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  1. Trailer Hitch
  2. etrailer
  3. 2 Inch Hitch
  4. Class III
  5. 3500 lbs GTW
  6. Visible Cross Tube
THIS ITEM IS NOT A FIT FOR
1986 Mercury Sable
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etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Matte Black Finish - Class III - 2"

Part Number: e56AR
In Stock
$248.20
Retail:$417.70
You Save: $169.50
Trailer Hitch
Not Confirmed to Fit

1986 Mercury Sable

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etrailer Installation
We'll connect you with nearby partnered installers who know this exact setup.
This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Matte black, powder coated steel is durable and corrosion resistant and creates a rugged look. Great Prices for the best trailer hitch from etrailer. etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Matte Black Finish - Class III - 2" part number e56AR can be ordered online at etrailer.com or call 1-800-940-8924 for expert service.
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  • Reviews (41)
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etrailer Trailer Hitch - e56AR

Highlights

  • Custom Fit for Your Vehicle: Mounts to existing attachment points
  • Standard 2" Receiver: Works with common bike racks, cargo carriers, and towing gear
  • Tows up to 3,500 lbs (GTW): Handles small trailers, boats, and campers with stability
  • Holds up to 350 lbs (TW): Supports heavier accessories like e-bike racks or storage platforms
  • Bolt-On Installation: Mounts to the frame using included hardware—no welding required
  • Matte Black Powder Coat: Resists rust and hides dirt for a clean, durable finish
Made in USA

Features to know about

Haul More Without Hassle: Class III 2" Receiver for Everyday Use

This hitch opens up all kinds of options for towing and carrying gear. With a 3,500 lbs maximum gross trailer weight and 350 lbs tongue weight, it’s built for light trailers, campers, boats, or cargo carriers. Add a weight distribution setup, and it handles up to 5,000 lbs GTW and 500 lbs TW with extra stability. The 2" x 2" receiver fits most bike racks and cargo trays, so you can swap between accessories without adapters or special mounts.

Strong Build That Lasts: Fully Welded Steel with Matte Black Finish

The steel construction is fully welded for reliable strength and stability. It’s coated with a matte black powder finish over a protective base coat that resists rust and corrosion. The finish gives it a rugged look that hides dirt, scuffs, and chips better than glossy hitches, so it stays looking sharp even after years of use. The round-tube design also gives it a cleaner style under the bumper.

Comparison image showing etrailer trailer hitch matte carbide black finish versus traditional glossy black finish, emphasizing durability and sleek appearance.

Side-by-side comparison of matte carbide and glossy black trailer hitch finishes, highlighting matte coating’s rugged texture and reduced glare.

Simple, Bolt-On Install: No Welding or Modifications Needed

Installing this hitch doesn’t require special tools or professional equipment. It bolts directly to the frame with included hardware—no drilling or welding necessary. The custom-fit design lines up with factory mounting points for a secure fit and straightforward installation. Once it’s on, you’re ready to mount racks or hooks up your trailer without messing around with adjustments.

Specs

Dimensions

  • Receiver opening: 2" x 2"

Class and Rating

  • Rating: Class III

Weight and Capacity

  • Maximum gross trailer weight: 3,500 lbs
  • Maximum GTW when used with weight distribution: 5,000 lbs
  • Maximum tongue weight: 350 lbs
  • Maximum TW when used with weight distribution: 500 lbs

Warranty

  • Limited lifetime warranty

e56AR etrailer Class 3 Trailer Hitch Receiver - 2" - Matte Black Carbide

Installation Details E56AR Installation instructions

This Product Fits The Following Vehicles




Customer Satisfaction Score:

Ratings & Reviews

4.7

41 reviews
Review sort icon
This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Matte black, powder coated steel is durable and corrosion resistant and creates a rugged look.

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Well designed. Tight area to fit. I have bought several Hitches from you thru the years. All have been satisfactory.



