Is it safe to tow a 20 foot Skeeter straight from the bumper? I've got a buddy who tows his 20 foot Ranger straight on the bumper and he has no problems. Same truck as me too, 2002 F-150 4.2 V6.

I've towed an 18 footer straight on the bumper, but didn't know if that extra weight would be a problem. Thanks.

Yes.

Thanks. I've been meaning to get the tow bar put on but just haven't had time or money lately.

Mostly the bad thing about pulling straight off the bumper is that it is too high for most trailers, mainly a problem on tandem trailers, and not that big of a deal, just wont ride as well.

matt

I saw a guy towing a flat bed with a bobcat on it. He had to hit the brakes in a hurry and his bumper folded up and under his truck. It weren't pretty.

A bobcat and flatbed weighs quite a bit more than what most step bumpers are rated for, bad comparison.
The boat will be luck if it weighs 3500lbs, most bumpers on full size half tons are rated for 500 lbs tongue and 5000 trailer, and I think it has gone up since the time I owned one.

matt

+1

I have towed with numerous vehicles with the bumper and with a receiver hitch. On a 3-3500 lb boat there is no real difference as long as you are at the proper height. I have a Sporttrac that I gave my son and it has a ball on the bumper and a hitch. The only reason I bought the hitch was to tow a pop-up camper that was quite a bit lower than my boat.

It really depends on whether the truck is 4wd or 2wd. With my 2wd F150, i had to turn my recieve hitch to where the reciever was rising instead of having a 2 in drop. Now it sets even and is about the same hieght as it would be if the trailer was connected straight to a ball on the bumper. With it originally droping 2 inches, i would drag it when coming out of a dip in the road. With a 4wd truck, especially heavy duty truck, its bumper is higher off the ground and a reciever with a drop is needed.

Every truck that I have pulled a trailer on the bumper with was a 2wd a 90 ranger a 94 and 96 half ton chevy and a 96 f250 with the exception of the ranger they were all too high, jacks dont goe high enough and trailers never rode level and that is with stock tires no lift and 2wd.

If trailer has two axles,and doesn't sit level while pulling on bumper I wouldn't recomend it.Trailers with more than one axle need to ride level or you experiance bad tire wear or tire failer do to to much weight riding on one axle.

Mine even has oversized tires (275/70/17's) from what originally came from the factory and mine sits perfectly level. Your Chevys must have had a higher bumper height.

Yeah that was my problem with pulling my flat bed tandom axle trailer with the 2 in drop hitch. There was a bow at the tongue area of the trailer and more weight was on the front axle of the trailer than the rear axle. When i turned the hitch to where it comes up 2in (even with the bumper) instead of dropping 2 in, it balanced the weight of the trailer on both axles.