sleeper
Former LOD President
My 02 Navigator is rated to tow 8000 lbs, yet it comes with a 5000 lb hitch. Thanks, Lincoln.
So, I had to upgrade. I ordered a Putnam Class IV hitch, made in the USA, rated for 8000 lbs dead weight (12,000 lbs weight distributing). Fit was excellent, finish was good. Some weld slag under the paint, but all the welds looked good. Certainly a beefy hitch.
Install was cake. 8 bolts. Then i attached the trailer light connector to the new hitch using a hose clamp, i didn't want to drill into the new hitch to bolt it on like it was on the factory hitch. There is a locating tab on the bracket for the connector that makes it fit easily. The tab locates it on the edge of the hitch bar, and the hose clamp went through right at the tab and holds it in place very well.
Only complaint i have is the hardware included with the new hitch. Lincoln used metric, class 10.9 (approx. grade 8 equivalent) hardware to install the factory hitch. The new hitch came with smaller, grade 5 bolts. The nuts from the factory were welded to plates, meaning you don't need a second wrench to install, or any washers. The new hardware included washers and lockwashers. Needless to say, i reused the old hardware.
The new hitch cost about $150, and i got it online somewhere. I believe it was "southwest wheel company" or something like that, www.etrailerpart.com or something. I did a search and found a good price on it.
If your truck is a tow vehicle, like mine, make sure all the towing hardware is rated for what you need to tow. You don't want to lose a trailer and have an insurance claim denied or get sued because you used inadequate parts. I just upgraded the hitch, and bought a 10,000 lb ball mount and an 8,000 lb ball. I also have an 8,000 lb trailer brake actuator ready to go on my trailer. I figure my trailer w/ boat and everything, loaded for use and full of gas, weighs about 7200 lbs.
So, I had to upgrade. I ordered a Putnam Class IV hitch, made in the USA, rated for 8000 lbs dead weight (12,000 lbs weight distributing). Fit was excellent, finish was good. Some weld slag under the paint, but all the welds looked good. Certainly a beefy hitch.
Install was cake. 8 bolts. Then i attached the trailer light connector to the new hitch using a hose clamp, i didn't want to drill into the new hitch to bolt it on like it was on the factory hitch. There is a locating tab on the bracket for the connector that makes it fit easily. The tab locates it on the edge of the hitch bar, and the hose clamp went through right at the tab and holds it in place very well.
Only complaint i have is the hardware included with the new hitch. Lincoln used metric, class 10.9 (approx. grade 8 equivalent) hardware to install the factory hitch. The new hitch came with smaller, grade 5 bolts. The nuts from the factory were welded to plates, meaning you don't need a second wrench to install, or any washers. The new hardware included washers and lockwashers. Needless to say, i reused the old hardware.
The new hitch cost about $150, and i got it online somewhere. I believe it was "southwest wheel company" or something like that, www.etrailerpart.com or something. I did a search and found a good price on it.
If your truck is a tow vehicle, like mine, make sure all the towing hardware is rated for what you need to tow. You don't want to lose a trailer and have an insurance claim denied or get sued because you used inadequate parts. I just upgraded the hitch, and bought a 10,000 lb ball mount and an 8,000 lb ball. I also have an 8,000 lb trailer brake actuator ready to go on my trailer. I figure my trailer w/ boat and everything, loaded for use and full of gas, weighs about 7200 lbs.