BulletProof Hitch

[inthegap18]

Getting ready to pull the trigger on one of these with 3" shank and 8" drop.
For you forum guys running this setup, what are your thoughts....good and bad.
Also, any reason to get the extreme duty over the heavy duty.
My experience with bumper pulling has been a utility trailer with a couple four wheelers and a half ton truck.
Not gonna tow anything heavy, just a mid size travel trailer to camp in the UP.
Long post...sorry, I tend to ramble.
Thanks everyone!!

 

[AFTRSHK]

Dang, those have some serious tow capacity ratings! Heavy Duty at 21k and Extreme Duty at 36K. But the price too, whoah. Unless your pulling a small low profile trailer, 6" drop may be enough unless you have a lift. And with such high ratings (and similar 10-15% tongue weights), might be a bit much without weight distribution (think 2K - 3K) at max tow. For a (similar) price, I went with the Weighsafe 3" shank with 6" drop, rated to 21K, with the built-in scale. Might be a consideration depending on what you plan to tow (.e.g, not over the 15K rating for the Tremor)...

See this from 2021 Ford RV and Towing Guide (and don't flame me, not trying to be the "towing police", but I was surprised when I got my Tremor & 6.7L that it was less than I expected):

 

[jhblaze1]

Getting ready to pull the trigger on one of these with 3" shank and 8" drop.
For you forum guys running this setup, what are your thoughts....good and bad.
Also, any reason to get the extreme duty over the heavy duty.
My experience with bumper pulling has been a utility trailer with a couple four wheelers and a half ton truck.
Not gonna tow anything heavy, just a mid size travel trailer to camp in the UP.
Long post...sorry, I tend to ramble.
Thanks everyone!!

I'm no towing expert at all, but I can't see any point in buying a hitch rated at 36,000lbs when your truck is only rated to 15,000lbs.

I don't have a tt yet, but I've been looking at these hitches and like the idea of the 3 inch heavy duty 8 inch drop, with the weight distribution adapter.

 

[AFTRSHK]

3" shank / 6" drop on the Weighsafe with the pin set at +1 up from the bottom. In all honesty, I knew such a hitch was WAY overkill (price and feature) but I wanted something my towing friends didn't have (and it has the "cool" factor of knowing the tongue weight). Anyway they make it in black powder coat too (with larger drops too in the same price range as the Bulletproof).

Here's my setup:

 

[NikoNiko]

I just got mine good build quality. They also a WDH shank you can use with it. No more sleeves needed to 3"

 

[NatesDad]

I just got mine good build quality. They also a WDH shank you can use with it. No more sleeves needed to 3"

I've got the 2.5" rated to 22k and I opted for the WD adapter for my Blue Ox hitch head, I've had no issues. I will say that it pushes the hitch head out further than using the BO shank, but I went with this setup because I did not want to run the sleeve adapter. Plus I would've had to purchase a new shank from BO to get the required drop. The Tremor sits taller than my previous tow rig ('08 350 LBCC). Also, I wanted one hitch to rule them all instead of having to swap for this trailer and use that one for another trailer.

 

[Bill_D]

That’s what I bought, but in the 6” drop. Here’s a couple photos for reference. The 6” is a good height, but if you were pulling a small trailer, it might be kinda high.

 

[Bowhunter]

I went with the 2.5 shank with 6 inch drop in the medium weight as I will only be using it to pull a camper and maybe a car trailer once every couple of years. Figured if I need to go over the 14,000 lbs then I should be looking at a fifth wheel anyway. Don’t have a wdh yet but I liked the idea of the adapter so is why I went with the bulletproof hitch

 

[BBQ BOY]

I brought the Extreme 8” drop. Thing is crazy overbuilt. I love it, but wish I bought the 6” HD for everyday. I bought this one for my tractor and wood trailer. The dang thing is so big and sticks out so much that it sets off my rear bumper alerts.
I am going to keep it for WDH purposes but will be buying the 6”. I tow a smaller boat and a couple BBQ smokers and the 8” is too long and I dont even have it at the last holes.
In person....its crazy looking. Overkill doesnt even begin to describe it but it definitely tames the still suspension of the 350.

 

[inthegap18]

After going out and measuring, looks like I need a 6” drop according to their web sight. I’ll be ordering in the morning. Thanks for the input.

 

[TampaTremor]

I have the medium duty (14,000 lbs) with 6 inch drop. Here is a picture as we were taking the pop up in for trade for reference. The hitch was in the 2nd from lowest position here and was towing the trailer level. The tongue weight was around 400 pounds.

 

[TampaTremor]

I went with the 2.5 shank with 6 inch drop in the medium weight as I will only be using it to pull a camper and maybe a car trailer once every couple of years. Figured if I need to go over the 14,000 lbs then I should be looking at a fifth wheel anyway. Don’t have a wdh yet but I liked the idea of the adapter so is why I went with the bulletproof hitch

I also opted for the sway control mount to kind of future proof the hitch. When not using the sway ball mount the "wings" make a pretty good step.

 

[legmar]

Getting ready to pull the trigger on one of these with 3" shank and 8" drop.
For you forum guys running this setup, what are your thoughts....good and bad.
Also, any reason to get the extreme duty over the heavy duty.
My experience with bumper pulling has been a utility trailer with a couple four wheelers and a half ton truck.
Not gonna tow anything heavy, just a mid size travel trailer to camp in the UP.
Long post...sorry, I tend to ramble.
Thanks everyone!!