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great service...thanks



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Great product, finish looks great. Installation was fast and easy. I did have help from a buddy that put a few on before and I'm mechanically inclined, so more hands equal less work.



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Great buying experience and pretty easy to install. (I am a mechanic). I don't use hitch as much as expected but still seems to be holding up great after a year. Good product at a reasonable price.



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Installed in under 45 minutes with just a creeper and some simple hand tools. Didn’t have a Jack or anything but was able to hang it in place and then run bolts through. High quality good looking hitch!



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weel built and easy installation. Instructions were easy to follow.



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Good experience.



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Very solidly built receiver hitch and was relatively easy to install. I did it myself using a floor jack and a jack stand to support one side while I raised the other side into position. Overall it took me about an hour and a half including connecting the wiring harness for the 4 way plug. There was a spacer included that the instructions showed being mounted on the vertical bolt on the passenger side only. I couldn't see the need for it, and the frame rails were identical on each side, so I left it off and the hitch bolted up fine and was level. The only complaint I have about the hitch is the hardware required fishing 3 bolts through the frame rails on each side and they only included a total of 4 pull wires for the bolts. I had to be careful and not damage one of the pull wires so I could reuse it which was a pain due to the tight area that I had to work in to unscrew the pull wires.
Overall it's a well-built hitch and is easy to install and eTrailer had it delivered to my house in 2 days at a great price.



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Hitch lined up nicely for my escape. Was shipped fast and the tracking on-site is very nice! Installation went pretty smooth. Highly suggest watching the video. For instance on my year the holes that the bolts are fed through needed enlarging. Only complaint was it would have been nice to have 6 wires for feeding the bolts instead of 4 but I just did. Side at a time. Overall very happy.



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I am not very mechanically inclined and I watched a how to video on YouTube and within an hour I had it on and its solid! It fit perfectly. Great product.



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Perfect fit for Escape. Heavy duty,great low profile.Perfect transaction and delivery, standard smoothe install says mechanic. Thanks Etrailer!



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There were six bolts and washers that needed to be fished in the frame, but only four wires to do it with. Other than that it's great.



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It looks good. As I expected!



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Fit perfect.



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Easy install and good price



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great hitch looks good and fits good.I am 66 and installed it myself.I am very satisfied and would highly recommend.

Thomas M. profile picture

Thomas M.

8/30/2025

it has been a great hitch very satisfied

Lazer S. profile picture
Etrailer Expert

Lazer S.

9/1/2025

@ThomasM Glad you you like it, Thomas! What are you using the hitch for?


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Easy installation, just as shown on vid eo.



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Boxing is unsat! Look at [that].



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This hitch arrived 3 days after I placed my order online which I thought was excellent
I had never installed a hitch before so I did read the instructions and after doing so checked that all the hardware was accounted for. Everything was accounted for so I went to work. Within an hour/hour and a half the hitch was installed.
I'm pleased with the results and would recommend this company moving forward.


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See what our Experts say about this etrailer Trailer Hitch

