BAJA MAN

Just read the manual and it states that 12,000# is the maximum weight limit with no more than 1200# of tongue weight. It does NOT state anywhere that the 1200# of tongue weight is for weight distribution. It makes it sound as though 1200# of tongue weight is OK. Although I would NEVER tow 1200# of weight carrying tongue weight, I would think the 700-800# I plan on towing should be OK??? The hitch is rated as a class IV, I believe. There is no identification/specs plate on the hitch ANYWHERE!!!!

WA4SLC

That 1200 hitch weight is for a weight distrubition hitch. I have seen a picture of a Titan V on a 03 or 04 truck with the factory hitch still in place. It hangs under the stock hitch. The same post said that the stock hitch is integrated into the frame and is hard to remove. I have thought about putting the Titan V on my 04.5 because my Travel Trailer is 10,000 which is ok, but the hitch weight is right at the 1200 limit or a little above depending on how much stuff I have in the TT.

Steve034x4

I didn't need two hitches, but wanted to upgrade so I had the stock receiver tube cut off at a local muffler shop, cleaned it up with an angle grinder and some paint....then put on the putnam class V hitch. bolted into the existing frame holes in my '03. Didn't cut off more than I had to - the stock hitch was welded to a rear support cross member, so it had to be left alone.

xbnkrbrkr

I asked a similar question a few days ago ....pieces..pieces subject line. Nothing in my owners manual mentioned about WD only how the various hitch classifications are # rated and this comment:

" A frame mounted hitch up to Class IV rating,as rated by the MFG, may also be installed. With a class IV you can tow a trailer with a gross weight of up to 10K# depending on your veh equip." No WD comments!

I look under the truck and see 4 bolts on each side holding the hitch to the lower part of the frame...guess I have a IV after all my truck can pull it, they wouldn't put a smaller hitch on this truck would they? Except there is a sticker on the hitch Carry 5k/500 double with WD. No mention of class. If not for the sticker (falls off taken off) I probably would have stopped there

The replys I got were the factory installed hitch is a III. Couldn't prove it by me or non of the post could tell me how to tell the difference. Remember the manual just say "frame mounted" could be a IV. What is the scary part of all of this besides the assumptions I made is the weight some of these guys are pulling with a factory installed (they claim) hitch.

My advice to anyone seeing a pickup towing a big trailer is give it lots of room...after this I know I will.

Xbnkrbrkr

OX1

I'm picking my 05 up tues and was concerned about the factory hitch. I know it is a class 4, says it right on the new vehicle sticker. I was also told it was welded to the frame. Ran down to a local dealer yesterday. Looks to me that the tube is welded to plates that bolt to either side of the frame. The frame has a rounded knotch at the rear edge that perfectly fits the hitch tube. The hitch tube fits in this knotch and then the bolts go through the frame and the hitch is welded to the plates. I do not see why this can not be removed, but it wil require removing the entire rear bumper first since the hitch has to come straight back out of the frame knotches after the bolts are removed. Those plates also hold the bumper, so the hitch tube will need to be cut off and the plates put back in. Might just be eaiser to cut off the tube just inside the frame on both sides (sawzal should do it, will just be slow going ) and get a class 5 hitch for a truck that did not come with any factory hitch (about 180$ from what I can tell). This is what I will probably do even though others have said they towed up to 12K on the factory class IV hitch. Better safe than sorry, IMO and I don't like the fact the factory hitch does not spread out the load farther up the frame like virtually every class IV/V I have ever seen. I'm not sure an 02 is like this, but I bet it's close. Seemd crazy to me they would weld any hitch to the fame..................