Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
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Draw-Tite/
Class II/
1-1/4 Inch Hitch/
3500 lbs GTW/
300 lbs TWItem # 36493
Retail:$220.46
Our Price: $110.95
To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
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This fully welded, corrosion-resistant vehicle trailer hitch receiver is perfect for your light-duty towing needs. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. Drawbar sold separately.
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.
Installation Details 
2010 - 2012 Subaru Outback Wagon excluding Sport
2010 - 2018 Subaru Legacy
2013 - 2019 Subaru Outback Wagon
Video of Draw-Tite Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class II - 1-1/4"
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today on our 2016 Subaru Legacy, we'll be installing the Draw-Tite Trailer Hitch Receiver Class II - 1-1/4". It's part number 36493. As you can see, this is what our 2016 Legacy looks like once we have the hitch installed. Pretty clean installation, very minimal amounts hanging down from the vehicle. We don't have much stuff showing where it attaches to the frame. We just have the horizontal crossbar coming here and the actual inch and a quarter receiver itself. This each has a 3500 pound max gross trailer weight rating. It has a 300 lb.
max gross tongue weight rating. As always, you'll want to refer off 00:00:40 your owner's manual and go by whichever number is less. You don't want to exceed the capacity of your vehicle or the capacity of your hitch. As you can see here, our hitch has a half inch diameter pinhole which we can use for bike racks, cargo carriers, ball mounts, things of that nature. We have 2 really easy to get to safety chain loops here for hooking up the safety chains on our trailer. They're a nice, round style.
You don't have to fight with getting any hooks in there or anything like that. It'll be real easy to hook up anything. Now for a few measurements to help you choose any hitch mounted accessories you may need, such as a ball mount, bike carrier or a cargo carrier. You're looking at 9 and 1/2 inches from the ground to the top of a inch and a quarter receiver and about 4 and 1/2 inches from the center of the 1/2 inch diameter hitch pinhole to the back edge of the bumper. The first thing we're going to want to do in order to install our hitch is temporarily lower the exhaust down, spray the hangers with some lubricant to help make 'em slide off slightly easier. There's 2 on either side of the vehicle just above the mufflers. There's a third 1 just in front of your rear axle.
Then we can pry 'em off with a pry bar, just like that. For the rear hangers, we'll do the same thing and pry against the hook right there. There's 2 more in front of the mufflers on either side. We need to spray those down as well. Now we need to remove our heat shields above both of our mufflers. To do that, there's 4, 10 millimeter bolts. Make sure we've set our bolts to the side.
We will be re-installing them later. We'll do the same on the other side. There's 4 rubber plugs and some holes in the frame rail. We're just going to pop them out. There's 1 on each side in front of where the muffler was, and 1 towards the back of it. With those removed, we can set them down. We will not be re-installing 'em. We can always keep 'em in case we decide to take our hitch off at some point. We do the same on the other side. Now we measure back from our existing hole to mark the location that we're going to drill for our new hole. As always, when drilling in the middle, I highly recommend wearing safety glasses and gloves to protect you from metal shavings. Now that we've enlarged our hole to the inch and 1/8th diameter, our spacer plates slide in nicely. We're going to repeat the process on the other side. Now we'll take our fish wire here, put it through the forward 00:03:47 hole, bring it down through the access hole we drilled; take our 3 inch long spacer block; put it on the wire; push it up inside the frame rail; thread our carriage bolt onto the fish wire; push it up inside like so. Pull it on down. Now we'll do the same thing on our rear hole, but using the 2 inch long spacer block. Pull it down and we'll repeat the same process on the other side. Now that we have all of our bolts fish wired to the frame of the vehicle, we need to prep our hitch for installation. There's a flat washer that goes in the floor bolt hole between the hitch and the body of the vehicle. In order to ease the installation, I'm going to tape it into place on our hitch, just so we don't have to worry about it falling out of position or getting in the way while we install the hitch. Then, we can poke a hole in the tape, so the bolt easily goes through. Now it won't slide around any. We can easily position the hitch into place with the necessary spacer. I'll do the same on the other side of the hitch Now, with the help of an assistant, we can grab out hitch, slide it into position. Now with it 00:05:11 in position, take our conical tooth washer, teeth facing the hitch, install our nut; do the same