Advice on Receivers

[dwdlt]

Good morning All,

Wanted to reach out to the experts here and see if anybody has heard of or has any experience with KUAFU hitches?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XBF3QC1...v_ov_lig_dp_it

I'm looking to upgrade hitch on my 2016 F250 and was looking at the CURT 5810 receiver, but I came across the above for half the price.... I don't want to skimp on the quality, but it looks very close to same hitch.

Thoughts?

[flybouy]

Unknow brand, no reviews? I wouldn't be caught dead (pun intended) hitching up my trailer with myself and family in front of it. Safety is something I will not compromise on. Because it "looks the same" doesn't mean the steel or the welds are the same. All that money and skimp on the very device that connects them? Not me.

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Unknow brand, no reviews? I wouldn't be caught dead (pun intended) hitching up my trailer with myself and family in front of it. Safety is something I will not compromise on. Because it "looks the same" doesn't mean the steel or the welds are the same. All that money and skimp on the very device that connects them? Not me.

Yep, I hear that! But, just thought I check to see if anybody has seen or heard of the brand.

[sourdough]

I am sure it is a Chinese knockoff with some weird name I've never heard of. Also sure that if and when reviews come in it will be from folks that bought the "knockoff" from Amazon and think it's great unless there is some catastrophic failure

On the other hand, I've bought lots of "non important" items from Amazon with similar "what the heck" names and none of them are top notch - in fact, some are just plain junk. In the case of this item all you have to do is read the wording (grammar) in the product description, reads just about like the Chinese instructions you get with other similar cheap knockoffs. I would never, ever put something like that on my truck thinking I was going to pull an RV, OR, think it was an upgrade from anything. IMO stick with the well known, well made receivers; in this case I am positive you will get what you pay for.....and with safety on the line I would pay for it.

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by sourdough

I am sure it is a Chinese knockoff with some weird name I've never heard of. Also sure that if and when reviews come in it will be from folks that bought the "knockoff" from Amazon and think it's great unless there is some catastrophic failure

On the other hand, I've bought lots of "non important" items from Amazon with similar "what the heck" names and none of them are top notch - in fact, some are just plain junk. In the case of this item all you have to do is read the wording (grammar) in the product description, reads just about like the Chinese instructions you get with other similar cheap knockoffs. I would never, ever put something like that on my truck thinking I was going to pull an RV, OR, think it was an upgrade from anything. IMO stick with the well known, well made receivers; in this case I am positive you will get what you pay for.....and with safety on the line I would pay for it.

Yep, I agree. I was just doing some research and comparison before I made the purchase. Could not find any reviews anywhere, so that was big red flag. With that said, I just ordered the CURT 15810 Class 5 hitch. From everything I have read this morning, that one is top of the line

[travelin texans]

Curious? Why are you replacing the Ford OEM receiver? I assume your F250 came with a factory receiver?
I'd guess the factory hitch from Ford was/should be sufficient to load/tow anything the F250 is rated for!

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Curious? Why are you replacing the Ford OEM receiver? I assume your F250 came with a factory receiver?
I'd guess the factory hitch from Ford was/should be sufficient to load/tow anything the F250 is rated for!

I just purchased a car trailer, and used it to pull a car to Texas for my youngest son. Once the car was on the trailer, the tongue weight was right at the 600 pound limit. I had no room to move the load back a little, so it made me very nervous to be that close to rated tongue weight. Just want to be safe is all.

The factory hitch has a 600 pound limit, and 1250 limit with weight distro hitch.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by dwdlt

I just purchased a car trailer, and used it to pull a car to Texas for my youngest son. Once the car was on the trailer, the tongue weight was right at the 600 pound limit. I had no room to move the load back a little, so it made me very nervous to be that close to rated tongue weight. Just want to be safe is all.

The factory hitch has a 600 pound limit, and 1250 limit with weight distro hitch.

I'd be very concerned with loading more than the OEM rated 600 pound limit that far behind the axle on any F250. Increasing the "dead weight hitch rating" by installing a heavier duty receiver won't do anything for the frame mounts, the axle and rear suspension weight restrictions or for truck handling with a heavy "rear loading".... If I were you, I'd simply buy a $200 weight distribution hitch and use that if the "tongue weight is enough to make you nervous"...

Putting a heavy duty receiver on the truck will only serve to move the weakest link to a different (probably more expensive component) in the truck build......

