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Draw-Tite/
Class III/
2 Inch Hitch/
3500 lbs GTW/
525 lbs TWItem # 75876
Retail:$200.25
Our Price: $107.74
You Save: $92.51To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
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Fully welded vehicle trailer hitch is strong and durable. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. The combination of an A-coat base and a powder coat finish provides excellent rust protection.
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 
2014 - 2018 Subaru Forester
Video of Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"
Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Speaker 1: Today, in our 2018 Subaru Forester, we're going to be installing Draw-Tite's class three, 2-inch trailer hitch receiver, part number 75876. The receiver tube's going to be visible at the back, and if you get down low, you will be able to see the cross tube, however it's tucked underneath pretty far. So most of the time, you won't be able to notice it.It's a class three, two inch by two inch receiver. It's going to work great with ball mounts, bike rack carriers, and just about any other accessory that you can think of. It's uses a 5/8-inch hitch pin, which does not come included, but you can pick one up here at etrailer.com using part number PC3. The smaller hole in front of the hitch pin hole will allow it accommodate a J-pin, which will come in and contact the shank on whatever's inside your hitch, acting as anti-rattle device.
Features plate-style safety chain loops that have a very wide opening, so it will able to accommodate just about any size safety chain that you can imagine. It has a 525 pound tongue weight, which is the force going down on top of the receiver, and a 3,500 pound gross trailer weight, which is how much that it can pull behind it. Now when using a weight-distribution system, the tongue weight's going to remain the same. However that trailer weight is going to extend to 4,000 pounds.And now to help you in deciding on accessories, I've got some measurements for you. From the ground to the top inside edge of the receiver tube, it's going to measure about 13 1/4 inches.
This is useful when deciding if you need a drop, rise or a raised shank on any accessories you're using. From the center of the hitch pin hole to the rearmost edge of the bumper, it's going to measure about 5 1/2 inches. This is important when deciding if you need an extension for your shank or when purchasing any folding accessories to ensure you're going to have clearance when putting it in the upright position.Now that we've gone over some of the features, let's show you how to get it installed. We'll begin our installation by lowering our exhaust. Before you lower it down, you'll want to put a strap in place.
We're putting the strap in place to make sure we don't cause any damage to our exhaust system when we lower it down. To lower your exhaust system, we'll need to remove three hangers. There's two located on each side of your muffler, one on each side. Then there's one located just here in front of your driver's side rear axle. To make it easier to remove the hanger, a little bit of spray lubricant will help it slide off easier.
Then you can just take a pry bar and pry the hanger off. Do the same for the remaining two hangers. Once all your hangers are removed, you can go back to your strap and give yourself a little bit of slack to lower it down out of your way. Now remove your heat shield. Take out the four bolts using a 10 mm socket. You can set this aside, as we'll be trimming it and re-installing it later.Now if your vehicle had a dual-exhaust system, there may be additional hangers that you'll have to remove to lower your exhaust, and there'll also be another heat shield on the opposite side that you would need to remove. Remove the four rubber plugs on the bottom side of your frame rail. You can use a flat-bladed screwdriver to pry up underneath to get each plug out. After removing the four plugs on one side, remove the four plugs on the opposing side. Now take your coiled fish wire, and starting at the rearmost hole, put the coil then in and run it up to your frontmost largest hole, which is your access hole, where you'll be feeding through your components. You may have to stick your finger in the hole to guide the fish wire down back through the hole. I like to bend the very end of the fish wire to prevent it from pulling all the way through. Now slide on your spacer and thread on your carriage bolt onto the coiled wire. Then push them both up into the frame and feed them back through with the fish wire. Repeat this same process on the two remaining holes on this side, and all three holes on the opposing side.We now need to trim our heat shield. I've gone ahead and made a mark outlining what we're going to cut out. This will allow clearance for our hitch and the hardware that runs through it. We can use a pair of tin snips or a cutting wheel to trim your heat shield. We're just going to use some tin snips. Now that we've trimmed our heat shield, we can reinstall it. Then re-tighten them with a 10 mm socket. We've now got ourselves an extra set of hands to help us lift our hitch into place. We'll go up over our passenger side exhaust first, and then you'll want to feed your fish wires through and raise it into position. Then lift it up into position, remove your fish wire, place on a conical tooth washer with the teeth facing up towards the hitch, followed by a nut. Once you've got a nut started on both sides, the hitch'll hold itself into position making it easier to install the rest of your hardware. Then repeat this same process on the other side. And now torque all of your hardware to the specifications in your instructions using a 13/16 socket.We can now lift our exhaust back into position. Again a little bit of spray lubricant will make it slide on much easier. Repeat that for the two remaining exhaust hangers. You can now remove the strap that you used to support your exhaust, and you're ready to hook up your hitch and hit the road.And that completes our installation of Draw-Tite's trailer hitch receiver on our 2018 Subaru Forester.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (430 Customer Reviews)