for the other 3 bolt holes. We'll just loosely install 'em so we can slide our hitch around into position. Here's another tech 00:05:29 tip. We didn't run down our bolts all the way for our hitch yet. We left them slightly loose so we can loosely install the 4 bolts that go through the hitch that hold the exhaust heat shield in place. That way, the hitch doesn't harshly block any of the holes for those. Then we can tighten up the 4 bolts that hold our hitch into position. Okay, with them done on the passenger side, we can do the same thing on the driver's side. Now with the 4 screws in place that hold our exhaust heat shield in, we can actually tighten down the bolts that hold our hitch to lift the vehicle. With our bolts snug down on the hitch, we can torque 'em to the manufacturer's specification now. Now for our heat shields, we need to trim them a little bit, so our bolt heads for our hitch sit flush against the heat shield and our heat shield won't rattle. We're just going trim out this section here on the right hand side. Then the left hand side, we'll do the same thing, slightly different. We need a pair of tin snips and cut this out. We'll do the same thing on the other heat shield. All right with our hitch torque down, we can remove the 4 bolts that we loosely installed to help align the hitch and re-install our exhaust heat shield and make sure we slide the heat shield over the exhaust hanger. We can install the 4 screws that hold it into place. We'll tighten 'em down. We'll do the same thing on the other side of the vehicle. Now, on the exhaust hangers, you'll want to have 'em . the hangers on the muffler and attach 'em to the body of the car, not the other way around, otherwise you'll be fighting yourself. The ones towards the front of the car, those are a lot easier to get into. You can actually get your hand on 'em real easy. Just continue working at it until you get all 5 of them back on. That completes the installation of the Draw-Tite Trailer Hitch Receiver Class II - 1-1/4" Part Number 36493 on our 2016 Subaru Legacy.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (173 Customer Reviews)
This fully welded, corrosion-resistant vehicle trailer hitch receiver is perfect for your light-duty towing needs. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. Drawbar sold separately.by: Sean Hanlon05/11/2015
Over all I could not be any happier with my hitch / cargo basket buying and install experience. A huge thank you to Chris and George on the etrailer team. All of my pre-order questions were answered promptly, and everything arrived as scheduled. The boxes were a little banged up, but after reading the reviews, that was to be expected. The install of the Class III hitch on my 2012 Legacy 3.6 could not have gone smoother. The videos really help to set expectations, and lets you know exactly what you need to do. My Legacy 3.6 has a dual exhaust set-up so there was a little more work involved with dropping the exhaust and another heat shield needed to be trimmed, but other than that the instal is exactly the same as the video that shows you how to instal the larger Class II hitch. A few tips, when dropping the exhaust, you will need remove the rubber hangers that support each muffler and the next rubber hanger located right before the exhaust splits from one pipe into two. This will allow you to lower the exhaust far enough out of the way. I had the car supported by jack stands and used a small jack to support the exhaust (see picture). As for drilling the access holes, I did it from under the car and had zero problems. All said and done from the time the car was put on jack stands to the time it was ready to be lowered was exactly two hours. Again, zero complaints! Thank you etrailer! -Sean 191719
by: Chris B03/18/2015
First off I'd like to thank the previous reviewers that mentioned that they had gotten the wrong size nuts in the bag of installation hardware. On inspection PRIOR TO BEGINNING I too had the wrong size nuts so it was simply a matter of a quick run to the hardware store beforehand. So, CHECK YOUR NUTS BEFORE YOU START!! This is the 2nd time I've bought a hitch from trailer.com & as usual the parts arrived quickly & with little to no damage in transport. The installation went exactly as shown in the great video only I chose to drill the access hole from the inside the trunk area rather than underneath as another reviewer mentioned. I feel there will be less of a chance of rust developing in the frame using this method. I happened to have a couple of plastic plugs left over from something & used them to plug the 1 1/8" holes after a little touch-up paint on the bare metal. BTW, save those rubber plugs!! You may need them for a future job! Go the Mrs on a creeper to help me get it in place. The funniest part was watching her get up & off that wheeled beast. Did the job in the garage with just the rear end on jack-stands in 2 hours taking me time. 179581
Didnt see it in the review but if I missed I apologize...what make model / year was the car you installed this on? I have a 2015 and am hoping I can drill the feeder holes from the trunk as well. Thanks in advance.
