Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

by: Steven 02/13/2024

2017 Subaru Forester

Easy installation on Subaru Forester, installed two similar to this on an Outback and Ascent.
Instructions were great!1731535

I chose etrailer.com for my Hitch because of the good background information they provide for the hitch's installation (the good price was also a major consideration). This is my second installation of a etrailer.com hitch on two different cars. The hitch arrived in good condition even though the box it was shipped in was lost in transit. I reviewed etrailers.com installation video and the written installation instructions that came with the hitch from Draw-Tite. etrailer.com video made the installing fairly easy. It really helps when you can watch how it is done. However I did not like slicing the heat shield as detailed in the video's instructions and followed Draw-Tite's instructions for the heat shield modification. etrailer.com's heat shield modification would have been much faster but I wanted more metal to help keep the heatshield from vibrating. Over all it took about two hours to do the installation. Only problem encountered was forgetting to put the rubber drain plugs back in the car's frame. It is really difficult to install the rubber plug back in once the muffler/hitch is in place. The hitch works perfectly and best of all I don't have to install a strap to steady the bike rack. Have just done a 1000 mile trip with no problems.909377

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James M.

11/8/2021

Hitch is working fine. No problems have been encountered

I installed Drawtite hitch # 75876 on my 2015 Subaru Forester. It arrived in good condition and there were no parts missing. The installation went without a hitch (pun intended) and it fits perfectly. I think the key to my successful installation was the instructional video on etrailer's website. It was very clear and concise. There is however one thing I would like to add for an even better installation. Instead of trimming the heat shield to allow for bolt access and have it dangle, I drilled two holes in the shield, threaded the bolts through it and clamped it between the car's frame and the hitch. If you're concerned that the heat shield will somehow interfere with secure bolting, it won't. Subaru intentionally marked the heat shield with two small dimples for drilling position. I drilled holes 1/16" larger than the bolts and the hole position was perfect. I should mention the dimples are very small, so wipe the heat shield to help find them. There's an R and an M on the shield and the dimples are within those letters. (See photo.) Lastly, this hitch is rated for heavier towing than a Forester can handle so choose wisely. I'm using it only for my bike rack and cargo carrier, so I will never exceed 2500 lbs. of towing weight. Thank you etrailer for the excellent video!443694

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Perry D.

10/18/2018

Its working out very well, thank you. Whats important is that I noticed other installers used my review to locate the two dimples on the heat shield for a more secure installation. It helped me and Im thankful it helped others. On another note, I did just notice a typo in my review that you might want to correct if you can. In the next-to-last sentence I state 250 lbs. of towing weight which should read 2500 lbs.

This is the 2nd trailer hitch I have purchased from Etrailer. I spent $7 for the upgraded shipping at the hitch arrived 4 days after I ordered it. I installed this hitch on my 2015 Subaru Forester XT. The installation video was dead on, I followed step by step and it took about 45 minutes using a cordless impact, a few deep well sockets and a couple wrenches.
-I used my floor jack to raise the hitch and align the bolts. A must if you don't have a second set of hands.
-Using the hole saw saved a lot of time to trim the heat shields. I used the dimples as suggested and it was close enough to re install the shield. I bought the hole saw at Home Depot for under $10.
-I used a lot of penetrating oil on the muffler hangers, made it a lot easier to remove and reinstall. Reinstalling the mufflers was the most time consuming step, but was well worth it to have the access to get the bolts.
-The hitch is tucked under the bumper, my thule bike rack fits perfect and is much more rigid than when I had it installed on a 1 1/4 receiver on my old car.
-There is no visual obstructions in the rear when the bike rack is installed.
-I saved about $300 using this setup over the factory hitch.
I would highly recommend Etrailer. The customer support is excellent and this hitch was a perfect match for my bike rack.
Thanks Etrailer!
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Bm

3/8/2016

From April to October, I had the bike rack installed on the trailer hitch and used it almost on a daily basis. I took several extended road trips with my mountain bike, and the hitch performed excellent. I remove the bike rack during ski season, but once the trails are snow free again, I will be using the bike rack and hitch on a daily basis. I am still super happy with the hitch I purchased from ETrailer and will definitely be buying towing products from this outstanding company.

I installed this hitch on my 2014 Subaru Forester. The instructions (especially the videos) were extremely helpful and well put together. With the help of my father, we installed in hitch in about 1.5 hours. I'm not quite sure why other customers are using the holes that can be accessed from within the rear of the interior, the fishing of the bolts as mentioned in the instructions went very smoothly. So far I have only attached my hitch-mounted bike rack, but I'm loving the hitch! Thank you etrailer, I will be back!387782

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Tim D.

