Has anyone installed a front hitch on a 75-91 ford van.

[why3zx]

I have a 91 E350 (Airstream B190) and am looking to install a front class III hitch as a recovery point as well as hauling an aux hitch rack.

The Curt website lists part # 33055 as the correct hitch for the 91' ( http://www.curtmfg.com/HitchLookup/...ord&model=Econoline&style=E-350+Full+Size+Van ) However it also lists that part number for the 92+ vans and does not have a listing for the 90-75 vans. This makes me wonder if this listing is an error.

Can anyone shed any light on this?

TIA.

 

[Mwilliamshs]

Been wondering this myself!

I've seen the same thing. Curt 33055 and DrawTite 65001 are the hitches you're speaking of. I think they've got to be for 1992 and later, but some vans sold as 1991's must have been 4th gen body styles. Either early production, funny titling at the dealers or DMV, etc. The frames are very different though (crumple zones are a biggie for hitch mounting) and I don't think one of those hitches would bolt to the older vans without at least some modifying. I'm assuming (dangerous I know) that the frame rails are the same distance apart. I do plan on figuring this out eventually and either fabricating a front hitch or something similar for a recovery point and maybe a rack. There's not much under the front end to hook a chain or strap to and I want something secure up front before venturing way down south of the border.

Maybe Chris from U-Joint (or anyone else with a newer van, but I figure he has one on the rack or already has pictures) could post some pictures of the 92+ frame rails? Some scale work of the pic below indicates the bolt-holes in the hitch's frame brackets are ~5.5" on center. Can anybody verify? There's no guarantee these pics are exact but they're from different sites of the same application and appear to match so I'd bet they're correct. Top 2 pics are Curt and bottom 2 are DrawTite. Subtle differences.

 

[why3zx]

Yeah, it sure looks that way. Thinking without major modification that there is little chance it will fit. Looks like thre is a lot more room between the front of the frame and the sway bar on a 4th gen than on a 3rd.



Need someone with a 4th gen e350 to measure the distance between your frame rails.

 

[Sea.Jay]

im going through an issue with mounting a front hitch on my 2005 e350. Bought a curt and it would not fit without spacing it down or taking that notch out even more towards the front roughly 7/8" of an inch. I didnt want to do either so I looked at the curt and draw tite pictures a little more closely and you can see that the part on the draw tite that is bent down (whereas the curt is cut out) is more towards the front mounting hole and the cut out on the curt is further back.

Really ticked me off but just a heads up of something to look out for and save yourself the headache.

Chris

 

[why3zx]

Anyone with a 4th gen E Van willing to measure between the front frame rails?

 

[Bikersmurf]

Not sure if it's 4th generation...
12/96 E350 superduty w/ambulance package : 33.5" between frame rails, 36" c-c on mounting bolts for front sway bar mounts, and 38.25 between holes through bottom of frame where the hitch pictures appears to be mounted.

Hope it helps.

 

[why3zx]

Not sure if it's 4th generation...
12/96 E350 superduty w/ambulance package : 33.5" between frame rails, 36" c-c on mounting bolts for front sway bar mounts, and 38.25 between holes through bottom of frame where the hitch pictures appears to be mounted.

Hope it helps.

Thank you very much, A 96 is perfect! I will measure and post my results this weekend.

 

[Bikersmurf]

No problem. Let me know if you need any other measurements.

Someday I'd like to wire up a winch for a front mount receiver... Then get a sutable 12,000 lb winch for the 8500 lb rig.

 

[gscott]

7 years later. Has anyone done this yet? Any out-of-the-box solutions?
I read somewhere the rear hitch for Gen4 Econoline will fit the front of the Gen3. I'm doubtful.

 

[Bikersmurf]

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