We have a 2010 Ford Explorer and are looking at a 2017 Starcraft Outfitter series. These trailers have a hitch that is 24" tall. Connected to the Explorer, the trailer would tilt towards the vehicle significantly. Are there recommendations to avoid this tilt? Any attachments available? Would it be better to purchase a trailer that is shorter?
What model of Starcraft Outfitter are you buying and what is the payload rating of your Explorer (see yellow sticker on the door of your explorer that says “weight of cargo and occupants should not exceed xxxxx lbs”)?
A standard drop hitch can be flipped over and becomes a raised hitch. But of course you might not be able to open the lift gate with the hitch installed.
What's the height of the truck receiver? The ball typically sits a couple inches above the receiver tube.
Are you sure the trailer is 24" when the trailer is level?
Yes, you want the trailer pretty close to level going down the road but make sure you have an issue before doing something.
- Use a weight distributing hitch (WDH). This will reduce how much the truck squats when loaded. If it's still squatting a lot, there are suspension upgrades that can reduce it more.
- Most WDH can be adjusted to raise the ball 3-4 inches.
Those are the simple straight forward solutions.
You could check if you can fit slightly larger diameter tires without other complications. This could buy you an inch or two but it will throw off your speedometer and if too large, could lug your engine as you are effectively in a higher gear.
Then there are lift kits (think off road trucks) but they aren't always well suited to towing.
A decent welder should be able to put on a new trailer hitch that drops the connection a few inches.
If the trailer springs are above the axle, you can do a flip and put them below.