6/6/2018

Hitch has been wonderful over the last year. There is a little bit of rust starting, but that is expected in Minnesota. Thanks for the great product and service!

Hitch was delivered fairly quickly but as others had experienced I had damaged packaging and needed to spray a little Rustoleum on it in a few places. I was able to follow the instructions that came with the product and did not have to enlarge any hole in the frame to fish the spacers and bolts as in the video. The video was very helpful though and I recommend watching it. I did remove the muffler and that made it much easier. I had the help of a friend with better tools than mine and it took us about an hour. This was installed on my 2017 Forester Premium. Would have given five stars if not for having to touch it up. I also installed the Curt C56040 wiring harness on my own and it went smoothly and exactly as in the video.1014426

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Ken B.

4/19/2022

Hitch has been working great. I use it to pull a utility trailer as well as for a basket carrier and bike rack

I bought this product for a 2014 Subaru Forester XT Touring model. I am very pleased with it. I choose this particular hitch for several reasons (the Draw-Tite and the Hidden Hitch for this vehicle are the same hitch with different product stickers).

While I have no intention of towing the weight this hitch is rated for as that would exceed the recommendations for my vehicle, I wanted the 2" receiver for my platform style bike rack. Also, while I realize it is unlikely, I didn't want to be close on the tongue weight if I loaded several bikes onto a 1 1/2" receiver. For a few extra dollars I don't have that concern.

There were two other things that sold me on this hitch. One was that the competitors hitch recommended an additional strap from the bike platform back to the car or their warranty is voided. Draw-Tite does not require this for their product. I called them to confirm that this was not needed. I guess it might make a difference if you travel rocky / off road. Platform bike racks are typically not recommended for that type of travel.

The other selling point was that Draw-Tite provided instructions on how to trim the muffler heat shields so that they could be kept in place. The competitors instructions called for those shields to be removed. Might be another "peace-of-mind" issue, but my feeling was that those shields were installed for a reason. I just felt better keeping them there. I am sure someone more mechanically inclined could figure that out with the other products (by even just using the instructions for this product) but I was having mine installed by a mechanic that deals with Subaru vehicles and I thought it better to have those instructions to provide them.

Very pleased with the product, the instillation and how it looks on the car. I would recommend this hitch receiver. 140822

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Glenn

7/20/2014

Thanks for the review and pictures. Reading the instructions it looks to me that you dont have to drill or widen any frame holes unlike other hitches. Is this what you found as well?

Rachael H.

7/21/2014

Gary mentioned that he did not do the installation himself, so he might not be able to tell you if the frame holes were needed to be enlarged. Although, according to the instructions this is not needed. The only trimming that is needed is for the for the heat shield. Thanks again to Gary for the review and photos.

etrailer is an excellent company. Their website was easy and friendly and guided me to purchase the correct bike hitch product for my 2016 Subaru Forester. Their email follow up and status updates as to delivery were super and the delivery of my product was actually much faster than I expected even though I had only asked for standard delivery. I had my hitch installed at an Autoplex Dealer in my area ( yet another great company). Pictures are attached. Thanks!437470

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Harv B.

10/2/2018

Product is still great. Service was exceptional!

I want to thank etrailer for the prompt order delivery. Thanks to them, I was able to put my hitch on my 2016 Subaru Forester in time for my vacation. Also, the installation video was invaluable. It gave me the confidence to attempt the install in the first place. The hitch looks great. I'd recommend etrailer and draw-tight hitch to everyone. 269327

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Mark V.

7/8/2017

A year later my hitch is working perfectly. It is still tight as the day I put it on, no rust has formed on it, and Ive used it several times. I would still recommend this product to everyone.

Installed in just about 1 hour, I needed to step drill the center hole for clearance for plates and carriage bolts. The fish wires worked great and easy install. My Subaru Forester is ready to go camping and fishing. Thank you etrailer.552634

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David

8/11/2019

It’s been working great , I’m going to need to purchase a new bike rack from you, haha

by: Jkl11/27/2016

2015 Subaru Forester

Simple to install took less than an hour no drilling (will need to cut heat guard, can be done with tin snips) looks great. I highly recommend it. Dealer wanted $850 for their hitch. I paid less than a quarter of that.
If you put a basket on your hitch I recommend getting your exhaust directed downward. I found a mechanic that did it for $30 it keeps items from melting from the exhaust heat.319915

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Jkl

11/27/2017

great

by: Richard09/01/2022

A great price for a quality product. Draw-Tite is considered one of the best, it came complete with all mounting hardware and was easy to install, no modifications needed. A very solid mount. Any assistance we needed was met by a qualifed person, friendly and professional. It was a great experience and would recommend etrailer for all your towing needs1387685

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Great delivery thanks. First bought this hitch a week ago from Amazon, never again. Amazon sent the wrong hitch with an incomplete parts package, packed in a mangled box that gave pause to both me and the UPS guy. Nice to enjoy an on-time delivery and complete order.1696873

I installed this Draw-Tite 2” hitch (#75876) on my new 2016 Subaru Forester. Here are a few hints.

