Trailer Hitch Installation - 2010 Subaru Forester - Draw-Tite

Installation of a Trailer Hitch on a 2010 Subaru Forester

Today on our 2010 Subaru Forester, we'll be installing Draw-Tite Hitch, part number 75650. This is what our hitch will once it's installed on the vehicle. Next, we'll go ahead and give you a couple of measurements to assist you in selecting accessories for your new hitch. From the center of the hitch, pinhole to the outermost edge of the bumper is 6-1/2 inches. From the top of the receiver, tube to the ground is 13-3/4 inches. This will assist you in selecting accessories such as a drawbar, a bike rack, or a cargo carrier.

Now, let's go ahead with the installation. Our first step is going to be installing a safety strap underneath the exhaust. This will assist us in lowering it safely. Now, we'll need to remove the rubber isolators from the exhaust so that we can lower it. To do this, we'll spray each rubber isolator with some spray lubricant and then use a pry bar to simply remove the rubber isolator.

We've got a total of two on each muffler and one forward of the rear axle. Now with the rubber isolators removed, we'll go ahead and use the safety strap to carefully lower the exhaust. As you can see, this will now give us access to both rear frame rails. There's a total of three rubber plugs in these frame rails. We'll be removing the forward tube plugs.

Let's go ahead and do that now. You'll notice that the forward plug that we removed is larger and this is where we'll be using as an access hole to install our hardware into the frame. However, it will need to be slightly enlarged so we'll take a 3/8 drill bit and drill on both sides of the hole, enlarging it. It may also be necessary to use a file once you drill out the hole. Next, we'll go ahead and remove the forward heat shield attachment.

Now, we're ready to install our hardware into the frame. For the rear hardware, we'll be using a 7/16 bolt leader or pull wire, 7/16 carriage bolt and block, 7/16 conical toothed washer, and a 7/16 nut. Going into the frame, we'll take our bolt leader going to the attachment point and out the access hole and then we can slide on our block and thread on the carriage bolt. Now, well go ahead and feed the block and carriage bolt into the frame, pulling them into position. I'll leave the pull wire on my carriage bolt, as it will assist us to feed it to the hitch and up into position and not push your hardware back up into the frame. Now, let's go ahead and install the hardware for our four attachments. Here, we'll be using the 1/2-inch bolt leader or pull wire, 1/2-inch carriage bolt, 1/2-inch block, spacer, 1/2-inch conical toothed washer, and nut. To install the hardware in the frame for the forward attachments using the same access hole, we'll be using the reverse pull method where we'll go ahead and take the block, put it on to our pull wire and then thread on our carriage bolt. Now, we'll feed the carriage bolt into the frame first and then our block, pulling them both into position over our access hole. Once again, we'll go ahead and leave the pull wire on the carriage bolt, as it will assist us in putting our hitch in place. Now with this done here on the driver's side, we'll go ahead and repeat the same process on the passenger's side. Now with all the hardware in place, we're ready to go ahead and install the hitch. It's a good idea to get an extra set of hands to help you hold the hitch while you install your fasteners. As we put our hitch in place, we'll feed the pull wire to the attachment points of the hitch and then once we get into position, we'll go ahead and remove the bolt leader or pull wire. Install our conical toothed washer with the teeth of the washer facing the hitch and then our nut. Now with my rear attachment point holding the hitch up, I'll go ahead and repeat the same process with the four attachment points. Now with all four-attachment points finger tight, we'll go ahead and tighten them down. Next, we'll go ahead and torque to specifications as indicated in the instructions. Now with all four-attachment points torqued to specifications, we can go ahead and reinstall the exhaust. With the exhaust reinstalled, we'll go ahead and remove our safety strap and that will complete the install of our Draw-Tite Hitch, part number 75650 on our 2010 Subaru Forester. .