To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
Thank you! Your comment has been submitted successfully. You should be able to view your question/comment here within a few days.
Error submitting comment. Please try again momentarily.
This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your Subaru Outback Wagon's frame with no welding required. Powder coated steel is sturdy and corrosion resistant.
Features:
Specs:
At etrailer.com we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
Tech Tip
No drilling required for installation , Requires temporary removal of bumper/fascia during installation , Fascia trimming required for installation
Complete Towing Package for 2013 Subaru Outback Wagon
2013 Subaru Outback Wagon Owners Who Purchased This Trailer Hitch Also Bought...
Replacement Parts Available For This Product
Popular Outback Wagon Trailer Hitch Accessories
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (453 Customer Reviews)
This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Powder coated steel is sturdy and corrosion resistant.Followed the video for the 2012 outback for my 2014 outback and the install went smooth. About 90-120 minutes. Only hang up was you need to trim more around the hitch than you would think you will, but I'd rather cut 1 inch at a time than too much
I chose this hitch due to it being fairly unnoticeable and allowing little to hang down to reduce potential ground clearance. (I live in Western NC on a mountain dirt road and we do get deep snow occasionally). If anything is going to drag, it will only be the small square vs some other styles that hang down much of the full width between the wheels.
Straightforward installation with great instructions. If there was a difficulty, it was trying to be careful removing and installing the bumper cover. I asked my wife to help during those steps. I broke one snap point off along the most extreme curvature, but the others surrounding it seem to be doing a good job of disguising it. I can't tell I broke one.
In a year, I've only used it once for pulling a trailer for over 300 miles. I did stop at the nearest Harbor Freight along the way to buy an anti-rattle device. I'd used the same drawbar, hitch pin, and trailer on my truck in the past and wasn't bothered by any noise, but perhaps the dynamics of the connection to my Outback created an acoustic concert hall for rattling noise. The device took care of the noise. I have complete confidence this hitch will last as long or longer than the vehicle.
Included pics of installed hitch and drawbar, pin and anti-rattle device. Would have included pic of trailer, but maybe there's a limit. It was a 5x10' open trailer with wood floor and expanded metal gate/ramp.
The hitch is awesome and bolted up perfectly to my 2014 Outback. Took me 3 hours to install it solo. The second video on the product page is very helpful. I watched it about 5 times before starting. I also recommend buying a bag of new push fasteners in advance of starting the installation. The cut out in the bumper cover to clear the hitch ended up being 3 5/8" wide x 5 1/4" deep, and dead center on the center mounting tab hole. That less than 1/4" gap all around. Check the fit over the receiver and the bottom push fasteners before completely re-installing the bumper cover. Awesome product!
Tony Z.
7/12/2023
It has worked out great, and exceeded my expectations. My Kuat bike rack is on most all the time, and I use it 2-3 times per week.
Fit well on my 2017 Subaru Outback. Arrived in a hefty box without any issues. The only concern is the length of the bolts in my bumper. I cannot change them since they are welded in, so the outermost nut currently sits one thread from the end of the bolt with the hitch and bumper bolted in (see pic). Also ended up cutting the hole in the plastic longer in depth and shorter in width than what was specified.
Not installed yet but arrived fine, in spite of receiver part protruding from hole it made in box. Zip-tying through mounting holes and side of carton could keep it from shifting. Looking foward to the DIY with the custom design to fit our 2019 Outback, with only minimal modification to the bumper cover. Will save $300+ over four previous hired installions on former vehicles. Thanks etrailer!!
