Will Curt Trailer Hitch # C13550 Fit Beneath Factory-Installed Hitch on 2003 Ford Explorer

Question:

I have an 03foot Ford Explorer with a factory installed 1 1/4inch receiver. I have two questions: 1. For installation, would I take the bolts out of the factory hitch and thread them through the new hitch and factory hitch together to put them back on? 2. Im pulling a small lightweight pop up, but with an extra hitch are there any implications to putting my bike rack on the 1 1/4inch receiver while towing the pop up with the 2? Im sure the packaged instructions would be clear but I just like to have an idea what Im up against before I commit.

asked by: Matt

Helpful Expert Reply:

You can install the Curt 2-Inch Class III Trailer Hitch # C13550 beneath the factory-installed hitch. You will not need to remove the bolts from the OEM hitch; you will install the Curt hitch normally. I have provided a link to the installation instructions for this hitch. Also, for this hitch to work on your 2003 Ford Explorer, it will need to be the 4-door model. If it is not, let me know and we can explore other options.

It is not recommended to use both trailer hitches at the same time due to the possibility of exceeding the tongue weight of your vehicle. The tongue weight of the Curt hitch is 500 lbs or 600 lbs when using weight distribution. Based on my research, your stock Class II hitch has a tongue weight of 200-350 lbs so you will need to adhere to those weights when using each respective hitch.

If you would like to use your bike rack while towing from your 2-inch hitch, I would recommend the Curt Multipurpose Ball Mount with 2-inch Receiver # D210. It provides a shank to tow your trailer as well as a 2-inch receiver you can use to carry a hitch-mounted bike rack. The tongue weight capacity is 750 lbs with a towing capacity of 7500 lbs. The receiver has a weight capacity of 350 lbs. The combined weight of the bikes and the bike rack as well as the trailers tongue weight all counts as tongue weight.

If you need wiring for your trailer, you might be interested in the Tow Ready T-One Wiring Harness # 118344. It requires no cutting, taping, or splicing and can be used with 5-pole, 6-pole, or 7-pole adapters. I have included a link to the installation instructions for this item. If you need a ball mount, we offer the etrailer.com Ball Mount Kit # 989900 which features 2 different ball mounts, 2 hitch balls, a pin and clip, and a mount bag. I have included a link to a review video of the ball mount kit.