What is the Bumper Clearance Distance for the Curt Hitch # C12198 on a 2019 Subaru Forester?

Question:

I have a issue with the drawtie hitch. It does not reach out far enough for my bike rack to clear bumper and nor does my hitch tounge. I would like to exchange for the Curtis per the photo looks like it extends farther than drawtite

asked by: Jamil O

Expert Reply:

As far as comparing bumper clearance distance on your 2019 Subaru Forester, you are right in saying that the Curt Hitch # C12198 installs closer to the bumper than the Draw-Tite Hitch # 76271. The distance between the center of the hitch's pinhole of the Curt hitch to the outside surface of your rear bumper is only 4 inches compared to the 5 inches of the Draw-Tite Hitch.

If you still find that you need less of a distance, we did install the Curt Hitch # C47HR on a 2021 Subaru Forester and discovered that it only has a distance of 2 inches from the center of the pinhole to the outside of the bumper. Even though we cannot confirm how close the hitch installs to your 2019 model, the installation will be nearly identical.

If you are still having an issue with bumper clearance, I recommend using a hitch extender like the 7" Brophy Hitch Extender # HE06 (our shortest one available). With the extender, you will be able to lengthen the hitch's receiver by 7 inches. However, it is important to note that whenever you use any kind of hitch extender/adapter, you will be decreasing the overall hitch capacity by 50%.