Rw
3/30/2024
Im extremely satisfied with everything the installation, towing performance, and appearance! The best advice is to read all of the reviews. Youll find one that describes how to accurately measure for the cut-out on your 2019, or similiar Outback bumper facia to make it clean and precise. Then, you can even just cut 2 slots to accommodate the hitch. Also, its true: the added bulk of the bolted-on bracket WILL PREVENT the bumper to go back on without removing some of the material on the underneath foam piece. All that is needed is locate the slight rounded raised area that is maybe an inch wide and runs the length of it. Simply sand off this raised bump with a rotary tool so that the whole side facing the bumper is level. Some will say to throw the foam piece out. NO! It adds integrity to the bumper. The bumper will then go right back on with no fuss. Love the results of nothing showing on the vehicle but the 2 receiver part. Theres NO visible bracket that invariably turns to rust after a few years of salted road baths. Hopefully Curt uses a better finish than Hidden Hitch, which was anything but hidden by the way, on our former Toyota Sienna.
Quality product and plenty of videos the explain how to install. When making cutout on bottom of bumper, directions help but may have to make slightly bigger. Used it with bike carrier and towed a small boat (minimal distance). With Subaru Outback (2016) - it fits but since it takes up more space behind bumper - requires the foam insert to be removed or trimmed down so that bumper can reattach to body. When installing, be careful with body/bumper clips - easy to break! Use the right tools.
Great trailer hitch. Good value. Use daily with bike rack purchased from etrailer.
Arrived well packed and in good condition. Installation was not as difficult as I feared, mostly due to the excellent video showing the entire process for my vehicle (2017 Subaru Outback). Overall, I’m very pleased with ease of ordering, value pricing, delivery, and installation instructions. Thank you!
This was an easy install and was super glad I made the decision to install myself and go with this particular one. It’s flush underneath and looks sleek. I use it with two e-bikes and it’s worked perfectly. Also used it to tow small trailers. Excellent product.
The hitch came quickly and well-packaged. It fit my 2017 Outback perfectly without too much work. Recommend a second pair of hands for the installation as it comes in handy. Hitch shows good workmanship, and is exactly what I expected.
Exactly as expected and quality product as usual from Curt. First off time installing a hitch and instructions were spot on. Triple check your clips. My 2018 Outback Limited had a black wheel well trim that needed loosened - removed a rear screw and one metal clip that released with a flathead screwdriver, intuitive enough to figure out if you’re willing to tackle the rest of the install.
Overall probably 90 minutes start to finish.
Does not fit MY17 Outback!
The spare wheel well protrudes out and the cross bar hits the wheel well. Unable to install.
Jenny N.
3/3/2024
It is unusual that it would hit the wheel well. Would you be able to send a picture? I would like to reach out to the manufacturer about the fit.
Not well packaged. The hitch was moving significantly inside the box and was damaged on arrival.
Jenny N.
12/30/2023
Unfortunately it can happen where the rubbing in a box can cause the imperfections in the coating. I recommend touching up those areas with a rust resistant paint like Rustoleum. I will have our Customer Service team reach out to you.
After watching the installation videos, I was able to install the Curt trailer hitch without any problems on our 2017 Subaru Outback. Installation was easy and It works great for towing anything the car can handle. It's maybe a bit over-kill for this car, but that's the way I like it. We can now tow a small trailer for making dump runs once a month and have a very solid hitch for mounting our bike and luggage racks with no worries.
Hitch went on well, and required minimal trimming (as expected). I've used it to tow a small teardrop trailer (2k+ lbs) about 8-10 times so far in 12 months. No issues at all.
The hitch worked well, the one side of the hitch was hanging out through the box when it arrived, probably the shipping company. (I wonder if they handle their stuff in the same manor)
Ordered online and found the website very user friendly. The installation video was incredibly helpful. Shipping was free and arived the exact day they said. Will be glad to recommend this company with anyone.
Lightening fast shipping, even on a holiday weekend. Hitch looks great, have not installed yet but very pleased so far. Thank you
Hitched arrived fast and was in good condition.
Two issues were encountered. The notch specified for the cover is too big. I undercut mine and tested the fit. i ended up with 3 1/2 x 5 inches and DID NOT curt through the center push pin hole. The push pin fit correctly after install and there was about 3/16 inch clearance around the receiver frame.
