I was thinking today. The frames on our trucks are very flexible. especially in the rear where they aren't boxed. I can tell when I have the hitch installed and not, especially around hard corners. The rear end seems stiffer with the hitch installed.

Do you think the engineers actually may have added the hitch to stiffen up the rear of the truck? Stiffen the frame a little? I've been looking at ways to stiffen the rear of the truck without a lot of added weight of the hitch. I have a few ideas.


thoughts?

 

I doubt they did that intentionally. But, I agree with you, the hitch would tie in the rear frame and make it stiffer. I have never gained any time from removing my hitch, although I know weight loss help's.
Bryan

 

I believe that it was a package deal type thing so that we would get the big brakes or something....
I finally took mine off last week.

 

yeah, i'm sure it was just incidental. the frame is stiff enough as is to do what it was built and rated for.

i have also not found that i gain any by dropping the hitch even with slicks. i do notice an improvement with the front sway. i'm leaving mine on. kind of cool whipping (when I'm that fortunate) trailer queen bracket guys with a truck that could easily hook up to their trailer and pull them home LOL!

 

the trailer tow package was an option on the 99's. no its not engineered that way.

 

but what if "someone" was to make a brace back there to replace the hitch, that stiffens up the rear part of the frame?

Obviously, much lighter and more rigid than the hitch.

 

I'm not sure "frame ties" would have a lot of benefit that far back... behind the rear wheels in this case.

Given that the hitch is bolted in... yeah it might provide a little more rigidity, but I'm willing to be it is insignificant from an engineering standpoint. Just like "bolt in" subframe connectors for Mustangs...they help a little, but are no substitute for something welded in and designed into the chassis.

 

you can do small things for hte front and rear but unfortunately our frames will always be C channelled noodles unless you box them.

a lot of guys in hte dezert racing circuit have boxed their frames for rigidity, at a tremendous weight cost though

 

The flexibility of our frames together with the high torque of our motors may explain why most Lightning owners complain about the right rear bed/wheel opening being higher than the (left) drivers side!

I know my right side is a good half inch higher and the only thing I can see causing it is a slight "twist" in the frame....from the torque maybe??

 

...that and possibly the weight of the driver and the gas tank all on the left side may make the springs on the left "sag" slightly over time.

 

theres an x-shaped brace back there where the spare tire mounts to. the only way your going to stiffen it up enough to make that much of a difference will be to put a roll cage in it or a modified version of one.

 

I really don't think Ford intended for the hitch to stiffen the frame up.......

 

I've been thinking about the same thing. Maybe we should work on this together. I can tell you that without the rear bumper and hitch with my super sticky toyo RA-1's the rear feels like a wet noodle. Put the hitch back on and what a difference. The hitch definitely acts as a frame brace. For inspiration on building a brace, take a look at a Tacoma X runner. This is something I need to address.

TB

 

Do either of you have an X-Factor?

Are you sure that it's not just the effects of having 150 or so pounds off of the rear?

Study this image and tell me where you think the frame is bending:



The X-Factor bracing I can see for sure, but I am at a loss to figure out what could be twisting behind the axle.

 

Perhaps this would help, there are a few folk's out there making them it wil drastically improve ones handling


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