etrailer | How to Install the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver on a 2018 Jeep Cherokee

Click for more info and reviews of this CURT Trailer Hitch: https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitc... Check out some similar Trailer Hitch options: https://www.etrailer.com/fitguide.htm Search for other popular Jeep Cherokee parts and accessories: https://www.etrailer.com/vehicle/2018... https://www.etrailer.com Don’t forget to subscribe!    / etrailertv   Full transcript: https://www.etrailer.com/tv-install-t... Speaker 1: Today on our 2018 Jeep Cherokee we're gonna take a look at and also show you how to install the Curt Custom Fit Class III Trailer Hitch Receiver, offering the two-inch by two-inch receiver tube opening. It's part number is C13171.Now here's what our hitch is gonna look like installed. As you can see, we have a visible cross tube, it's gonna go pretty much across the rear of the Jeep, meets here in the middle at our two-inch by two-inch receiver tube opening.Now, as far as the look's concerned, if you don't like the appearance of a hitch that stretches all the way across we do have other options. They're a little bit more difficult to install, though, so it's kind of a give and take. This one's easier to put on.The brackets we have here on the side go down and around our exhaust, so there's no need to lower the exhaust, and there's no need to trim our inaudible 00:00:51 panel. That can sometimes get kind of intimidating, people don't like to do it, so this gives us a good alternative so we can get a hitch on our vehicle, utilize the two-inch by two-inch receiver tube opening, and not have to make any vehicle modifications.Now, this is a Class III hitch, that means it's gonna make it very, very versatile. There's all kinds of hitch accessories out there, cargo carriers, bike racks, ball mounts, and they are typically gonna come in a Class III variety. For holding those items in place, you've got your 5/8" diameter pinhole there. There's a good amount of room there, so whether you're just doing the traditional pin and clip, maybe a locking hitch pin, or even an anti-rattle device, you shouldn't have any issues with clearance.If you're gonna be hauling your trailer we've got our safety chain connection points down here on both sides. As you can see, it's got a good opening on it, so just about any type chain should connect there without any kind of problems.Now, as far as weight ratings go, the hitch is gonna give us a 750-pound tongue weight rating, so that's the maximum downward force we can put at our receiver tube opening. That gives us a 5,000-pound gross trailer weight rating, that's gonna be the total weight of our trailer and anything we we're to load up on it. It is rated for use with weight distribution. The tongue weight rating's gonna say the same, it's 750 pounds, but your gross trailer weight rating goes up to 6,000 pounds.Now, those numbers are probably gonna exceed the actual capacity of the Cherokee, so definitely check your owner's manual, see what its tow rating is, and don't exceed.Now, a few measurements you'll find helpful when it comes time to select your ball mount, bike rack, or hitch cargo carrier will be from the ground to the inside top edge of the receiver tube opening it's got about 12 inches. Then from the center of our hitch pin hole to the outermost edge of our bumper it's about 3 3/4.Now, to begin our hitch installation we need to get our hardware put in place. It's gonna go on the frame rail on each side. We're gonna have three mounting locations. One is here, this sometimes has a rubber plug that covers it, if it does just pop that out. You have the one right behind it located here. And then just on the outside of the frame rail from this hole right here is gonna be our third attachment point. There'll be two holes in the rail, you wanna use the one closest to the rear of the vehicle.Now, in some instances you're gonna notice excess amounts of caulking or seam filler here, we'll need to remove that just so our hitch has a nice spot to sit, so you can use a putty knife or a razor knife and just kinda clean it off to this seam right here.Now we'll start with the rear attachment point first, we'll use our pull wire. We're gonna feed it in that hole, we want it to come out the larger square hole like that. Place on our spacer block, and thread on our carriage bolt. Just feed the block in, feed our bolt in, pull it down through. We'll leave this attached for now. Next one we'll do will be the one on the side, it's kinda the same process.When we get this in we're gonna pull it all the way out so we can get the bolt and the blocking gauge together. And then we want it to rest back in so we can slide our hitch in place. Pull it all the way out, make sure it's engaged, and just let it rest back in.Now, for the square hole we're gonna use a reverse technique, so we wanna place our bolt up and in, place our block up and in, and we'll pull that