What Ball Mount Will Fit a 1-1/4 Factory Trailer Hitch on a 2001 Ford Escape

Published 09/15/2010

Products Featured in This Question

Brophy Drawbar for 1-1/4" Hitches - 5-1/2" Rise, 6" Drop - 7-1/4" Long - 3.5K

(329)

$59.93

Curt Class I Drawbar - 2-5/8" Rise, 3-1/4" Drop - 7-1/4" Long - 2,000 lbs

(2291)

$22.35

Question:

Some similar ball mounts say they will not fit Ford factory mount. Will this fit my 2001 Ford Escape 1 1/4 receiver?

asked by: Jim C

Expert Reply:

There are two possible reasons why some 1-1/4 inch ball mounts might not fit in the factory trailer hitch on your 2001 Ford Escape. First, if the factory trailer hitch is what is considered a Class I trailer hitch, a Class II, 1-1/4 inch ball mount will not fit. They are designed this way for safety.

Check the capacity of your factory trailer hitch. If it is 200 pounds tongue weight capacity and 2,000 pounds gross trailer weight, you have a Class I hitch and will need a Class I ball mount. Since the ball mount you reference is a Class II, it will not fit a Class I trailer hitch. The closest Class I ball mount we have to the BM96 is # C45022.

Second, the factory trailer hitch may be slightly smaller than some 1-1/4 ball mounts to fit. The solution is to remove just enough of the powder coating to allow the ball mount to fit. You do not what to remove any metal or bend the ball mount to fit as that will compromise the structural integrity of the ball mount. I have not heard of this as an issue with the Ford Escape or 1-1/4 inch Ford receivers, so it is probably not the case.

I have included links to choosing the correct ball mount, and information on trailer hitch classes below.

expert reply by: Michael H