-- comment by: brian f - 07/22/2015Hey Brain F,Mine was a 2013 Outback wagon 2.5. Dont know if the interior is the same as a 2015. My sister-in-law has a 2015
-- comment by: Chris B - 07/24/2015by: Randy C.03/17/2014
The hitch was shipped and received in an expedite manner. The box as always was manhandled by UPS but the hitch itself was safe. Hint to shipping (bubble wrapping the hitch would help avoid scratch damage). I opted to enlarge the front hole present in the trunck area from within as the easiest way to pull the bolts through. Least amount of body damage without pulling the bumper off. The top sheet metal is much thinner than the bottom rail and there is a hole already directly above the front hole the bolt will travel through. In fact there is a hole directly above the rear bottom bolt hole as well but I opted to leave it alone and use the bolt threaders for these. A simple rat tail file and half moon rasp and about ten minutes was all that was needed to enlarge these two holes. Gorilla tape sealed them back over after it was finished. I noted that the 3 inch front bolt spacer fit perfectly perpendicular to the rail but the rear one did not so it sits parallel with the rail. This should not be an issue however because the rail at this point is double walled. I installed this hitch by myself in about 2 hours taking my time. I would also like to point out that instead of cutting the heat shield I decided to mark the position of the rear trailer bolt to the shield with a little grease on the bolt and drill a 1 1/4 inch hole in the heat shield over the marked spot with my hole saw. This worked out much cleaner than cutting the entire shield and was much easier than using snips. Over all quite an easy job. The only regret I had was not buying some undercoat while I had the heat shield off to add to what Subaru does not coat bit If the weather warms up the muffler will come off with just as much ease as before. The real test will be attaching the bike hitch and bikes. 120912
by: Darrell04/10/2013
This is a well made product, but it could use better packaging. (A few nylon ties holding things in place would be nice). I was a little worried when it arrived at my office in a very beat up box with a huge hole. The receiver had suffered some scratches, but a little glossy black touch up paint and undercoating spray covered any exposed steel. I removed the muffler and used the "inside trunk method", enlarging the pilot holes in the rear deck with a 1-3/8" step drill bit. After removing the carpeted cargo area covers, expose the pilot holes by using an upholstery tool to carefully remove the plastic plugs holding the Styrofoam trunk material in place. The pilot holes in my 2013 2.5i Limited Outback were covered by round black stickers. Use a little cutting lubricant when using the step drill, and a Dremel tool for smoothing out rough edges. The blocks and bolts were easily placed in the frame, being pulled almost straight down into position with the pull wires from below. With a little help from my wife, this hitch receiver was bolted to our car's frame and it was a perfect fit. I kind of wish I drilled a hole in the heat shield instead of trimming it, but no one is going to notice that when its hidden above the muffler. After a little cleaning, the trunk holes can be covered with Gorilla tape or plugged, if you can find blanking plugs with flat tops. Re-install the trunk foam, plastic plugs and cargo area covers. Mounting a bike rack will be a piece of cake with this receiver. 75311
by: John T.04/24/2011
The box arrived pretty beat up, but the hitch was fine. I watched the installation video, which was excellent, then read the printed instructions as I did the job. I did the job with the tires still on the ground, and only lifted it a few inches with a jack under the differential just to give myself more working room. Everything went exactly as shown on the video, but it took me 2-1/2 hours to complete the job. I'm sure it would go faster doing it a second time, but how many customers will be doing that on the same car? The wire fish was really slick, and the metal plates and bolts pulled into the bolt holes perfectly. Hard to believe who well they worked. I used my jack to help lift the hitch up so that I could get the first two nuts on, since I was working alone. Having some way to temporarily grip the bolts, perhaps a spring clip, would help assure they don't get pushed back up into the mounting rail. This would be a nice addition to the installation package. But working carefully I got the first two nuts on. The other two went on easily at that point. I left all bolts loose and threaded in the two heat shield bolts that go through the hitch, since the clearance holes were pretty small, then tightened all four bolts on the hitch. Then I removed the two heat shield bolts, trimmed the heatshield and put it back on. All in all, the job went very smoothly, just took a lot longer than the video suggested. 12288
by: Arthur B01/22/2018
I have a 2011 Subau Outback Limited 3.6R and I am 81 years old. That being said I thought that I would share some minor details on the installation. #1 The dual mufflers have to be removed, start with removing the rear rubber hangers, then remove the two bolts at exhaust pipe, then pull off the muffer at the upper rubber hanger. This is required to get to the heat shield and the frame. The P/N for the exhaust gasket(s) are 44011AE01A from your Subaru dealer, cost is $4.21 ea. Everything else is straight forward on the install. I also bought 12 fender washers approx. 1 1/4 in dia. to reinstall the heat shield(s) as mine were rusted at the M6 bolts. Last but not least, there was no need to jack up the car. The jack came in handy to lift the hitch into position. I used a long broom handle inserted in the 1 1//4 inch opening and while I slowly jacked up the wife pushed down on the end of broom stick to keep the hitch level. The hitch went up on the frame with no problems. This then became an easy install, even the rubber hangers went on easier then taking them off. Overall this operation took me 3 days in my heated garage but I was in no hurry and I have to take it easy because of my prostate cancer et al. To someone in good heath and pays attention to details will find that this is a first class product. Very well made and all bolt holes line up. Highly recommand, this is my second Draw-Tite install. 468774
by: Steve G.04/15/2014
This is my third Draw-Tite hitch from e trailer. The others have held up well. The install is as easy as it appears in their videos. However, this time I didn't drill into the frame to install the bolts. I had to replace the bumper cover on the car so while I had the old one off, it was only 8 nuts to remove the bumper and get access to the channel in the frame. The fishing wire was even long enough to reach the front holes. On past installs, I always took the time to paint the drilled holes to prevent rust. 125244
This has been used mostly with a 4 bike rack to take the family biking. No issues. This year we will be towing a trailer on vacation.