Fully welded vehicle trailer hitch is strong and durable. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. The combination of an A-coat base and a powder coat finish provides excellent rust protection.by: Perry D.10/18/2017
I installed Drawtite hitch # 75876 on my 2015 Subaru Forester. It arrived in good condition and there were no parts missing. The installation went without a hitch (pun intended) and it fits perfectly. I think the key to my successful installation was the instructional video on etrailer's website. It was very clear and concise. There is however one thing I would like to add for an even better installation. Instead of trimming the heat shield to allow for bolt access and have it dangle, I drilled two holes in the shield, threaded the bolts through it and clamped it between the car's frame and the hitch. If you're concerned that the heat shield will somehow interfere with secure bolting, it won't. Subaru intentionally marked the heat shield with two small dimples for drilling position. I drilled holes 1/16" larger than the bolts and the hole position was perfect. I should mention the dimples are very small, so wipe the heat shield to help find them. There's an R and an M on the shield and the dimples are within those letters. (See photo.) Lastly, this hitch is rated for heavier towing than a Forester can handle so choose wisely. I'm using it only for my bike rack and cargo carrier, so I will never exceed 2500 lbs. of towing weight. Thank you etrailer for the excellent video! 443694
Its working out very well, thank you. Whats important is that I noticed other installers used my review to locate the two dimples on the heat shield for a more secure installation. It helped me and Im thankful it helped others. On another note, I did just notice a typo in my review that you might want to correct if you can. In the next-to-last sentence I state 250 lbs. of towing weight which should read 2500 lbs.
Perry D - 10/18/2018by: Kevin10/09/2018
After pricing hitch installations locally ($700 at Subaru—nearly fainted??), I watched a few videos and decided to purchase the #75876 hitch for our 2015 Forester and do the job myself. The cost savings were significant and I had all the necessary tools so why not? I’m so glad I did! Once my tools were lined out and vehicle positioned on ramps the install took about 90 minutes (yes, it really does go that fast). The etrailer videos are very helpful and describe the step-by-step procedure perfectly. Some notes on my install: I chose to remove the muffler only and left the tailpipe in place. It was easy to remove and provided plenty of working room. It is unnecessary to enlarge the 4th service hole (which some videos say you must do) since plate and bolt fit right through the existing opening (very happy to see this). Feeding the wire and hardware through was super-easy. For raising the hitch I chose to use a floor jack and this worked fine. My wife assisted by simply stabilizing the hitch on the jack while I raised it to the bolts. It was aligned easily with the first two nuts going on. At that point, the jack was removed and all other nuts/bolts tightened and torqued to specifications. Next, I trimmed out the heat shielding and placed back on. Finally, the muffler wash reinstalled and....Presto! It looks great and is ready for our hitch bike rack. I highly recommend this product for DIYers who have the basic tools. Installing this hitch (in my case, on a Forester) was easy and fun to do! Thanks etrailer! 572999
by: Jim D10/05/2018
Thanks for all the interesting reviews/comments on hitch installation on Subaru Foresters! Great service by etrailer folks. A few of comments that might be of interest to future DIY hitch installers. 1) An inquiry to etrailer help line about the heat shield: They recommend definitely cutting out a portion of the heat shield as described it the instruction video. Interposing the aluminum heat shield material between the frame and the hitch attachment site may pose a problem with torque. Basically, just follow the installation video and all will go well. Some may dispute this but I will go with etrailer recommendations. 2) If you don't have the proper tools, find a willing relative/friend who does or have a mechanic install the hitch. A torque wrench will run you $50-$60 and the step drill bit cost $45. The step drill bit did work extremely well and I'll use both tools in the future. But buy a few more tools and you will soon match the cost of professional installation. 