a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

[QOH'S]

A VERY NEWBIE TO BOATING HERE GENTLEMEN!! A FEW SIMPLE QUESTIONS.
1) I have a 98 explorer V6.
2) I just bought 92 fourrwinns freedom 18 ft.

i know i need the rceiver hitch and i priced 1 at a trailor dealor and they quoted me like $305 for hitch and lights installed.
after i got home i started researching hitches and saw that i could get the hitch and litghts for like $150. am I being hit hard for the $350 installed ?

 

[chris4x4]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

That seems to me to be the going rate to get a hitch installed. If you can shange you own oil and filters, you can install a hitch. Take you time and read the directions.

 

[cbear34]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

That's about the right price installed.
You can order a class III hitch and most of them just bolt on without any drilling. You can also purchase the trailer harness which just plugs in to the existing vehicle harness. I installed a Hidden Hitch from a company in Rockford, IL. I received it in 1 day and had it installed in 1/2 hour.
Good Luck!

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

i also ordered for hidden hitch, for my mercury mariner, 1/2 hour installation. follow their directions, it is simple.

 

[KM2]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

$300 + is a little high considering it would take 45minutes max for someone who does this type of thing for a living.

Buy a hitch and do it yourself, it's not complicated. etrailer.com seems to have some on the best prices and service online.

Tip: Try to hose off the underside of the truck before you work under it or wear safety googles. Speaking from experience here.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

Tip: Try to hose off the underside of the truck before you work under it or wear safety googles. Speaking from experience here.

good point!!!

 

[jeeperman]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

Just make sure you buy the hitch that says "no drilling required" some do and some don't.
When you get it, review the instructions and see if it bolts into threaded holes already in your frame.
Since yours is 10 years old, you might want to run a tap thru any threaded holes before messing them up with the bolts.

 

[gstanton]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

While I agree that you can do it yourself, I once had one installed at a U-Haul for ~ $200. That was around 1997. Might be a better price?

 

[dave11]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

Reese has hitches you can just bolt on very easily. Have someone hold it up for you while you put in the first bolts. Then tighten them. We are talking about 10 minutes here. There will probably be 4 to 6 bolts. Splicing into the wiring will be another half hour or so. get the wiring schematic, which color wires go where, and just connect your pigtail. There are connectors you just lay the wires in and close it with a pair of pliers. It really is very easy.

 

[arboldt]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

A lot depends on your tow vehicle.

I bought a Valley hitch with a 2" receiver a year ago from etrailer.com. Best prices I could find, and I did a lot of web searching / shopping. Installed it myself in under 1/2 hour. Another 1/2 hour or less for the wiring harness. Total cost was about $125 - $130, if I remember correctly.

I'd also suggest you check out etrailer.com for their instructions on getting the right up/drop sizing on the receiver bar.

 

[beezee28]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

You can also go to wally world and get the hitch and install it youself. For the light you can also get it at wally world. That is what I did and save a bunch.

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

I found mine at a junkyard for $50. (No reciever.) Shade tree mechanic installed it on a 1998 Dodge caravan. Glad I let him do it, the "bolt on" holes had rusty bolts in them. It was a MAJOR job to get them out, he used a torch, pnuematic impact, etc. and all he managed was to break bolts off. Eventually he did get it on. Charged me $80. Worth every penny! The ball and reciever were $25.

On the other hand, I would not let ANYONE do my wiring. I have seen more vehicles screwed up with trailer wiring. (Actually the first one was screwed up by U-Haul. Number 2 was a local trailer hittch installer. After two in a row, I always do my own.)

Terry

 

[HighTrim]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

As already mentioned, dont cheap out on the hitch. The cheap 'universal' ones often require drilling and in some cases, removing the spare tire. This type of labour is not worth the 20 bucks you will save. I would get a Reese.

 

[Lou C]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

I used both the OE hitch and wiring, got them from a dealer that used to sell the OE stuff for a little over wholesale, so it was a good deal. To install the hitch was very easy on my 98 Grand Cherokee, at the time it was only about 2 years old so no rust in the bolt holes, 3 bolts on each side of the hitch. Wiring, I would go OE you don't want electrical problems esp with modern vehicles as complex as they are. No problems at all in 6 years of boat towing.

