Hello All,
I bought a reese hitch from wal mart about 100 bucks. I ask a mech. buddie to help me install it, and he told me that because it has a bracket that bolts to the frame, then the hitch bolts to the bracket that it would have a lower weight limit. Class 3 hitch. Is there any truth to this or is it as crazy as IMO I think it is? TommysToy

 

I have had a Reese I got at Wally World since I got the truck new. I think it is rated at 5000 lbs. Yours should say on it somewhere. I would not worry about it at all as long as it was installed properly, all the bolts put in etc. Don't plan on pulling a 10000 lb trailer all the time with it, but a normal car trailer or camper or boat should be no problem. If you are still skeptical - weld the entire hitch to the bracket and the bracket to the frame. I personally wouldn't worry about it. I have pulled a small backhoe on a machinery trailer a couple times with mine with no problem.......

 

if the hitch is a class 3 and is instaled correctley (following all instructions, bolts, and brackets that came with it) then it will have a toung weight rating of 500lbs and a traler weight of 5000 lbs check out this website for more hitch info http://www.reeseprod.com/support/support/su_faqs.shtml

and just for your info when they rate hitches it will half to withstand 3 times (or 5 i cant rember for shure) more than its rated for its known as th safety factor so if it says it has a toung weight of 500 lbs it will take 1500lbs (or 2500 lbs if its 5 times but i dont think it is) of toung weight to auchually rip it off the truck, now that sed if you go over 500lbs your overloading it and dont forget wen you hit a bump its putting more force on it than if it were just sitting there

 

You bought a hitch from walmart, ARE YOU F'IN NUTS. If I knew you wanted a hitch I could have saved you some trouble. I have a factory 10,000 lbs reciever in my garage just collecting dust and my toes. Anyway as long as you are not hauling a large load you should be fine.

 

I have the same hitch. I didn't get it at walmart though. The bolts should have ridges on them that bite in when tightened. As they said just follow the instructions. I checked mine once after a couple of years and bolts are still good.

 

ive always wonderd the same thing... i was wondering if they rated hte hitch lower then the realtime limit is... they do that to alot of goods sold on the civilian market... when i get mine in..im arcing the hell out of it right into the frame... then i might bolt it in just for looks

hey scott... that hitch really bothering ya? im only a an hour or two away from ya

 

I have seen what happens when you haul too much with a lightwieght hitch. I wish I had a camera. That guy was pissed.

[:@]

Trailer went under the truck at a light

[&o]

 

The hitch should carry whatever load its rated at regardless of how it's mounted. Thats how it was designed.

 

i wouldent bother welding it...the bolts will be fine...thats not where it worry about it comming off anyways take a look at where the reciver tube is mounted on the frame of the hitch thats the usally the weekest point, also if you do any welding on the hitch you void all warrintes, asume all ligalities (if it were to say come off and kill somone your *** is on the line) not mention that in most places its illigle to mod the hitch whitch includs welding... anouther thing welding makes it verry riged with the bolts it has room to flex ever so slightley (you wont see it) if you weld it all that stress is going into your frame, i see this problem more so in wintch bumpers, the guy welds it solid to his frame than cant figure why it riped off with a chunk of his frame....just my thoughts anyways

 

never thought of that..thanks ryan... the frames are boxed i guess so they would have some felx to them... and i would be eliminating that if i welded a hitch in and it would act as a cross member

i need to take a few classes on welding... i gotta get better at it