Curt Manufacturing is an American company that manufactures and distributes trailer hitches and hitch receivers for many different vehicles. Most vehicles have the ability to tow a trailer, and some come from the factory with a towing package that may include a trailer hitch. In preparation for towing, vehicles that did not come with a tow package can be retrofitted with a Curt hitch.
Back the vehicle onto a set of automotive ramps to raise the rear of the vehicle off the ground to create working room. Turn off the engine and apply the parking brake. Place wheel chocks under the front wheels to prevent unwanted vehicle movement. Allow the exhaust system to cool for at least one hour before beginning.
Slide under the rear of the vehicle and locate the factory-drilled hitch mounting holes on the rearward end of the frame rails. Observe the end of the frame rails to see if there is enough clearance to insert the hitch retaining bolts through the drilled holes. Drill an access hole with a power drill in the bottom of the frame rails large enough for the bolts to fit through if there is no access at the end of the frame rails.
Place a washer or spacer, supplied with the hitch, over one of the hitch retaining bolts. Insert the bolt through the end of the frame rail or the access hole drilled earlier. Fish the bolts through the furthest factory-drilled hole so that the threads are protruding through the bottom of the frame rail. Repeat the procedure to install retaining bolts through each hitch mounting hole.
Raise the hitch to the under side of the vehicle, using a helper if necessary. Make sure the hitch mounting flanges are sitting flush with the bottom of the frame rails and that the retaining bolts are protruding through the hitch mounting holes.
Place a lock washer and retaining nut on the threaded end of each retaining bolt and hand-tighten to keep from cross-threading. Tighten all nuts and bolts with the appropriate size socket placed on a torque wrench, and tighten to the torque specifications in the hitch instruction manual.
Remove the wheel chocks and drive slowly off of the ramps.