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    The wiring you will need for your 2011 Mercury Mariner is T-One Harness # 118551, which will give you a 4-way connector. To use that with the 7-way on your tent trailer you would need to use the 4 Pole to 7 Pole Vehicle End Trailer Connector # 30717, which provides connection points for both your vehicle and trailer's plugs. To mount the adapter you may want to use no-drill bracket # C57202 along with Mounting Bracket for 7-Way # 18138. You can see how to mount this adapter in the video...
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  • Recommended Hitch for a 2010 Ford Escape
    Yes, we do have a hitch for a 2010 Ford Escape. It is the etrailer hitch item # e56AR. This hitch is custom fit and bolts to your Escape with included hardware. The etrailer Hitch item # e56AR is a class III hitch with a 2" receiver. It has a 3,500 lbs towing capacity and a 350 lbs maximum tongue weight that can be increased to 5,000 lbs and 500 lbs when used with a weight distribution hitch. This hitch is made in the USA and weighs 36 lbs. This hitch fits hybrid models but will not...
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  • Recommended Hitch for a 2010 Ford Escape hybrid
    Yes, we do. To add a hitch to your 2010 Ford Escape Hybrid, I recommend the etrailer Hitch item # e56AR. I checked with our vendor. This hitch is confirmed to fit all models of the 2010 Ford Escape including the hybrid. It is a class III hitch with a 2" receiver. If you are planning on towing you will also need a wiring harness item # 118551 and a ball mount kit item # C45534.
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  • Complete Towing Setup Including a Transmission Cooler for a 2012 Ford Escape AWD 3.0
    I would be happy to help you set your 2012 Ford Escape up for towing. You're going to need a hitch, a couple of wiring harnesses, a brake controller and ball mount. Plus the requested transmission cooler. Since your Escape does not have the towing package you are going to need two separate wiring harnesses to have a connector like the Hopkins 7- and 4-Pole Trailer Connector Socket w/ Mounting Bracket item # HM40975. You will also need to hardwire in your brake controller since you do not...
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  • Recommended Hitch for a 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid
    The best way to tow your Kawasaki Ninja with your Ford Escape is going to be with the etrailer Trailer Hitch item # e56AR. This hitch is custom fit and bolts to your Escape with included hardware. It is confirmed to fit the Hybrid model Escapes. I recommended this hitch because out of the available options this will be the best one for your application. It has plenty of capacity with 3,500 lbs gross towing weight and 350 lbs tongue weight. Tongue weight is typically 10% -15% of your trailer's...
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  • Will a Trailer Hitch from a Different Vehicle Fit a 2006 Ford Escape
    There are several trailer hitches that will fit the 2006 Ford Escape and it is possible that those hitches will fit other vehicles so the opposite can also be true. I will break down each of the hitches to determine which vehicles they fit. Curt hitch # 13650 and etrailer hitch # e56AR both fit: 2005 - 2012 Ford Escape 2005 - 2011 Mercury Mariner 2005 - 2011 Mazda Tribute Curt hitch # C13651 fits: 2005 - 2011 Ford Escape 2005 - 2011 Mercury Mariner 2005 - 2011 Mazda Tribute Draw-Tite...
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  • Trailer Hitch Receiver & Wiring For 2010 Ford Escape
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  • Trailer To Haul an Adult Trike and Adult Bike with a 2008 Ford Escape
    The Detail K2 Mighty Multi Utility Trailer part # K2MMT4X6 is what I recommend you use to haul both your adult trike and adult bike with your 2008 Ford Escape. This trailer only weighs 305 lbs so the Escape won't even know it's back there and it has a ramp so it's easy to load. The internal dimension of 72" long x 48" wide will be plenty for your two bikes and this particular trailer has all that you need to hit the road. In order to secure the bikes to the trailer you could also use the...
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    From the research I did, I found that the towing capacity of your 2014 Ford Escape is 3,500 lbs. That number may be dependent on the engine or drivetrain on your Escape. You will want to check with your dealership to make sure you have that capacity for towing. For your Escape Titanium I recommend part # e56AR. This is a Class lll trailer hitch and has a 2 inch receiver opening. We also offer a ball mount kit that I recommend. It is part # 989900, and comes with 2 hitch balls, 2 ball...
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  • Trailer Hitch and Wiring Recommendations for a 2008 Ford Escape
