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Fully welded vehicle trailer hitch is strong and durable. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. The combination of an e-coat base and a powder coat finish provides excellent rust protection.
Features:
Specs:
Draw-Tite's Tested Tough program provides testing standards far superior to those outlined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the go-to source for engineering professionals.
Each Draw-Tite trailer hitch receiver undergoes extensive fatigue testing and static testing with the ball mount that is either supplied or recommended for use with that particular hitch, thus ensuring results that are applicable to real life use. Fatigue testing is also conducted on hitches rated for use with weight-distribution systems.
In addition, Draw-Tite performs static testing on a simulated automobile, as opposed to the rigid fixture used for SAE testing, resulting in a more true-to-life scenario.
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 , Underbody panel(s) and/or fascia must be temporarily loosened or removed. Trimming may be needed to reattach panel or fascia. , Exhaust must be temporarily lowered for installation , Heat shield must be modified or trimmed for hitch installation
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Complete Towing Package for 2020
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Average Customer Rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars (411 Customer Reviews)
Fully welded vehicle trailer hitch is strong and durable. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. The combination of an e-coat base and a powder coat finish provides excellent rust protection.Installation went well. Product is well made (welding and fit up wise). Printed instructions are lacking - printed in black and white and highlighting in photos doesn't show well. Instructional videos are a must watch and well done. And there is shipping... Bringing down the review score. Box arrived with frame protruding through. Several scratches and chipped paint exposing raw metal. I live in Minnesota and the salty roads are going to rust these spots quickly. Better packaging and color instructions would bump score to 5 star.
I have waited until now to purchase a hitch for our 2022 Subaru Forster (Wilderness Edition). Previous hitches on this site for this vehicle required one having to cut away the lower portion of the bumper cover which I did not want to do.
I installed this hitch by myself, but it was an absolute mo-fo to install. I highly recommend having a second person to help. The hitch is a perfect fit and looks great.
The instructions are poor, but if you have installed hitches in the past, it’s not too hard to figure out. You need to remove the (3) exhaust hangars first and support the weight of the muffler with an object. I used a jack stand. Next remove the (4) screws holding the heat shield in place above the muffler. Using snips, you need to trim away the portion of the heat shield shown on the instructions. (It shows it with white lines and it’s hard to see.)
Next unscrew the (2) bolts on the rear left holding the black plastic box to the left lower frame rail. You will need to also remove the black plastic clips on the bottom of the black plastic box so you can move it around more. The two bolts you removed will later be reinstalled into the black box and into the trailer hitch. After you have completed all these steps you will see (3) small plugged holes and (1) large on each the left and right side of the frame rails facing down. Remove all (8) of the black caps with a screwdriver.
The kit comes with (6) wires with coiled ends. Screw all (6) screws into the coiled ends of the wires. Then insert the free end of the wire into the hole of the rectangular plates which came with each screw. Feed the wire into the large hole in the frame rail which is closest to the front of the car. Then feed the wires out of each of the remaining smaller holes on each side pulling the rectangular plates into place and pulling each screw down through the holes so it hangs down. (Do not remove the wires yet!)
After you have fed all six wires with a rectangular plate and screw on each one into their respective holes, you should have (6) screws hanging out of the frame rails sitting though the rectangular plates you pulled in as well.
Next screw the heat shield back in. You will only need (3) of the (4) screws you removed because the screw hole closest to the rear will be gone after you have trimmed the heat shield.
Now here’s the part which is brutal. Using stuff laying around in my garage, I lifted and supported the hitch up underneath the back of the vehicle and fed all (6) wires through the hitch holes. DO NOT remove these wires until you have placed the hitch against the frame rail otherwise you may push the screws back into the frame rail and you will be “screwed” pun intended.
After you have pressed the hitch against the frame rail, keeping the hitch pressed against it, remove one wire at a time and then loosely place a washer and nut on each one to keep the screws from going back in the rail. Once you have placed a washer and nut on all six, tightened them all up against the frame rails.
Next use the two larger black plastic plugs you removed previously to cover the two holes you fed the screws and plates through. Screw the black plastic box back into place as well as putting its black plastic clips together.
Remove the cardboard from the tubular bars, and reattached the (3) muffler hangars. Voila, you are finished and have earned yourself a drink!!
