Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

I have been looking for a hitch for awhile now and then I came across your web page. I have seen Draw-Tite hitches on quite a few vehicles. So I went on to do a little research and to read quite a few of the reviews on this hitch here. After reading the reviews and the price of the hitch at that time I decided that I had found the hitch for my 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan Crew. I placed the order and the next day received a message that my order had shipped. The box arrived very quickly after I placed my order which was a pleasant surprise. One side of the box was really tore up and the hitch had come free of the strapping inside the box. The only thing inside the box was the hitch with the tongue/receiver wrapped in plastic wrap and the two pieces of cardboard that had come free. I search the inside of the box for some instructions but did not find any at this point so I would know exactly which bolts to take out.
The first thing I did was to jack up the back of my van so I had a little more room to work underneath where the hitch was to go. Then I took off the passenger side rear tire to give me better access to the bolts that had to come out for the hitch and for the exhaust system to be lowered. I then took out the five bolts for the hitch and had to take out the three bolts holding up the exhaust to give me room to install the hitch. Then came the hardest part of the whole process and that was getting the hitch up to a point where I could get a bolt started. I tried using the exhaust system to help me but was still having a problem. So I got a cinder block I had in the garage and put it under one end of the hitch which was a better platform and really helped me getting the other side started. From that point on it went really well getting the other side started and then all five bolts in and tightened down. I then stepped back to see what it looked like and at this time I saw something white deep in the hitch receiver/tongue. When I pulled it out I noticed it was the instruction I had looked for earlier. It would have been nice to have these when I first started. A suggestion would be to put a notice on the plastic wrap that is wrapped around the receiver/tongue of the hitch that states "Instruction Enclosed" or "Packing Slip Enclosed" or just tape them to the inside of the box, not hidden inside a wrapped receiver/tongue of the hitch. I then went back and torqued the five bolts to what it stated on the sheet I found. I then put the three bolts back in the exhaust system to get it back in place which basically completed the installation of my Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch.502792

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Leland

5/1/2019

I am so happy that I found your website and purchased the appropriate hitch for my vehicle. Actually I was surprised how easy it was to install and I was able to do it with-out a hitch. So I guess that a Thank You is in order for such a wonderful product and customer service.

I purchased a etrailer hitch for my 2011 Town and Country van. I was hesitant to install myself but after viewing several installation videos and customers comments I dove into the project. I had visions of rusty, broken bolts, drilling and tapping and laying under the vehicle all day. Needless to say it took less than an hour. I didn’t jack the car up and I easily installed it by myself. A helper might have been handy, but I supported one side with a card board box while getting bolts started in other side. I took two hanger brackets loose and easily shoved the resonator aside to put in trailer hitch bolts under it. I was cautious takeing out the two smaller bolts, they were somewhat rusty. I backed them out a couple turns, sprayed with penetrating rust oil turned back in then backed out again. I repeated that procedure several times. On the attached photo I show the bolt next to the air conditioner line, etrailer enclosed a piece of plastic to slip over the ac line so hitch does not rub against, the plastic is enclosed in the receiving part of hitch and I did not discover until hitch was installed, but was easy to slip over after hitch was installed. This is a well engineered hitch and easy to install!496717

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Steven C.

4/15/2019

It has been a year since I installed the etrailer hitch. I would do it again as it is a very solid hitch and you can barely tell there is a hitch on the van when the ball isnt installed. The only thing I would do differently, I would not purchase the hitch silencer, it does work nicely at keeping the receiver from rattling in the hitch socket, but the bumper interferes with it, which makes it difficult to use. For long road trips I would say get it, but if just pulling a trailer around town and to a big box store, forget it.

Super smooth installation! Just like the videos.1606854

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Selecting the correct hitch was as easy as knowing the year, make, and model of your vehicle. You can view helpful videos before you buy. Ordering was extremely easy. My hitch arrived 3 days before it was expected. The whole process was simple, straightforward, and very customer service oriented.1348024

Mike

8/6/2023

Its a solid very easy to use hitch that weve used often. Of course it wont fall off because I installed it

I have not installed it yet, but I imagine that it will fit and be a good product.
My Etrailer for my 2009 Toyota Sienna LE is great:0)1453194

Florencio

10/23/2023

So far it has been great :0

Mike L.