Steve G - 04/15/2015by: Tim H.06/03/2013
Excellent. Very well constructed. Fit perfect on 2012 Subaru Outback Wagon. Instructions were very clear. Would love to share a picture but didn't think to take one and it's on my daughters car not in the area. Shipped promptly. Installed in a couple of hours by myself with no issues what so ever. The "mouse" they include to fish the bolts in to place in the frame worked exceptionally well. Great product!! 83038
Outstanding product. My daughter has towed a boat, a landscape trailer, and had one of those luggage platforms in the hitch and gone from Manchester NH area to Detroit MI area to visit family a number of times and loves it.
Tim H - 06/11/2014by: Robin09/17/2014
Etrailer was great to work with. Again, the hitch and wiring harness arrived in good shape and on time. The installation instructions were adequate but it was the videos which simplified the whole process. At the suggestion of other reviewers I accessed the frame bolting from the top. It was really no big deal and I liked the idea of not compromising the integrity of the frame. Thanks Etrailer. 151700
The hitch has been working great for a year now. It is a quality product much better than the option from Subaru.
Robin - 09/21/2015by: Balthazar03/18/2015
I was not home at the time of delivery, and when seeing the shape the package was in, would probably have refused delivery. The container was open in two locations, with the hitch poking out. Upon inspection, everything appeared to be OK. Checking the package containing all the bolts, washers, nuts etc., I discovered that the 7/16" nuts were actually 3/8" and would not fit the supplied bolts. (As was described by a previous poster). Upon calling to describe the fubar, I was politely told a replacement set would be sent out, forcing me to wait an extra week or purchase the 4 nuts myself, if I wanted to finish the job. The hitch itself was of sound construction, with all welds being of good quality. It seems that when a quality control issue surfaces (wrong nut size on more than one occasion) steps should be taken by either the mfg. or the outfit retailing it, to correct the problem and prevent not only a repeat of a bad situation, but also negative reviews. 179439
by: Curt P.02/03/2012
I just finished installing the hitch. It was delivered last night, as was promised. I bought a new Outback recently and I needed a way to transport bikes w/o having to get the bikes on the roof - it's pretty high. So a hitch mounted bike carrier is the way I wanted to solve that problem. I bought the hitch and a Thule carrier from etrailer. Both the hitch and the carrier are much sturdier than I imagined. the hitch install went exactly as described in the excellent instructions/video; fit perfectly. It took longer to install than 1 hour though. Working by myself it was a challenge to support the hitch while I secured that first bolt but the wire guides helped a lot. It's a good system especially for this novice. I also hope use the hitch to do some light duty towing occasionally - moving applicances, trips to the waste transfer station, maybe even tow a small tent trailer. I have not used the hitch yet but I plan to in the near future. 30976
by: Karl04/19/2018
Solid construction and good fit and finish. The box it arrived in was pretty beat up. And the arms that reach forward along the frame were pushed together a bit. So I got one side bolted up and wedged a screwdriver handle between the spare tire well and the other arm to clear the bolt and assemble. Other than that, the installation went fine. To install the bolts, I removed the cargo area carpet and related parts, then enlarged holes that are directly above the hitch mounting holes. Primed the bare metal after I was done, and covered the holes with duct tape. The pull wires are a very helpful thing to have for getting the mounting bolts into place. Thanks for including them. And the trailer wiring adapter fit perfectly. Its kit did not include the double sided tape referenced in the instructions, but I have some in my stash of home repair stuff. 498291
by: Greg L.08/07/2015
I'd get hitched to it if I could ! Feel in love with it at first sight, well made , easy to install (with a little help from a friend) quick delivery and a great youtube install video that took away my fears of a DIY project. Highly recommended. 217525
still in love and waiting for the time to install a second order on our new Honda H R V ! Ill let you know how it goes.
