NHTSA Complaint #10147783 — 2004 FORD F-150

I OWN A 2004 FORD F-150 SUPERCREW (NEW BODY STYLE). IT CAME EQUIPPED W/FACTORY INSTALL TRAILER TOW PACKAGE. I HAVE SINCE PURCHASED A ROCKWOOD TRAVEL TRAILER, WHICH I TOWED MANY MILES LAST SUMMER. I KEPT CHECKING AND RECHECKING MY WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION/SWAY CONTROL SETUP BECAUSE, WHILE TOWING, THE TRAILER SEEMED TO SWAY MORE THAN IT SHOULD, ESPECIALLY WHEN BEING PASSED BY TRACTOR TRAILERS. I WORKED W/REESE CUSTOMER SERVICE BY TRYING THEIR DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS, TO NO AVAIL. I HAPPEN TO ALSO WORK FOR A FORD DEALER SO I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY DURING A LUNCH BREAK TO RAISE MY TRUCK UP ON A LIFT TO BE SURE THAT ALL THE MOUNTING BOLTS WERE THERE AND THAT THEY WERE TIGHT. WHAT I FOUND STARTLED ME. THE 2" RECEIVER TUBE ON THE HITCH HAD SPLIT ABOUT 1 1/2" IN THE LOWER RIGHT CORNER, TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. IT WAS ABOUT 1/8" AT IT'S WIDEST POINT. I HAD MY TRAILER'S TONGUE WEIGHED AT A CERTIFIED PUBLIC SCALE. IT WEIGHED 893 LBS. THE HITCH IS RATED FOR A 9,900 LB. TRAILER W/990 LBS. TONGUE WEIGHT-WEIGHT DISTRIBUTING ACTUAL WEIGHT OF THE TRAILER IS APPROXIMATELY 7,700 LBS.,FULLY LOADED. OUR DISTRICT FORD ENGINEER AUTHORIZED ADDITIONAL REINFORCING OF THE NEW HITCH AFTER WE HAD REPLACED. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SIMILAR OCCURRENCES THAT HE HAD WITNESSED,EVEN THOUGH WHEN I CALLED THE FORD ENGINEERS IN MICHIGAN,THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THEM. INCIDENTALLY,THE FORD ENGINEERS ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY BELIEVED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS MOST LIKELY A FAULTY HITCH,AND THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT EXCESSIVE TONGUE WAS THE PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE HITCH WAS ALREADY IN THE TRUCK,AND THIS HITCH IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE REAR BUMPER/FRAME,THE REINFORCING WAS DONE W/THE HITCH IN PLACE. ONLY THE BOTTOM AND THE SIDES WERE ACCESSIBLE AND AFTER ONLY A FEW MORE TRIPS,THE TOP OF THE RECEIVER TUBE WAS OPENING BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE REINFORCEMENTS WORKED. RIGHT NOW, MY SERVICE MANAGER IS WORKING TO HAVE THE FORD HITCH REPLACED W/AN AFTERMARKET ONE, TO SEE IF IT STANDS UP ANY BETTER. *NM