theres a few of the same year of my truck at the junkyard ... wondering if it will fit my ranger, and what particular type of explorer should i pull one off if so.

 

I would also like to know because my neighbor's son totalled his 1998 explorer and I can get his hitch if it would fit.

 

i got a pm about this issue, apparently it can be done but you need to drill holes in the frame and do some welding on the hitch so ill keep looking for a ranger .... but hell grab his hitch and get some pics so we can see what wont line up and what needs to be done

 

I'll try to grab it ASAP.

 

yeah, the exploders are different, i got lucky on my hitch, a guy pulled it off of a b-series, and i picked it up for $50

 

yea well either way im grabbin somethin before the end of jan when i move to az the bumper isnt gonna cut it towing my dodge shortbed util trailer

 

i know how ya feel, i was always a little scared of towing on the bumper of my truck

 

I believe the explorer frame is wider than the ranger. At least my brothers 98 explorer is noticibly wider than my 97 ranger. I took my class 3 hitch off a Gen 1 or 2 ranger. The holes lined up pretty well. I think I had to drill one on each side.

 

Yeah, the frame is wayyy wider. it doesn't bolt up at all. I had to get it cut and custom fab some brackets for it. Explorer hitches will fit, but with some modifications.... alot

 

Dang, guess I'll have to look for a differnt hitch then.

 

Yeah, it'd probably be easier to find an actual Ranger hitch. Luckily I know a welder or I would've had to get a different hitch.