New guy here. Lurked for a year and finally posting. Love the site and have learned a ton!
Awesome write up, John. Glad to see it because I just upgraded my '99 2500 Suburban to a 2006 F350, CC, SRW, 6.0L and plan to install a Reese Titan in the next few weeks. Also buying the 1700lb Strait-Line WD.
I pull a 26' Fleetwood Gearbox with a brutally heavy (nearly 1800lb) tongue.
How heavy is your tongue while loaded? Do you use airbags or does the WD suffice?
kat1 wrote: Awesome write up, John. Glad to see it because I just upgraded my '99 2500 Suburban to a 2006 F350, CC, SRW, 6.0L
While you really can't compare a FORD F350 to a poor little old 3/4 ton burb...being a Ford man myself...I couldn't pass up the opportunity to WELCOME you to the Blue Oval family...word is GETTING OUT and more and more are joining the ranks!
Also Kat1...WELCOME to the OPEN ROADS FORUM!...
Next we need to convert Turk and BurbMan to the FORD SIDE!!!
Sorry John for the off topic...but when the pitcher throws a hanging curve like that...you have to jump on it!
TURK2500 wrote: Do you now have 7-links under tension on your DC snap-ups? Looks like you have more clearance between your spring bar and yoke (even with the top mounted TT coupler) than your prior 5-links under tension set-up on the Burb. I did notice the raised ball.
Oh, nice receiver!
Turk2500
Turk2500
Here is the Evolution:
T2499 TT, K2500 Burb with 1,000# tongue, 1,200# WD bars, 5" TT frame, 5 links. Towed 15,000 miles no issues once setup.
T310SR TT, K2500 Burb with 1,000# tongue, 1,200# WD bars, 6" TT frame, 7 links, This is NO good. Was on my maiden voyage on the way home and we Camped. Could not get unhooked from ball coupler that night with truck up hill ~ 5 to 10 degrees. Towed 1 trip only after that nerve racking episode. Too must head tilt to release from coupler unless rig is level.
T310SR TT, K2500 Burb with 1,200# tongue, 1,200# WD bars, 6" TT frame, 6 links, This was a good setup. Just truck was at it limits.
T310SR TT, 2005 F350 with 1,200# tongue, 1,200# WD bars, 6" TT frame, 6 links. This was a good setup. Just I ran out of receiver capacity to go above 1,200#.
T310SR TT, 2005 F350 with 1,200# tongue, 1,700# WD bars, 6" TT frame, 7 links. New Towbeast receiver. This is a good setup. Now I can load the front of the camper and go above 1,200# tongue. I added 1/4" flat washer more to the hi rise ball setup, the heavier bars, the heavier receiver, = less head tilt. I can now run 7 links, lots of DC cam yoke clearance and head is more level to allow unhooking with truck on an angle.
I see your keen eye for detail remains sharp. I still don't have as much DC clearnce as you, but I have not found a spot yet where I bind. The hi rise ball is key in this ball coupler on top setup with a 6" frame.
John
John & Cindy
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10
CC, SB, Lariat & FX4 package
21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR
Ford Tow Command
1,700# Reese HP hitch & HP Dual Cam
2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver
2004 Sunline Solaris T310SR
(I wish we where camping!)
Perrysburg Dodgeboy wrote: Joe good point mine also come form the center but I can, cross them. Would think if they won't stay crossed there would be little they could do to you.
However I have seen first hand how hard a DOT Bear in Ohio will hunt until he finds at least three violations he can site you for.
Don
Don and others.
I found a few pics on the safety chains. I do cross them, just it is not as pronounced in the pictures.
If you follow it here close enough you can see they cross just under the ball coupler.
And here is a slightly out of focus straight on showing the attach point.
Crossed is better then not crossing even while on center. The cradle effect is lessened but it is more then not crossing where each chain and go full swing to the outside edge.
And thank you to everyone about the kinds comments. Much appreciated. Was hoping it would help someone coming behind me see what is up.
dodge guy wrote: Very nice! the only thing I don’t like is the fact that some hitches don’t have the crossbar going through the side plates, like the stock ford part! I think going through the side plates makes it a much stronger connection than just a weld.
The Reese on my old Dodge van was just welded to the side plates. and to this day I still didn`t feel comfortable with only a weld holding 900lbs.
Yes I agree going thru the side plate with the torque tube should help in taking some stress out of the weld. However look here on the stock Ford receiver near the pin box area. The weld is taking the load. In this area the Towbeast just inserted the pin box into the larger cross section torsion tube.
The weld has to be done right or else. That is a fact. And we trust those welds, even on the hitch shank of some models. This is why we put our trust into a well known brand hitch and receiver company. Even the good manufactures have issues every now and then, but most of the times things are good.
