Trailer Hitch Needed?

I just bought a 200 Explorer XLT 6 cylinder, with 4 X 4
This is the first 4 X 4 I ever owned. Per the dealer, since my pop up camper I will be pulling only weighs about 1800lbs, they say no need for a hitch! I was told to just use the Ball on the bumper and I would be just fine. I am afraid of bending the bumper or the possibility of the campers front corners striking the rear bumpers corners? Anyone have any recommendations for me? I am also semi-new to the pulling trailer scenario as well...I guess I dont want to put out 150.00 if the bumper set up will do the job just fine...Thanks
You can email me direct if you have advise at nikovon@attbi.com
Thanks again
Craig G

You will be fine.

Sounds redneck but I have yanked tractors out of mud holes with my bumper hitch on my explorer and my Bronco II.

1800 pounds is nothing for the bumper hitch.

ditto. I've had over 5000 lbs off my bumper ball with no problems. I wouldn't do that every day (5000), but anything less than 3500 isn't a problem.

Just my .02 worth

I would buy a class III receiver hitch. I have one on my 97 Mountaineer and I also have an 1800lb pop up camper. The reason I suggest the hitch is if the ball mount on the bumper is to low or to high this can cause a problem with how the trailer is going to pull. You want the trailer as level as possible. With a receiver hitch you can buy a drop mount to lower the ball or turn it upside down to raise the ball.

One advantage to a receiver hitch is that you can get extended ball mounts that will move the trailer back so you can still get in the hatch easily. They also come in handy for a bicycle carrier, a tow point, and to put one of those cute little spinning wannabe boat propellers in.

Practice in a big parking lot, backing up, turning around, etc. Smaller trailers are actually harder to back up than longer ones, and will jackknife before you realize it, causing bumper, and or trailer damage.

...but that being said, a hitch ball will pull it just fine. I pulled my 17' bass boat all over East Texas for several years before I got a hitch (mainly so I could open my hatch while the trailer was attached. The trailer jack was in the way.)

Craig: I would also recommend a frame mounted class III receiver hitch. Hidden Hitch, Reese, Draw-tite, Valley, U-Haul, all are good hitches. It is cheap insurance. While I am also sure you can "get by" with the bumper hitch, as mentioned above, you want your trailer and truck perfectly level when towing, with about 10% of the weight on the hitch. For additional insight on towing, do a search under towing and you will find a lot of helpful posts by me and other members which will give you insight on towing. Mike

Anybody have a pop up for sale?

i too would buy a class III hitch for that extra bit of security....... the stock bumper is only a class II

By all means go with a Class III hitch,

Hidden Hitch is a great one for an Explorer.

Good luck......

i got an unhidden hitch and i love it

Originally posted by Craig G
I just bought a 200 Explorer XLT

Click to expand...

Is that like what they had on the Flinstones?



Sorry, I just had to say it

Mine is a Drawtite class III. I realy like it bcause it is made out of round tube steel and blends in with the bumper. I hate the looks of the long square tube ones.

I pull my 2500 lb boat and trailer on a ball on the stock bumper. The stock bumper is rated for 3500 with 350 tongue weight (on mine anyway).

To tow 1800 lbs there is absolutely NO NEED to put on a class III hitch. The only reason for a reciver hitch of any kind would be if you needed to adjust ball height for the trailer you have. Mine happens to be just fine for my boat trailer with it's 14" tires.

If you have the factory tow package, you already have wiring installed too.

For the weight you wish to tow a Class III hitch is a waste of money, unless you need to adjust for height.

Now before everyone thinks I'm just down on hitches, my '00 F-350, which I use for heavy towing has a fifth wheel hitch and a Class IV. It's great for the variety of towing I do.

But on my X, which only tows the boat and utility trailer, it would have been a waste of money to get the Class III as I have the tow package for wiring and the bumper is just fine.

BigOne, I did not mind spending $130 for mine. I think it is money well spent. I would rather be safe than sorry.
The '95 and up bumpers are not as beafy as the First gen.

Originally posted by Dan Whitaker
BigOne, I did not mind spending $130 for mine. I think it is money well spent. I would rather be safe than sorry.
The '95 and up bumpers are not as beafy as the First gen.

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actually... they rear bumpers are the same..... well, my moms 96 explorer, dads 98 ranger and my 94 explorer all have the same rear bumper... but have different plastic trim pieces on it..

If ever in any type of wreck towing a trailer, better hope you meet or preferably exceed hitch requirements. You can be sure your insurance company or the other person's insurance company, will want to know if your vehicle was properly equipped for towing. Mike

Originally posted by Dan Whitaker
BigOne, I did not mind spending $130 for mine. I think it is money well spent. I would rather be safe than sorry.
The '95 and up bumpers are not as beafy as the First gen.

Click to expand...

Really?

Mine actually seems beefier than my friend's '93.

I personally would never tow with any bumper on any vehicle.

What many of you seem to be missing is the fact that the "bumper" is not what is towing the vehicle.

Crawl under and you will see that there is a heavy steel "hitch" that is bolted to the frame that the bumper is then mounted on top of. Making the hitch and bumper one unit.

It is not like many vehicles where the bumper is just that, a thin piece of metal or plastic covered metal member, a bumper.

These vehicles have an integral hitch. The rating stamped on the step plate is for the hitch component, not the bumper. If you had one without the hitch component, your bumper alone would likely fall off towing a motorcycle trailer.

As far as the insurance thing goes. The rating (on mine) is 3500 lbs with 350 tongue weight. What started this discussion was a guy wanting to tow an 1800 lb pop up. Do we all get the point now? He wanted to know if he needed a different hitch. Basically, if height is ok, no use what's there. If he needs to adjust height, yes get a reciever hitch.

Weight is not the issue.

Your point diablo5969? If you have one

When it comes to towing capacity and legality you need to look far beyond the hitch.

You also need to consider the rated towing capacity of the vehicle as equipped. As per the owners manual and certification stickers on the vehicle. You need to consider the tires you are equipped with. Do they allow you axle weights that meet the posted certified limits for the vehicle. How much does the rest of your vehicle load weigh, this all is deducted from max capacity. It goes on and on, if you want to get into all the variables. That was not what was asked.

I was speaking of the case in point here. In this thread. As originally posted.

He wants to tow 1800 lbs. He wants to know if his factory supplied hitch will do it. If it is rated (as mine is) for 3500 lbs then he is already well above the capacity needed to tow what he wants to tow. He has a class II rating while the trailer he wants to tow falls into class I.

I hope this is clear enough that you do not misunderstand the point. I take it you must have before or you would not have thought the insurance thing was as issue. I assume you felt it was an issue as you decided to quote it. Or are you just trying to cloud the issue for this guy?