Greg L - 08/16/2016by: Barry D.07/09/2013
Fit well. Fairly easy to install with 2 people and a large drill bit. I used a step bit which worked great.. Hitch was scratched through to bare metal in a number of places when it arrived although the box was fully intact (I repainted the hitch). It came with a ball mount - I wasn't aware it would. Overall decent product. 88510
Works fine. No issues.
Barry D - 07/09/2014by: John S12/05/2017
Hitch is of good quality, very sturdy. Install was more than time listed on site. Drilling 1.125 holes in the frame requires a very good hole saw. Drilling two holes took two hours. Will have to get some foam to seal the holes to keep water out. The instructions that came with it were in Spanish, no English instructions included. I had to download them from the site, no big deal but an inconvenience nonetheless. Instructions were very vague as to where to trim the exhaust shield, pretty much a trial and error kind of thing. Overall it was OK. I will be using this class 2 hitch for a bike rack and to pull a 4' x 8' Harbor Freight utility trailer so I only needed the small hitch, plus, I already had the 1 7/8" and 2" receiver sets so I didn't want to buy more. Also the price for the Class 2 hitch couldn't be beat. 457234
by: Bill B.05/09/2017
This is the 2nd hitch package I've bought from etrailer.com. (The first was for a 2011 Outback, and this one was for a 2017 Outback.) And like the first, this order was handled perfectly by the etrailer rep. The hitch and drawbar arrived as promised and I had my mechanic install it yesterday. He said it was a fairly simple job (took him less than an hour) and the new wiring harness simply plugged in to the existing harness in the 2017 Outback (as opposed to having to be spliced in the 2011 Outback with the first hitch package). Also the price was very good... more competitive than buying it from, and having it installed by, a local dealer. All in all, it was a painless and pleasant experience. I will definitely buy my next hitch from etrailer when it's time to replace my 2017 Outback. 378420
by: Doug D.09/30/2017
I've bought two of these hitches: one for a 2014 Subaru Forester, and now a 2018 Subaru Outback. A local automotive dealer had no problem installing either hitch as etrailer provided an excellent online video of the installation. I tow a 12' kayak on a small trailer (note photos) and never had a problem. etrailer ships promptly with no hassle and have always got it right.z 438085
The hitch is ideal for the 2018 Subaru and the kayak trailer I tow with it. Never had a problem.
Douglas D - 10/01/2018by: Bill B04/14/2011
I installed this in about an hour and a half in my garage - not bad for a do-it-yourselfer. The best part of this product was the excellent video. I would not have been confident about doing this myself without it. I used ramps to back the car up and gain a little more space. I took the time to purchase the 1 1/8" hole bit ahead of time and I'm glad I did. The frame was tough to drill through at the angle I was sitting at. Once the holes were drilled and the bolts installed (whoever invented the wire bolt guides to snake through the frame was a genius) I laid on my back and held the hitch in place while my son attached the nuts. I'm very pleased with how it looks on the car. - sits nicely under and back from the rear of the bumper. Great product. 11735
by: LWT06/03/2017
My only complaint is that the hitch is heavy. This is way overkill for our 350 pound Time-Out camper, but I'm sure we'll tow something heavier sometime. It is possible to install it with just one person. Start by clamping a couple of 1x12 boards to the vertical metal on each side of the hitch. The 1x12's should be long enough so that the "table" -- the hitch is the top, the 1x12's are legs -- just go under the car. That will get you close enough to lift the hitch, especially if you use some levers and ingenuity. I drilled from the top -- using a $3 cone shaped grinder to enlarge the holes and make them more oval. Make sure the reinforcements and the bolt heads fit through before you start fishing bolts. 388446
by: Kate S07/25/2016
The Product identification on the website was easy and clear for my car. The order process was super easy. We received the order very quickly, and it was delivered complete and in great shape. My Dad helped me install it, and we were both impressed at how good the customer service is with the access to fantastic video instructions for installation. The little bolt threading aids were brilliant! We used the floor Jack to lift the hitch in to place so that we didn't have to struggle with the weight while lining up the bolts. Lucky for us we had the hole saw in our shop. Had we not, it would have been a 30 mile trip to town and back......We had fun, and now I can haul and carry Stuff. Thanks etrailer! 275948
Its been great.about to buy another one for my other daughters new car. And recommended one for another friends subaru recently too.
