Tony Montana

That has to be for older trucks. Not sure when but I have a 06 psd and it is rated 12,500. The factory hitch does suck so get a Putnam or the like. Everyone giving him crap back off he didn't ask you if you thought he could tow his boat he asked about tongue weight

berns29scarab

i appreciate everyone's .02 without a doubt and all points are well taken. this is OSO ya have to expect some heat once in a while...no harm no foul

berns29scarab

i towed my buddies Gladiator with her with no problems and i know his tongue weight is heavy, so shes here to stay, the boat will be on a 18k triple axel trailer with surge brakes (disc) on 2 and may convert over to elec in the spring

Chris Sunkin

Sorry but that's absolute nonsense.

I'm a Wheelpros dealer. Their wheels are not load-rated anywhere near OEM spec.

Sure that's a good lift but it doesn't give you any brakes when it comes to the laws of physics. This is basic leverage, not rocket science. Plus, a 353 ain't no flyweight. That's a marginal tow rig for that weight in its stovck form.

Tires are rated by their load capacity. Ford replaced $100 million in D-rated tires mistakenly put on F250, F350 and Excursion with E-rateds that were supposed to be there. There's a reason.

Chris Sunkin

No heat intended- just friendly tips that hopefully will keep you safe.

berns29scarab

and very much appreciated...the rims are 20" moto metals and the tires E rated nitto terra grappler LT 305-55-20's

Cattitude

I agree, just different perspectives, well intended, trying to help a boat bud out

Chris- If I can ask....

Do you guys offer or sell 8 lug wheels rated for less than 3200 lbs? I never found any in multiple searches of many wheels for my SRW 3500. Maybe I looked at only mainline wheel brands and maybe some of the lesser known imports skirt the rating? I don't know of any SRW light truck with heavier than a 6400 lb axle rating do you? I've seen factory wheels with the same 3200 rating, maybe you know of some better ones?

I know some thigns about physics too- can you enlighten me? The hitch ball has the same relationship to the contact patch of the tires- although it may take a different path to get there- that relationship remains consistent and that's the biggest factor. The claimed 33's are likely 32's wich is barely bigger than the stockers- no big leap there, heck, Dodge sells the powerwagon with 33's- maybe I'm missing something, please tell me where you are coming from. Tow ratings can be funky- even by the oems. Many 2500/250 type trucks are 20k gross and higher- sometimes they are de-rated becasue of a ring and pinion or auto tranny. my 3500 SRW has a 23k gross and the only difference between it and the 2500 is the helper springs which kick in only when way heavy and the cab clearance lights. What leverage is it that you think will have a major impact in this situation?

I think we agree on the tire thing- Ford had a problem because the stockish size D tires could not handle the rated load, likely two tires did not equate to the axle rating- I can hear the lawyers salivating. To meet the needed rating and the desired size- they needed E. Many 33 and 35ish D's have very respectable weight ratings- flip through your books when you have some time. Ford's also sensitive even though the explorer thing was not entirely there issue (referring to the underinflated issues)

Chris Sunkin

On wheels, the Wheelpros brand wheels are a decent quality wheel but they are not a performance wheel by any stretch. Quality control is OK but not great. They are a rotocast wheel. They don't publish their weight ratings but if you cal their tech centers they can give them to you. Off the top of my head, I think their Ford 8-lug fitments are rated at 2975. For a tow vehicle I'll only use Weld. They're forged from 6061 billet and they exceed OEM ratings. I have seen centers broken out of Helos that have been overloaded or in accidents. I've seen Welds bent so badly they didn't look like wheels but no breaks in them. I have Welds on both of my Excursions. My son has Helo Guns on his Tahoe. Of course, he's not towing anything more than his motorcycle trailer.

On lifts, you have two issues- first is the leverage I spoke of. Sure the hitch point the same. Where you run into problems is here- the polar moment of inertia of a vehicle is that place where the weight is entirely balanced in all 3 axes. If you were able to suspend the vehicle from that point, it would act weightless. A physical example- if you had a brick that was 2" thick, 3" wide and 4" long, its polar moment of inertia would be 1" up, 1.5" in and 2" deep- the exact center. When you lift a vehicle, you raise this point. This is the same effect as moving the point of pressure further out on your lever. To counter these effects you can do several things. Stiffer springs and shock absorbers with more damping will have some effect but can't neutralize the overall change. Only lengthening the other axes will truly offset the effect. This is evidenced but the dramatic increase in rollover occurrence in lifted vehicles. In fact, many insurers are excluding or scheduling lifted vehicles. That's why many who raise vehicles go to wider,wheels with more offset- to balance the changes. It's tough to make the truck longer.

Theory is great but the real world is where it counts. I've been in lots of lifted trucks but I've never been in one that was as stable as before it was lifted, regardless of what had been done to it. Before I bought the big truck to tow with, I had a 2WD dually- I lowered it and it became much more pleasant do tow with.

Here's the true real-world. $hit happens. Everyone that's towed has had a white-knuckle experience or two. Some have also had brown-spot experiences as well. Some have come withing a hair of losing their rigs. Making compromising changes to your tow vehicle very well migh be that hair you needed.

berns29scarab

psssst...with all this being said...WHATS THE CORRECT TONGUE WEIGHT...LMFAOOO

Cattitude

F'n smart ass

Chris, that was a worthy response- and exactly why I have not lifted my 3500 (cause 90% of the miles are towing)- but some are in love with the look and still want to tow. IMHO a fabtech mild lift on 33's is within reason for his boat- it would be worked much harder if it was a similar weight enclosed race trailer with a shorter WB etc- boats are such easy towing, all towed stuff considered. he still has a lot of WB- more than a lot of normal cab duallies etc- I suppose the braking weight bias would be more dominant to the front with the higher COG

In the mean time- my otr towing is done with an FL70 toter on 270" wb, so I recognize the benefits you refer to- but as always, there is optimum, and good/safe enough within reason

I've never seen a light truck wheel that did not have the weight rating stamped/cast into the spokes/center on the backside- thought there were laws passed in the 70's or somethign????

So Bern- did you hit the scales yet- confirm if your stock hitch is worthy (I mean what's it rated for- not "It did not fall off when I hooked up a larger boat") How's the 353 resale gonna be after it passes you down the hwy and finds a new bowstop????