Today on our 2013 Ford Escape, well be installing the Hidden Hitch, part number 90093. This is what our hitch will look like once its installed. Next well go ahead and give you a couple measurements to assist you selecting accessories for your new hitch. From the center of the hitch pin hole to the outermost edge of the bumper is three and three quarter inches. From the top of the inside of the receiver tube opening to the ground is 13 and three quarter inches. This will assist you selecting accessories such as a bike rack or cargo carrier.
Now lets go ahead with the installation. First well go ahead and point out the attachment points. There are a total of four attachment points, two on each side. The attachment points are pre-drilled holes in the frame, however well need to install the hardware to secure it. The hardware well be using with our installation kit will be the new seven sixteenth carriage bolt and block along with a conical tooth washer and nut.
Each attachment point will also get its own pull wire or a bolt leader to assist in getting the hardware fed through the frame and into position. Note it is especially a good idea to check and make sure that the block and bolt will go through the access hole before attempting to install the bolt leader. In cases where the carriage bolt will not fit in through the access hole, it is recommended to take a small file or round bit file and simply shave down around the edge of the access hole making it large enough for the carriage bolt. Lets go ahead and install our hardware first. Well take the large or threaded end of our bolt leader; feed it through the attachment point and out the access hole.
Then well go ahead and slide on our block and thread on our carriage bolt. Then well feed our block up into the frame followed by the carriage bolt. Once we get them into the frame well go ahead and pull them into position. Now weve got our attachment point ready, were going to actually go ahead and push it back into the frame just exposing the pull wire that well leave onto the carriage bolt. This will make it easier to install our hitch once we have all of our fasteners in place.
Now Ill go ahead and repeat the same process for our read attachment point here on the driver side and both attachment points on the passenger side. Now with all of our hardware in place we are ready to go ahead and install the hitch. It is a good idea to get an extra set of hands to help you install the hitch while you secure the fasteners. While putting the hitch up into position well feed the bolt leader through the hitch and out. Then once in position we can pull the bolt leader through. Next Ill go ahead and take a socket and use it as a spacer between the frame and inner fender well to give us a little more working room when installing our hardware and fastener here on our forward attachment point. Then we can remove the pull wire, sliding on our conical tooth washer and then tightening down finger tight with the nut. Note in cases where the hardware wants to fall back into the frame, to make it easier to hold the carriage bolt and block into position by sliding the conical tooth washer over your pull wire and into position before removing it. Now with all of our hardware in place were ready to go ahead and tighten them down. Next well torque to specifications as indicated in the instructions. There you have it, just a few simple steps weve gone ahead and installed our hitch. Thatll complete the install of Hidden Hitch, part number 90093 on our 2013 Ford Escape. .