3) Safety. Work with the car on a flat hard surface. Cement garage floor is perfect. Make sure the car gearshift is in PARK and put on the car's emergency brake. Elevating the car on lifts or jacks is not necessary and adds unnecessary risk for the occasional DIY. Wear safety glasses or better yet goggles. Expect your face as well as the rest of you to be covered with road dirt that falls down on you while working under the car. The stepped drill will cause small hot pieces of metal to fly everywhere...Eye protection glasses very important! Use gloves while cutting the aluminum heat shield to avoid cuts. Only time I did not use gloves was fishing the bolts thru the car frame. Gloves will prevent a lot of nicks, cuts and scratches to your hands. 4) Collect all tools ahead of time and make sure they are all available next to the car. (see photo below). With the muffler removed from your car, its hard and noisy to drive your car to the store to pick up an extra tool. Likewise, check to make sure all the parts are present and all nuts thread into the bolts. 5) A good light source and heavy pad to lay on will make it an easier and more comfortable installation. 6) Figure out ahead of time how you will raise the hitch to bolt it on. An extra set of hands is ideal, but other reviewers offer many ingenious one-person methods. I zip tied a square piece of wood to the center/bottom of the hitch (see photo) and slid an additional number of square boards underneath the hitch until the pile of boards raised it to within an inch of the bolts that had been inserted in the car frame. Then a slight lift up to secure the initial bolt on each side. Zip ties cut off to released initial board after hitch attached to frame 7) Before you start installation check out the underside of the car and get oriented. The installation video is from the perspective of a car on a lift with the instructor STANDING underneath the car. You will be LAYING on your back in a confined space looking up...a much different perspective. 8) Finally, Subaru Foresters are not really vehicles for towing...1000 lb max (1500 with electric brakes). Hitch is great for larger bicycle racks. Besides a bike rack, I will buy a small 5X8 ft lightweight trailer for moving the occasional bulky items that don't fit in the back of the Forester but nothing really heavy (think screen door replacement or a few sheets of 4x8ft plywood). Also, small 400 lb.utility trailers are typically rated for 45mph max speed limit so I will only use the trailer for short distance drives on secondary roads to local stores. Rent a truck for bigger/long distance moves and avoid disasters. Good luck with your next DIY and other adventures. 571986
by: Don W.10/19/2018
etrailer is the only place to buy any tow related product, Their items, shipping, product knowledge, and selection are the best. I would rate them six stars if I could plus great communication Thanks Don W. 575909
by: James J. R10/08/2017
1st, I was surprised at how soon it was delivered, it was not even rush delivery, only took a couple of days. All parts where there, every thing in good shape. It was a perfect fit for my 2015 Forester. The only problem was trying to get it up in place while bolting it up, otherwise I would have made record time getting this in place. I also did not cut away any of the heat shield, instead I drilled two small holes in shield to accommodate the two forward new hitch bolts. This was also simple, there was two letters on heat shield an M and also a R in the letter there is a indentation which matches dead center for your two new bolts. Also the WD 40 does work great for lube on the muffler hangers.I did not need to do any drilling or expanding of any body frame to get into place. Good product and fair price with free shipping. Very satisfied 440638
Just great. Thinking about putting hitch on wifes 2015 Outback now?
James J - 10/10/2018by: Russ10/05/2018
The packaging was not sturdy enough and the box arrived with one end having been taped up by USPS. One end of the hitch had broken through the box and the paint chipped off from being exposed during shipping. The box seemed too big for the item. I would suggest etrailer (or the drop shipper) bubble wrap or use cardboard for the ends of the hitch and then have the hitch pull-tied down inside the box so it stays in place during shipping and won't come loose and bust out of the box. Otherwise it fits as described on my 2018 Subaru Forester. NOTE: Pay close attention to the instructions, **On the Forester you have to remove and trim the muffler heat shield. DO NOT replace all four (4) heat shield bolts when you go to attach the hitch, leave the rearmost bolt out** The hitch will hold the shield on and if you replace the rearmost heat shield bolt it will interfere with hitch mount and the hitch will not sit flush on the frame. The installation video does not cover this, but the written instructions do, so it can be confusing. 571764
by: Edgar10/16/2018
This is a great hitch and very easy to install on my 2014 Subaru Forester. Would highly Recommend. 574784
by: Harv B.C.09/28/2017
etrailer is an excellent company. Their website was easy and friendly and guided me to purchase the correct bike hitch product for my 2016 Subaru Forester. Their email follow up and status updates as to delivery were super and the delivery of my product was actually much faster than I expected even though I had only asked for standard delivery. I had my hitch installed at an Autoplex Dealer in my area ( yet another great company). Pictures are attached. Thanks! 437470
Product is still great. Service was exceptional!
Harv B - 10/02/2018by: Doug10/07/2017
Ridiculously easy to install. (OK, so I had my son install it.). Very easy for him to put it on my 2016 Subaru Forester. Even looks nice. 440228
Great product. Have carried my ebike all over with no issues. Thanks!