Installed the hitch onto my 2024 Wilderness. Same issues with the delivery box, but no damage. Did not need to elevate the vehicle, used blocks to hold the jack while installing bolts. Took about 2 hours solo taking it slow. Hitch fit perfectly. The receiver sits a fair bit back under the bumper (hitch pin 5-6 inches forward of the bumper rear edge) so make sure your accessory will fit. I have about 1/8 inch clearance when I fold my Thule bike rack. Clearance at the bumper is reduced from 14.5 to 11 inches, it sits about the same height as the differential.
The installation videos for the hitch and the wiring were a great help!
The installation was easy enough that my 19 year old was able to do 95% of the install. The hardest part was getting the 3 exhaust rubber grommets off. We backed our Subaru onto auto ramps to give us more workable clearance and used some storage tubs to elevate the hitch to make it easier to bolt it into place. The only other challenge we had was torking the bolts on the exhaust side.
Draw-Tite hitch is high quality, perfect fit and came with all I needed to install.
Install was harder than expected (have done a couple previously). 5 hours laying in gravel drive. Would have been much easier to remove muffler rather than lowering exhaust (easier access and room for torque wrench). Subaru plastic body clips are a real pain!
So far, so good. The hitch arrived the day after I ordered it (free shipping). I had it installed within an hour. The hitch appears to be a quality product and it looks like it will work well.
I have had consistently good results purchasing hitches from etrailer over the years. Thanks for the great products and services!
Very easy install--took 2 of us ~4 hours (1 of which was spent trying to unhook the muffler, so if you can do that faster you'll be golden). Parts were all there and instructional video was very helpful. Really nice that we didn't need to drill holes in the car at all to make the parts fit, only on the heat shield that you remove anyway. The hitch looks great--it's tucked a little under the rear bumper so isn't intrusive or bulky looking. Wiring (separately purchased on etrailer) was also very easy to install. Haven't yet hooked a trailer up to it but very satisfied with the hitch & installation thus far!
It's been a year since I got the hitch. So far everything is fine. I was able to install it following the instructions without any issues. Overall happy with the purchase. It went on a 2022 Subaru Forester Sport, without the need to make any modifications to the car.
These are solid hitches. Not too bad to install on my Forester. Paints always a problem - very insuficient for a northern climate so I always clear coat them before installing. Looks like new over a year later.
I bought this hitch a year ago, and its performed greatly on my 2019 Subaru Forester Sport. I only had to slightly bend a exhaust heat shield to install it, but over all was easy to attach to my vehicle. I use my hitch for Bike Racks and a Rear Cargo Basket.
I haven't towed with it yet however as my tow rating is very low for an SUV, but standing on it, plus with the cargo basket having my huge Ice Chest on it feels very stable and secured, even when Off Road.
Perfect fit for the WRX 2022. You do have to the the 2mufflers off to put this on.
My thoughts after one year of having this on our 2020 Subaru Forester. I could not be happier with the solid installation and quality of this hitch. I really like the low profile design and the professional look. I was a bit apprehensive about the installation as I had never done that before. But after watching the installation video a few times and reviewing the installation instructions I jumped in and was able to complete it in one afternoon. Super easy and every step was in the video, which helped so much! My next trailer hitch ( if I get a new truck) will certainly be a product from etrailer!
Draw-Tite hitch for 21 Forester was great, doesn’t involve enlarging any holes to allow carriage bolt access as Curt/E-Trailer hitches do (per the install videos), saves a bit of time, no primer required to prevent rust, and the rubber plug fits after install. Also, it has another hole drilled in the hitch so the plastic cover doesn’t need to be modified at all. Installed by myself (1hr 40min) with assist from jack stand holding one side up.
Slight issue was original delivery date was stated as the 19th, then after order was processed it changed to the 26th (which would have been too late to use the first time) then it moved up to the 22nd and delivered earlier on the 21st. All good in the end, arrived in good shape, and the hitch seems like very good quality.
Awesome product! Bolts right on to the existing holes in the frame. You will have to cut a notch out of the passenger side heat shield, but it is not hard. My buddy helped me install this in less than 2 hours and we were in no hurry. We used vehicle ramps to give us some breathing room. The hardware is fed through the frame holes with threaded wires. Holding the hitch while trying to install the nuts can be challenging. The two of us fumbled our way through it with a bit of effort and swearing, but a floor jack holding the weight of the hitch would have been helpful.