ADDED: If you have the same receiver as on my truck, it's rated at 6000/600 with the 2" sleeve in the receiver. Remove the 2" sleeve, buy a 2.5" hitch bar and H/D ball and the receiver is rated at 8500/850 pounds "dead hitch load" and 19000/1950 pounds with a weight distribution hitch.....

Adding that heavy duty receiver on an F250 is sort of like going dove hunting with an anti-aircraft gun or squirrel hunting with a howitzer.

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I'd be very concerned with loading more than the OEM rated 600 pound limit that far behind the axle on any F250. Increasing the "dead weight hitch rating" by installing a heavier duty receiver won't do anything for the frame mounts, the axle and rear suspension weight restrictions or for truck handling with a heavy "rear loading".... If I were you, I'd simply buy a $200 weight distribution hitch and use that if the "tongue weight is enough to make you nervous"...

Putting a heavy duty receiver on the truck will only serve to move the weakest link to a different (probably more expensive component) in the truck build......

ADDED: If you have the same receiver as on my truck, it's rated at 6000/600 with the 2" sleeve in the receiver. Remove the 2" sleeve, buy a 2.5" hitch bar and H/D ball and the receiver is rated at 8500/850 pounds "dead hitch load" and 19000/1950 pounds with a weight distribution hitch.....

Adding that heavy duty receiver on an F250 is sort of like going dove hunting with an anti-aircraft gun or squirrel hunting with a howitzer.

Thanks for the reply and advice. The car trailer I bought was not setup for a WDH at the time. I use a WDH when I pull my travel trailer and have not any issues at all. As for your suggestion, I took a look at the OEM receiver last night, and I see where I can pull the 2 inch sleeve out. That would be a very good option for sure. But, just wondering where the 19000/1950 numbers came from? (not doubting you at all, just wondering) If that is the case though, it would definitely be the best option.

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I'd be very concerned with loading more than the OEM rated 600 pound limit that far behind the axle on any F250. Increasing the "dead weight hitch rating" by installing a heavier duty receiver won't do anything for the frame mounts, the axle and rear suspension weight restrictions or for truck handling with a heavy "rear loading".... If I were you, I'd simply buy a $200 weight distribution hitch and use that if the "tongue weight is enough to make you nervous"...

Putting a heavy duty receiver on the truck will only serve to move the weakest link to a different (probably more expensive component) in the truck build......

ADDED: If you have the same receiver as on my truck, it's rated at 6000/600 with the 2" sleeve in the receiver. Remove the 2" sleeve, buy a 2.5" hitch bar and H/D ball and the receiver is rated at 8500/850 pounds "dead hitch load" and 19000/1950 pounds with a weight distribution hitch.....

Adding that heavy duty receiver on an F250 is sort of like going dove hunting with an anti-aircraft gun or squirrel hunting with a howitzer.

In my last response, I had asked where you got those numbers from. Please disregard that as I did a bunch of research this morning and found the info. Completely agree that removing that 2 inch sleeve is is the best option... Thanks for getting me on the right track

[JRTJH]

Here's a photo of the hitch weight limits on my hitch. With the 2" sleeve in place the hitch is rated significantly lighter than with the 2" sleeve removed.

The 19000/1900 weight limit is with a 2.5" hitch shank using a weight distribution hitch.

There's a note on the decal, "Rating will vary depending on vehicle equipment". My truck is equipped with a HD trailering package and diesel engine, so if your truck is a gas engine, the truck is probably not rated as heavy, but the receiver is the same "V-5". The vehicle rating may "lower the receiver maximum capacity" but the actual "V-5 receiver" is the same. So, replacing that receiver with a "heavier duty CURT commercial receiver will not increase the vehicle rating....

In short, your Ford OEM V-5 receiver can carry significantly more weight than your truck can tow, whether you have a gas or a diesel engine.

[dwdlt]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Here's a photo of the hitch weight limits on my hitch. With the 2" sleeve in place the hitch is rated significantly lighter than with the 2" sleeve removed.

The 19000/1900 weight limit is with a 2.5" hitch shank using a weight distribution hitch.

There's a note on the decal, "Rating will vary depending on vehicle equipment". My truck is equipped with a HD trailering package and diesel engine, so if your truck is a gas engine, the truck is probably not rated as heavy, but the receiver is the same "V-5". The vehicle rating may "lower the receiver maximum capacity" but the actual "V-5 receiver" is the same. So, replacing that receiver with a "heavier duty CURT commercial receiver will not increase the vehicle rating....