 

[QOH'S]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

Thank you for all the advice gentlemen!! I got it done for 235$$ UHAUL. im very pleased!!!

 

[wismike]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

I agree with the U-Haul idea. I just bought a 2008 Alumacraft TS 185 and needed a hitch put on my truck. I called all around and had prices from $900 to $400. Then I called U-Haul. ......$286. The truck is a Honda Ridgeline and as you can guess the $900 bid was from the Honda dealer.

 

[jddenham]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

I did my own with a Hidden Hitch and was very pleased with the quality and directions. It only took maybe 30 minutes to install.

I then had a local shop do the electrical for around $50 cause I didn't want to mess with it.

 

[mickjetblue]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

Sounds like you got a good deal from UHaul on the receiver install.
I just installed a class 2 receiver on my mini-van, and I had to drill
a couple of 1/2" holes. This was the third one I've done where I had
to drill a couple of holes, in addition to the existing welded in-frame
nuts supplied.

If you are not used to that type of work, then you really got a good deal.
Drilling 1/2" holes through the frame can be tricky work. The in-frame
welded nuts supplied with the vehicle are ok for class 1 towing, but
heavier towing, like class 2 and 3, require more than that for strength.

Happy boating!

 

[reelfishin]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

I've seen a few different Explorer hitches, the heaviest options usually require drilling a couple of holes, but most bolt to the rear bumper bracket holes.
I got the hitch for my Ranger for $35 off of eBay minus the bolt kit and with a slight bend in one side bracket, It had been dropped or something and returned, so it was sold cheap. I simply banged the bracket back into place and I had the bolts I needed here anyhow. The worst part on the Ranger was bolting the whole mess all back up together with the rear step bumper and getting it all realigned. I had to drill 4 new holes on top of the four that were already there, but it's also a much heavier hitch than I needed, I doubt I'll ever come close to the 12,000lb rating or the 1000lb tongue weight. Especially on a 4 cyl stick Ranger. The same hitch listed for all year Rangers and a few older Explorers, so even if I don't keep this truck, it will most likely fit my next truck too.

It sounds like you got treated right by Uhaul, if there was drilling required, it was well worth the labor to just let them do it, especially if you don't have the tools to do the job at hand. Most all hitch installs sort of need a second set of hands or a jack to hold everything up in place. I've installed dozens of trailer hitches over the years, and custom built just as many, the part I hate is having to do the install on the ground when you have drill the frame, you just never get used to the hot metal chips flying all over or falling down your sleeves.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: a newbie needs receiver hitch imfo

I've seen a few different Explorer hitches, the heaviest options usually require drilling a couple of holes, but most bolt to the rear bumper bracket holes.
I got the hitch for my Ranger for $35 off of eBay minus the bolt kit and with a slight bend in one side bracket, It had been dropped or something and returned, so it was sold cheap. I simply banged the bracket back into place and I had the bolts I needed here anyhow. The worst part on the Ranger was bolting the whole mess all back up together with the rear step bumper and getting it all realigned. I had to drill 4 new holes on top of the four that were already there, but it's also a much heavier hitch than I needed, I doubt I'll ever come close to the 12,000lb rating or the 1000lb tongue weight. Especially on a 4 cyl stick Ranger. The same hitch listed for all year Rangers and a few older Explorers, so even if I don't keep this truck, it will most likely fit my next truck too.

It sounds like you got treated right by Uhaul, if there was drilling required, it was well worth the labor to just let them do it, especially if you don't have the tools to do the job at hand. Most all hitch installs sort of need a second set of hands or a jack to hold everything up in place. I've installed dozens of trailer hitches over the years, and custom built just as many, the part I hate is having to do the install on the ground when you have drill the frame, you just never get used to the hot metal chips flying all over or falling down your sleeves.

Sounds like the hitch itself could be close to max hauling weight for some vehicles !!!! LOL