Towing Package: worth it or no?

[RedHotFuzz]

Your time does not start when you pick up a wrench.

Sheesh, give it up man. Your argument that you can't really save money by going aftermarket or DIY is silly and disproved by hundreds of millions of us who have literally saved lots of money by going aftermarket or DIY. In fact, I'm going to make my own tuna sandwich for lunch today because it will save me money over paying someone else to make me a tuna sandwich. And I'm fully capable of making a tuna sandwich, and I don't mind making a tuna sandwich, and I'm not giving up billable hours to make a tuna sandwich.

If DIY is not worth it to you, great. But it seems like a weird hill to die on.

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[2Jeeps&PatriotX1]

A vehicle’s tow rating depends on the manufacturer’s. GCWR. The hitch rating is only for the hardware. It is a maximum for a class. The actual tow rating for the vehicle can be a lot less.

Correct and I’m very much aware of towing numbers. The sport has a max GCWR of 6,260lbs. I was just curious as to why Uhaul spit out a class 3 for the sport in that poster’s example.

 

[linbackr99]

I just took mine off my order. Figured there's no point if the hitch is only rated for 3500lbs. I don't know if they will up the rating to a class3 or 5000lbs... But if they do I just wasted 600 to have to change it out again anyways... So I'll just wait a bit and see. Besides I'll get ford to install one at some point depending on what trailer I eventually buy, so that'll look after the whole package and wiring that may have been included originally.

I was under the (wrong??) impression that it is a class III . . . ?

 

[ZackDanger]

I was under the (wrong??) impression that it is a class III . . . ?

 

[Wanted33]

To clarify my original question: I'm not asking if I should get a hitch receiver at all (I plan to), but whether the $600 factory option is worth it and if so, why.

I think the price is high, but it is in the ball park for the tow package on other vehicles I've build in the past. I opted for it on my Bronco, because of the problem I ran into with my Wrangler (I don't know if the Bronco will be the same, but I wasn't going to take a chance). I ordered an aftermarket hitch for my Wrangler, and the install instructions were easy enough. Remove two factory bolts, slip the hitch under the frame, replace the two factory bolts along with two more provided with the hitch, and torque 'em all up. No problem I thought until I got under there, and removed the two factory bolts to find the factory nuts were welded to the frame. To cut them off the bumper had to be removed. Not gonna do that. I'm only using this hitch for a bike rack, so I cut the two hitch connectors off to bypass the factory bolts. Now, even if I needed to tow I can't, because the hitch is too weak.

If there was a way I could actually crawl under a Bronco before I ordered I may have been able to make an educated decision. But, I had no way of knowing if I would get that chance.

 

[linbackr99]

THANK YOU

 

[linbackr99]

Speaking for myself it is well worth it . . . $17.16 x 36 months . . . and one less thing I need to deal with. I am keeping my Raptor and will tow my boat with that 990% of the time but the hitch will be handy for the ski carrier and bike rack . . . and on that rare occasion I do tow it is nice not to have to deal with anything more than lining up and hooking on.

 

[KVK]

I’m getting because as mentioned before I want to tow from day 1. Plus I don’t want to hack into existing wiring on a new vehicle. Just my 2 cents.

 

[RedHotFuzz]

I think the price is high, but it is in the ball park for the tow package on other vehicles I've build in the past.

I've never bought a vehicle where the towing option didn't include extra drivetrain modifications/components, so I'm unfamiliar with the typical OEM pricing of just the hitch and wiring harness.

 

[Brongo]

I’m not sure it matters as much what you get with other vehicles (the Bronco probably doesn’t need a trans cooler or larger radiator for the 3.5k rating). To me it’s just expensive for a basic hitch and harness. Hitch should be less than $150 aftermarket and a good plug in harness and factory “replica” mount and 5/7 pin connector about $100-$120. I can install it myself, if you can’t , figure $150 for labor. That’s about 40% off for aftermarket. I will also hopefully add a class III hitch as well for about the same $.

So $270 for you seems like a no brainer for sure to save some money. If I did that I would be chasing my trailer down the road after it falls off. What would the average shop charge to install? Does it simply bolt on or is it welded on?

