Thoughts on hitch...

[KTNC]

I have a 2004 F150 Supercrew 4WD that I plan on pulling my Farmall M (Narrow front end) with. Trailer is a 17 ft tandem deckover (10,000GVW) weighing 2205. Tractor weighs about 5500 with weights. So a total of about 7700lbs.

Do I need a weight distributing hitch?
 

[ericlb]

absolutely yes, its worth the price to protect your tractor when your pulling with a half ton, i dont see any real problem with the truck it should easily handel the weight, but you need to do all you can to prevent the trailer from swaying back there and starting a jackknife situation, personal experience with pulling with a half ton truck is their suspension is much softer than the bigger pickups, and that makes things a little more interesting, if not properly equipped
 

[mkirsch]

Walk around back of your truck, and read the sticker on the hitch receiver.

The factory hitch is only rated for 500lbs tongue, 5000lbs trailer without a weight distributing (WD) hitch. Anything heavier requires a WD hitch.

You are towing a 7700lb trailer with >770lb tongue weight. Tongue weight will probably be close to 1000lbs, and the rear of your truck will be sagging pretty badly.

It's really a good idea to use one in this case. If you skipped it you'd *probably* be okay, but the truck will handle better with the WD hitch. It puts the weight back on the front wheels, so steering and braking will act normal.
 

[d beatty]

It will depend on how heavy of equipment was put on the truck from the factory. I have a 97 K1500 GMC 4 WD that came from factory with oil coolers.10 ply+ tires,3/4 ton rear springs, and 10,000lb. rear hitch ( which I switched out for a 16,000 lb. class 5 hitch0. I pull a 14,000 lb. 24ft. deckover trailer ( 4,200 lbs. )and a Farmall 450 ( 6,800 lbs.) The whole outfit gross weight is 16,200 lbs. I have had no problems with sway but I don't drive like a bat out of hell. I run between 55 and 60 mph. Like I said it depends on how the truck is set up.
 

[KTNC]

Can someone recommend a good WDH they have experience with...
 

[jddriver]

http://www.equalizerhitch.com/ the best one I have ever had
 

[scotc]

You do have a V8, right? 4500 on the trailer was all I wanted behind my 4.3 Chevy.
 

[Dalet]

We brought home an M this summer with a 97 K1500. No equalizer hitch, but have elec brakes. No issues.
 

[KTNC]

Yes, V-8.

Dalet, how much did your trailer weigh?
 

[No power]

A 4.3 Chev. in a half ton is about the most useless tow vehicle ever made.
 

[Dalet]

[kevinj54]

[bigboreG]

I second that! And the 4.3 is kinda thirsty. We have one at work in a 08 half ton 2wd. A utility trailer with a Gator on makes it work hard.
 

[No power]

My dad had an 85 Chev. 1500 company truck with a 4.3. The freeway was down to one lane and he was only pulling about 2500 lbs on a tandem trailer. The truck kept downshifting to 2nd gear. It was so gutless, a dump truck with a pup was honking at him.
 

[No power]

My dad had an 85 Chev. 1500 company truck with a 4.3. The freeway was down to one lane and he was only pulling about 2500 lbs on a tandem trailer. The truck kept downshifting to 2nd gear. It was so gutless, a dump truck with a pup was honking at him. The sad thing was the guy that ordered the truck knew it would used to regularly pull a trailer.