In short, your Ford OEM V-5 receiver can carry significantly more weight than your truck can tow, whether you have a gas or a diesel engine.

Yep, mine is the 6.2L Gas truck. It does have a towing package, but I didn't have that sticker on mine. I did find a thread on one of the Ford Truck Forums that provided a link with the same info. Appreciate you posting the sticker pick. I'm gonna try to remove the two inch insert tonight.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by dwdlt

Yep, mine is the 6.2L Gas truck. It does have a towing package, but I didn't have that sticker on mine. I did find a thread on one of the Ford Truck Forums that provided a link with the same info. Appreciate you posting the sticker pick. I'm gonna try to remove the two inch insert tonight.

If you bought your truck new, the sleeve just slips into the 2.5" receiver and is held in place by the hitch pin. Just pull the pin, the sleeve slips out. If your truck was bought used, the previous owner may have spot welded the sleeve in place. It may require some "hammer work" or "grinding" to remove. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE THE 2.5" TUBE !!!!!

Also, make sure you keep the 2" sleeve (I put mine in a plastic bag under the rear seat in the cab). Those things are hard to find and very expensive for what they are..... DON'T THROW IT AWAY !!!! You'll need it again as soon as you tow a smaller trailer.....

[spade117]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Also, make sure you keep the 2" sleeve (I put mine in a plastic bag under the rear seat in the cab). Those things are hard to find and very expensive for what they are..... DON'T THROW IT AWAY !!!! You'll need it again as soon as you tow a smaller trailer.....

Yeah, I had to replace mine once. It ran about $25-30, but was available on Amazon.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

If you bought your truck new, the sleeve just slips into the 2.5" receiver and is held in place by the hitch pin. Just pull the pin, the sleeve slips out. If your truck was bought used, the previous owner may have spot welded the sleeve in place. It may require some "hammer work" or "grinding" to remove. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DAMAGE THE 2.5" TUBE !!!!!

Also, make sure you keep the 2" sleeve (I put mine in a plastic bag under the rear seat in the cab). Those things are hard to find and very expensive for what they are..... DON'T THROW IT AWAY !!!! You'll need it again as soon as you tow a smaller trailer.....

The highlighted above is the way it is supposed to work. I decided to pull the sleeve out of my 3 year old truck a few years back and it would not come out. It would slide about 1/2" and that was it. Had to hit it from the back to get it out. Guess it sort of "grew" into place over time or I got into something somewhere that wanted to "glue" it in place.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by dwdlt

Yep, I hear that! But, just thought I check to see if anybody has seen or heard of the brand.

There are thousands of products on Amazon with brand names that look like somebody threw a handful of Scrabble dice. Sure sign of cheap Chinese crap. Every four months, they collapse their store to evade warranty claims, throw the dice again, and open up a new store.

Smiton, Jiasitemeijia, Metree, Dovewill, Baomain, Vseer, Tekit, Modket, Havit, eNylo, Oranmay, Palram, Readsky, Enonci, Yacaye, Ohuhu, Kootans, and (my favorite) WATCHYOURNAME (which appears to be actual crack pipes).

All of these were pretty clearly computer generated for anonymity by people who don't speak English (come on, Puredick?) and I'll be amazed of any of them will still be on Amazon six months from now.

I might buy low-risk items like "plastic J-channel wire raceway" from one of these names, but certainly never anything electronic or safety-critical.

In fact, I was recently in the market for "button-style crimp wire connectors" when adding LED lights to my trailer, and briefly considered these before I read the reviews:

I went through 5 before 1 good 1, at that rate better off using something else because the time you spend trying to find a good one you could have already finished the job.

Many were already crushed, and unusable. Inconsistency in the amount of dielectric gel inside them. Only orders these because the name brand ones were out of stock at the time. Whatever cost savings is eaten up by the amount of bad ones you’ll have to throw out.

Every time you try to crimp two utp cables you might end up using like a dozen Uys instead of eight. They only punch one cable and the other ends up loose. Therefore, you have to cut them both and recrimping again and again until you get both cables crimped.

I mean, how bad does a factory have to be to screw up a simple crimp connector?

Don't expect trouble-free quality from the weird-named Amazon stores.