Doug - 10/08/2018by: Andy S09/20/2018
I'm very happy with the hitch so far on my 18 Forester XT. It's more visible than the ecohitch, but it looks good. I had never really done any work on a car, had no lifts, etc, and was able to do the install. A couple notes on install: 1. Prying off the exhaust hangers was really hard. I couldn't do it. As others have suggested, for an Forester XT (dual exhaust), I definitely recommend just removing the mufflers. They come out of the hangers much more easily, and you don't have to use a strap. It's more steps, but I really can't imagine having room to get the hitch up with that stuff in the way. 2. Lifting the hitch was difficult, but not impossible for one person (assuming the mufflers are out of the way). 3. It seems like the only really annoying mistake you could make (I almost did but caught it in time) would be to either let the fish wire slip into the frame after you have the hardware on the wire, or, after you've removed the fish wire, let the carriage bolt get knocked up into the frame as your putting the nut on. So watch out for that. 4. Gloves and eye protection made things much better. So, the video make sit look quite a bit easier than it was for me, but I'm glad it did, because otherwise I wouldn't have tried it, and it went just fine. 566923
by: Eric09/18/2018
Hitch is excellent. Installed it on a 2018 Subaru Forester - there's just enough ground clearance for crawling around under there without jacking it up, though it's painful. The included instructions from DrawTite are pretty weak, but the eTrailer online video was really helpful (not sure I would have remembered to put a safety strap on the muffler before I lowered it!) The one problem was in the packaging for shipping - it tore through the box pretty badly. According to the UPS guy, virtually all the eTrailer hitches he's seen through UPS have been "under-packaged" for the rigors of shipping across country. 566223
by: Anthony09/27/2018
Just put the hitch on 9/27/18. I never used the written directions to install the hitch. Only used them for the torque specs. The video of the install was fantastic. It was easy to follow. Took about an hour and a half to install. 569557
by: Alex04/28/2018
Hitch Receiver was ordered on Wednesday, arrived on Friday, with free shipping! Box was damaged, but the hitch was in good shape when I went to unbox it. Install video on the Etrailer website was very helpful when in came to installing. It is possible for 1 person to install this as long as you have some blocks of wood and WD40. It was still a balancing act at times to get the hitch up into place. Our Subaru has dual exhaust which made it a little more difficult to get the hitch into place but it fit as is should with a little monkeying around. Overall I am very satisfied with this receiver hitch for just over Probably took about 2 hours to install. Would recommend to anyone looking at buying one!! 502009
by: D.09/14/2017
Everything was in the box as hoped. I haven't had the chance to install the new hitch but anticipate it will fit as designed. The hitch is painted in a gloss black enamel and should work well for our purposes which is to use the hitch to install our bike rack on. We purchased the 2 inch receiver so that the bike rack could be used on the Forester and also the truck or other 2 inch receiver hitch. This hitch will allow us to take the bikes with us in a safe and useable rack and will also serve as a light duty, class one, hitch for pulling a small trailer or boat. 432415
Works great and carrys the Yakima Bike rack and two mountain bikes without a problem.
Dave R - 09/14/2018by: Jake09/08/2018
installation was simple and it looks good on the vehical 562923
by: John09/16/2018
Less than 1 year old and already has significant visible rust. This is on a garage kept vehicle! Works well and price was fair but product should not look like this in such a short time. 565700
Rust will sometimes form from moisture in the air and salt on the roads. If rust has started to form you can take find sandpaper and sand it off as much as possible then cover that spot with a rustoleum type of paint. It is a good idea to check over the hitch for any scratches or deep gauges and paint over these areas to prevent future rust issues. I have attached a help article on preventing rust.
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Heather A - 09/17/2018by: Kenny K.09/14/2018
This was my first order from etrailer.com and I'm very pleased with the experience. The hitch and wiring harness were easy to identify for my 2017 Forester and the videos were a big help in getting it installed correctly. Best of all, the price was excellent and I was able to select a shipping option to get it all here quickly. Some hitches for the Forester require you to remove the bumper - this one didn't and was a big selling point since I did the installation myself. It's a stout build and there's no reason to think I'll have any issues whether I'm towing the boat or taking our bikes out to the trail. Overall, it took about 2 hours from start to finish for the install on the hitch and harness. The only issue was that the box was damaged on delivery. That's a shipper problem, not etrailers. There was no damage to the product so no harm, no foul. I won't hesitate to order from here again. 565155
by: Skip10/02/2018
JUST GOT IT TODAY SO HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO INSTALL IT YET . 570981
by: Christopher07/08/2018
Perfectly dimensioned hitch to fit around my 15 Forester's spare tire well, leaving a non-obtrusive mount point. Straight-forward installation, although it did take me quite a bit longer than 40 minutes. I expected this because I'm not a gear-head, and I like to take my time to do things right. I liked this hitch because any novice tinkerer could install it and no mods to the frame were required. The installation videos from etrailer definitely gave me the confidence to be able to install without any issues. I went with this one over the Curt, since I read that the Curt requires the use of stabilizer straps to maintain the warranty. One star off due to poor manufacturer's quality control. I ordered 2 of these from A->zon, and had to return both immediately because they had severe gouges and chips in the paint through to the bare metal. One even had a rusted weld. The gouges were all in the exact same spot on the inside plates, which would be impossible to occur during shipping. The one I received from etrailer was the best of the bunch, although it did still have small marks in the exact same spots. The marks were small enough that I just hit them with some Rustoleum to prevent my new hitch from rusting out immediately. Since they are on the inside face (facing the tire well), no one will ever see it. I do appreciate that etrailer repackaged the hitch into a better box so that the sides and socket didn't also get scratched in transit. 539209
by: Michael09/22/2018
I found this very easy to install and recommend following the video tips on this website as the silicone tip to remove the exhaust from the support brackets. This hitch sits back under the bumper and does not stand out as much as other hitches 567630
by: Kirby10/04/2018
Works well for our bike rack 571653
by: Phuoc08/20/2018
Very good product, easy to install, I bought a new etrailer hitch , repainted it to the red and it's looking not bad , take me 1/2 hour to installed just only need a little help to put on the hitch ... watching the video very helpful.... thank you 555365
by: Mike E09/20/2018
I ordered hitch on a Monday and it was delivered 2 days later. Fast delivery and follow up emails , great service. I have installed hitch and wire kit on my Subaru Forster and was a perfect fit. I can now install a scooter carrier and get out and about . Thank you for your great service. 567107
by: Art H.09/29/2017
So far good, but just got it yesterday, need time to install. 437528
Easy install for 78 year old male.