11/10/2023

@Florencio Glad to hear that!

by: Jarrett12/07/2022

2015 Chrysler Town and Country

Perfect fit for my 2015 town and country. It's hauled everything from a light cargo carrier to a 3800lb popup camper.1479991

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I'm not sure if the instillation took me 30 minutes or maybe a little bit more but the hardest part for me was getting my 61 year old butt down on the drive way and under the back of my 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. The second hardest part was getting back up.
I ordered a "complete package", that is to say a hitch receiver and wiring harness. I went ahead with another reviewer's advice and installed the wiring harness first.
Then I jacked up only the rear passenger side and removed the three exhaust system hangers. Removing only one did not give me enough room to get to the bolts used for the passenger side of the receiver hitch. I thought I might need help to hold one side in place while bolting up the other but that was not the case. The receiver assembly was a perfect fit and light enough for me to hang one end off on the dropped down exhaust system while starting a bolt on the driver's side. My wife did help by passing me the required sockets, ratchets & hardware. When it was all said and done it looked great. Only the 2" square tube for the ball mount is visible from a standing view and it does not protrude past the bumper at all. No cutting or other modification of the bumper was needed. I sweated more mowing the lawn later that day than I did installing this hitch receiver and my wife thinks I'm a mechanical whizz kid now!133836

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Lou H.

6/2/2015

We dont employ the hitch every day. Its installed on a mini-van not an 18 wheeler. But we did get a 10 x 5 single axle utility trailer for hauling top soil, landscaping materials and other Harry the Homeowner DIY type stuff. We also used the hitch to haul rented equipment like wood chippers and cement mixers. Fitting our mini van with a Draw-Tite trailer hitch has really made it a multi-use vehicle and in my opinion was one of the smarter things Ive done in life! -

Arrived very quickly! Exactly what I was looking for. I needed a backup vehicle to haul my boat and utility trailer and my 2009 T&C got the job. From my photos you'll see, it was a one guy driveway install. Once I got it into place by the exhaust, I used my trolly jack to raise it where I needed it. Bolted it in and torqued. Not bad for 69 y/o!1344256

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First thing I must state is I got a price of 500.00 to have a hitch and wiring installed for my grand caravan. I started searching the net and found multiple places to purchase the items needed, but etrailer had the videos and information needed to ease my mind on installing myself. The hitch installed within an hour. The wiring took about an hour and a half with my sons help. We are going to pull a pop up camper this summer on a nice long road trip. Cathy, the employee that answered my call, was very helpful and reassured me that even I could install this. To anyone with concern on installing yourself, watch the videos first then place your order.
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John

6/25/2019

Still happy with the product.

by: Steven05/20/2022

I'm very happy with my hitch. It fit perfectly and no problem with the install. Would recommend this hitch.1300357

Steven

5/21/2023

Great. No problem

by: Ted 06/20/2023

Installation was fast and easy, once I figured out a reliable support for the other end. Recommend a partner to help with that part. No issues with Hitch in a year ( pop up camper, utility trailer).1604813

by: EricL06/07/2018

2016 Chrysler Town and Country

Very easy to install... with 2 people - it’s heavy!
Tucks up tight under the bumper cover.
Set back from the bumper face is perfect for our bike rack and for our draw bar.518930

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Ericl

6/7/2019

Works fine one year later. No issues.

I think this is as good a hitch as there is on the market, bar none.I put it on right after I received it, and it only took me 1 hour from start to finish.I have not used it yet, but I know it will be super .1648165

by: Walter 06/07/2023

Great hitch! I haven’t dealt with the wiring issue yet and I’m a bit concerned with how to make that happen.1596465

by: Jim07/27/2020

I got this a year ago and love it. It was easy to install on my van by myself. The instructional video was accurate and very detailed. I was able to securely get this into my van in a very short time. I use it to hold a bicycle rack I also got from eTrailer and it is secure and more than adequate. 851455

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Jim

7/28/2021

Great Hitch that I’ve Used Many Times!

Trailer hitch is as expected. Overall, very pleased. There hitch receptacle is very slightly too low on a 2010 Chrysler Town & Country, maybe a few millimeters. It results in the receptacle being in contact with the bumper fascia, and a very slight bending of the fascia. (Only noticeable with careful inspection.) It doesn't appear to be a functional issue, but may eventually scratch the bottom of the fascia when the hitch is loaded with a trailer and bounces around. Installation was about as easy as described in the video for the 2010 T&C...although be careful where the video pointed out installing the driver-side frame bolts in a certain order. No fault of the product, but I ended up shearing off one of the bolts (ugh) trying to remove it. This is because the frame and body end up 'pinching' the bolt and making it very hard to remove and re-install. Several other bolts were difficult to remove/re-install. It's just a word of warning for any installation of a hitch like this...be careful.246762

