Bobs2018ExplorerSport
Elite Explorer
- Joined
- February 4, 2019
- Messages
- 249
- Reaction score
- 99
- Location
- USA
- City, State
- Livermore, CA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2018 Explorer Sport 4WD
- Callsign
- KD6ANY
Having posted some time ago on my experience installing an aftermarket trailer hitch on a 2018 XLT, I thought I would now share my recent experience in installing a Ford OEM hitch kit (P/N JB5Z-19D520-AA) on the same vehicle vintage.
The steps are pretty straight-forward (although a bit labor-intensive)... first, you must remove the rear bumper cover, lower the mufflers a bit (easy), then remove the existing under-the-cover bumper (a hollow steel bar), and replace that with the new steel piece that now also includes the actual hitch receiver. The harder part is figuring-out exactly where to place the cutting template (as the included instructions are simply "pictograms" without much useful detail), and then making the cut-out in the original bumper using a Dremel tool (as the cutting process results in lots of hot, partially-melted chunks of plastic shooting all over the place and making a mess, including burning your arms if not covered). Once that is done, however, it took me more time than it should have to get the included trim piece installed, because the small holes I had drilled for passing the mounting screws through proved to not allow enough leeway to line up with the mounting holes in the trim piece, so I had to enlarge them in tiny increments before I could successfully line up all the holes with their mounting tabs.
Once the project was completed, the install looks OK, and it does eliminate the look of an aftermarket unit hanging down below the rear bumper. The only drawback on these units is that, even though its mounting is extremely stronger than any aftermarket unit (5 attaching points on the aftermarket unit, versus 12 attaching points on the OEM unit), it's still only rated as being up to 2000 lbs tow capacity, only because the vehicle still would not have come with the add-on engine oil cooler, special underbody air duct, and the "tow/haul" button that is included in the factory "tow package", which results in the factory tow-package's 5000-lb. towing rating.
(NOTE: See my other posting regarding adding the Tow/Haul button; it's pretty easy)!
To Ford's benefit, everything you need is included in this kit, except for the 4-way flat wiring kit, of course. No drilling is required, as all the necessary threaded mounting points already exist on the vehicle, plus two threaded holes that were previously taped-off at the factory. In it's basic concept, the whole thing is easy, but of course it takes some time to do it all (about 4 hours for me), but for a basically-clean look, it can be worth it.
NOTE: Since I first posted my experience using this "do your own cut-out in the bumper cover" kit, I eventually decided that I didn't like the looks of it... so I replaced the lower bumper cover valence with the version from Ford that comes with the opening and a cover for it. (See my later post down below). I will, however, leave THIS post up, for anyone who might decide to use this particular version.
The steps are pretty straight-forward (although a bit labor-intensive)... first, you must remove the rear bumper cover, lower the mufflers a bit (easy), then remove the existing under-the-cover bumper (a hollow steel bar), and replace that with the new steel piece that now also includes the actual hitch receiver. The harder part is figuring-out exactly where to place the cutting template (as the included instructions are simply "pictograms" without much useful detail), and then making the cut-out in the original bumper using a Dremel tool (as the cutting process results in lots of hot, partially-melted chunks of plastic shooting all over the place and making a mess, including burning your arms if not covered). Once that is done, however, it took me more time than it should have to get the included trim piece installed, because the small holes I had drilled for passing the mounting screws through proved to not allow enough leeway to line up with the mounting holes in the trim piece, so I had to enlarge them in tiny increments before I could successfully line up all the holes with their mounting tabs.
Once the project was completed, the install looks OK, and it does eliminate the look of an aftermarket unit hanging down below the rear bumper. The only drawback on these units is that, even though its mounting is extremely stronger than any aftermarket unit (5 attaching points on the aftermarket unit, versus 12 attaching points on the OEM unit), it's still only rated as being up to 2000 lbs tow capacity, only because the vehicle still would not have come with the add-on engine oil cooler, special underbody air duct, and the "tow/haul" button that is included in the factory "tow package", which results in the factory tow-package's 5000-lb. towing rating.
(NOTE: See my other posting regarding adding the Tow/Haul button; it's pretty easy)!
To Ford's benefit, everything you need is included in this kit, except for the 4-way flat wiring kit, of course. No drilling is required, as all the necessary threaded mounting points already exist on the vehicle, plus two threaded holes that were previously taped-off at the factory. In it's basic concept, the whole thing is easy, but of course it takes some time to do it all (about 4 hours for me), but for a basically-clean look, it can be worth it.
NOTE: Since I first posted my experience using this "do your own cut-out in the bumper cover" kit, I eventually decided that I didn't like the looks of it... so I replaced the lower bumper cover valence with the version from Ford that comes with the opening and a cover for it. (See my later post down below). I will, however, leave THIS post up, for anyone who might decide to use this particular version.
