DIY: Trailer hitch, and wiring.

[Kolk1]

Honestly, im extremely surprised the amount of detail the instructions of this hitch came with. So I shouldnt need to go into extreme detail, but I will note and give you basic instructions of my experience while doing this install.

 

First off, amazing Ebay seller, Trends-Auto, I received the hitch in 3 days after placing order. He was the cheapest seller I could find at the time, for a Class 3, with plug and play wiring, no splicing at all. I paid $240 all said and done, for everything.

 

I went with the class 3 because it was only a small amount more money than the class 2, and the class 2 uses the smaller 1.25 hitch, and I already had 2inch hitch's anyway.

 

I used a Curt Hitch #13552, and their plug and play wiring harness #56093

 

First off the wiring. This kit came with Colored picture instruction(im shocked lol) Hardest part about installing this whole kit, with hitch, will probably be running a 12volt constant wire. You need to run a wire to the battery of the car, so the lights for the trailer draw off the battery, not the factory taillights. This is explain in the instructions as well.

 

First off, the trunk needs to be pulled apart.

1)Remove the cover over the spare tire.

2)Then lift straight up on the black plastic that runs side to side.

3) Both sides have about 3-4 black push tabs that need pulled out.

4) Both sides have a couple black nipples that need unscrewed. All of these are right at the opening for the trunk. At this point, you can just bend the carpet thats on the wall towards the front of your trunk out of the way.

 

Here is the wiring. The large amount of black wire needs ran to the battery, the Red fuse gets hooked to the battery, then the black wire connects to the red fuse. The box and most the wiring will get mounted on the drivers side of the trunk, near our stock Sony amplifier. The roll of solid green wire will get ran to the passenger side.

 

Once the carpet is pulled back from the drivers side, you will see your sony amp. The connector at the top left is what you will plug the multicolored harness into, AND the top left bolt of the sony amp rack is what I used to hook up the ground wire.

 

 

Here you can see the T harness connected, and the white wire is grounded.

 

Heres a pulled back shot of where I used the double sided tape to mount the control box.

 

This was a little tricky, but I ran the solid green wire with T harness to the passenger side, by using the metal tunnel that was exposed by removing the black plastic panel earlier. But this will keep the wire completely out of the way of everything.

 

Then you just need to re-assemble, and that part is done. What I do, since I dont tow a lot, I leave the 4pin trailer harness just wrapped up down with the spare tire, then just hang it out the trunk when I need to tow.

 

Next reply will be the hitch.

[Kolk1]

Ok, next was the hitch. This actually went very simple. Ive done them before, so maybe that helped. lol

 

Curts instruction:

https://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrary/13552/installsheet/CM_13552_INS.PDF

 

Video from Curt, but installing on a base model, so the exhaust is different:

http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Ford/Taurus/2010/13552.html?vehicleid=2010302407

 

You need to drop part of the exhaust. There are 2 rubber exhaust hangers that need to come loose. 1 on each muffler. After removing those with a little WD-40 and a flat head screwdriver. If you look forward a little, you will see 2 more on the rear subframe. For those, I just unbolted the 4 10mm bolts. Before undoing those, I put a strap across the bottle of the subframe to stop the exhaust from falling too far.

 

At this point, you need to use that 10mm to remove 2 bolt on the driver side, that holds the bracket and rubber exhaust hanger. You will need a 17mm to remove the 2 bolts on the passenger side. Once removed, go ahead and pull the rubber hangers completely off, since now the rubber hanger will be connected to the hitch, and not the factory brackets.

 

Now, you just need to use the wires they gave you, to run the 3 bolts into the frame. Video shows how to run them. Its pretty self explanatory.

 

Once the 3 bolts are ran, you can lift the hitch into place, loosely bolt the 3 nuts, and 1 bolt into place. Once they are all started lightly snug them down, and make sure the trailer hitch is straight. You can just slide the hitch all the way out, and it will hit the end of the frame on both sides, thats what I did.

