How to Determine Curt Hitch C15300 Clearance with Rear Skid Plate on 1987 Ford F-150

Updated 09/02/2016 | Published 09/01/2016

Question:

MY1987 Ford 150 has skid plates on my rear gas tank can I install your C15300 with out removing the rear 1/2 of the skid plate. This truck has 2 piece skid plate.

asked by: JERRY K

Expert Reply:

Curt Class V hitch # C15300 is a confirmed fit on your 1987 Ford F-150. To help you determine if it will be compatible with your skid plate I went to our warehouse and took a measurement of the hitch to find out the distance from the mounting brackets (that bolt to the bottom of your frame rails) down to the center of the crosstube. This dimension you can compare to your frame-to-skid plate dimension to see if the hitch will clear it.

The photo I prepared for you shows that from the top of the mounting brackets (which contact the bottoms of the frame rails) the distance to the top center of the hitch cross tube is 5-1/2-inches. This is the raised center point where there is a reinforcing plate welded between the crosstube and the receiver tube.

On your truck you can measure from the bottom of the frame rails to the bottom of your skid plate. So long as this distance is less than the 5-1/2-inches the hitch should clear the skid plate and allow for normal installation as shown in the linked video for a 1997 F-150.

expert reply by: Adam R