Situation:
I will be renting a skiboat in a couple weeks and need to figure out towing. I don't know the exact weight of the trailer/boat, but it is an average 18-20' Sea Ray w/ ski tower. I don't need to haul very far, maybe 10 miles, then up and down the launch ramp.

Current Equiptment:
'98 XLT SOHC (4.0L V6) 4X4 Explorer
Ball on bumper (no receiver hitch), and factory (4 pin) wiring.
I have pulled small trailers on this before with no problems.... but never a boat.

Questions:
I assume I will need a 2" receiver hitch, correct me if I am wrong.
Will one of those $100 - 150 WalMart jobs do?
How easy are they to DIY install?
What about wiring? - I have never seen a 4pin trailer.... is this easy to replace, or do the 6 and 8 pins require adding brakes and a whole lot of other fancy stuff?

I tried a search first, so sorry if this has been covered and I missed it.

THANKS!

 

A 2" receiver is an excellent idea; it's almost impossible to level a boat/trailer rig off of the bumper ball plus you eliminate the bumper stress. Some companies make round-tube receivers that look pretty good tucked up under an Explorer. Look for a receiver that requires no drilling for DIY.

If the trailer has surge brakes with an electric lock-out for reverse, you're gonna need to add a 5-pin connector so you can back up without applying the trailer brakes. If it has electric brakes (not near as common), you'll need a 7-pin connector with a controller.

Steve

 

Thanks for the info.


I just picked up the Reese Towpower (Product No. 37042) from Walmart for $109. This particular hitch is MOSTLY bolt-on, but I do need a 1/2" bit - so hopefully it won't be too difficult or too much drilling. This is pretty much all I could find. As far as sizing...... the box doesn't say anything about an Explorer, but it says it will fit a Ranger. In my understanding they are the same truck, but a friend told me the bumper might be lower on the Explorer.

Anyone have any foreknowledge on fitting this particular hitch?

 

the most important thing is to install a transmission cooler, a big one.

 

I don't need to tow very far, about 5-10 miles and do it pretty rarely.... let's hope I'll be ok without.....

 

I installed a hitch last night. It was by Curt mfg. and I got it off ebay. The seller was good, but the hitch isn't. It is a custom no-drill model that claims 10 min. install..... but they didn't say that the quality controls in the factory suck. I had to drill a hole to get them all lined up because one of the brackets wasn't bent to the angle it needed to be - it was close. There may have been a slight bend in the crossmember of the frame too.... but I think it was primarily the hitch. The receiver isn't centered either.... it is off by about 1/4 - 1/2". I am sure it will work fine, but it looks shoddy. Lesson learned, but for $89 I can't complain too much.

 

About halfway through your first tow with that hitch, you may want to pull over and check it REAL good for cracks and bad welds!

Steve

 

You say that because of bad QC? Or is that standard practice???

 

Not a bad idea with any new hitch installation, but especially with what you've already experienced with your hitch. BTW, did it come with an SAE certification?

Steve