Art H - 09/29/2018by: Daryl09/08/2018
My installation went pretty much as everyone else's. The hitch arrived with one end sticking out of the box a little. Some extra packaging inside the carton would be a good idea to keep the hitch from moving around inside the box. A couple areas on the mounting brackets were missing paint, so I covered those spots with some black spray paint I had. I backed the Forester up on a set of car ramps to give me some extra room to maneuver. I didn't have any help so I used a couple 5-gallon buckets to hold up the hitch when I was ready to install it. You'll need a 10mm socket to remove the heat shield and an 11/16" deep socket for the hitch installation. I chose to remove the muffler to get more clearance. A 14mm deep socket and open ended wrench is needed to do that. It's a good idea to wear gloves as the flange where the muffler connects to the exhaust pipe is very sharp and I cut 2 fingers removing the bolts from the flanges. Lesson learned. I also cut the heat shield as shown in the video. I mainly referred to the video for instructions, but make sure you also follow the packaged instructions as well. I didn't and made the mistake of reinstalling the heat shield with all 4 screws. You should only use 3 as one of the screws will be in the way of installing the hitch. I learned the hard way then sweated it out while lowering the hitch to remove that screw. Making sure the hitch bolts don't get pushed back up into the car was my concern with dropping the hitch again. Once installed, the hitch looks great. We don't plan to tow with it, but will use accessories such as a bike rack. Our bike rack has just enough clearance when installed, so no extender needed. 562879
by: Graham08/31/2018
Great price. Quick shipment. Was a little worried about fishing bolts through the frame but that was the easiest part. Jack stands make a one man job easier. About a 2 hour job by someone who has never done this before. 560183
by: John09/16/2018
This product was as advertised and shipped in excellent condition. The video information, and the detailed product reviews were very much worth the time to review, as the tips available there were very helpful. This was my third etrailer install. They keep getting easier. Though this time I had access to a lift, and help. Cut the install time from two hours down to 40 minutes. 565656
by: Johnny09/21/2018
This is the 2nd hitch ive got from etrailer and they are super easy to order from and always get the right product fast ! Highly recommended thanks again. 567343
by: Sarah W09/20/2018
Great customer service. They had just the hitch I needed and was shipped quickly - allowing for installation before we left on vacation. I would definitely order from them again 566929
by: Jason08/31/2018
So the shipping was fast, I really like the video tutorials it make the install easy well it would have been, all the mounting hardware was there but I found the 1 nut was the wrong size!!! Very frustrating when you drop your exhaust, fish all the bolts through the frame, hold the hitch in place to find 1 nut wont fit. So what to do? Remount the exhaust, secure the bolts with Zipties so you don't lose them to drive down to the hardware store to buy the correct size to come home, let the exhaust cool to drop it again to finish the install. I was pretty upset to waste a couple of hours for this simple mistake. From my previous order, I was shorted a bolt, so I thought I did the right thing and did a hardware count before the install. Next time I will make sure all hardware is proper size. These are supposed to be the same size. As far as the quality of the hitch, its great. welds look solid, the paint is nice and thick and the holes lined up perfect. 560397
by: James09/11/2018
I installed this hitch myself in about 2 hours. The printed instructions and video made it really clear the steps needed to do this. The hardest parts were 1) fishing the bolts and spacers through the frame holes (took time and patience) and 2) lifting the hitch up to get it centered on the bolts and get those first couple nuts started (too heavy for me to lift with one hand and start the washer and nut with the other hand.) Eventually I used blocks to raise the hitch up near the bolts. But all in all, installation was not too hard, and the hitch seems really solid. I will check all the bolts tightness in a week or two. 563846
by: Kevin09/10/2018
I've had this trailer hitch receiver installed on my 2017 Subaru Forester for about a year. It still looks and works like new. I use it to tow my 16 foot Sea Nymph Fishing Machine aluminum boat and also to mount a bicycle rack. I have also used it to tow a closed side trailer that I rented on several occasions. The receiver was very easy to install. It took me about an hour in my driveway with the car up on ramps. One thing to note: you DO NOT need to drill out the center hole in order to install the mounting bolts. If you look towards the front of the vehicle you will see a fourth hole that is large enough to thread the bolts and washers through. The fish wires provided are long enough to reach all three holes. 563625