Kate S - 01/06/2018 by: Ross12/11/2017
I was a little skeptical about putting a trailer hitch on my new 2016 Subaru Legacy. Not quite the car you would expect to install one on. But, I am so glad I did. My nieces husband actually did the installing, but said it was fairly easy. Only a slight modification to the vehicle was necessary. I ended up pulling a 4'x8' trailer from Indiana to Florida with it. Worked like a charm. I've used it numerous other times since then hauling furniture, outdoor equipment, etc and have never had a problem. Highly recommend etrailer for all your hitch needs. George J has bent over backwards to make sure I'm satisfied and answered any questions. I don't have any photos to submit, but their videos are great. 459195
by: Austin07/09/2014
The construction materials and workmanship of hitch look fine but the installation was awful. Required dropping muffler, drilling two 1-1/8 inch holes in the steel frame, removing and cutting heat shield, topped off with the wrong nuts provided - 3/8" for 7/16th" bolt!!! Close to 10 hours of work - don't attempt this unless you are a professional with professional tools. 140465
Interesting review, Austin. Seems everyone else has been able to do it in under 2 1/2 hours. Maybe you should have watched the video BEFORE you ordered the hitch to insure the job was within YOUR abilities because its ALL explained for you. It makes me angry when people blame a product when its their OWN short comings.
-- comment by: Chris B - 03/14/2015by: Ronald12/01/2017
I would have rated a 5 star but the hitch did not fit without some modification. The holes in the hitch did not mount up exactly. It was about 1/2 inch off from the car frame mounting holes. I made a call to E-trailer and person on other end indicated the frame rails could be bent into shape. Little help form a floor jack and I bent the frame into shape and it was pretty easy. The video on You tube was extremely helpful and all the hardware was present for assembly. All told, it took about 2 hrs to install including modifying the hitch as per above. It will definitely work and the instant help I received on the phone was great. Thanks for a great product and timely delivery. 456356
by: Daniel04/24/2018
Installation took longer than expected and I only had one trip to the hardware store for a socket I held the hitch in place using a strap I pushed one of the bolts almost inside the frame but was able to grab it with a magnet tool It’s on and we are ready for summer 499995
by: Scott08/04/2018
I purchased based on prior hitch ease of installation and video instructions for this hitch. Perfectly engineered and all the parts (just need to purchase hole drill - recommend). Video shows 2 person install on a lift. With the road clearance of the Subaru Outback I was able to install without jacking. Didn’t have anyone to help, used a paint can to prop while I began fastening. Everything went as described, about a 2 hour job. Definitely recommend! 549794
by: Kayaker04/13/2016
This trailer hitch fit my 2010 Subaru Outback perfectly. I didn't like the idea of drilling new holes in the exterior (which is what the instructions specify), because we get a lot of road salt in this area every winter. I also didn't like the idea of pulling off the rear bumper, for fear that I might not get it back on correctly. So, I went in fro above. I had to remove the spare tire cradle and some other items but it was simple and straightforward. I had to enlarge the pre-drilled holes but it was a simple job. I have pulled my utility trailer and my 1800 pound camper with no trouble at all. 244153
by: Ronald K02/10/2018
This my etrailer hitch installed on my 2017 Subaru Outback. A little concerned on the distance the hitch is under the car not allowing enough clearance to bumper when the ball and receiver is in place. 474451
Ronald,Thank you for your review. If you are worried about the ball mount clearing your bumper I would recommend getting a longer ball mount. I am not sure what rise or you will need to be level with your trailer. An example of a longer ball mount is part #40330. This ball mount offers 8 inches of length with a 1 inch rise, a 2 inch and up to 16K of towing capacity. The ball hole diameter is 1-14 so you would want to make sure the shank of your ball will fit.
