,000. But the most important part of towing is the hitch receiver itself in a lot of cases. There are three different types of hitch receivers that we can break down regular bumper hitches, goose necks, and weight distribution hitches. Each one of these hitches works with different types of trailers. Luckily, here at Stage 3 Motorsports we have a wide selection of each of those, all from high quality brands. So what product would be the best for your particular setup? Let's find out.

Bumper Hitches For Super Duty Trucks

First things first, the average bumper hitch that we all know and love. This is the normal setup that you see out and about. The first company that we are gonna highlight their products for that is normally a pretty good bargain is CURT. This company has been around a long time and we have used their stuff on some of our builds. Most recently, their hitches have been a part of our 2014 F250 6.7L Project Ice Box Build. The cool thing about CURT's hitches is that they are crafted with high-strength steel and tested for safety in accordance with SAE J684 ratings. On top of that, the ball mount is also protected with a durable high-gloss black powder coat finish and is guaranteed to tow or haul your heaviest equipment without bending or flexing under pressure like lesser quality hitches on the market. The other thing that you need to look at with CURT is they have a lot of hitches that are made with height drops that will help trucks with larger lifts even out the trailer that they are towing. With CURT you can choose ball mounts with 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 inch drops. It is also key to get the right ball for what trailer you are towing, luckily CURT has a solution for this. The 1999-2020 F150/F250 CURT Class 3 Trailer Receiver Switch Ball Set comes with three different sized balls that way you have the right size for whatever trailer it is you are pulling. The trick to this kit is that instead of having to take a wrench and completely remove the ball and shank, you can just twist the ball off the shank. When you need to make the switch, simply twist the Switch Ball head, lift it off and twist on another. The J-groove ensures a solid hold on your trailer, while still allowing for easy removal of the trailer ball without tools or pins. Another great company that you can look at is WeighSafe if you are willing to spend a little bit more. What separates them from CURT is the fact that a lot of their receivers have scales that are built into them. When we made our 2017 F250 6.7L Project Truck we knew we had to throw one of these bad boys on it to ensure it was ready for safe and reliable towing. Weigh Safe goes above and beyond to construct their hitches from the highest quality materials available, from the corrosion-resistant stainless steel ball to the 6061 T6 machined billet aluminum shank and mounting platform. Part of the construction of these hitches also allow height adjustments to be able to go up and down. This works out because sometimes certain trailers sit a little higher than others when it comes to the tongue of the trailer going down the road. So this design makes it easier to just adjust the height rather than completely disconnecting one receiver hitch and connecting another. These hitches come in 4, 6, 8, and 10 inch drops, and they also have a universal ball that includes a built-in scale as well.

Weigh Safe 8-Inch Drop Hitch w/ Built-In Scale - 2.5

Gooseneck Hitches For Super Dutys

Then there are gooseneck hitches. A gooseneck sits in your bed similar to a 5th Wheel without the bulkiness. It also has the same sort of attachment as the hitch that sits on your rear bumper. The way it works is it sits on a platform and has a hitch ball in the c Take the 2011-2019 F250 & F350 CURT Double Lock EZR Gooseneck Hitch Kit with Installation Brackets for example. The focal point of the gooseneck hitch is the flip-and-store 2-5/16" ball that is capable and engineered to fit any heavy duty trailer that requires that size ball. The ability to flip-and-store the ball means that you can eliminate any obstructions in the truck bed. There is also a 3/8" diameter handle that has double-locking pins that provide maximum ball security. This also protected with highly durable carbide black powder coat finish, a rubber trim ring and a rubber hole cover for the bed hole to help protect this from the elements. Part of the design from CURT Manufacturing is geared towards ensuring that this has a fairly easy installation process. The first part of design is that it utilizes carriage bolts which result in one wrench tightening. CURT Manufacturing also created this product to not need welding, sheet metal cutting, lowering of the exhaust or bed removal for installation. This process also only requires one person at installation rather than some other gooseneck setups where it becomes at least a two man job. The Double Lock EZR Gooseneck kit also includes brackets that are specifically designed to fit your super duty and come with all of the necessary hardware. Last but not least, these brackets feature a rust-resistant liquid Bonderite coating.

2011-2019 F250 & F350 CURT Double Lock EZR Gooseneck Hitch Kit with Installation Brackets

Weight Distribution Systems For Super Dutys

Something else that you can do with your hitch setup is pair it with something like the True Tow Weight Distribution System. This system makes sure that the weight of your load is evenly distributed is one sure-fire way to prevent all sorts of damage when going down the road. Weigh Safe included a few components to ensure the most safe practices possible while towing. They included a built-in scale to measure both tongue weight to ensure ten to fifteen percent of GRW and distributed tongue weight. Also included with this is a live adjustment system that has an internal pivot point which eliminates the need to remove the head assembly for re-adjustment. It also has the ability for you to easily adjust the height of it with ease with 1" hole increments to provide more accurate height adjustments. Weigh Safe also designed this product to prevent sway by created areas that reside in the sway bar connection points in the head assemble and the trailer bracket connection points. Lastly, you have the ability to download a distributed tongue weight tool app on your smart phone for an extremely accurate setup. Weigh Safe created this system with an 8" drop with 2 and 2.5" shafts and also a 6" drop also with 2 and 2.5" shafts.

Weigh Safe True Tow Weight Distribution Hitch - 6

A lot of times the trailer that you are after and/or have will dictate what sort of hitch you need for the job. In addition to the right hitch, the right hitch lock is also just as important. If by chance you are driving without a trailer and you lose your hitch it could go into someone's undercarriage and wreak havoc on their engine, leaving you holding the bag. Luckily enough, most hitches come with their own locking mechanism with a cotter key so you would not have to worry about spending the extra money if you do not want to.

Products Mentioned In This Article

Before You Buy: Finding The Right Hitch Setup For Your Super Duty

Bumper Hitches For Super Duty Trucks

Gooseneck Hitches For Super Dutys

Weight Distribution Systems For Super Dutys

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