Curt Hitch Installed

[Goodland]

I was having trouble finding many photos of how much the Curt hitch stuck out, reduced departure angle, etc.

Here's a photo and a garbage phone drawing approximation. I went the U-Haul route and it was around $560 with wiring.

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[RushMan]

I was having trouble finding many photos of how much the Curt hitch stuck out, reduced departure angle, etc.

Here's a photo and a garbage phone drawing approximation. I went the U-Haul route and it was around $560 with wiring.

Nice contribution to the forum.
I measure a loss of about 3 degrees of departure angle, from about 30 degrees (no hitch) to about 27 degrees with the hitch.

 

[Goodland]

Nice contribution to the forum.
I measure a loss of about 3 degrees of departure angle, from about 30 degrees (no hitch) to about 27 degrees with the hitch.

Sounds about right! I wish it was zero loss, but making the sacrifice seems reasonable enough. I wonder if the OEM hitch is tucked enough that the departure angle is unaffected.

 

[RushMan]

Sounds about right! I wish it was zero loss, but making the sacrifice seems reasonable enough. I wonder if the OEM hitch is tucked enough that the departure angle is unaffected.

I used a graphic editing program to measure the angles.
I'd measure a stock hitch too, if I had an appropriate photo.
I'm a couple weeks away from delivery of my BS BL, or I'd shoot a pic of mine and measure it.

 

[BourbonRunner]

I used a graphic editing program to measure the angles.
I'd measure a stock hitch too, if I had an appropriate photo.
I'm a couple weeks away from delivery of my BS BL, or I'd shoot a pic of mine and measure it.

Here you go. FWIW I just got to finally use the hitch with a trailer on Friday. I did wind up having to buy a shorter tow bar than I used with my last few trucks. It seems like Ford set the chain loops back further on the hitch compared to my old Tacoma's OEM hitch.

 

[RushMan]

Here you go. FWIW I just got to finally use the hitch with a trailer on Friday. I did wind up having to buy a shorter tow bar than I used with my last few trucks. It seems like Ford set the chain loops back further on the hitch compared to my old Tacoma's OEM hitch.

Various sources quote the Badlands (no hitch) departure angle as 33 degrees, and above, I measured about 30 degrees.
Because camera height, vehicle leveling can all affect the measurement from a photo, there is some error in this measurement.
In the new photo here, I measured the difference between the stock hitch and the no hitch as about 1.5 degrees.

I'd go as far as to generalize that the difference between the Curt hitch and the Ford hitch is about 1 - 1.5 degrees in departure angle.
Or interpolating using the 33 degrees as starting point:
No hitch (Badlands, First Edition, or Heritage Limited)) 33 degrees
Ford hitch: 31.5 degrees
Curt hitch: 30 degrees.
IMO, that's still very impressive for a soft roader.

Just found the departure angle for the OB, BB, and Heritage models. It's 30.4 degrees.

 

[BourbonRunner]

@RushMan the thought of the angle and height from which I took the photo did cross my mind after I posted this. I think you're absolutely spot on- as far as a soft-roader goes this thing is muy impressive, regardless of factory hitch or not.

I threw a rental Home Depot trailer on it to haul about 20 heavy bags of yard waste and trimming to the dump the other day ahead of this N'oreaster and was impressed that the trailer wasn't even noticeable, loaded or unloaded. HD says it was about 800lbs and I easily threw another 300lbs on the trailer. Figure that's getting close to half of the rated tow capacity of the truck in the first place. I've never had a vehicle "recognize" there was a trailer attached before by plugging in.

***Our landfill has an impressive composting facility that keeps getting bigger and better. They take all yard waste from residents and commercial for free, compost it and sell it back. Pickup again isn't until next month so rather than have the bags rot here in the rain it was worth it for the $50 for the rental to haul it over.

 

[NMhunter]

I can't count how many dips I've drug receiver hitches through without damage. That small difference in departure angle won't make much difference. My short wheelbas BS has gone through some knarly washouts without issue. Of course mine came with factory hitch.

 

[Goodland]

I can't count how many dips I've drug receiver hitches through without damage. That small difference in departure angle won't make much difference. My short wheelbas BS has gone through some knarly washouts without issue. Of course mine came with factory hitch.

Yeah, I'm not really thinking of it as a limiting factor as far as what I'll do with the vehicle, personally. It was just something I was curious about and couldn't find anywhere.

 

[kshaw]

Here is mine. I did not do the wiring so tow hitch and installation was only $307. Bike rack was another $130 from Craig's List.

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