Recommended Front Mount Hitch for Carrying Scooter on 2017 Ford F-350 Lariat

Question:

I want to get a front hitch to carry a scooter. The scooter weighs 270 pounds. Would this be OK for this hitch? I think I will be alright as long as I get a rack that weighs under the 500 pound total hitch limit. Am I correct?

asked by: Pat W

Expert Reply:

As long as the weight of your carrier plus the 270 lb weight of the scooter comes in under the 500 lb vertical load limit of the Draw-Tite # 65076, it'll work just fine for you. If you don't have a carrier in mind, the Ultra-Fab # UF48-979033 would be a great choice. The carrier features a ramp for easy loading and can handle tires up to 5 inches wide. The rack weighs just over 40 lbs, so when combined with the 270 lb weight of your scooter, you'll still have plenty of reserve capacity.

My only knock on the # 65076 is that it will reduce your ground clearance/approach angle at the front and will require that the bumper fascia/air dam be trimmed. You might find the EcoHitch # 306-X7904 more to your liking, as it will install a little higher on the vehicle. The receiver tube will sit right where the front license plate is. In fact, the hitch provides a license plate holder that mounts to the receiver tube when the hitch isn't in use. The hitch also has a higher 1000 vertical load capacity, double that of the Draw-Tite # 65076.

I'll provide you side by side photo of the two hitches once they're installed so you can see the difference.