The pre year 2000 GM receiver had both. The torque tube thru the end plates and the pin box in the larger cross tube. I had a 98 Tahoe with that design, I said yes, for once a good strong receiver. Then year 2000 came and well, things changed.
kat1 wrote: New guy here. Lurked for a year and finally posting. Love the site and have learned a ton!
Awesome write up, John. Glad to see it because I just upgraded my '99 2500 Suburban to a 2006 F350, CC, SRW, 6.0L and plan to install a Reese Titan in the next few weeks. Also buying the 1700lb Strait-Line WD.
I pull a 26' Fleetwood Gearbox with a brutally heavy (nearly 1800lb) tongue.
How heavy is your tongue while loaded? Do you use airbags or does the WD suffice?
KAT1
First off welcome. Come out of that lurking mode and join us at the campfire.
My loaded tongue I expect will go up to around 1,350 to 1,400# with no fresh water. About 1,480 or so with fresh water. There are a few camps I have to haul water to. And then pending what I have in the truck bed there can be a little more added to the WD bars from bed weight aft of the axles.
As far as air bags, my take on air bags is they are good for truck campers and for 5th wheels. But not very good for TT towing using a WD hitch. The air bags can work against proper WD when trying to get weight to transfer back to the front of the TV.
I see you have the same truck as I. Just more torque under the hood. Mine has the heavier spring pack that is 11,000GVWR rated. I do not know yet what a 1,500# tongue will do but the rear fender only squats 1 1/4" when the front fenders return to unhitched height. So WD is set right for this suspension according to Ford.
And even with this, I am not close to the helper springs. I seriously doubt you will need air bags for just the tongue weight and a proper setup WD hitch.
Here is a heads up, the chain hooks. Tonight I both new 3/8" hooks over my 5/16" ones so I could get the safety clasp to work right. They just made it. And they are big. Going to 1/2" hooks are Monster size so I'll just fiddle with these 3/8" ones as I have to jiggle them to get on even still. See here.
Here is a 3/8 hook in the direction I have to start it in to get it on.
While you really can't compare a FORD F350 to a poor little old 3/4 ton burb...
Next we need to convert Turk and BurbMan to the FORD SIDE!!!
...but when the pitcher throws a hanging curve like that...you have to jump on it!
Mr. Fisherman,
I have to admit my prior 2003, K2500 with Quadraster could literally drive circles around this F350.... In fact I'm still getting use to having to drive 8 to 10 feet past the camp site and full crank the wheel to get the TT to start to turn into the site. Where before that "cool" "neat" Burb, heck I just pulled up, TT wheels just at the end of the site, and wamo, 1 crank of the wheel and I'm in.
BUT, this F350 sure handles this new camper very well even if it takes me some getting use to this 156.2" WB. Towing ability and stability is king. Backing up is a skill honed in time and certain exchange of words with the DW in the process....
As far as the pitching goes, well you must be recuperating well. If there was not at least 1 foul ball I would think your where still down and out in the 4th qtr....
Now to Burbman and Turk2500, you might have to sell a bridge in Brooklyn first and then maybe you can convince them. But heck Burbman is not that far from it.
Here's a couple of closeups on the new receiver. The Draw-Tite I had on there was great, except the pin hole became so elongated over time that it was unsettling. The hitch head would nudge itself forward during a slow stop, then when the light turns green and you hit the gas, the whole thing slides back with a bang! Loud enough where I've pulled over afew times to check everything before I figured out was going on. So now I'm the poster child for what happens when you use the cheapo bent-end pins:
Anyway, here's the new one:
At first I liked the idea of the plug being up higher and less susceptible to damage, BUT...it really blocks the pin access. I got new 5/8" solid stainless locking pins (keyed alike front and rear) to protect the hole on the new receiver. Now I have to get the key in behind the plug to unlock the pin, and it's not easy to do. I'm thinking about cutting off the plug flange and just putting the plug underneath the cross bar with a hose clamp again.
Just a side note, one that really cheeses me off is the fact that they put these enormous stickers on CROOKED!
Nice Job as per your usual John... One critique - looks to me like the chains could have a little less slack in them... If you loose the ball or the draw bar. looks like the crossed chains would little good and the tongue would dig into the street...
Two schools of thought on that I guess... First school says keep the tongue off the street and the second school says keep the trailer from careening off cars if you loose it...
What's your thinking on this???
Les
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
2006 Nomad 3150 Double Slide (Bunkhouse)
Hensley Arrow
Jordan Ultima 2020
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Too must head tilt to release from coupler unless rig is level. 
