Why No Availability of Front-Mount Hitch for 2017 Ford Explorer
Question:
Will the CURT Front Mount Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - 2, work on a 2017 model year Ford Explorer? Your website indicates it will work on a 2016 model year, and as far as I have been told, the vehicles are the same.
asked by: Todd
Expert Reply:
When an aftermarket product such as a hitch fits the latest model year that determination usually gets made pretty quickly by the manufacturer of the product, or at least as soon as they can get their hands on one of the vehicles to test fit the product. After all, it is in their best interest.
And you are indeed correct that the 2017 and 2016 model years of the Ford Explorer are part of the same generation of this popular vehicle, the 5th generation since the time it was first offered in 1991. However, Curt shows no confirmed front hitch fits for the 2017 model year; nor does Draw-Tite.
The most common reasons for this are either or both of the following: 1) too-low potential sales volume for that particular item on that particular vehicle; 2) what the hitch maker considers to be an excessive amount of trimming/modification necessary to install it, so much that owners of the vehicle would find it aesthetically unpleasant.
I checked with my technical contacts at both companies and it appears that the trimming/cosmetic change issue is what prevented a confirmed front hitch fit, not a change to the chassis.
The aftermarket items we do have for your vehicle are shown on the linked page.
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