Two years ago I installed a similar hitch on my 2014 Outback. Reader suggestions mentioned that access to the hitch holes under the car could be done from above, in the trunk area. This turned out to be true for the Forester as well and made threading the wires, plates and bolts into the holes super easy!

To start I jacked up the car and put it on stands just to provide a little more clearance. I recommend completely removing the muffler. It was a lot easier than trying to drop and suspend the pipe and muffler together. Besides it gave better access to the hitch location. Liberally apply WD-40 to the rubber shock mounts to shimmy the muffler off. After that remove the heat shield. Then remove the rubber plugs that cover the six hitch mounting holes.

This next part you can actually do standing up!
Remove the panel and foam inserts from the trunk area.
Remove the black circular sticker from the hole near the rear of the car on each side (see photo). This exposes an oval hole just above the middle hitch hole underneath.
I used a step-drill to enlarge this hole just enough to allow the plate and bold head to slide through. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the chips (or a magnet works too!)
Threading the wires (with the plates and bolts) into each hitch hole was extremely easy and you don’t have to crawl under the car to do this.

I vice-gripped the hitch to my hydraulic jack which made it easy to position. After the bolts were lined up I jacked the hitch up into place and threaded on the washers and nuts. Don’t forget to torque the nuts to 50 ft. lbs. as indicated in the instructions. I used the same circular black stickers to cover the two access holes when I was finished.

I reinstalled the heat shield after cutting away a rectangular section that fit just around the hitch plate. That left three mounting screws instead of four...but the shield is still quite secure. After that, reinstall the muffler.

Now, since everything in the trunk was taken out, it was easy to install the trailer wiring harness behind the panel on the driver’s side. The eTrailer video shows all the necessary steps.

All worked out perfectly and, as before, I am a really satisfied eTrailer customer. Hope these hints help your installation too.

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This hitch was installed on my 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited. The website is fantastic and makes finding the correct products for your vehicle very easy. The hitch arrived in only a few days and came complete with all the necessary installation accessories. The hitch comes with fish wire for the frame bolts so you don't need to fuss with buying fish wire. Some reviews stated that you can go in from the inside of the vehicle but this is totally unnecessary and more work. Just follow the instructions, with exception of the muffler heat shield. You can drill 1/2" holes through the heat shield in the dimpled areas corresponding to where the instructions tell you to cut out the heat shield (see some of the other reviews for more detail on this).
These holes allow you to securely fasten the heat shield over the hitch using the hitch bolts.
Make sure you have a torque wrench and an 11/16" deep socket to tighten the frame bolts.
I would also recommend removing the muffler which is very simple. Lube the muffler mounts with WD-40 to facilitate the removal of the muffler.
You will save at least $300 installing this yourself.484848

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I installed the hitch on a 2016 Subaru Forester. We went with a class III hitch for the increased tongue weight so a cargo carrier or bike carrier would be no issue. The install was easier than what the video showed. I'm not sure if Subaru increased the access holes, but I did not need a pry bar or a step drill bit to increase the hole for the bolts. The nifty wires included were really trick and worked great. I did remove the muffler so I would have easier access and I did not to have the exhaust system being held by a strap. The most difficult part of the install was holding the hitch up, but a floor jack and jack stands helped to make a one person job. The install took around 90 minutes, but that included researching the torque specs for the exhaust system. Follow the video install, but check to see if the access holes will accommodate the bolts because you might save some time and energy. 464175

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The trailer hitch and wiring assembly for my 2015 Subaru Forester went in just as shown in the videos. The videos were absolutely invaluable in detailing the job, and in convincing me that I could do it to save a considerable expense on labor. The most difficult part, as expected, was awkwardly lifting the heavy hitch into place, while aligning the 3 bolts simultaneously on each side. But with the help of a board, two small car jacks, and an assistant to balance everything, it went into place and fit perfectly. A day later my hitch mounted bicycle rack arrived and now my wife and I can easily transport our bikes to ride our favorite trails. My daughter and husband are coincidentally looking for a trailer hitch, so I sent them my order receipt of parts. They expect to order from etrailer soon.212214

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by: Randall05/19/2022

Perfect fit! Fairly easy install with help of one other person. It's been a very useful addition. Glad I bought it. This is my second hitch I've bought from etralier. They are very helpful and a pleasure to do business with.1299799

Randall

5/20/2023

Still great! Love it!

