Did We Make Our F 450 WORSE for Towing?

We took a brand-new 2026 Ford F-450 Platinum Plus and started changing the very things Ford engineered for heavy-duty towing. But did we actually make our F-450 better for towing a heavy fifth wheel, or did we make it worse? In this video, we're comparing our customized Ford F-450 “Spike” against the factory setup to see where stock wins and where custom may actually improve the towing experience. We compare the factory 19.5-inch commercial-style wheel-and-tire setup against our 22-inch KG1 Forged Trident-D dually wheels and 35x12.50R22 Nitto Recon Grapplers. We also explain why we decided not to move up to 37-inch tires and why bigger tires are not automatically better when heavy fifth-wheel towing is the priority. Then we compare the factory Ford shocks to our FOX 2.5 shocks, discuss the FOX steering stabilizers, our 7,500-pound rear airbag system, and the approximately 2.5-inch front suspension lift. Most importantly, we're separating two things that often get confused: Making a truck tow better does not necessarily mean increasing its tow rating. We also break down why we chose an F-450 over an F-350 for our application, including the wide-track front axle, larger brakes, dual rear wheels, 4.30 gearing, High Output 6.7L Power Stroke, long bed, and other features that make the F-450 such a strong platform for towing a heavy fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer. If you're shopping for a Ford Super Duty, building an F-450 tow rig, choosing between an F-350 and F-450, considering larger tires, airbags, upgraded shocks, or modifying a truck for fifth-wheel towing, we hope this gives you some real-world information to consider before spending the money. At the end of the day, the goal wasn't to make Spike tow more than Ford says it can. We built it to tow better for the way we use it, while still looking like our truck. Would you leave a heavy-duty truck stock, upgrade only the suspension, or build the entire truck? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to Hitched & Rolling for more full-time RV life, heavy-duty truck builds, fifth-wheel towing, RV travel, and real-world towing experiences. Website: https://www.hitchedandrolling.net #FordF450 #FifthWheel #SuperDuty