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Old 03-08-2011, 07:59 AM   #1
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1981 25' Excella II
Dillon , Colorado
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Best receiver: Curt, Drawtite, or Hidden

I've towed for the past several years with our Durango and have a 2002 F150 with only 60k miles that I've never towed with. My tow capacity is only 6200 lb. but my Airstream has a dry weight of 3300 lbs. and while my towing weight varies it's well within the limits of the F150. I've decided to give the truck a try on some of our flatter journeys so I'm ordering a receiver and brake controller. I think I'm going to go with the Prodigy 2 brake controller but I'm trying to decide on which receiver. I've had a drawtite on the Durango since 2004 and it's still in good shape. I've read that the ratings on the class 3 Curt are better then the Drawtite. Curt, Drawtite and Hidden hitch are all very close in price. Does anyone have experience with the Curt or Hidden hitch that might have some input on this?
Thanks: Charlie
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Old 03-08-2011, 08:44 AM   #2
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The Ford OEM hitch on my 2001 F150 fit perfect!
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Old 03-08-2011, 01:50 PM   #3
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I replaced my receiver with a Curt. Welds are done right and the paint on the Curt is excellent. Perfect fit for my truck. I have a Magnum V, if I'm remembering correctly. I needed a heavy duty and that one fit the bill. I use it for the A/S and also for other types of trailers.
Oh, I forgot to mention it bolted right up with the supplied bolts and I didn't have to drill any holes in the frame.
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Old 03-08-2011, 01:52 PM   #4
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Drawtite and Reese are both manufactured by Cequent so I wouldn't expect much difference.

I don't know much about Curt.
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Old 03-08-2011, 02:30 PM   #5
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Curt...
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Old 03-08-2011, 02:47 PM   #6
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Hi, one thought came to mind as I read this thread. Who makes the factory receivers for the truck manufacturers ? or do they build their own and install them ?

I have a receiver from U Haul on my F 250. Do they make their own or outsource and re-brand them ?

Inquiring minds want to know, for future use around the campfire :-)
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Old 03-10-2011, 10:16 AM   #7
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Like Bluto, ours is a Curt Magnum V. Bought one year ago for our Silverado 2500HD 4x4. Fit was nearly perfect, I had only to rebend exhaust pipe one inch for clearance behind curbside rear wheel. Difference between oem and this Curt is ridiculous, especially considering GM had the oem receiver rated as class IV-V.

The Curt weighs double the oem receiver. The Curt is very soundly constructed, based upon a 4X4 steel box channel crossmember and a pair of thick and very deep flanges on the sides. The Curt mounts with four 1/2" bolts into the chassis plus two into the bumper, the oem only has two on much shorter flanges under the chassis plus the two under the bumper. The Curt seems to handle well the torsion from the weight distributing bars, the oem rotated and failed to help keep the truck's front end from lifting when loading the hitch.

I'm relieved to get the oem receiver off before outright failure. A friend, also with Chevy 2500 and towing a 31 Classic, experienced a catastrophic separation of receiver tube from crossmember on his oem receiver.

Sometimes spec grade is just not what you want to depend upon, unless it is mil-spec.

regards, Jim http://dreamstreamr.com
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Old 03-21-2011, 08:13 PM   #8
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1981 25' Excella II
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Thanks to everyone for the input. I ordered the Curt class 4 with 2" opening today. The shank from my class 3 drawtite but has is rated for 10,000 and 20k with WD. It's way more then I need but the price was only $175 on e-trailer with no shipping. I'm also going with the transmission cooler and prodigy 2 brake controller.
Charlie
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