Arrived fast. Box was blown out by the edge of the hitch like the other reviewers but the wiring I ordered at the same time didn't fall out so all was OK. There were chipped spots on the paint like the other reviewers which I touched up with many coats of grill paint. Price was great and nothing was missing to slow down the install. I drilled the heat shield enough to clear the dimples instead of cutting since the hitch will clamp to the dimples on the frame. Errata from the video: no J-Pin hole on my hitch.1766907

Draw-Tite 75876 installed on my 2017 Forester Premium. Followed etrailer's online instructions and was done in a little over an hour. I took off the muffler, cut the heatshield, pulled the bolts through, lifted the hitch into place and torqued to 50ft/lbs. Project was performed with car on the ground. I chose etrailer because they do the test fit and provide the detailed video instructions. Shipping was 2 days. This hitch is used mainly for my bike rack and doesn't require the cross supports like other hitches.306547

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I installed this hitch on a 2015 Subaru Forester at much less cost than dealer added. The installation was flawless. Instructions provided were clear and comprehensive, and the video provided by E-Trailer was excellent. I installed in without a helper to hold the hitch. To assist me I haywired the hitch to my floor jack and carefully raised it in place. See the photo. The hitch looks good and it's out of the way. I would note that the shipping container was damaged when received it, apparently loosing the wiring harness and adapter included with the order. Customer response was immediate and great. I had the replacement items in a few days. Excellent customer service. I was kept informed of the shipment progress by email and phone. This was a perfect 10 project.161276

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In case anyone is curious, this hitch fits the 2014+ Forester XT that has the dual exhaust. I attached a few pictures that show the clearance between the hitch and exhaust.

Install: the hitch was fairly easy to install. I installed the hitch successfully by myself with the assistance of 2 jack stands. No widening of the holes was necessary either.

Overall, I'm happy with the hitch. I've only used it with my platform bike rack thus far (Swagman Chinook...see the product page for my review. Fitment was perfect on the Forester) and the hitch has been completely stable. 289374

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Nice fit. Fast efficient shipping 2002552

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Easy installation on our 2018 Subaru Forester. I found the written instructions confusing, but the video link from the product web page was excellent. We reviewed the whole video first, then replayed it, pausing as we went along with the installation. Really appreciate that the video mentions the size of each tool. Just as my husband was trying to figure out what size to use, the video called it out. Most of our tools are old, but a bicycle tool kit had a wrench that was 14mm...perfect! A quick trip to Home Depot (a block from our house) to get a countersink bit for metal, MUCH cheaper than a step drill bit, did the trick to make the middle hole bigger. It was very easy to then feed the plates and bolts through the holes from the bottom using the supplied wire, as the video clearly depicts. It took two of us, lying on our backs under the vehicle, to hold the hitch in place while we screwed on the nuts. We had removed the muffler but attaching it back went smoothly. We had sprayed a little WD40 on the rubber "hooks" that the muffler hangs from, which made the process easier. Thank you for a great product with excellent video instruction. We are looking forward to using it with our bike and cargo racks.438251

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After pricing hitch installations locally ($700 at Subaru—nearly fainted??), I watched a few videos and decided to purchase the #75876 hitch for our 2015 Forester and do the job myself. The cost savings were significant and I had all the necessary tools so why not? I’m so glad I did! Once my tools were lined out and vehicle positioned on ramps the install took about 90 minutes (yes, it really does go that fast). The etrailer videos are very helpful and describe the step-by-step procedure perfectly. Some notes on my install: I chose to remove the muffler only and left the tailpipe in place. It was easy to remove and provided plenty of working room. It is unnecessary to enlarge the 4th service hole (which some videos say you must do) since plate and bolt fit right through the existing opening (very happy to see this). Feeding the wire and hardware through was super-easy. For raising the hitch I chose to use a floor jack and this worked fine. My wife assisted by simply stabilizing the hitch on the jack while I raised it to the bolts. It was aligned easily with the first two nuts going on. At that point, the jack was removed and all other nuts/bolts tightened and torqued to specifications. Next, I trimmed out the heat shielding and placed back on. Finally, the muffler wash reinstalled and....Presto! It looks great and is ready for our hitch bike rack. I highly recommend this product for DIYers who have the basic tools. Installing this hitch (in my case, on a Forester) was easy and fun to do! Thanks etrailer!572999

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