 

[srick76]

If you don't want to mess with it later..yes. You figure the price of the new hitch and harness plus labor at a shop ($100 an hour) you are prob close to $500. Now if you want that hitch integrated into the computer of the Bronco for a brake controller or auto start stop disabled when a trailer is attached, you have to take it to the dealer (or use forscan yourself) and that may cost you another $100 or whatever the dealer charges you. I weighed it all myself and figured with what the $600 cost over the life of the financing would be..a couple bucks a month, I bought it to not have to mess w it later.

 

[Brongo]

If you don't want to mess with it later..yes. You figure the price of the new hitch and harness plus labor at a shop ($100 an hour) you are prob close to $500. Now if you want that hitch integrated into the computer of the Bronco for a brake controller or auto start stop disabled when a trailer is attached, you have to take it to the dealer (or use forscan yourself) and that may cost you another $100 or whatever the dealer charges you. I weighed it all myself and figured with what the $600 cost over the life of the financing would be..a couple bucks a month, I bought it to not have to mess w it later.

SOLD!

 

[LSBronco13]

The labor to install four bolts and a t connector basically is unless you only have pliers and a hammer for tools.

However I do know those fancy trailer connectors from Ford are not cheap (I put one on my F-150) and I know they LOVE to do weird stuff like different bumpers...

The Ranger with a towpackage gets a different bumper with a cutout for the receiver, so if you add an aftermarket receiver it has to sit lower. Everything the bumper sits on is different too.

I have only ever seen the Bronco with a cutout... but without looking into it much I haven't really seen if that is a frankin thing (as recently as KOH) and/or what else underneath the bumper was changed too. Also the vast majority of them running around have the tow package so the non-tow package sampling is rather small as well and nobody seems to take super great pictures of the back end down low either.

So I figure by the time I spend a couple hundred bucks for a harness/connector and probably more than a couple hundred bucks for a receiver... and who knows what other road blocks Ford has thrown in the mix to make it not as good as if I had gotten it from Ford to start with... I selected the tow package.

I was really on the fence about it though and it does burn me to spend $600 for a receiver/t-connector... if the thing was on the street and I had more intel on how an aftermarket hitch fits I would have been very open to changing it.

Sheesh, give it up man. Your argument that you can't really save money by going aftermarket or DIY is silly and disproved by hundreds of millions of us who have literally saved lots of money by going aftermarket or DIY. In fact, I'm going to make my own tuna sandwich for lunch today because it will save me money over paying someone else to make me a tuna sandwich. And I'm fully capable of making a tuna sandwich, and I don't mind making a tuna sandwich, and I'm not giving up billable hours to make a tuna sandwich.

If DIY is not worth it to you, great. But it seems like a weird hill to die on.

You asked the question. I gave you an economic 101 lesson. Stay within the context of your question about a $600 Ford installed hitch and not fixing a sandwich and expounding on DIY as your argument. Ford did the economic calculation to get to the material and labor cost. Those who want to spend the time (time is money) and money pursuing aftermarket and installation will be close enough to warrant the factory installation route.

 

[AmberC]

Right, I know the advantage of having a hitch receiver (which I plan to get regardless). The question is whether the factory option is worth the $600 or if an equivalent (or better) aftermarket solution will be available for significantly less.

We own an automotive repair and tire sales shop. After talking it over with our mechanics, 2 of which are Ford factory trained ASE certified mechanics, I decided to go for it. The wiring etc was worth it in their opinion. They also questioned how long it would be before an aftermarket option would be available since there won't be much of a demand for a bit. I will need to tow four-wheelers this summer (if I get Bronco before the end of it that is, if not I am keeping my Yukon until Bronco comes in anyway) so waiting some unforseen period of time isn't much of an option unless I want to hold onto the Yukon for a while. And let me be clear....if I am hauling the four-wheelers in a Yukon while a Bronco with no hitch sits in my driveway I am going to be one angry lady.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You asked the question. I gave you an economic 101 lesson. Stay within the context of your question about a $600 Ford installed hitch and not fixing a sandwich and expounding on DIY as your argument. Ford did the economic calculation to get to the material and labor cost. Those who want to spend the time (time is money) and money pursuing aftermarket and installation will be close enough to warrant the factory installation route.

Ford has done a lot of funny economic calculations to the point most (myself included) don't really trust their calculator.

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