Ok, my receiver arrived with a bag of 8 bolts and "Instructions". Step 1: an eyeball, a book, and a bumper magically being removed. WTH does that mean? So much for an easy install.That bar that spans the whole bumper is colloquially called a "crash bar". It, along with the EPS (Styrofoam), is what's primarily supposed to deform and absorb energy from a collision.
The Ford Explorer has a similar setup. The OEM hitch is part of the crash bar itself. An aftermarket hitch for the Explorer bolts to the subframe/unibody structure below the crash bar.
I'd wager that the aftermarket hitches for the Maverick will be similar in that they will bolt to the subframe/unibody below the crash bar. Aftermarket companies generally want easier installation over better (AKA higher) hitch receiver placement. Removing the crash bar requires a lot of disassembly and reassembly, which increases the chances of damaging something in the process.
Sponsored