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Heather A - 02/10/2018by: mark s.02/27/2017
Trailer hitch receiver arrived promptly... had to wait a couple of days for warmer outside temps to arrive before installation. Installation video for my specific vehicle on etrailer.com site very helpful. Purchased a receiver hitch for previous vehicle from etrailer.com , so was not expecting any problems to pop up, and none did. Would/will if needed, use etrailer.com again and would recommend etrailer.com to anyone asking for info regarding this type of product. Will most likely be ordering a made for my vehicle wiring harness to complete the installation. Great company to do business with. 346464
by: Jim S04/06/2015
The hitch looked great, but the bolt holes on the muffler side were off just enough to give us a hard time. Eventually got the bolts to come down through the holes crooked and tighted them that way. I hope they do not come loose. Also the printed instructions did not match the video on line and neither mentioned the spacers that should have been inserted in the installation. Packing and shipping seemed insufficient. I think our allignment problem could have been due to a slight bend in the hitch during shipping. Time will tell if the hitch performs. I would not self install another. 183398
by: Missionink07/04/2017
I recently had to buy a new (used) car and that meant buying a new hitch...because fo my great experience in 2010, I went with etrailer.com again and I was totally glad I did! I had bought a class 3 hitch and just before it shipped, I realized I didn't need a class 3 but wanted to change it to a class 2 hitch. Cathy of Customer Service walked me through my options and made sure my original order was canceled and entered my new order very quickly! Long story short, my unit is installed and I am ready to roll again! Great company, great people with great products! 401571
by: Dan M08/28/2012
What a deal! Ordered my hitch & wiring and two days later it arrived! The instructions/videos on this site and with the hitch made it a breeze to install. I'm 70 yrs. old and had NO problems. Just make sure you have a proper and sharp METAL hole saw and your tools laid out. My Outback is new, so, I just removed the muffler, then drilling and fishing the bolts were easy! It took about half an hr. for the actual install. My wife even helped. I highly recommend E-TRAILER for everyone and will be back for anything else I need. 53296
by: Chuck H08/09/2016
The search for the correct hitch for my car was very easy using the etrailer.com website. My order was processed quickly and the three day shipping was much faster than I had expected. I intend to use this hitch only for a bike rack on my Suburu Legacy so the inconspicuous size is important to me. 281766
by: Chris09/26/2011
Installation went well, instructions pretty good, although i would allow more time. Here are some recommendations... detach muffler, 2 bolts and much easier with it out of the way. Drilling the holes, go though the top, remove cover where spare tire is, there are existing holes and can cut, saw or use tin snips if you dont have large drill bit. Easier to work and less prone to rust. Last, enlist a helper to hold hitch in place when mounting... very tricky if your going it alone. 24584
by: Booger05/14/2017
I'll start with the wiring. SUPER easy took literally 7 minutes. The exhaust hangers were a little tough to pull off the rest was cake. I opted to punch a hole in heat shield rather than cut it. Everything lined up perfectly. Good products should and do go together smoothly. 380319
by: Ken C.09/07/2016
The trailer hitch installed pretty good thanks to the "install video". I had to take down the hitch because the holes for the heat shield was not in line with the holes in hitch. I just removed the heat shield bolts and reinstalled hitch. The holes in the hitch were off on both sides for the heat shields with the holes on the Subaru. Otherwise it installed as instructed. The service was excellent from Etrailer. Ordered the hitch and was shipped the next day. 292148
It works fine except it drags when you backup. It hangs down and cuts the ground clearance, Im thinking about changing it out with one that doesnt hang down.