by: David08/11/2018
Installed in just about 1 hour, I needed to step drill the center hole for clearance for plates and carriage bolts. The fish wires worked great and easy install. My Subaru Forester is ready to go camping and fishing. Thank you etrailer. 552634
by: Darrell09/09/2018
Talk about fast! ordered receiver on Tue, Got it on thu,( I live in central Minn) Install was quite easy on my 2018 Subaru Forester, Their are 2 dimples in the muffler heat shield, You can drill them out to 9/16" instead of trimming heat shield, After fishing bolts and spacers into holes in frame I found it easy to get fish wires and bolts through the holes in the receiver after cutting about half the fish wires off,(Be sure to put conical washers cup side up, ) My Subaru has a towing capacity of 1500 lbs, So I am going to sell 2 heavy trailers, that I have, And buy a 5 foot by 10 foot aluminum trailer that has a weight of 400 lbs, That way I can haul 1000 lbs and still be with in my max gross trailer weight, In closing, The people at E-Trailer are the very best that you can ever hope to work with! 563354
by: Daniel09/13/2018
Can't really say much about the trailer hitch. It's a hitch. Looks like it'll do the job. Mechanic installed it and did the wiring in an hour. I did want to say I'm very impressed by the service and effort etrailer puts in to make ordering a great experience. Tons of information, descriptions, tips and videos, and quick and very complete and detailed responses to questions. 564450
by: Dennis06/23/2018
Intended use of the hitch is for a Thule 4 bike rack and for a small, 5' X 8' trailer to bring sheet goods and other bulky and items that cannot fix inside of the Forester. Installed on a 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i, which is three years old. Order was placed on Wednesday and arrived on Saturday. I appreciate e-mails of the status of my hitch. The hitch and wiring arrived sooner than expected and the box, as others have noted, was damaged but everything was okay. I followed the installation video and the instalation of the hitch was easier than I expected. The list of tools that I used were: Eye protection, silicon spray (for the rubber exhaust isolators), 10 mm short socket (for the exhaust shield bolts), 18 mm long socket (for the hitch nuts), 3/8" ratchet, 3/8" 6" extension, ratchet strap to hold exhaust system, torque wrench (to secure the nuts of the hitch to the uni-body), 1/2" hole saw, drill and an angle grinder with a 4" metal cutting disc. I did not raise the rear of the Forester and working around the hanging exhaust was cumbersome but do-able. I used basic hand tools and although I have pneumatic tools, I did not find that I needed them during the installation. I did not remove the muffler as others have suggest because living in the "rust belt" I did not want to take my chances on the muffler bolts/nuts breaking due to rust. I could see the benefit of removing it and would have removed it if the Forester was brand new. I used a hole saw to make a hole in the dimple of the exhaust shield as other reviewers suggested. After the hitch was installed, I checked the clearance of the exhaust shield and discovered that the shield slightly interfered with the hitch. I could have installed the shield and it would have molded to the hitch (it is very soft aluminum) but I elected to cut a small section to eliminate the interference (and possible future rattling noise). Don't forget to reinsert the front most hole plugs and then install the exhaust shield. I torqued the nuts securing the hitch as specified. Overall a very pleasant experience and if I need a hitch in the future I will not hesitate to purchase my hitch from etrailer. 525961
by: Brian & Cali06/05/2015
Great product, good price, helpful customer service, fast and free shipping, exactly as described. The installation went off without a hitch. bada bum. I used part of the box to cover the ground when completing the install, and followed the instructions just like in the video. There was no need to jack up the car at all as there was plenty of room. A second pair of hands was extremely helpful to raise the hitch and get one bolt on each side. After that a quick hit with my impact driver and then torqued to spec the hitch was secured. Why buy any of the other hitches when when this one installs without any modification to the cars frame/unibody. The heat shield needs to be trimmed with tin snips or removed all together to complete the install as indicated in the videos. The hitch is made from very heavy steel approx 3/8" thick and is assembled in Mexico however, I knew that before I bought it because their customer service staff was excellent. I have no doubt this hitch will outlive the rest of the car. Thanks etrailer.com for offering a great product and all the support & research that comes with it. 200998