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I installed this hitch on my 2019 Dodge Grand Caravan. Now I can use our bike rack and tow our pop up camper. The paint job on this hitch was amazing and should hold up very well to Michigan’s winter salt. The crossbar is completely hidden under the bumper and doesn’t change the look of the van, see photo. I also really like this hitch with the 2 inch size over the other with 1 ¼, much more versatile. The hitch was extremely easy to install. Watching the etrailer video really prepared me well to DIY it. This is my 3rd hitch purchase from etrailer. Their price, product and especially customer support is second to none.869087

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Installed this hitch today on my 2013 Grand Caravan R/T and it was easy. I found that watching the installation video on the e trailer site was helpful. I knew exactly how it was going to look before the hitch ever arrived. One tip I found may help with moving the exhaust and muffler out of the way is to also remove the bolt holding the second hanger from the rear that is just ahead of the axle. Having both hangers loose makes it easier to move the exhaust pipe. You're going to need some room to swing the wrench on those two passenger side bolts and that helps give you a bit more clearance. This hitch looks great on the van. Very discrete and doesn't hurt the appearance one bit.281103

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This is our third minivan, and our third etrailer hitch. Shopped around a lot for the first one, these days I don't even look at other suppliers. Always a good price, but what really sets them apart is the support. Great printed instructions, great videos, and the instructions always match what I see when I actually get under the van. I am a raving fan.1543578

Shipping took less time than expected, installation was straightforward and exactly as described. Fits like a glove!1664528

I bought this after I bought a similar product from Curt Manufacturing, and sent it back because the driver's side flange was bent 2 inches out of line, due to poor packaging. I thought I would do better with a different supplier.

However, when I received it, I found it was packaged just as badly, with the metal flange sticking out through the box. I would have shipped it back, but the box was in too bad a shape to do that, and I was frustrated with the second one having issues.

I did find that while the driver's side flange was bent, it was only 3/4 inch, not the two inches that the other one was. I was able to put it in a vice and bend it back in to line, and went ahead and installed it. The installation was straightforward, and took less than a half hour. I did not need to trim the bumper fascia, and it looks like a factory install, so I'm happy with the result.

I will have to touch up the paint that got scraped off in the process of shipping. But overall, it works, and should do what I want it to do. Oh, and one of the pictures shows a machining burr in the receiver bore, which was painted, rather than removed.

Biggest complaint is that the shipping box is awful. I'd hate to think of how much damage this package was doing to all the other boxes in the UPS truck.547851

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The product is solid. It is designed and built very well. The cross-bar is inserted into the brackets, then welded, which makes the connection structurally strong

Installation was fine, with a few notes, in my case:
- to lower exhaust needed to remove three hangers, not one: two on the outer side of the pipe, and one on the inner, in front of the rear axle (picture)
- i did not jack the vehicle up, doing all work on my back under it, at times reaching under just far enough to get good leverage with the socket wrench
- one of my 15mm bolts was very tight to undo due to rust on its stem, actually getting tighter as the rusty part worked its way through, used wd-40 and went back and forth a few times before it finally gave
- after hanging the hitch on the bolts, pushed it to driver's side as much hole openings allowed before final tightening: to maximize clearance with muffler
- used extension bar with socket wrench for tightening
- some exhaust hangers were tricky to reinstall: they have special positioning knobs that fit into holes in frame, which required to be held in position while tightening
- had to buy 18mm socket523238

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I got this trailer hitch receiver for our 2012 Chrystler Town and Country. I previewed etrailer's excellent installation video and others before I purchased the hitch and was prepared to install it myself. I jacked up the rear of the car and used jack stands. Make sure the front tires are chocked. The installation took less than an hour. It fit perfectly for my vehicle. My vehicle was real clean and the bolts came right out, but you might use some pb blaster on the bolts and let them soak if needed. A long breaker bar and a torque wrench are helpful tools to have. Lowering the muffler, as the video suggested, is a must and easy to do. Super easy.690649

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My review is primarily based on the design of the product in relation to ease of install and aesthetic. I trust drawtite as a brand and know that when used to spec it will perform well, the functionality has no question.

I have a 2017 Dodge Caravan and installed the receiver yesterday. It fits great, looks great and is not noticeable unless you are looking for it. You do have to drop the exhaust on this model to get to the install point but I used the retailer video to guide me and it was very manageable. I did use a floor jack and stands to do this. 808381

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Installed the hitch on a 2011 Grand Caravan. The instructions were easy to follow, and the Etrailer staff were helpful. They even sent a replacement hitch when the original was damaged during shipping.582622

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