    The difference between wiring harness # 118551 and # 118251 is what models of the 2008 Ford Escape they fit. If your 2008 Ford Escape did NOT come with the factory tow package then you would use # 118551. If it did come with the tow package you would use # 118251. You can have a Ford dealer run the VIN of your Escape to tell you how it is equipped and then choose the correct harness. You could technically use # 118551 with or without the factory tow package. However, it would be an extra...
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  • Best Kayak Carrier and Roof Rack for 08 Ford Escape to use with 100lb Fishing Kayak?
    I was able to find out from my research that the factory roof rack on the 2008 Ford Escape has a 100-lb capacity, so carrying a kayak that weighs that much on your roof is not going to be the safest option you have. If you are going to try to stick with a roof mount option then a good crossbar system that works with your 2008 Ford Escape is the Malone AirFlow 2 # MPG215 which has the towers needed to mount your crossbars to the factory side rails as well as the Aero style crossbars that...
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  • Hitch, Wiring and Transmission Cooler for 2012 Ford Escape with 2.5L 4-Cylinder Engine
    The etrailer Class III hitch # e56AR is a confirmed fit on your 2012 Ford Escape and when the option exist, we almost always recommend a 2-inch Class III hitch over the smaller Class II since the capacity is much higher and the cost is not. In terms of ground clearance, a 1-1/4-inch hitch might win the comparison. For a wiring harness you can use 4-pole kit # 118551 which works on Escapes with or without the backup sensors. Install videos for both items are linked for you. You may also...
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  • Recommended Wiring and Trailer Hitch for 2012 Ford Escape
    Based on the picture of the plug you found pinned beneath the rear bumper, and also considering that there is not a factory trailer hitch installed on your vehicle, I do not believe you have a factory tow package for your 2012 Ford Escape. I am not sure what the connector might be used for, but you can use a circuit tester like # PTW2993 to see if it is active and what their functions might be. You can also visit your local Ford dealer with the VIN and they will be able to tell you exactly...
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  • Recommendations for Tow Package for 2008 Ford Escape
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  • Trailer Hitch Receiver Adapter - 1-1/4 to 2 for a 2010 escape
    There are adapters available to increase a 1-1/4" to 2" hitch, the Curt Adapter - 1-1/4" to 2" - 6", # C45785. This adapter turns your 1-1/4" trailer hitch receiver into a 2" receiver so that you can mount a bike rack, cargo carrier or other 2" hitch accessory. Using this adapter will however reduce your hitch's weight capacity by 50 percent. Please verify the specs for your current hitch. If for example you have the Draw-Tite Trailer Hitch Receiver (our lowest weight rated for example)...
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  • Will a Trailer Hitch Receiver From a 2017 Ford Escape Also Fit a 2008 Ford Escape?
    In comparing a Trailer Hitch Receiver # e98866 for a 2017 Ford Escape with one that fits a 2008 Ford Escape # e56AR the mounting points are very different. For this reason you will not be able to bolt on the hitch from your 2017 to the 2008. Currently I do not see a hidden hitch available for your 2008 Escape. The T-One Vehicle Wiring Harness # 118551 will give you a 4-way flat connector. This is the common connector used on smaller trailers and can also be used with Auxiliary Lights # C53201.
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  • trailer Hitch Recommendation For 2005 Mazda Tribute To Tow Small Boat And Trailer
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  • Correct Wiring Harness For 2008 Ford Escape Limited With Backup Sensors
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  • Trailer Hitch Recommendation for 2009 Ford Escape
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  • Friction Sway Control For a 2012 Ford Escape Towing a Trailer
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  • Recommended Towing Solution for Bikes and Seadoo on a 2011 Ford Escape with 1-1/4 Trailer Hitch
    Since your Escape was outfitted with a 1-1/4 trailer hitch, it is possible that you would be able to upgrade your trailer hitch to a 2 inch like the etrailer Class III # e56AR to support the weight of a bike rack like # S94FR and the seadoo trailer. This hitch has a tongue weight capacity of 525lbs and a towing capacity of 3,500lbs. You will want to check the capacity of your vehicle on the placard on the inside of your driver's door to confirm the vehicle it self has this capacity for...
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  • Recommended 2 Bike Hitch Mount Bike Rack on 2008 Ford Escape
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Info for this part was:

Employee Lindsey S
Edited by:
Lindsey S
Employee Jameson C
Expert Research:
Jameson C
Employee Wilson B
Updated by:
Wilson B
Employee Justice A
Written by:
Justice A

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