For what it’s worth, I wish I had the 6 inch instead of the 8. (Heavy duty)
The 8 is a little too low for comfort when the bed is full of cargo and I have my 32 ft travel trailer hitched up. (Yes I do have a WDH)

 

[oops]

No complaints with the heavy duty and pintle adapter.

The extreme duty has no purpose with this truck. The HD is well beyond the tow capacity.

If you double check your measurement against the Bulletproof charts you’ll find your truck is right between 6” and 8”.

I went with the 8” HD because I tow utility, dump, and equipment trailers and such. All of which are much lower profile than travel trailers. I’ve had 3 trailers attached to this truck and the 6” would be on the high side for all of them.

If you’re mostly towing utility trailers, I would go for 8”.

If you might ever install a lift or bigger tires, I would go for 8”.

 

[forcebwu19]

I bought the 3" shank and 8" drop, I guess I'm the only one that's happy I went with the 8". My camper is a 10k+ bumper pull that's 40' long. I wanted to have some head room with the weight ratings on the hitch and wanted to be able to use the WD setup as well as have a one size fits all solution for my towing needs. This hitch fits the bill. The only thing I'm unhappy about it is the pins have bent using my WD setup. I have 1,500lb spring bars for the WD hitch and it bends the pins they provide, even the "hardened" ones that they say shouldn't bend (non-locking pins). I'm not sure if it's the clearance between the adapter and the shank or if it's really just that much torque being applied to the pins. Either way I'm not very happy about that. Love the company is American owned and products are American made. ??

 

[TexanTremor]

I brought the Extreme 8” drop. Thing is crazy overbuilt. I love it, but wish I bought the 6” HD for everyday. I bought this one for my tractor and wood trailer. The dang thing is so big and sticks out so much that it sets off my rear bumper alerts.
I am going to keep it for WDH purposes but will be buying the 6”. I tow a smaller boat and a couple BBQ smokers and the 8” is too long and I dont even have it at the last holes.
In person....its crazy looking. Overkill doesnt even begin to describe it but it definitely tames the still suspension of the 350.

Nice smokers, even though you are in the Carolinas! LOL!! (Grew up in KC, live in Texas, and Memphis area previous to that)
BBQ RULES! Are you a professional pit master?

 

[Skibum1681]

I have a 3" shank, 6" drop in route and I'm planning on getting the WD adapter.

Your experience with the pins bending with the WD adapter concerns me. Granted you have 1,500 bars which are significant but they shouldn't bend, or they should change their design.

I have a toy hauler and if I don't have my bike in it I add more preload to my WD bars to help with the additional tongue weight. My bars are 1,200# and I don't put that much tension in them but bending pins would stress me out while towing. Hmm...

 

[legmar]

I have a 3" shank, 6" drop in route and I'm planning on getting the WD adapter.

Your experience with the pins bending with the WD adapter concerns me. Granted you have 1,500 bars which are significant but they shouldn't bend, or they should change their design.

I have a toy hauler and if I don't have my bike in it I add more preload to my WD bars to help with the additional tongue weight. My bars are 1,200# and I don't put that much tension in them but bending pins would stress me out while towing. Hmm...

I bought the 3" shank and 8" drop, I guess I'm the only one that's happy I went with the 8". My camper is a 10k+ bumper pull that's 40' long. I wanted to have some head room with the weight ratings on the hitch and wanted to be able to use the WD setup as well as have a one size fits all solution for my towing needs. This hitch fits the bill. The only thing I'm unhappy about it is the pins have bent using my WD setup. I have 1,500lb spring bars for the WD hitch and it bends the pins they provide, even the "hardened" ones that they say shouldn't bend (non-locking pins). I'm not sure if it's the clearance between the adapter and the shank or if it's really just that much torque being applied to the pins. Either way I'm not very happy about that. Love the company is American owned and products are American made. ??View attachment 23375View attachment 23376View attachment 23377View attachment 23378
View attachment 23380

BulletProof has some great people who answer the phone when you call. I’d be curious to know what they say if you explain your situation.

 

[forcebwu19]

BulletProof has some great people who answer the phone when you call. I’d be curious to know what they say if you explain your situation.

I 100% agree, I think they'll get me sorted. I've reached out to them just tonight, for what it's worth I'm not putting them on blast, just sharing my experience. They replaced my locking pin already and advised that I use the other pins only. Sadly as you can see in the post above those have bent also. I'm wondering if the gap between the WD adapter and the shank is beyond their tolerances and that's why the pins are bending. I sent them some pictures and I have no doubt I'll hear back from them on Monday. They are good people and I have faith that they'll make it right.

 

[Tx-Tremor6.7]

I bought the 3" shank and 8" drop, I guess I'm the only one that's happy I went with the 8". My camper is a 10k+ bumper pull that's 40' long. I wanted to have some head room with the weight ratings on the hitch and wanted to be able to use the WD setup as well as have a one size fits all solution for my towing needs. This hitch fits the bill. The only thing I'm unhappy about it is the pins have bent using my WD setup. I have 1,500lb spring bars for the WD hitch and it bends the pins they provide, even the "hardened" ones that they say shouldn't bend (non-locking pins). I'm not sure if it's the clearance between the adapter and the shank or if it's really just that much torque being applied to the pins. Either way I'm not very happy about that. Love the company is American owned and products are American made. ??View attachment 23375View attachment 23376View attachment 23377View attachment 23378
View attachment 23380

Do you have a closeup of how their WD Spring bars attach to their hitch head? I have the Blue Ox WDH and it uses 3/4” hardened steel bolts tightened to 257 ft/lbs for my 1500 lb spring bars .