FIRST OF ALL...let me say that if it weren't for my Excursion, or any other Big SUV; I would be sitting here seriously hurt.

Someone rear ended me this afternoon. He certainly took the worst of it with his smaller car, probably totaled. He's lucky he wasn't hurt...

BUT...it looks like he seriously screwed up my hitch...

Not sure yet if there is additional damage...looks like the bumper is ok...

SO, THE QUESTION IS...Has anyone replaced a hitch on an Excursion? Can they be replaced. I understand they are welded on?

THOUGHTS ANYONE?

 

I an not by mine but did you look underneath to see if it is or not?

 

Normally, a good idea...but, I've got a lot of bad arthritis and I'm not good at getting underneath things...

 

They are not welded on. They are bolted and some of the bolts are sheer head bolts. They look like rivets to the untrained eye. They must be drilled out and replaced.

Anytime after an accident that can bend/break your hitch, take the truck to a GOOD FORD body shop and let them evaluate any frame damage that might have occured.

You can find replacements at the link below:

CLICK HERE

$254.36 plus shipping.

 

SORRY...BUT THAT LINK TOOK ME TO A CLASS IV HITCH...my Excursion has a Class V

 

Your 2003 Excursion is listed by Ford as a class IV hitch. The VESC-5 that you may see on the sticker is the name of a industry/Fed voluntary standard for towing connections, not the hitch class. The sticker merely is stating that it complies with these regs. Read about it in the link below:

VESC-5


Ford looks at the total picture, not just the individual part. The hitch may be rated for 12500lbs weight distributing, but the vehicle is not. Ford classifies the hitch according to the ability of the total package, truck and hitch.

ALL years, all models of Excursions have been declared to have class IV hitches by Ford.


For reference to the Ford specifications fo the different years, and all related towing and technical specifications, I refer you to these sites:


Ford Source Books: (I have all of these in harbound form) reference books for the car salesperson.

Ford towing guides: The bibles of towing



It's the same hitch....

 

OK....BUT...

The VESC standards say that Class IV'S UPPER limit is 10,000 lbs...HOW THEN DOES FORD SHOW AN 11,000 lb limit for the vehicle?

On one hand you say that it's a Class IV hitch (10,000 lb limit) then say the hitch is rated for 12,500 lbs...BUT THE LITERATURE SAYS THE VEHICLE HAS AN 11,000 TOW RATING... VERY, VERY CONFUSING!

 

It can be confusing.

I'll try to explain it another way. The VESC-5 is only minimum voluntary standards. Ford made the hitch itself with a certain weight rating. In this case, 12,500lbs. with a 1,250lb tongue load weight distributing. But that is only for that part.

Now, comes the fudge factor area. No two manufacturers of autos or hitches have exactly the same weight ratings for their different classes. The hitch class/weight rating is determined soley the manufacturer of the hitch or auto. Let's say Reese may start a class V at 12500lbs, while Ford starts it at 13,5000 and Dodge at 10,500. They all declare the class V at a different rate, but it is still within VESC-5, as there is no class V designation in VESC-5!! Class V is just something higher than class IV, leaving the determination of the start weight of class V to the manufacturers.

What one maker says is a class IV, another maker will call a class V !!!

Here, with the excursion, The hitch itself is what you might well consider to be a class V. However, the Excursion frame, driveline, suspension and brakes have been determined by Ford to only be able to tow a max of 11,000lbs. The first Excursions were limited to 10,000lbs max. From Ford's viewpoint, that puts the entire package into a class IV arena.

Class IV is a set of minimum standards for coupling to a given weight. if Ford puts on heavier components and a heavier truck, it may be able to pull more, but it is fully within Ford's abilities to label them a lower class.

So, as you can see, the Hitch is class V, the vehicle is class IV, and for Ford, that makes the entire thing a class IV.

 

Also, remember that Ford knows exactly what the actual weight ratings for that truck are. We don't. We probably never will. That would be a closely held secret within ford. They will hold back a certain amount of performance to allow them to compete with other trucks that come out with better specifications. So Ford may have made the truck with a 12,000lb capability, but there was no reason to market it this way. As long as the hitch and vehicle meets the minimum standards for class IV, then Ford can play as they wish, without interference from enforceable regulation.

The VESC has not met in many years. Those regs were set down I believe in the early 70's. No enforcement, no regulating body, no organization. Ford cand do what it wants to make us buy it's cars. It just can't lie about the published tow ratings, though, as tort lawyers walk free among us.

 

Housedad - do you live this stuff or just sleep at Holiday Inn Express last night? You seem to know too much about this hitch.

 

Sort of like "whose on first!" Thanks for the help!

 

Just don't ask me about the frame. I need to get some sleep tonight.

My truck is one of my hobbies. I slathered everytime I saw one for 6 years until The wife said I could go buy one. I use it for towing our travel trailer, and now I am making some $ towing trailers for friends. Some of them are heavier than hades, but I won't tow over the published limits. I have made a point of knowing everything I can lay my hands on about the capabilities and specifications of the truck, even to the point of finding and talking to a engineer from the original Ford design group.

Much of this about the hitch has been hashed out in forums on the RV>NET website.

I have dug and searched, purchasing Ford dealer and service books, and reading endlessly on the net.

I operated a Gunsmithing shop for 12 years, so you can imagine one of my other hobbies. I also am avidly into computing (since 1972), Philosophy and theology, Radio control gas airplanes, and am currently s l o w l y building from plans, a full size 4 seat bushplane, a Bearhawk, in my garage.

Where do I get the time? As the name says, I'm a Housedad. Disabled/retired at 18yars old. All my extra time goes into learning. I have a BS degree in engineering. (Alas, all book learned, which really don't mean much)

I am also a volunteer firefighter, and a active registered Girl Scout Leader.

Sounds like your common garden variety nerd. My wife puts up with me, so life is good.

I shudder to think what would happen if I DID sleep in a Holiday Inn Express!!!

 

I was involved in an accident last feb, They replaced the hitch, the gas tank and rear bumper. So the hitch can be replaced.