trailer hitch install

[sea wolf]

i need a class 111 trailer hitch for my 98 dakota. i've called around & i'm getting a price of about $300 for the install. i checked etrailers on the net & i can get a draw tite or hidden hitch for about $110., not including the ball mount or wiring harness. has anyone installed a hitch themselves & is it worth the hassle to do it myself? according to the site the hitch will mount up with no drilling required. anyone installed a hitch themselves & did it mount right up? i don't want to do any drilling. also what's the better choice, the draw tite or the hidden hitch? what's the difference, if any in the 2?

 

[poolshark38759]

Re: trailer hitch install

i have installed a Reese hitch on my 88 Bronco F/S...i was a generic fit so i had to do some drilling...it wasnt real hard just cumbersome..i used a floor jack to help lift it to the vehicle and some clamps and vise grips to hold it in place while i drilled out the holes..then it was just a matter of threading a wire thru the hole and attaching the bolt and pulling it thru..i ordered a kit for the trailer lights that plugged right in..took me about 3 or 4 hours to do in my carport....<br /><br />as to which is better....cant really go wrong with a welded hitch...mine had to be bolted together so it has some play in it....however i am thinking of removing it and having it welded together to improve the strength....<br /><br />$300 bucks to install sounds a little steep unless that includes the hitch...i would be there and watch them if i could...<br /><br />

 

[RatFish]

Re: trailer hitch install

Here is a snip from a prior post of mine...<br /><br /> Draw-Tite makes a good trailer hitch. I bought and installed a Draw-Tite class III Hitch, Drawbar and 2" Ball for about $160 from a local hitch shop (www.1800hitchit.com). Forget about splicing wires for the trailer lights. Get a T-Connector. I got a T-One, T-Connector from the hitch shop for $33. <br /><br />I originally got a quote of about $250 which included drawbar, ball, hitch installation and wiring. I decided to install the hitch myself (I needed beer money!). It was not too hard. I did not have to do any drilling. Matched up perfect. Total installation time was about 2 to 3 hours.<br /><br />A friend of mine had a Draw-Tite hitch installed on his 2002 Dakota. I checked out the installation and did notice that no new holes were drilled, existing holes in the frame were used. The installation did not look too hard. I suspect my installation was harder because I had to remove my bumper where on the Dakota it looked like you do not have to remove the bumper to install the hitch.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: trailer hitch install

the $300 included the hitch, wiring & draw bar. i figure the labor is a bit high as the hitch etc. only comes to about $150. i also need beer $$$$!

 

[RatFish]

Re: trailer hitch install

The price does seem a bit high but not totally outrageous. In my analysis, it looks like they are charging you about $100 for the complete setup with installation. I would have had to pay around $50 to have mine installed.<br /><br />If a regular car mechanic is installing the hitch, $100 probably is not too bad. The labor rate for mechanics in my area is $58+/hour. My advice... Get a couple of cost estimates.<br /><br />If you ever have turned a wrench before, you can do it with no problem. Keep in mind you will need a torque wrench if you do the installation yourself.<br /><br /> EDIT: Oops, just read your posts again. I was mistaken. I based my $100 installation estimate on a total parts cost of around $200. You are only paying $150 for parts. Yes, IMHO $150 is too much for installation.

 

[SingleShot]

Re: trailer hitch install

Like the above post, do it your self. I put a class V on my F250 and a Class III on my father inlaws F150. Most of the holes are there you may need to drill out some rivits, at least on the Fords you did. If that is the case or if you have to drill any holes. GO AND BUY A DRILL bit for this task and buy a good one. A good drill bit "Not High Speed Steel" will cost you around 10 buck but will make the 2 or so holes you have to make painless. I learned this one on my first hitch I put on.<br /><br />Good Luck

 

[dakotashooter2]

Re: trailer hitch install

I have installed "generic" hitches on 2 Dakotas. . One required some drilling the other did not. Just installed one on my Blazer a few months back. None required more than 1 1/2 hrs to complete. I floor jack is very helpfull but a buddy can work as well. My only caution is that one of the "bolt together" hitches I installed on the Dakota hung quite low and tends to drag a bit when 4 wheeling. Get the T plug adapter for wiring but get the mopar unit. Every aftermarket plug Ihave used or dealt with has caused problems, usually because the ground is not correct.

 

[sea wolf]

Re: trailer hitch install

thanx to all, think i'll do it myself. where can i get the mopar connector? dodge dealer?

 

[lakeman1999]

Re: trailer hitch install

I have installed eight of them on pickups and vans that I have owned over the years, easy to do with no help if you are not a klutz, six on fords, and two on chevy's (all 150's or 350's, no mini's). I have never had to drill any holes, as I always bought a hitch built for the vehicle that I had. I have never paid big dollars for a trailer wireing harnes, or adapter, cost too much, I make my own. I have harnesses, and adapters made up, where I can hook to any trailer (I have three different kinds of connectors on different trailers of mine), even a trailer that someone has installed the wrong end on the trailer.

 

[Seaboo2]

Re: trailer hitch install

You can (and should) get a no drill hitch (meaning all you do is bolt the thing up). If you do not have a torque wrench run it by (after you install it) a garage and see if they will torque the bolts and charge you a couple bucks (most will if they aren't swampped). The wiring harness should be available from the hitch shop you got the hitch from (or northern tool or even wal mart). Wiring is a simple plug in deal.

 

[Northern Eclipse]

Re: trailer hitch install

I installed a class III drawtite on My 1994 cougar xr7 bolted right up took about 30mins,I also installed a Class V Reese on my Explorer took about 15min, Just rembember to have a torque wrench handy and torque to specs, I also recommend installing a tranny cooler If your truck does not have one.

 

[poolshark38759]

Re: trailer hitch install

i have the same problem as dakota ahd with his bolt together generic hitch..it sits lower...mine sit really low as i had to install the shims in the kit to clear the bumper....i have 33" tires on my bronco and still have to use a 3" rise to get trailers to sit a little tongue high so they dont nose dive with a load...even my boat trailer which has 4.80-12's on it needs the 3" rise to sit level...<br /><br />didnt like the generic hitch but was hard to find one to fit my older truck..