 

You need to have a torque wrench at this point. The 3 bolts need to be 110lbs, and the 1 bolt needs to be 80lbs.

 

I honestly was going to remove the hitch when not in use, and even with as easy as it was, its tucked up pretty far, that I dont think its that noticeable. It probably sits back about 3-4inch further than your license plate.

 

 

This is about 4feet away from the bumper, looking down at the car, you really still cant see it.

 

This pic is about 3 feet off the ground, about 4 feet away. So this is basically showing the hitch as much as possible. Im actually very shocked about how hard it is to see, if you arent looking for it. My last car, same brand hitch, was very obvious, and stuck out a lot.

[yowen2000]

awesome thanks for writing this, I am at some point planning to get a hitch too.

 

What are you planning on towing with it?

[Jmr061]

I will be needing to do a hitch too. Might just order one since ordered exhaust the other day and probably easier to do it all at once.

 

I have researched the hitches more (class 2 versus class 3) and oddly enough the class 3 is 7 pounds LIGHTER than the class 2.

 

Was thinking class 2 until I saw that.

 

Jason

 

PS-Awesome write up!

[Kolk1]

My reason for type 3, I already had a receiver hitch laying around that was a 2inch, and with the minimal price difference, I would of had to buy a new 1.25 receiver, I wouldnt of really saved any money, and im always a fan of over kill.

 

My normal cargo is just a 200lb trailer, with my 500lb ZX14. Ive towed this with my old Versa before with no problem. I did 10 hour round trips with it and it worked great. My only thing I might tow, is if I need to get stuff for the house, Ill borrow the father inlaws 6x10 trailer, and make a home depot run. Which is only a couple of blocks away and no big deal.

[Jmr061]

Just ordered mine from the same place. Owe you one.

 

Thanks

 

Jason

[Kolk1]

No problem.

 

The only part I thought was odd, or different from the last ones I installed. The bolt holes are off set for the square washers you put in the frame to actually bolt the hitch up to. My last cars always told you specifically how those square washers needed to be inserted. On this kit, I cant find a single mention of which direction the longer side needs to be pointed too. I flipped them back and forth, and tried both direction, and neither one seemed to be any different. Either way seemed to lock into place the same. They are only there to stock the bolt from spinning anyway.

[racerx78]

Looks like the same hitch i have on mine, except it doesn't stick out as far. I haven't done the wiring yet. So far i've only used it for a bike rack. I may use it to tow shifter karts in the future.

[Kolk1]

Looks like the same hitch i have on mine' date=' except it doesn't stick out as far. I haven't done the wiring yet. So far i've only used it for a bike rack. I may use it to tow shifter karts in the future.[/quote']

 

Mine had about 1inch of adjust-ability, so I can slide it under the car more if I wanted to. But to make sure it was straight, I slid it all the way out to where its pushing against the end of the frame.

[shoman04]

My reason for type 3, I already had a receiver hitch laying around that was a 2inch, and with the minimal price difference, I would of had to buy a new 1.25 receiver, I wouldnt of really saved any money, and im always a fan of over kill.

 

My normal cargo is just a 200lb trailer, with my 500lb ZX14. Ive towed this with my old Versa before with no problem. I did 10 hour round trips with it and it worked great. My only thing I might tow, is if I need to get stuff for the house, Ill borrow the father inlaws 6x10 trailer, and make a home depot run. Which is only a couple of blocks away and no big deal.

Same thing here my 05 freestar already had type 3. I liked the Curt. I had it about a yr now I take it off and on as needed.I have 4 x 8 trailer that I move house stuff or my motorcycle. but I leave it off most of the time and use the van but it only take about 30min to put it back on.

[Jmr061]

They are fast. It came already today via USPS.

 

Jason

[Kolk1]

Sweet, glad to hear mine just wasnt a fluke in how fast it showed up. lol