Today on this 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sport Wagon were going to install part number 11072. Heres what the hitch looks like when its installed on a vehicle. Next well give you some measurements thatll help you out when selecting some accessories for a new hitch such as a bike rack or a cargo carrier. From the top of the receiver opening down to the ground is going to be about 11 inches. From the center of the hitch pin hole to the outside edge of the bumper will be about 5 inches. Now well go ahead and show you how the hitch is installed.
First thing were going to do is remove the plastic fascia panel underneath the passenger side of the vehicle. Well remove three fasteners and two plastic nuts. The one fastener at the very bottom edge of the bumper will be reinstalled after the panel is taken out. Now well go ahead and work with the exhaust. We have to lower it so therell be two small bolts that we have to remove located here and here.
Now Ill take the hanging bracket and pull it down out of the way and well pull out two small tabs. Well take these tabs and bend them up. Thatll give us room to install the hitch. The two bolts for the exhaust bracket will also be the attachment points for the hitch. Our next step is to go ahead and install our hardware into the frame.
If you look at the bottom of the frame on the passenger side youll see an oval hole. Two round holes going toward the back would get new hardware. Well fish wire the two carriage bolts and blocks into the frame from the oval access hole. Well also use the same hardware to the pole on the outside of the frame on the vertical surface towards the bumper. When installing the hardware the one thats closest to the bumper well leave the bolt leader in place.
Well use that to pull the bolt through once the hitch is in place. Now at this point we can go ahead and install the hitch. When we install the hitch its always a good idea to get an extra set of hands to help hold up the hitch while we install the hardware. Well go ahead and start the drivers side first. Well work it into position and over the exhaust bracket. Then well move over to the passenger side. First well thread our wire through the hole in the hitch on the vertical surface and then push it into place. Well line up the bolt holes with the bolts and make sure you dont push them in and then well go ahead and install the flange nuts. Now well go back over to the drivers side and install the hardware there going through the muffler bracket, the hitch, and the frame. Now back to the passenger side well pull out our bolt on the vertical surface and then install a flange nut there. Next well get inside the vehicle and well have to remove the grommet thats at the bottom of the wheel well. Then well take a screwdriver and work around the edges of the grommet to pull it up and out of the way. Sometimes you have to push up from the bottom as well. Well go ahead and put some silicone around it to help seal it up and then well install our hardware. Well install the plate and the carriage bolt. Well drop it into place and then go back underneath the vehicle and install the flange nut. With all our hardware loosely installed we can go ahead and tighten down the bolts and then torque them down as specified in the instructions. At this point we can go ahead and reinstall the panel underneath the car. Well hold up underneath the hitch and well use a couple of nuts built into the panel to hold it into place. Then well take a marker and trace around the area that well be trimming around the hitch. Well take the panel down and use a rotary tool to cut it out. With that done we can reinstall the panel. Thatll finish it for our install of part number 11072 from Curt on our 2011 Volkswagen Jetta Sport Wagon.