The bigger issue involved the internal bumper that sits on the bumper frame. There is no compensation for adding the hitch. The hitch pushes the internal bumper to the rear by the thickness of the hitch mounting surface. Doesn't seem like much but it has a MAJOR impact on seating the cosmetic bumper later.
I ended up fabricating my own frame brace bumper using a shop floor tile. This reduced the chance of a cover crack during in a minor collision. You could leave the factory bumper off and take the risk. The floor tile was half the thickness of the factory internal bumper.
The cosmetic cover should not require big forces to re-seat. If it does something is WRONG. Proper seating only requires medium finger pressure producing audible clicks along the quarter panel. If there is any misalignment it will not seat correctly.
Rick P.
7/18/2021
Works excellent and has been trouble free since the install issues were solved
Easy install with video instructions on '17 Outback! I did this myself in about two hours, taking my time. A helper would have been really beneficial at times. As others noted, I opted to not hammer up the bumper clip bracket so I could re-use it. I filed off a corner of the bracket, but may not have needed to. Then I simply cut around the flanges of the hitch (took a few test fits to get it right). Take your time and cut less than you think - you can always cut more, but you can't put it back! I kept the foam pad in (some throw it out), the bumper gets pushed out by the thickness of the receiver plate, and it took a little finagling to get the bumper cover back on, but worth it in the end.
etrailer shipping and packing was great!
J
6/18/2022
Still very pleased after one year of use!
Installation instructions were crystal clear. Highly recommend the hidden hitch bar. Make sure you have an extra long socket prior to starting the installation, because an extension won't cut it! 1 year in and it still works great.
Pretty easy to install. Wish the directions were a bit more clear on tools I would need, since you either need to remove the wheel or have some specialty screwdrivers. Luckily I had what I needed. Watch the video first, read the direction, then watch the video again and you’ll be good to go.
The product arrived in a timely fashion and it was professionally boxed. I inspected the hitch and it appears to be welded really well and is strong. No issues with the look either as there was no damage to it at all.
Though I have not installed it yet, the instructions are clear and there are plenty of online videos to help, so if there is anything wrong with the installation that should be on me. Overall, impressed with the product and will update if there are any major issues.
Ryan
10/21/2023
It’s been working out great. I only use it for a bike rack so can’t talk about any experience towing, , but it is still solid and I would still trust it to this day.
Just installed yesterday, haven't had a chance to try out yet, but quality is there, feels solid. Install was straightforward as others have shared, similar hangups with foam on bumper being too thick making reinstall of fascia difficult. As my car is three years old, removing bumper fasteners was a bit precarious (be very careful or have spares available). Bumper bar had also seized to bolts a bit on one side but after removing all nuts and a little wiggling it came free easy. I just held the bumper up to figure out cut, had to cut a little deeper as some stated in order to fit. With this particular hitch you could get away with cutting two narrow slits that will fit around hitch since it is not one solid bar where it elbows but two plates. Overall very happy with this purchase, can't wait to put it to use!
Michael A.
5/24/2021
One year later and my trailer hitch is still holding strong and ready to go! Havent had any problems with it loosening, rusting, or even scratching really. Very happy with this purchase!
Installed pretty well, hardest part was trimming a portion of the bumper for clearance. Only thing i noticed was the hitch inside the receiver has a tad bit of room to move with a trailer being pulled causing noise from the gap. I may try wrapping the hitch with tape to take the gap up. It may be because the hitch sits low on the bumper which causes this not exactly the hitch's design...overall a good hitch system. vehicle connector works great and plugged in easily
Do you have a question about this Trailer Hitch?
Info for this part was:
At etrailer.com we provide the best information available about the products we sell. We take the quality of our information seriously so that you can get the right part the first time. Let us know if anything is missing or if you have any questions.
Michael
2/8/2024
Still working like a champ. I e used it mainly for bike racks