F-250, 350 Owners and Owners to be... 4500kg hitch....

Submitted: Friday, Feb 03, 2006 at 18:35

ThreadID: 122454 Views:6664 Replies:4 FollowUps:6

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Bushtracker

Hello fellow Boggers and Ford Enthusiasts....

My first Ford in Australia for all of you Newbies, was about 5-6 years ago, before Ford came back... I was pioneering again. Anyway I am back, going Ford F-250, for a "Lil Farm Ute".

To my surprise, the 4500 kg Receiver (part that bolts on the truck) and WDH Ball Mount (part that slides in) from Ford is $2550 ??? Now from Hayman Reece at about half the price around $1400.... Why would you get anything else but the big hitch?

I am anticipating Fords will get a bit scarce in the next couple of years. It will be just plain ncreasing demand as illegal tow vehicles dragging large horsefloats, large boats, and large vans, and are cracked down on. Insurance Companies will push this enforcement as well. People are just now learning the Ford upgrade to 4500 kg, and with no new supply coming until 2008? I think the value is there. Anyway, one of our Customers just picked up a new Dual Cab F-250 out of Melbourne for $73k. There are still a few left in Melbourne and Adelaide. I opted not to purchase new, instead got an extremely well equipped second hand one.. But for anyone looking, it would seem to me that the second hand price will be very stable as "Demand outpaces Supply" in the next couple of years.

And they get better mileage towing, than do the Japanese vehicles! Probably way overkill for smaller vans under 20', but over 20' you all owe it to yourselves to consider it. I can promise you that with a big van, a 500 km trip done in the Bush with a rice grinder, and then with a Ford 7.3 Turbo Diesel, and you would not look back. It is not just fuel economy, it is not just comfort, it is not just power, it is Safety with a van over 20' as you just have more leverage on the van with the longer wheelbase.. I speak with experience, having towed a Bushtracker over two years with my F-350. There is just plain less Driver Fatigue, less stress, you hardly know the van is on the back. A high speed evasive reaction to an accident in front of you at 100kph that would be dangerous to recover from with a smaller vehicle, is easily handled with the Ford due to the increase in leverage. So, for anyone in planning, come and talk with me on our Website, and I will list the virtues of why we have 90 or 100 larger vans being towed by the Fords.

Mind you there are nicer ones yet, Chevy, GMC, and Dodges, but you can dust over $100 k on a full Import, so the Nation Wide Dealership backup for Ford looks pretty good.

Cheers from the Ranger, still out there somewhere...

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Reply By: Luvntravln - Saturday, Feb 04, 2006 at 19:46

Saturday, Feb 04, 2006 at 19:46

Steve,

If I recall correctly, I paid around $300 to buy the 4500kg receiver. When I get back from gettin' married in the good ole US of A I will find the receipt if you need it.

As I recall, I had one of the first to arrive in the country and the Coburg Ford dealer had the local TJM shop do the installation.

Jay

AnswerID: 567873

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 21:09

Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 21:09

Hello Jay,

You are a "Spares Fanatic" .... (Takes one to know one)... Me too... So what have you heard for the F-250's ??? I have heard of two automatic transmissions going out of 90 or 100 towing in heavy work, mind you Toyotas too... And the transmission problems in heavy going and sand is solved by using Synthetic Fluid (higher boiling/ foaming point where they munch themselves with a loss of internal lubrication) and an extra transmission cooler in line... This solves that problem, as in heavy going with the big donk you could cook the auto trans if you tried...

Also heard of a power steering pump blowing out the back end.. What have you heard that makes sense to carry as F-250 spares besides the usual filters, belts, thermostat, hoses...??? Anything else? Starter? Alternator? Heard of any weaknesses? On my last one when going way out Bush, I carried a spare E4OD Trans shift module, and a TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) and a spare water pump and alternator and fuel injection pump all in a small box.. But that was an older model, I don't know about the new ones, but I thought you might have heard something that makes sense to carry?

Boy Scout Motto #645 "Never be left walkin' for lack of a simple widget"..Ha!

Best Wishes, da Ranger..

FollowupID: 845383

Follow Up By: Turist - Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 23:15

Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 23:15

Hi Steve.
The transmission problem require a new thread so I will start one.
Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

Member
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FollowupID: 845384

Reply By: The Boondockers - Saturday, Feb 04, 2006 at 23:18

Saturday, Feb 04, 2006 at 23:18

I purchased a Ford 4500T tow bar complete with plug in wiring loom for $260. Fitting was easy, only involving 8 bolts. As my van is under 3500 ton I intend to use my old HR hitch which has the same bar mount as the 4500 ton. If upgrade the van in the future I just need to buy the larger hitch.