Ken C - 09/07/2017by: Chris L03/26/2012
The product performed as needed...installed easy...The only thing that I am dissapointed is how low the receiver sits below the bumper...I see why, since there is really no other way to do it becuase of the trunk well...I would reccomend this product... Beware that if you are installing this on a legacy, you will probably need a drawbar/hitch mount riser...the one that comes with the hitch was not tall enough to tow a fold up 4 x 8 trailer with 12inch wheels.. 35143
by: Bill T08/29/2016
I'm 79 years old but after watching the installation video I decided to save $200 and do the installation on my new 2016 Subaru Outback myself. The video was spot on. My biggest concern was being able to drill the holes in the frame as required. It was a breeze. The hardest part was raising the hitch into place by myself. The hitch is now installed and looks good on the car. It looks well made and is very heavy. I'd recommend both e-trailer and Draw Tite 289000
by: Harry06/21/2018
This is the second hitch I have bought from Etrailer. One was for a 1997 Honda CR-V and the most recent is for a 2015 Subaru Outback. Both were delivered on time and were well made. Installation instructions and video were very helpful. I no longer have a truck, so my replacement hauler is a lightweight utility trailer. User friendly web page, thorough information and easy access to all things trailer makes continued use of Etrailer a sure thing. 524735
by: Charles03/31/2018
I just installed this hitch on my 2018 subaru outback. It fit perfectly and has a very good look to it. The installation was very straightforward and relatively easy if you watch the youtube videos. I only had to buy a 1-1/8 bimetal hole saw for about $12 and it cut the holes super fast,no issues. The fishing for the bolts was super easy. Hardest part was needing a second set of hands to hold the hitch in place while i bolted it up. 491072
by: Kevin B.07/18/2017
My hitch fit great. It is designed well. Being and engineer, I know what it means to have a good design. I would suggest that you talk to the packaging engineer though. The packaging was a mess by the time it arrived at my house. No damage or scratches to the hitch though, which I guess is all that is required of the packaging. I will continue to work with etrailer in the future. I will send pictures next time. Kevin 407691
by: Eddie06/13/2011
my wife's 2011 subaru outback. very fast shipping, and the parts are as described. installed it on the floor with the car jacked up on the driver side in 1 hour. very easy install after watching video on etrailers site. the coolest thing on the install was having my wife under the car with me to put it in place at least for 5 min. she might be sophisticated, but i got that extra set of hands to line it up. lol. 16892
by: Eddie06/13/2011
my wife's 2011 subaru outback. very fast shipping, and the parts are as described. installed it on the floor with the car jacked up on the driver side in 1 hour. very easy install after watching video on etrailers site. the coolest thing on the install was having my wife under the car with me to put it in place at least for 5 min. she might be sophisticated, but i got that extra set of hands to line it up. lol. 16891
by: Bill07/11/2017
This is my 4th purchase through etrailer with all four being flawless. Fast shipping, good products at reasonable prices. I had my vehicle prepped prior to hitch arrival and took me less than 1 hour to install these hitches and wiring harnesses. Instructions are so easy a caveman could install. All four dealings with etrailer are 5 stars and will continue to use them after future vehicle purchases. 406154
by: Lawrence b04/30/2018
The trailer hitch that I purchased from you arrived and even though I had bought the wrong ball mount, replacing those items was easy and very friendly. Mounting the trailer hitch was simple and the directions and video made the job go smoothly. The only problem was finding the connector for the electrical harness. It was really secured well and required removing an extra panel from the car. 502394
by: John04/14/2018
Installed hitch on my recently acquired 2014 Outback and towed my surplus furniture out to California from Indiana for my daughter's wedding. Problem-free trip. I also use the hitch to mount a bike rack. Installation was straightforward once I fabricated a cradle out of scrap lumber and used this + car jack to raise the hitch into place underneath the car and then tighten up the bolts. 496440
by: Steve W04/08/2017
Purchased my trailer hitch for my 2017 Subaru Legacy on a Thursday, it arrived the following Wednesday. This is my 2nd hitch purchase from etrailer; I highly recommend from them. This hitch is great quality and installation is simplified by their videos. Installation time was just over an hour (it would have taken less time, but my 'assistant' kept telling me a 'better' way to do things)...! 364663
Working as designed I expect this hitch to last the lifetime of the car...a very long time..!
Steve W - 04/08/2018by: Randall B09/12/2016
The hitch arrived in a timely manner. The instructions along with the online video were excellant. The entire install time was @ 3hrs. Mostly because I did this with car ramps, not a car lift. 293686
by: Andrew V. (Osprey)02/24/2015
My rating would be much better, except for one problem. The four nuts provided by the manufacturer were too small. Imagine being under the car holding up the heavy unit with knees and elbows making sure not to knock the bolts up into the car frame while trying to screw a nut on with your remaining limb. Check the nut size prior to installing the bolts in the car frame! 175966
by: Tom S.05/13/2017
I received my trailer hitch in perfect condition. My wife and I installed it using the video as a guide. Our time was at least double the estimated time due to at least three tea breaks and stopping and starting the video in the house. It is rock solid and a perfect fit. We did it without jacking the vehicle. My wife is 65 and I am 70. I will recommend etrailer. 379799
One year later Originally the hitch was for a bike rack but we bought a boat so I purchased the light harness from etrailer too. Everything is great and I will always recommend etrailer based on my experiences with them.
Thomas S - 05/13/2018by: Adam08/09/2018
Product fit well. Drilled access holes through the top of a 2015 outback via the sides of the spare tire well. Much easier and the holes are directly above the bolt holes underneath (remove round black stickers, they're right there). Product arrived with the flanges punched through the box, but was undamaged. Packaging could be a little better/thicker. 551518
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