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How to install trailer hitch

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Old 01-16-2013 | 04:32 PM
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stonny9's Avatar
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Joined: 06-27-05
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From: southeast florida
How to install trailer hitch

I bought the Hidden Hitch from etrailer. Search on retailmenot for a coupon code. I got about 5% off. Total came to $200.36 with free shipping cause it was above $150.


I ordered
$185.95 60815 Hidden Hitch Trailer Hitch Receiver with Drawbar - Custom Fit - Class I - 1-1/4"
$24.95 118407 T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness

Get the harness I got that is plug in play. There are other hitches but I got this one cause the price was comparable and I didnt have to worry about ordering the wrong drawbar cause it came with one included.

I already had a ball so one was not ordered. They also come in different diameters and the bolt is sized for your class of hitch. You can buy universal ***** to quickly swap out from 1 7/8" to 2" quickly if for some reason you pull a trailer with a different size. Get a quality one. My brother had a uhaul quick change one and the ball rusted to its mount making it just a 2" ball.

Tools needed
1/2" drill bit and drill
3/4" socket and ratchet
75 ft/lb torque wrench or 2 ft ratchet/cheater bar to make to nuts good-n-tight.
1/4" bit to drill in self tapping grounding screw
Gel Lock-Tite if you want to. I did but not called for in directions.
One person to help for 10 mins while bolting hitch on.

The directions are pretty self explanatory and install should take an hour at most at a very relaxing pace. First chalk the front wheels and jack the left rear side up some supporting the car with a jack stand. I tried without jacking it up but was unable to get the hitch in at the proper angle. I found it better with two people cause you want to have a person on each side so the bolts arent knocked back into the frame.

Next slide the three rear hangers off of the exhaust and let it hang down.

Hitch just out of box
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Plug-n-play wire harness
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How the feeder wire and bolt look when connected.
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First drill a 1/2" hole in the rear most oval cutout of each beam. You will see there is a round whole and oval one. Drill the rear most oval one on each beam. It doesnt need to be exact as the hitch will have some wiggle room. After words slide the bolt through to make sure it fits cause you will be fishing the bolt through it in a minute.
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NOTE install both of the rear block and bolts first before the fronts as u are pulling them through the install holes for the front bolts.
With the fishing/pulling wire kinda straightened out feed it threaded part first from the rear drilled hole to the front oval hole leaving some wire hanging out the drilled hole. DO NOT STRAIGHTEN THE COILED PART OUT.

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Attach the block and thread the bolt and feed it back through pulling on the other end of the wire.
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When the bolt gets to the hole just wiggle it some and it will slide through. Then twist it a little the get the head to line up and slide into the block.
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Do the same for the other rear bolt and block.

Now install the front bolt and block on each side throught the front oval holes the you fished the rear bolt/block through
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After all 4 bolts are installed slide the hitch into place. I just put the 4 nuts on loosely first to get it in place and have the bolts secured so they wouldnt get pushed into the frame/unibody. Before the nuts are tightened butt the driver side of the hitch up against the trunk pan. Put the left rear nut on first as the hitch has to be angled in the get it around the exhaust support bracket. Second put on the right rear nut. After all 4 nuts were on I then took one nut off at a time applied lock-tite then re-installed with the washer. If you put the washer on and push it to one side applying side pressure to the bolt it will help hold the bolt from sliding up as you put the nut on.

Installed. If you dont have a torque wrench notice the exposed threads to get an idea of how tight they have to be. which is very tight.
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Now install plug-n-play trailer wire harness. If you are unsure of how to unplug the factory harness just look at the trailer one. It uses the same plug design and is identical in function
Remove the top plastic nut from the top of each side of the net
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Harness will go in like this. Note the color of wires. If you get it wrong then your trailer turn signal lights will just be reversed
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Unplug the factory plug and connect the harness. The trailer plug comes off the the harness plug on the drivers side
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The passenger side plug has the green wire.
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I removed the plastic panel and ran the green wire behind it but you could also just run it down where the battery is. Panel pops off with an upward tug.
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Use the drill with 1/4 bit and self tapping screw included with the harness to attach the grounding wire. Be careful where you screw so yow dont screw it though the thin sheet metal and hit anything. Be careful of the taillight area and the area around the trunk gasket as you may screw though in those areas.
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I chose to feed it out through here so it can be tucked behind the cover when not in use.
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I dont see anyone being able to see the hitch when the receiver is off unless they bend down to look.
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Last edited by stonny9; 01-16-2013 at 04:37 PM.
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