A CURT front trailer hitch allows you to use the front end of your vehicle for a variety of towing applications. They can be used for mounting a winch, a snow plow, a number of towing accessories and can even be used for some trailering applications. When space is limited, a front trailer hitch is commonly used to hold a cargo carrier, freeing up space inside the vehicle for extra cargo and making the rear mount receiver available to pull a trailer. At the boat ramp, your boat trailer can be hitched up to the front receiver hitch, giving you better control over the trailer as you launch. Some of the other accessories that can be used with a front tow hitch are the CURT winch mount, step pad, license plate holder, spare tire mount, skid shield and tow hooks. All CURT front trailer hitches provide a useful receiver tube to accept a 2" x 2" shank, and they are commonly used on trucks, vans and SUVs. This front trailer hitch is rated for 5,000 lbs. GTW and 500 lbs. TW. It also has a straight-line pull rating of 9,000 lbs. It is designed to be a custom trailer hitch for certain years of the Ford Explorer (to verify your vehicle compatibility, see application info). It comes with all necessary hardware for a complete installation and is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.