Trailer Hitch Installation - 2001 Subaru Forester

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles

1998 - 2008 Subaru Forester

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Installation of a Trailer Hitch on a 2001 Subaru Forester

Today we are going to install part number 12038 from Curt, and we are going to install this hitch on a 2001 Subaru Forester. First thing we are going to do is we have to take down some parts off the vehicle to install the hitch. Take off this tie-down hook. We will have to temporarily lower this carbon canister. Now we are just going to lower it we are actually not going to take it all the way off. All right, we will just leave it like that. We do not have to worry from here on out. Now we need to go ahead and take down this bolt here for this bracket. What is going to happen is this bracket will go back in place with the hitch installed. The hitch is designed to fit around it, and the carbon canister will go back up when it is done. And on the drivers side, this rear tie-down mount will get removed and left off. And this rear hanger for the exhaust comes off temporarily and goes back on when we are done. What is going to happen is that, in the end, this is going to actually get bolted back to the hitch itself, and this exhaust bracket is going to stay off.

All right, at this point we can start installing the hitch. It is a good idea to have an extra set of hands because it is kind of awkward to go around the other side with the exhaust. Once you have the hitch installed on the passengers side, make sure you have got this bracket sandwiched between the frame and the hitch, going to this bolt right here. Leave everything loose, because you will have to adjust it and twist it to make sure that the carbon canister goes back up in its original position. Once the brackets are at the right angle, you can lower it back down and just torque down your bolts. We will go ahead and put our carbon canister back up. This rod right here fits through the opening in the hitch, and the bolt will go through the existing hole in the hitch, and then a nut on the other side to tighten it down. OK, we have got our bolt installed here. We will torque it down, too. And with that, that finishes our install of part number 12038 from Curt.

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