by: George09/08/2018
My receiver was received only two days after placing my order - excellent! I did my own installation exactly as shown in the etrailer.com video for my car, a 2018 Subaru Forester, and everything went quite trouble-free other than some difficulty supporting the receiver while attaching first few nuts on bolts in vehicle frame. Having a helper for this phase of installation is highly recommended. Removing vehicle muffler is a good idea also, is it provides much better access to passenger-side mounting location. All-in-all, my experience with etrailer.com and the product they provided was very positive! 563065
by: Bill S09/15/2018
Product as described, nice fit. The installation videos are a great help, making the job easy. Beats paying over $600 for a factory installed hitch!!! 565443
by: Cory L.03/14/2018
This hitch was installed on my 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5i Limited. The website is fantastic and makes finding the correct products for your vehicle very easy. The hitch arrived in only a few days and came complete with all the necessary installation accessories. The hitch comes with fish wire for the frame bolts so you don't need to fuss with buying fish wire. Some reviews stated that you can go in from the inside of the vehicle but this is totally unnecessary and more work. Just follow the instructions, with exception of the muffler heat shield. You can drill 1/2" holes through the heat shield in the dimpled areas corresponding to where the instructions tell you to cut out the heat shield (see some of the other reviews for more detail on this). These holes allow you to securely fasten the heat shield over the hitch using the hitch bolts. Make sure you have a torque wrench and an 11/16" deep socket to tighten the frame bolts. I would also recommend removing the muffler which is very simple. Lube the muffler mounts with WD-40 to facilitate the removal of the muffler. You will save at least $300 installing this yourself. 484848
by: Steve B.09/27/2015
The Draw-Tite trailer hitch is everything it's advertised to be. Installation could not have been easier. I attached the hitch to a Subaru Forester without using any power tools. I backed my vehicle up onto a pair of old car ramps I had from back when I use to change my own oil. This gave me sufficient clearance to lower the exhaust and complete the installation. The video on available on etrailer was invaluable in showing how easy it was to install. I'm not a craftsman by any stretch, but was able to install the hitch in less than an hour. I also purchased a MaxWorks Aluminum Cargo Carrier, Model 70108. "Some assembly required" certainly applies. The finished product is excellent, but putting it together was more work than I expected. The instruction manual has you attaching the top and lower frame before attaching the hitch tube. In my opinion, the hitch tube should be attached first because attaching the top frame to the lower frame first hinders your ability to square up a screw driver to tighten the small bolts and lock nuts. I had to run to the local hardware store to replace four of eight bolts/lock nuts due to stripping the bolt head. Other than this, this is a nice product. 228017
As good as when I bought it a year ago.
Steve B - 09/29/2016by: Corey05/02/2016
I received my Draw-Tite 2" hitch receiver shortly after placing my order. The box was a little battered from the shipping process and the two mounting flanges had cut through the cardboard but the hitch was in perfect shape. It is a very solid, well-engineered piece. I watched the installation video to make sure I had all of the necessary tools to knock out the job before getting started. I watched the step about the fish wires a second time to make sure I understood what was going on. Then I gathered up my torque wrench, metric deep socket set, small socket set (for the heat shield), a long-shanked Torx driver (to use as a pry bar for the muffler hangers), and my tin snips. The installation was straight-forward. The hardest part is getting the hitch into position without a helper. I didn't feel like there was enough room to use my floor jack to support it so I just wrestled it into place and threaded one nut on each side of the hitch to hold it steady. Then I installed the remaining nuts and torqued them to 50 lb-ft. Once installed, the hitch is rock solid and barely noticeable on my 2014 Forester. I quickly installed my 4-bike tray-style bike carrier. Super happy with the end result! 248138
by: Paul R09/16/2014
hitch arrived slightly delayed, but I was notified by supplier so at least I was aware. Hitch arrived in good shape and is now properly installed on my Forester. 151576
I use the hitch very frequently to attach a bike rack . It has served its purpose well.
