Hidden Hitch Question?

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Fathergoose - 18 Aug 2006 01:51 GMT

Has anyone had any experience with the hitches for 2000 AWD Explorer V8 with
16 inch tires?

I am looking at the Hidden-Hitch model #70647 round tube Class III-IV.

In the installation instructions it says a minor modification needs to be
made.
The mod is to bend the forward spare tire catcher 1/2 inch forwards towards
the front of the vehicle.
This is in order to be able to keep the 16 inch spare tire in place under
the vehicle.

My question could it be pushed forward while the hitch is bolted on the
frame or does it mean absolutely it needs to be bent permanently?
If bent for good what method is supposed to be used?

Here is the link;
http://search.cartserver.com/search/search.cgi?cartid=s-1547&bool=AND&category=l
_HH_Class_3_4&maxhits=1&keywords=hh3053&GO=GO%21
If you want to look at the installation instructions a link is there to
click on. It is there it mentions the modification that needs to be made.

I am wanting to have it be having the sleek contour that this hitch would
give me. Where part of it is recessed and curved to fit the look of the rear
of the Explorer.

Can someone help me understand the obvious here?
thanks for reading .

Signature

~Bill~

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Xx - 18 Aug 2006 22:42 GMT

I have the same hitch installed on my 98 Explorer Sport. It does require
bending the forward part of the spare tire carrier to get the spare tire
back under the vehicle. I used a sledge hammer.

> Has anyone had any experience with the hitches for 2000 AWD Explorer V8
> with 16 inch tires?
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> Can someone help me understand the obvious here?
> thanks for reading .

Reply to this Message

Fathergoose - 18 Aug 2006 23:03 GMT

Thank you for the answer to my dilemma!
Since I posted some have said that simply after lowering the spare and
installing the hitch and raising the spare back pushing on it forward will
do the trick also...what do you say?
Would that leave the spare in an unusual position that would not be good to
leave that way?

Again thanks for the response!
fathergoose
=====================================

>I have the same hitch installed on my 98 Explorer Sport. It does require
>bending the forward part of the spare tire carrier to get the spare tire
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
>> Can someone help me understand the obvious here?
>> thanks for reading .

Reply to this Message

Xx - 19 Aug 2006 01:24 GMT

I would try and get the spare tire back in the original position as it was
before the installation of the hitch. That way the tire won't rock and
apply an additional downward force to the cable holding the spare up.
Secondly, the spare looks funny if you don't put it up between the frame
rails.

> Thank you for the answer to my dilemma!
> Since I posted some have said that simply after lowering the spare and
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
>>> Can someone help me understand the obvious here?
>>> thanks for reading .

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Fathergoose - 20 Aug 2006 17:39 GMT

Thank you very much for your help in understanding the situation.
I went out on the driveway with my creeper and looked at it a bit.
I have been hobbled since my recent surgery and recovery so unable to go out
there and look under the vehicle .

SO, I noticed that there is a piece of sort of wide metal curved with ribs
to sort of cradle the spare on the front and back of where the spare will be
once cranked all the way up into the bottom of the explorer.

I assume this is the piece that needs "love tapped" forward about 1/2 inch
per installation instructions.
Correct?
Did you hit it on the bottom of the curved ribbed metal piece or sort of up
from the bottom some?
I was totally mistaken in my mind of what the instructions were saying until
you told me along with getting out there under my explorer the driveway.
I was having a local shop, Ziebart" do the install so I wanted to understand
the procedure.....because They have got the wrong one in twice. The first
time the mfg. fault the second the shop fault.
They had ordered the hitch that said it wouldn't work with the 16 inch spare
tire unless you didn't want to put the spare back up after installation of
the hitch....it was drawtite #75083........

anyway can you remember the question I asked since I went on my tangent
here....?....<grins>

thanks again to you Xx and or anyone else who wants to jump in here.

fathergoose
====================================

>I would try and get the spare tire back in the original position as it was
>before the installation of the hitch. That way the tire won't rock and
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
>>>> Can someone help me understand the obvious here?
>>>> thanks for reading .

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