Rosco

AnswerID: 567874

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 20:15

Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 20:15

Hello Rosco,
I wonder, is there a real difference between the 3500kg Receiver and the 4500kg Receiver, besides the tag? A Hayman Reece Sales Rep, told me that the 80 Series 2500 and 80 Series Toyota 3500 hitches were the exact same unit, tested to 9 tonne, just with a different tag...!

Has anyone compared the two?
I know the Ball Mount part of the unit is definitely different, but what about the Receiver that is bolted on the Ford?

Regards, the Ranger...

FollowupID: 845385

Follow Up By: Mobi Condo - Tuesday, Feb 07, 2006 at 17:06

Tuesday, Feb 07, 2006 at 17:06

Hello Bushtracker,
We had (still have and want to be rid of it) a 2500/125 hitch - Hayman Reece - and had to purchase a new one - 3500/350 for our van - as we were told same regards the rebadge thingy by a sales chap at a show. However when we got serious and took up the offer to have ours re-badged it was a different story. We were then informed that the reciever tube was a thinner wall thickness in the 2500 one and therefore had to have the 3500 with the thicker wall. All to do with welding and strength where the reciever tube is in the centre of the whole assembly they said.
Cheers - Ian & Sally

FollowupID: 845386

Reply By: Pal & Sop - Sunday, Feb 05, 2006 at 08:11

Sunday, Feb 05, 2006 at 08:11

TOWBAR
The 4500kg Haman Reese bar with WDH is around $1100-$1200 fitted at most places in Sydney.
If you have one fitted make sure they fit the Ford plug and rewire that to suit your type of caravan plug.

I just bought a new F250 and had the Ford dealer fit the Hayman Reese 4500 kg bar. Unfortunately they had a third party fit the bar and simply wired it into one of the tail lights.
The F250 has a special built in wiring harness with the connector (with a dust cover) situated at the rear on the LHS of the chassis. This wiring is separately fused from the vehicle so that if the caravan happens to cause a fuse to blow the vehicle lights will still function normally. The harness has a reversing wire and no auxiliary wire.
I bought the Ford plug (comes with a 7 pin straight connector) for $44 and rewired the whole lot properly and now have a 7 pin straight and the large 7 pin round (for the BT) connectors fitted.

There are a few “customer Access” wires under the dash and under the bonnet (LHS) which saves running wires through the firewall for driving lights etc.

FRONT SUSPENSION
Even though the F250 is built as a RHD at the factory, the front suspension has not been corrected to drive on the LHS.
The caster and camber needs ½ to 1 degree change to counter the normal camber of the roads in Australia.
Adjustment is possible with eccentric bushes on the top ball joints. The LHS can be turned 180 degrees by grinding a new flat on the bush, but the RHS needs to be replaced.
If you a buying a new one get the dealer to do this before delivery as part of the price.
Some dealers are aware of it but some are not (or choose not to do it)
The difference in the steering is amazing once it is done.

AnswerID: 567875

Follow Up By: Bushtracker - Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 20:37

Monday, Feb 06, 2006 at 20:37

Hello Pal & Sop,
The local Mob quoted us $1180, and a retail fitted of something around $1400.. The $1180 is not too bad, 8 bolts and we do it ourselves. The truck is already wired and set up with a 3500 kg...

Wondering if there is really a difference in the 3500 and the 4500kg Receivers???? Now that is interesting as an HR Rep told me all of their hitches are tested to 9 tonne..... I would be easier yet if I just had to get the WDH set for the 4500kg...

Interesting about the LHD RHD camber bit... Won't know on mine until it arrives in a week. Thanks for all the help and info...

Best Regards from the Ranger...

FollowupID: 845387

Reply By: Maximus - Tuesday, Feb 07, 2006 at 10:21

Tuesday, Feb 07, 2006 at 10:21

There is no comparison between the 4500Kg. Hayman Reece Hitch and the 3500Kg. Ford Hitch. I am glad I changed it. The Ford one is cheap and nasty.

Barrie

AnswerID: 567876

Follow Up By: Turist - Tuesday, Feb 07, 2006 at 18:07

Tuesday, Feb 07, 2006 at 18:07

Got to agree here after seeing a later model Ford Dealer supplied tow bar, seemed a bit light.
But they have to be tested to comply with ADR requirements, a legal issue, so they must be OK.
The early model bars were produced in Victoria and built like a tank, heavy wall tube and heavy plate.
Seems that Ford have changed thier supplier in recent years.

Bob

"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

Member
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FollowupID: 845388