How much can you technically bumper pull

Of course I mean with the factory hitch but whats the limit before having to go to a goose neck? When i went in to the local trailer supply place for a new ball they told me 8k I believe.

i would say 8 to 10. i wouldnt want to go mutch over that.

You can always switch to a pintle hitch they can haul more than 8 - 10k but you still have to stay within the spec of your receiver on the truck.

If you listen to Ford, anything over 5K/500 tongue requires a load equalizing/load distributing hitch. I have known many do 10K on the standard receiver hitch. I think mine is only rated for 10K. I do plan on a Class 5 or 6 hitch in the future for my new trailer (14K).

I used to routinely pull over 12,000 with the pintle. I had airbags then too.

Now with the gooseneck I pull over 20,000 without the bags, and it's more stable with less squat.

Plus it doesn't get into that dolphin rhythm hitting bumps like a heavy bumper pull does.

My flat bed is rated for 12.5k because of the 2 5/16" ball... switch over to a pintle and it goes to 14k...

I've had 18k of scrap on it before... That was a heavy SOB...

ive had two case 465s each with a bucket/set of forks, 150 gallon of fuel, and two tamps, and a trailer behind my pintle, it was VERY VERY HEAVY and ended up cracking my hitch hahaha

i figure at least 20000 pounds before the trailer weight

it may no be considered "hitch" towing.. but your truck will handle alot... we had 2 of out trucks break down on the highway.. (379 peterbuilts) pullin a 48ft ranco belly dump pullin a 30ft ranco pup trailer.. loaded with Road Base total weight was 117,000lbs chain pulled them both 20 miles back to the shop with no issues in my (bone stock at the time) early 99 7.3...

had to do it a third time and the trans popped.. broke something in the converter.. still managed to drive the truck for another year after it popped. . just slipped gears every now an then.. sorry just had to tell that story to get my point accross

in the end i would say you could safely tow.. 10-15k lbs with your truck easy..

Technically you need to go by what the reciever is rated for! I think the factory reciever is around 8k or so. If you want to haul more with a bumper pull get a nice class 5 or 6 reciever.

Of course a gooseneck beats the crap out of a bumper pull, but along with being able to haul more weight its also about the much better handling you'll get with a gooseneck.

isn't there a combined gross vehicle weight listed by ford, if so I don't think you can legally tow over that

bluedge8 said:

isn't there a combined gross vehicle weight listed by ford, if so I don't think you can legally tow over that

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Whole nother can of worms right there, DOT, GCVWR... blah blah blah

Essentially you can and you can't. Depends on how you read the laws.

well then, that expains itLOL

i gotta E99 f250. if you read the owners manual, it tell me that im good for 1000/10000 on the receiver, or a gcwr of 20k with a g/n.

look in your manual, it will tell you.

thats not to say it wont do more, as i have had 25k + g/n trailer before, but it squatted kinda lots, and didnt like it. but it did it.

mine hitch is rated for 12000. idk bout the tounge weight

Here is the trailer towing guide from 2004. Lots of variables like gear ratio, rim size etc.

For what it is worth, this info is conservative and what Ford says the truck can safely tow. T

This information is also what insurance companies refer too in case of an accident to determine if someone exceeded the limitations of the truck and its braking and handling systems. (liability issues)

http://www.trailerlife.com/images/elements/883783_Towing_Guide.pdf

pulling and stopping are two different things im sure one of these trucks can pull far more than they could safely haul for any distance

Pstroke96 said:

pulling and stopping are two different things im sure one of these trucks can pull far more than they could safely haul for any distance

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that pretty much sums up the amount you can tow with our trucks. our trucks are way more then likely able to pull the weight, its stopping it that seperates some of it.

this is what my hitch is rated for from ford. ive towed (but dont recommend) over 15k on the hitch

I have a Putnam class v on mine . Rated 18k Straight and distributed . Now ask me if I would put that much on it.

I pulled around 16k on my factory hitch with a 2 5/16" ball. It was heavy and not really sure id like to tow that again. Not exactly the smartest thing ive ever done. I towed a 12k boat quite a bit and didnt think a thing about it, but the 16k in rock on a dump trailer had me puckered.