I bought this hitch to use a bike rack. I saved myself hundreds compared to buying and installing at the dealership.
Great product! No cutting of the rear bumper required. Only needed trimming of the thin metal heat shield above the muffler. The install was fairly straightforward but could definitely use 2 people. I ended up using my jack to hold one end up while fastening the other. Also, I recommend unbolting and removing the muffler from the exhaust pipe completely, making it a lot easier to install the passenger side. The driver side plastic cover will not fit underneath the hitch bracket like the instructions suggest and to avoid cutting the plastic ribs, I mounted it over. It is pretty flexible and will hold in place with the 2 extended bolts (provided). The main mounting hardware was tricky to snake through the frame, especially the forward-most holes. Picture attached with the 2 rear-most bolts in place. I put a hook in the wire to catch the hole edge which worked out. Took about 1.5hrs to install.
Fit great but in direction said 13/16 socket should say 11/16,10mm,9/16 to remove muffler
Going to give this a 5-star rating because it is just that. The only issue with this hitch is that the crossbar is about 1/2” below the spare tire tub in the body... this will make for a minor change in the departure angle for a Subaru if you’re off-reading it. Since that is not a concern for me, the product t is great. The installation video helps make the installation go very smoothly and I do suggest having an additional set of hands when it come to actually lifting the hitch into place... it’s heavier than it looks. I did it by myself, but some help to hold it up while bolting it down would have made it a lot easier.
Pleased with the entire etrailer experience.., especially the product videos.
While I've not put it to the test yet, I'm this far extremely pleased! The videos were super helpful to the point my father in law and I spent about 1.5-2 hrs installing and a good chunk of that was getting up and down to get the tools. I highly recommend this hitch.
I have a '22 Forester Wilderness and can confirm it fits like a glove!
Chris
3/28/2023
A year and I still cant recommend this hitch enough! Between everything I posted above plus the fact its getting the job done everytime, youre doing yourself right with this hitch from these folks!
It was fairly easy to install and has worked well on a long road trip (cargo basket) and to pull an empty boat trailer. My car doesn’t have a great towing capacity but it has worked for what I have needed to haul
Installed alone using straps and a floor jack. Wasn't very hard at all. Works great, no more roof rack, yay!
This Draw-Tite hitch receiver is perfect. Well made, solid, fits on my 2020 Subaru Forester perfectly. I didn’t have the necessary tools but a local hitch store installed it for 125$. I saved $1,000.00 off the dealership price fir installing an inferior hitch. UPS destroyed the box the receiver was shipped in, but the receiver survived in perfect condition. I could not be happier with the hitch.
Excellent fit. I'm 72 and installed the hitch in about an hour. Worked fine, good hefty quality.....................until my Forester was totaled a few months ago. So I'm buying the same hitch for a 2023 Forester.
Install was easier than I thought . And wiring was done in a way I think is better than the video shows that was you don’t have a harness ha going out of your liftgate! There is a rubber grommet towards the rear of the trunk that I cut from the middle outwards, slid the harness in, and reinstalled grommet to prevent any water from entering the cabin . Have used it to tow my jetski and works great .
I just finished installing this. I did it by myself with the back end of my forester up on ramps, I think they’re about 8 inch ramps. I followed along with the video on this site and it was a breeze.
Took me just over an hour, wasn’t rushing. I would have been done faster, but I accidentally bolted up the hitch with my shop light cord between the hitch and the car, had to loosen all the bolts and drop one side enough to get the cord out. Don’t do that. :-)
My replacement bolts for the driver side under body panel didn’t include washers. I had some that would work and used them, but I do think the kit should include them. It looks like the guy in the install video has them.
This will no doubt be strong enough for anything my forester is capable of hauling.
This hitch was packaged nicely for shipping. I worked in a UPS hub while in college and saw lots of great and poorly packed boxes. They definitely put some thought into getting these to the destination intact and not all scratched up. Not a simple task for heavy and awkward shaped things.
The instructions were clear and hitch fit perfectly. Thanks for the fish wires to get the bolts in place. Genius! It looks great.
The shipping box was damaged by the hitch bouncing around inside and the paint was chipped off in two places. Consider a layer of cardboard attached to the ends of the hitch and a form fitting box to eliminate movement.
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Marcial B.
5/16/2021
Still working Perfect after a year. it outlasted the pandemic.