Can the Westin Fey Diamondstep Rear Bumper for a 1996 Ford F-150 Tow a 4,000 Pound Trailer

Question:

I see the product information says that the #20002 bumper is rated at 8000/800 with the proper bumper 92230 mounts. I have a 1996 5.8 f150 and was hoping that I could tow a 1800 lb trailer with a 2210 lb car using the bumper alone on a 600 mile round trip no class III receiver hitch. I would not want to do something that isnt safe. I see old pickups that have their bumpers bent down at an angle from trying this sort of thing all the time. I was just curious because this bumper at least on paper looks to be rated for more towing weight than my old trucks receiver hitch was.

asked by: Don F

Expert Reply:

The Westin Fey Diamondstep Rear Bumper with installation kit # 20002-92230 is rated for 800 pounds tongue weight and 8,000 pounds gross trailer weight. However, you will need to consult the truck owners manual to determine the towing capacity of your 1996 Ford 1-50. Whichever is lower, the bumper or the truck, is the capacity you need to go by.

Another option is to just install a higher rated trailer hitch, # 75038, which is rated for 800/8,000 pounds as well. But again you will go by the lower rating, either the truck or the hitch. I recommend going with a hitch since it is attached directly to the truck frame.

If you plan on doing some towing you might be interested in etrailer ball mount kit # EBMK4. It comes with a ball mount with a 2-3/4 inch rise or 4 inch drop, interchangeable ball set, hitch pin with clip, and a storage bag. If the ball mount kit does not have the right rise or drop to tow the trailer level, use the link I have included to the right that explains how to measure to choose a ball mount to tow the trailer level.

If you need to add trailer wiring you can use # 118316 to add a 4-Way flat trailer connector.

If you go with the bumper then it needs a ball with a 1 inch diameter shank. For a 2 inch ball use # 63845. For a 2-5/16 inch ball use # 63847.