Recommended Tow Bar for an 8,500 lb 2017 Ford F-350 Super Duty

Question:

I am trying to decide between a blue ox Trion 20K tow bar and a lighter tow bar. My towed vehicle weighs 8500lbs empty. Are there any inherent problems with the lunette ring setup, other than the fact that it must be removed, instead of left on the back of the towing vehicle/

asked by: Nelson

Expert Reply:

A lunette ring tow bar setup is typically used for heavy duty construction or agricultural applications. They are not exactly ideal for daily towing and generally do not provide the most comfortable ride as there is a lot of chucking and jarring associated with a lunette ring towing setup. If you decide to go with a lunette ring tow bar then the Blue Ox Allure Tow Bar part # BX7460P which is rated for 10,000 lbs will work well with your 2017 Ford F-350 that weighs 8,500 lbs. You will not need to use the Blue Ox Trion Tow Bar part # BX7520P which is rated at 20,000 lbs though will still work for you.

A better option would be to use a hitch mounted style tow bar such as the Blue Ox Avail Tow Bar part # BX7420. A hitch mounted style tow bar like the Avail will provide a much more sturdy connection as opposed to a lunette ring setup. The Avail tow bar has a weight capacity of 10,000 lbs therefore will be perfect for your F-350. The non-binding latches with low-profile handles make it easy to unhook the tow bar from multiple angles. The Avail tow bar is also about 15 lbs lighter than the Allure tow bar which makes handling much easier.

I have also attached a road test video of the Avail tow bar for you as well.

expert reply by: Conner L