Qstns for '01 Sports with Ford Class III hitch

[Sport (no trac)]

I have a question that I really shouldn't. I mean, installing the Ford Class III hitch is supposed to be easy, right?

Well, I got the hitch up and on the frame and all the bolts aligned on my 2001 X Sport. At what I though was the end of the process I had a buddy hold the bumper up while I tightened the bolts. After I climbed out from under, I noticed the bumper was not level. The trailing edge was tilted down. Back underneath I went and we fiddled with it again for another hour or so, but it was no use. No matter how I aligned things, the bumper still ended up the same way: crooked.

Since last week, I have been driving my wife crazy looking at every X that drove by to see if their bumpers were crooked too. The worst was when my friend and I were looking at my bumper in the parking lot of the cinema and a cop drove up and said he thought the bumper looked crooked from where he was parked across the lot!!

So I am looking to you guys for help. Did anyone have this problem? If so, were you able to do anything about it?

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Jim F]

I installed a tube style UHaul (Valley) class III hitch on my 98 XLT and did not have to do anything to the bumper. The hitch lined up perfectly with the frame holes and there was only one point that lightly touchs the superstructure of the bumper. Therefore, since I didn't have to unbolt the bumper, mine is still factory level and since I have only towed with the class III, the bumper has seen no weight.

In fact, this link shows the rear of an Explorer that looks just like mine (color and all):

http://www.uhaul.com/hitches/roundtube/vehicle.html?98-00explorer

Hope this helps.

 

[wpurple]

Crooked Hitch

When I installed my hitch I removed the spare tire.
The Reese hitch just has you remove one bolt on each side for the bumper and install another one on each side to the frame. With the spare tire out of the way you could straighten the bumper and hitch BUT
I would go with the "hidden hitch" or another "tube" type hitch, the mounting would be much better.

Good Luck and remember the Explorer Sport has an extremly short wheelbase, sway can be a problem when towing.

Kurt
97 Sport 4L OHV

 

[Sport (no trac)]

Still crooked 8^(

The Ford class III hitch is a tube type, looking remarkably like the U-Haul hitch.

The '01 bumper is held on with a bracket with 2 bolts. This had to be removed to install the hitch, and the bolts were replaced with parts from the kit. One of these holds the bumper and the hitch.

I'm a little embarassed at this problem...my hands have definitely been oilier and I have done far more difficult projects.

 

[JDraper]

Kinda surprised Ford made a hitch that you have to remove the bumper bolts to install. I have an '01 with an aftermarket hitch, and I didn't have to remove anything (spare included). Maybe the hitch is not manfactured correctly and is a little bent somewhere. I hate to say this, but you might want to take the hitch back off and check it for bends, etc.