GEN 2 Hitch tilts down slightly

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HeavyAssault

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Cause you guys know the contractual specifications of the hitch design??? LOL

Just cause your opinion is XXXX doesn't mean it's designed wrong. So me some blueprints or contractual design specifications to show your opinion in right.

I've read PLENTY of information about hitches/receivers. Most all will give a reference that the ball should be near vertical OR angled to the rear. So when you think of the ball angle to the rear it's designed correctly with what MANY references state IS proper hitch setup. I got one specific hitch manufacturer site that gives this information clearly.

Take into consideration WHO would Ford contract to have the OEM hitches/receivers built. Resse, Curt, etc etc etc....

SO that would give you even MORE consideration to show that's why even aftermarket hitches would STILL give an hitch angle to the rear. It's a manufacturing design by people who KNOW more than you about how it's designed.

Does it impact the truck operation or ride?? NOPE.

Just cause you THINK or your OPINION everything should be built within a +/- .0000001" spec doesn't mean it's built wrong when it's within +/- .1" to spec.
 

NeverEnoughHP

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The issue is it does cause concern for the use it is designed for and that is towing or as the OP stated with a hitch rack for his dirt bike. Specs don't mean shit if it doesn't work the way it should. If you put a dirt bike rack on the rear and it almost drags on the ground then I would say that is a bad design.

The titanic had great design specs too and look where it ended up.


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HeavyAssault

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When your "specs" are different than the manufacturer's specs....WELL....DUUUHHHHHHHH
The rack pictured is FAR from dragging the ground so since it's not dragging the design is just fine.

No one has yet to show that the "specs" are "bad" from the manufacturer or that the manufacturing process is faulty. Your "opinion" is quite different when compared to ACTUAL manufacturing practices and procedures that are industry norms.

For example: ISO 9001 certification may NOT be what YOUR opinion says is the "best" way to do things. The problem becomes ISO 9001 is an industry accepted certification WHICH will outweigh your opinion all day, every day.

Until someone here can find the ACTUAL specs and show it is a REAL production/process problem it's a good segue to say we just disagree. I stand by my known experiences and education of industry standards/processes/production with regards to design specs. You just have an opinion.
 

NeverEnoughHP

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Sometimes it is best to just disagree, however I am not just "stating opinion". I currently am in the business of representing, selling and setting up hitches for RV towing. The company I work for sells and installs approximately 700 hitches/year. I have spoken to not only the install crew about this topic but also the manufacturer reps for both B&W and Equal-i-zer and excessive downward pitch of the hitch causes excess weight distribution to the towing vehicle. I am not disagreeing with the fact that some downward pitch is industry standard but in regards to the factory hitches on our trucks it is excessive. The article below makes a valid point.....

https://www.etrailer.com/question-18332.html

"When towing without weight distribution, the hitch ball should be straight up and down.

expert reply by: Bob G"



The last statement in this article from an e-trailer towing expert (a widely accepted source of knowledge about towing for the general public) states that the ball should be vertical when pulling without a distribution hitch. Based solely on my experience I would venture to say the vast majority of F150 owners are pulling trailers without a distribution hitch as they are not pulling heavy enough or long enough distances to need one. With the downward pitch of the factory hitch on this truck it is not possible to have a verticle trailer ball unless you bend the hitch.

Again, we can agree to disagree on this topic but I am simply stating that my experience is not the standard internet trolls matter of opinion.

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HeavyAssault

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LOL....We found the one of the same sources of info!


SO does the above pictured Moto-Cross carrier apply weight to a ball hitch?? NOPE. Pretty sure the Moto-Carrier IS NOT a trailer but an aftermarket creation so manufactures can fill a consumer need.
SO now we are back to were the factory DESIGN specs already accounting/providing for the use of a weight distribution hitch OR using the hitch/ball alone in the receiver hitch???

By the Etrailer "expert" opinion I would say his comments are solely applying to the hitch and ball....NOT the receiver on the truck. You see what I did there....Since his expert opinion is accepted widely he made SURE to stay away from making that statement apply to the OEM receiver or aftermarket receiver hitch on the vehicles. SO that gives him a legal "out". Not to mention the sheer volume of different configurations of trucks on the market from Ford alone. That's also why the aftermarket companies make the ball hitches so that they can be tilted/angled PER the user setup since the trucks are all different.


You say "and excessive downward pitch of the hitch causes excess weight distribution to the towing vehicle."....Yea...BUT to what measurable amount is "excessive"???? 1*.....3*....10* of angle???? OR is it a matter of weight transfer in pounds???


"with the fact that some downward pitch is industry standard but in regards to the factory hitches on our trucks it is excessive"
Really.....BY what standard?? What measure?? By Ford specs?? By B&W specs????

Once again people stating opinions without referencing a very specific measuring procedure/process/standard.

As before: anyone can use American Society for Testing and Materials-ASTM ***.X as their product standard. Anyone else can say "it's not good for me" or "I don't think it's right"...That doesn't mean the ASTM spec IS at fault.

No one will know for sure. No one from Ford will post up or give you those specs. Until then....it's going to be the individual owner to make their own educated decision.

Have you ever taken the time to learn Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing?? It might help you understand WHY your manufacturing reps will not, do not , and can not make 100% dimensionally perfect products.
 

pup

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While the tilt may be within some acceptable limit, I doubt it was designed to be that way. More like some other change on the frame made them tilt back and whomever was in charge said f*ck it, too hard to correct.

I've got a weird hitch receiver that people always ask about and invariably they ask why it's angled down. Crawled underneath to check it myself after noticing it the first time.

I've got to take my truck in for service sometime in the next few weeks, so maybe I'll put the hitch tilt on the list just to see what they say about it.

Do any Raptors not tilt? If so, I'd be curious at what point they fixed it. If anything, you'd think they'd slightly angle it the other way, to compensate for the truck's increased squat.
 
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demerson3814

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Can someone with a 2019 confirm if their hitch has a tilt? I don’t think the one I saw at the dealer when I ordered mine had a noticeable tilt.
 

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