Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver with Standard Drawbar - Custom Fit - Class I - 1-1/4"

Video Transcript for Trailer Hitch Installation - 2012 Mazda 3 - Curt

Today on our 2012 Mazda 3, we're going to be taking a look at and installing the Curt class 1 trailer hitch receiver, part number C11383. Here's what this hitch is going to look like once it's installed on the vehicle. What I like most about it is how far out the receiver tube comes, so it's going to give you plenty of access to use just about any accessory with this hitch. It tucks up tightly to the underside of the facia and this way the only thing you're going to see is the receiver tube and safety chain connection points. This hitch features the 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch receiver tube opening with welded on reinforcement collar to give it a nice look ad also help with durability. Feature the 1/2 hitch pinhole, which is going to be good for securing any of your class 1 accessories. This hitch features a 200 pound max tongue weight rating, which is the downward force on the inside edge of the receiver tube opening here.

It features a 2000 pound gross trailer weight rating. You will want to be sure to check your owner's manual to see that your vehicle is rated for that type of weight. Now keep in mind when using all none trailer loads they do require the use of a stabilization strap. You can get that on our cite, part number 18050. I can give you some measurements to help assist you with your selection of hitch mounted accessories like bike racks or cargo carriers. The distance from the center of the hitch pinhole to the outermost part of the bumper is 3.5 inches.

The distance from the inside top edge of the receiver tube opening to the ground is 9 3/4 inches. It's a nice straightforward installation, with no drilling required. Here are the tools that we're going to need for our installation. We're going to have a short 11/16 socket, a long 11/16 socket, a 10mm socket. Then we're going to have an extension, you can use a ratchet, you can also use an impact driver, if you have one, an 11/16 inch wrench, and a torque wrench. Now let's show you how to install this hitch. First thing we'll need to do to begin our installation is we'll need to identify our three mounting locations on either side.

You've got this circular hole that's towards the inside of the frame rail here and then these two holes on the frame rail further forward on the vehicle. Now keep in mind anything that we do to one side for this install we'll be doing the same thing on the other side. Now we'll take one of our fish wires and feed the coil then through our forward most mounting location. Feed it towards the rear in order to come out through the access hole here on the inside of the frame rail. Then we can take one of our square hold spacer blocks and a 7/16 carriage bolt and thread it into our fish wire.

Then we'll feed the block in through the frame first, followed by out carriage bolt. There is a small flange, right inside here, that you will need to get that block and carriage bolt over so you'll need to carefully pull it through. You might have to help finagle that block through. Then you can pull it through into it's location and remove the fish wire. Then we'll do the same thing for our other two mounting locations on this side. Finally we'll do our rearmost attachment point. We'll leave the fish wire on that one. In order to put our hitch up into place we're going to need to use a 10mm socket and take out the bolts for these two facia supports. Then we'll fold then down out of the way, so we can get our hitch to go up behind our facia. It's a good idea to grab an extra set of hands to help put the hitch up into place. We'll take that fish wire and feed it through our rearmost mounting location. We'll carefully feed it up into place. When feeding it up into position you want to be sure not to push any of your carriage bolts back up into the frame. We'll take one of our 7/16 flange nuts and thread it onto one our carriage bolts to help hold it in place. Now we can take our fish wire off. Now use an 11/16 socket and begin to tighten our hardware. Now we'll go back through and torque all of our fasteners to the specification listed in the instructions. Now we can reinstall our facia support brackets. That's going to complete our look at and installation of the Curt class 1 trailer hitch receiver, part number C11383 on our 2012 Mazda 3.