What kind of trailer hitch do you guys have?

Todd82TA · June 12, 2010

Hey guys,

This is ACTUALLY for an Explorer Sport, but since our platforms are identical, an this is actually platform specific, I wanted to know what trailer hitches you guys have bought for your Sport Trac?

I don't plan to tow a car, or any really heavy trailers. I have an 02 Crown Victoria that has a Class-4 on there, so I'll probably use that if I need to tow anything crazy like a car.

My Explorer Sport however, I see myself maybe towing a small trailer... maybe an engine now and then, nothing more than say 1000 pound load, tops. Ideally though, I'd like to buy a hitch so I can get one of those bike racks that go directly into the hitch.

I'm guessing I can probably get away with a Class 2... unless there's literally no price difference between a 2 and a 3.

Thanks guys!

Todd
2002 Ford Explorer Sport
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX / P-74

dogfriend · June 12, 2010

I have a Draw Tite Tubular hitch on my 97 Sport. It is rated to 5000 lbs towing, 500 tongue weight but the most I have towed is about 2500. It is a 2" receiver. I bought it back in 1999 from the Ford dealer.

I think you can get bike racks to fit either a 1 1/4" receiver or a 2" receiver. They also make adapters (not for towing) to convert either direction.

JohnnyO · June 15, 2010

I had a Hidden Hitch Class III/IV on my old Trac. I liked it a lot.

Squirrelmaster · June 15, 2010

Ironically enough, tubular U-Haul class III/IV. It's a really nice hitch, and was relatively cheap compared to the others. Funny that they'll sell you the hitch, but they won't let you tow any of there stuff with it...

Tom

dogfriend · June 15, 2010

Squirrelmaster said:
. Funny that they'll sell you the hitch, but they won't let you tow any of there stuff with it...

Tom

That is because:

Uhaul is Stupid™

:

ncranchero · June 16, 2010

Mine is a Curt, which I had never heard of until this one, and it was on there when I got the truck.

LOL @ Todd. I've had several Vics/Interceptors. Had an '87, way back, that I pulled a one-horse trailer with. Drive in to an equestrian center for a horse show, cowboys/duallies/crap-on-the-shoes population, towing with a Vic and they look at you like you're a cyclops with a horn growing out the top of your head! Ha ha ha ....... priceless!

I miss my CV's but not the horses!

bdmaash · June 16, 2010

got a Curt mfg. hitch for my truck, easy to install, for some hitches you need to support the bumper while installing since the bumper bolts are used. Curt doesn't need that done.

sickwilly · June 17, 2010

I use the bumper to tow my boat. I know, I know, but hey, it works fine

NHarris · August 14, 2010

On my 05 I'm running a class 2. I haven't towed much with my class 2 because there's not much I can tow with it. I eventually want to get a class III/IV

Grolli · August 14, 2010

I have a class 3 on my Sporttrac. I pull my boat and used to pull my pop up camper with it also. 2" ball. Never had a single problem.

cattleshow · February 6, 2011

dogfriend said:
That is because:

Uhaul is Stupid™ :

I heard that U-haul is doing a payback thing by not renting to explorer owners because they were sued a few times by ford trailer renters. So we are on time-out with U-hall.

?????????

Joe Dirt · February 6, 2011

Good hitch info in HERE. Also one on a Trac...

sickwilly · February 7, 2011

I have towed my boat for 2 years off the bumper. However, I found a new curt one on craigslist for cheap and installed it. Looks good, and was easy to install. I guess I will tow from it for now on.

OffTrac · February 8, 2011

I have a Curt also. I've only pulled a small trailer to help a buddy move. No issues.

-junior · February 14, 2011

+1 on the Curt.

I bought mine from JCWhitney

http://www.jcwhitney.com/class-iii-...jcwx?skuId=362104&TID=froogle&05FoExCur287042

It's the first Curt product I've owned and I'm pleased with it on now. I didn't care for how JC shipped the item though, free shipping was nice, but the packaging was lacking. The hitch was just shipped in a box, with some felt styrofoam wrap on it. So during shipping it accumulated 5-6 deep scratches. I contemplated shipping it back but didn't really want to deal with the hassle, so I just used some black touchup paint from Autozone.

When mocked up to the frame the hitch didn't bolt right up either, this might be different for your truck, maybe my frame has slightly shifted from spec since 05. It was only about 1/8 of an inch off, but required some shaving of the frame to get the included bolts to fit.

The hitch has worked well since installed, I've towed boats, motorcycle trailers and use a 2" fish cooler/rod rack holder with it.

I'm overall happy with the Curt, but just be careful of the shipping on this large/heavy product, as well as the potential of installation troubles. May be worth taking it somewhere if you don't want the headache. I just wanted to be the first one to put scratches on it

Here are a couple pics of the hitch when received.

Scratches

More Scratches

Shipping wrap

Scratches on rolled tube

2" receiver wrapped/covered

Roundtube scratches

Frame adapter plates scratched

Installed

What kind of trailer hitch do you guys have?

Todd82TA

Well-Known Member

dogfriend

Human-Animal Hybrid

JohnnyO

Squirrelmaster

Well-Known Member

dogfriend

Human-Animal Hybrid

ncranchero

Co-moderator

bdmaash

Well-Known Member

sickwilly

Well-Known Member

NHarris

Explorer Addict

Grolli

New Member

cattleshow

Active Member

Joe Dirt

Explorer Addict

sickwilly

Well-Known Member

OffTrac

Explorer Addict

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-junior

Active Member

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