Paul R - 09/16/2015by: Piranha210/13/2016
Draw-Tite 75876 installed on my 2017 Forester Premium. Followed etrailer's online instructions and was done in a little over an hour. I took off the muffler, cut the heatshield, pulled the bolts through, lifted the hitch into place and torqued to 50ft/lbs. Project was performed with car on the ground. I chose etrailer because they do the test fit and provide the detailed video instructions. Shipping was 2 days. This hitch is used mainly for my bike rack and doesn't require the cross supports like other hitches. 306547
by: George H06/02/2015
As others have noticed, my box arrived torn and taped up, but the hitch and mounting kit were undamaged. I installed this hitch on my 2014 Subaru Forester by myself in my garage in about 2 hours. There's just enough clearance to lay beneath the vehicle without the need for ramps or jack stands. The only thing I changed on the installation is that I only used three bolts to reinstall the modified (cut) heat shield, because there was no hole in the hitch mounting plate for the fourth bolt and it would have prevented the hitch from laying flat against the frame. To set the hitch on the six mounting bolts, I first lifted the drivers side so the bolts just protruded through the holes to set the washers and nuts on the bolts. I then lifted the other side over the mounting bolts, installed the other three washers and nuts, then finger tightened all six nuts and checked the overall fit before tightening them fully with my torque wrench, making sure to leave enough room for the exhaust system hook located directly against the hitch mounting plate. Overall, an excellent fit that holds my Thule bike rack nice and level!! 199983
by: Duke V.09/03/2017
Solid product. With the videos, install of the hitch, wiring, and ball took under an hour. My only complaint was that my hitch had a couple spots where paint was chipped away and lot of lumpy bubbling on it. I would ask for a replacement and send it back, but I'm having to haul things this week and don't have the time to return. Outside packaging didn't seem damaged when delivered. 428534
by: James P.01/01/2018
I installed the hitch on a 2016 Subaru Forester. We went with a class III hitch for the increased tongue weight so a cargo carrier or bike carrier would be no issue. The install was easier than what the video showed. I'm not sure if Subaru increased the access holes, but I did not need a pry bar or a step drill bit to increase the hole for the bolts. The nifty wires included were really trick and worked great. I did remove the muffler so I would have easier access and I did not to have the exhaust system being held by a strap. The most difficult part of the install was holding the hitch up, but a floor jack and jack stands helped to make a one person job. The install took around 90 minutes, but that included researching the torque specs for the exhaust system. Follow the video install, but check to see if the access holes will accommodate the bolts because you might save some time and energy. 464175
by: Colin W.06/23/2017
Third hitch and wiring harness I've purchased from Etrailer (3 different vehicles). Most difficult hitch to install. Easiest wiring harness to install. Just myself and didn't jack up vehicle. Took 3 hrs. The muffler was the hardest to remove and put back on. Pretty much followed the videos for installation. Hitch doesn't stick out beyond bumper. 398225
by: Art Nelson04/17/2016
I ordered an 87654 Class III, 2" hitch for my new 2016 Subaru Forester along with the electrical harness. They both arrived quickly and in good shape. I'd already watched each installation video a couple of times so I installed both between sandwich bites yesterday. Couldn't be much easier. Brought home a full trailer load of lime today and everything worked fine. Contrary to the video (it's only inaccuracy) there is no need to adjust the access hole size - the pieces all fit just right when you pull the rectangular washer and the bolt in without putting the bolt through the washer first. As a structural engineer for 30 years, it's a good, solid hitch (which I suspect is quite a bit stronger than the Subaru frame). The electrical harness 118467, is just as well conceived - the car and harness parts of the connection snap together decisively and effortlessly and each of the lights work as they should. It's also $211 cheaper than having a local store do it and you work with a much better crew. Nice job etrailer, 5 stars. 245769
by: JS08/15/2016
The item arrived in perfect condition no damage to the packaging with no missing parts or extra parts for that matter. I installed this on a 2016 Forester 2.5i, I took my time so the installation took me a few hours by myself. Following the advice of reviewers I removed the muffler this was a definite advantage and allowed me to perform the install without raising the vehicle at all - much safer left on the wheels. I used a heavy piece of cardboard similar to what an appliance or even like this hitch came in with to lay on, this gave me enough head room to work, a creeper would have been too high. If you’re thinking I’m skinny, for your reference I’m 5’8” 180lbs (not thin) so you can extrapolate to your size. After reviewing the installation video I was prepared to enlarge the forward most hole in the frame in which to pass the wire threaded plate and bolt through, happily this was unnecessary, the forward most frame hole with the plastic plug removed was large enough to accept the plate and bolt without modification. Another reviewer mentioned removing the cargo area foam witch gives you access from above to make it easier but it was real easy to thread the plate and bolt through from underneath. Following the advice of another reviewer I used the small dimples on the muffler heat shield to center a hole saw bit, these dimples do match up perfect as a previous reviewer mentioned. I would advise anyone else who does this to not go above a 1" hole and ideally use a 3/4" bit to create the hole. Once drilled I was able to install the heat shield on top of the hitch plate and use the hitch bolts to double as heat shield bolts and still clear the top of the muffler. I was prepared to use a floor jack to support the hitch bracket but because I didn't raise the vehicle there wasn't much room to do this, once I grabbed the bracket and laid down under the vehicle it wasn't difficult at all to support the bracket on my body this really shortened the distance it had to be lifted, I threaded the wires through the mounting holes, used one hand raise the first side up and the other hand to get a nut and bolt started, then I just slid over to the other side threaded all the wires through and repeated the process by getting another bolt started - nothing to it. Getting the muffler off and back on was pretty easy everything is metric of course, I used 2 small ratchets one with a deep well socket and one with a shallow socket this made it easier to find and hold the blind nut side. I plan on using the hitch to pull a small boat and for a bike rack for which I also purchased the J-pin W/barrel Lock & Anti-rattle. All in all I'm very pleased with the hitch it is very heavy duty high quality item much better than the OEM version. I usually don't write lengthy reviews but I wanted to include all the details for anyone with doubts about purchasing and installing. 284049
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