Trailer Hitch Installation - 2013 Acura RDX - Draw-Tite

How to Install a Trailer Hitch on a 2013 Acura RDX

Today on this 2013 Acura RDX were going to install part number 75692 from Draw Tite. This is what the hitch looks like when its installed on the vehicle. Next well give you some measurements to help you out in selecting some accessories, such as a ball mount, a bicycle rack or a cargo carrier. From the top of the receiver opening down to the ground will be 14 inches. From the center of the hitch pin hole to the edge of the bumper will be about four and a half inches. Now well go ahead and show you how the hitch is installed.

What well do is go ahead and show the mounting locations for the hitch. Youll use the threaded holes at the very end of the frame and a round hole going toward the front. Now there are two holes right next to each other. The hitch will use the smaller of the two. The larger hole will be the access hole for some hardware.

Before we install our hitch, its a good idea to go ahead and clean out the threads in the frame to make sure if any dirt or debris thats not in there. Were going to use tube brushes and lubricant to clean it out. The tube brushs part number is 814092. Since this is a brand new vehicle, it will be very easy to clean out. However, when a vehicle ages, more dirt and debris can get in there and eventually may need a thread tap to clean out the threads.

Now, with an extra set of hands well go ahead and lift the hitch up and install the hardware. If you initially put the hitch up there and find out that those brackets for the bumper cover are in the way, take the hitch back down and well go ahead and pry them outward a little bit. To bend the brackets well have to remove the plastic rivet at the very bottom to push the brackets forward so we have room for our hitch. Use a flat screw driver to pull off the center, then we can go ahead and remove them. Well go ahead and take our hands and push them forward just a little bit.

Then well go ahead and install the hitch. Our hardware for the threaded hole will be the metric bolt and a conical tooth washer. Well make sure that the teeth on the conical tooth washer are always pointing toward the hitch. Well go ahead and lift the hitch up. Well tilt it out of the way so we can slip it over the exhaust and up toward the frame. Then well install the bolt and washer. With that loosely installed well go ahead and install the next fastener thats going toward the front. Well take the handle nut and well hold it up to the hole that the hitch uses and well go ahead and measure back using our fingers, and then well bend the handle as needed so we can run it through the access hole. This handle nut will use the standard bolt and conical tooth washer. Now well go ahead and take the handle nut and run it through the access hole and over the hole in the hitch. Then well go ahead and install the bolt and washer. With all our hardware in place we can tighten them down and then torque them down as specified in the instructions. With the hitch installed and tightened down well go ahead and bend the brackets back. Were just going to take some needle nose pliers or vice grips, in this case, and well peel the bumper cover out of the way and urn it through the hole. Well use the pliers to bend back the bumper fascia support back to where it needs to be. Then we can go ahead and reinstall the plastic rivets. With that, that will finish for our install of part number 75692 from Draw Tite on our 2013 Acura RDX.