Video Transcript for How to Install the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver on a 2018 Mazda CX-9

Today on our 2018 Mazda CX9, you're going to be taking a look at, I'm going to show you how to install, the Curt class 2 trailer hitch receiver.This is what our hitch looks like when it's installed. As you can see, the cross tube is completely hidden behind the bumper fascia, so it maintains a nice clean look on the back of the vehicle. This is going to be a class two hitch, so it's going to work great for your class two accessories, cargo carriers, and bike racks. It's going to be an inch and a quarter by inch and a quarter receiver tube opening. It's gonna have a reinforced collar to give you a little extra stability. Hitch pinhole's going to be half inch in diameter.

Now your hitch pin does not come with this hitch, however it can be found here at etrailer.com.You're going to have rolled steel style safety chain loops. You can see there's large openings to give you plenty of room for different size hooks. This hitch is going to have a black powder coat finish. It's going to resist any rust or corrosion. As far as weight capacities go, we're going to have a 350 pound Max tongue weight, which is the downward pressure on the inside of the receiver tube and a 3,500 pound Max towing weight, which is the trailer plus the load included.

I do recommend checking the owner's manual of your Mazda to make sure the vehicle can withstand that amount of weight. You're going to pick the lowest number between the vehicle and the hitch.The Curt does require the use of stabilization straps for all non wheel loads. As far as the installation goes, it's pretty simple, straight forward installation. It's going to come with all the necessary hardware, and there's not going to be any drilling or welding required. I do recommend getting an extra set of hands to help raise the hitch into place.Now let's give you a few measurements to help you when deciding on any hitch mount accessories you may need such as a bike rack or cargo carrier.

From the center of the hitch pin hole to the outermost part of the bumper, it's going to be about four inches. This number is important for any of your hitch mounted accessories that may fold up against your vehicle. From the ground to the top innermost part of the receiver tube, it's gonna be about 13 and a half inches. Now let's show you how to get this installed.The directions are going to tell us to remove the lower panel on our vehicle. It will not be reinstalled and it's going to tell us two fasteners and two hex head bolts.

That's probably going to depend on the trim that you have on your vehicle. This one is going to have four fasteners, one here, here, here, and here. Take a trim panel tool. A flat head screwdriver will work if you don't have one. We're going to stick it right up and in that edge there. We're going to pry the fastener out. Then right here, you're gonna reach up behind it, and you're going to push forward on the little tab and you'll be able to pull it down.We're going to have to remove these brackets. These brackets are connected to the bottom or the fascia. So, we're going to remove these two push pin fasteners and then we're going to have a 10 millimeter head hex nut or bolt up here and then one on the other side.Once you get the screw out or the bolt out, you're going to have the same type of tab up here on top. Take a strap. You can go from your spring, your axle here, going to make sure you go in underneath your exhaust. Next we're going to lower our exhaust. Take and spray lubricant, soapy water. You're going to spray down four isolators. Are going to have one here on this side. You're gonna have one here and one on this side. Pry bar just like that. Once you get your isolators off, you can take your strap and lower your exhaust just a little bit. You just want to make sure that it is supported by your strap so you don't damage the pipe.We're going to take our pull wire. We're going to take the spring end. We're going to go through this hole. We want to come out this one here. Put on a spacer block and push it up into the frame careful inaudible 00:04:07 your wire. Feed it up.Well leave our wire attached for now. Next we're going to be using this hole. Put your spacer block on your carriage bolt, thread on your wire, push your spacer back on and pull it back out. We're going to do that same thing on the other side. Next, with an extra set of hands, we're gonna raise our hitch into position. We're going to put our wires in the corresponding holes in the hitch. We'll make sure you go over top of your exhaust.Raise it up. We'll remove the pull wire on each side. We'll put on the HEX flange nut. We'll get one on each side to hold our hitch in place while we install our remaining hardware. 20 millimeter socket, we're going to tighten and torque our hardware to specifications in the instructions.Once you've got everything tightened and torqued, reinstall your exhaust, remove your strap, and you're ready to go. That'll do it for a look at and installation on the Curt class two trailer hitch receiver on our 2018 Mazda CX 9.