5th wheel hitch & Tacoma composite beds

[Alf S.]

Hi: P. Raz... For every angle... there's usually a hitch!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

The Subaru Forester has two tubes that run underneath from about the rear seat to the back of the vehicle . On a truck, they would be the frame. When the bumper is removed, the open ends are exposed (first picture below). After the mufflers are removed, the hitch is installed by fishing bolts through the end of each tube (second picture below) and out the bottom. The problem you are having is because the pictures I have shown are 1) after and then before installation and 2) opposite sides. Standing on your head might help as might identifying the heat shield and the rubber muffler hanger in each original photo. Four bolts ( two per side) through the sheet metal tubes are what fasten the hitch to the vehicle. Fortune favors the bold . Raz

Did you run outside and take that all apart just for me, you big ol' hunka hunka sweetie pie, you? ...

I think I'm starting to get the picture...do you mean that the hitch has a couple of arms that slide into the channels for their full length, and it's those that the bolts go to? I'd love to see pics of the before-installed hitch itself, hint, hint...

I can wait if you haven't gotten to the "put it back together" stage yet!

Thanks!


Francesca

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Did you run outside and take that all apart just for me, you big ol' hunka hunka sweetie pie, you? ...

I think I'm starting to get the picture...do you mean that the hitch has a couple of arms that slide into the channels for their full length, and it's those that the bolts go to? I'd love to see pics of the before-installed hitch itself, hint, hint...

I can wait if you haven't gotten to the "put it back together" stage yet!

Thanks!


Francesca

Pictures are from last June. The hitch is the black thing with the two bolts in it.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Pictures are from last June. The hitch is the black thing with the two bolts in it.

Yeah- I was kidding!

This is the only pic showing a "black thing with two bolts in it"- do those bolts go through to whatever it is that "slides into the tubes" that you mentioned earlier?

Thanks!

Francesca

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Yeah- I was kidding!

This is the only pic showing a "black thing with two bolts in it"- do those bolts go through to whatever it is that "slides into the tubes" that you mentioned earlier?

Thanks!

Francesca

Nope. You feed a piece of wire with a coil at the end through holes in the bottom of the tube and out the back, thread the bolts into the coil one at a time and pull them into the tube and they hang down. When all 4 bolts are in place you lift the hitch up and thread nuts on the bolts. Tighten, torque and you're done. Removing the rear bumper and mufflers was the hard part. If you are really interested, etrailer has a video although they do it the hard way. Raz

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

Nope. You feed a piece of wire with a coil at the end through holes in the bottom of the tube and out the back, thread the bolts into the coil one at a time and pull them into the tube and they hang down. When all 4 bolts are in place you lift the hitch up and thread nuts on the bolts. Tighten, torque and you're done. Removing the rear bumper and mufflers was the hard part. If you are really interested, etrailer has a video although they do it the hard way. Raz

This is the way the factory hitch is meant to be installed???? Yikes!

I'd love to see the E-trailer vid- got a link to the one you mean?

Thanks!

Francesca

[Raz]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

This is the way the factory hitch is meant to be installed???? Yikes!

I'd love to see the E-trailer vid- got a link to the one you mean?

Thanks!

Francesca

The factory hitch bolts to the 3 studs surrounding the tube with a stiffener that feeds into the tube. The after market hitches all bolt to the bottom of the tube. While I removed the bumper, the etrailer folks place the bolts in the tube a little differently..... Don't forget to make pop corn.

Trailer Hitch for 2012 Subaru Forester - Curt 13147

[Francesca Knowles]

Thanks, Raz!

VERY interesting...and I'll bet it would be even more interesting if I'd been able to get the sound to work. (Hubby's been fiddling with the computer speakers again )
But I could pretty much see how the Curt goes on. I think both your and their methods of getting the bolts on are pretty clever!

You mention that the OEM hitch comes with a "stiffener"- what does that look/install like? (I'd look it up myself except I'm not a member at the Subaru site.)

Are you at all concerned about not having that stiffener? I know your Trillium's less than 2,000 and doesn't need a w/d, but still...those four bolts/washers do look as if there'd be considerable concentration of the load at those points.

Thanks again...

Francesca

[Philmag1]

I have a B&W turnover hitch on my 05 Tundra and I wouldn't trade it for any hitch that takes up bed space. No drilling holes in the frame it uses the existing frame holes the only down side is the 4" hole I drilled in the bed! The ball flips over and is flush with the bed when not in use.
I don't see Taco's listed on the web page but you could contact them and ask if they have a model that would work.

[Raz]

That's very clever. Obviously it allows a Scamp to clear the sides? Did it take anything special to do that? This site has good pictures. Raz


B&W Turnover Ball Gooseneck Hitch

[Philmag1]

Originally Posted by P. Raz

That's very clever. Obviously it allows a Scamp to clear the sides? Did it take anything special to do that? This site has good pictures. Raz


B&W Turnover Ball Gooseneck Hitch

The previous owner raised the Scamp 3" with square tube steel. I got the idea from him he had a Dodge pickup with the turnover hitch. The only downside is I need to figure out how to get stairs mounted to reach the door!

[Philmag1]

Hi all,

Sorry now I understand, here are a couple of photos of my hitch. And the 3" axle raised. Again I purchased the Scamp with this set up so I assumed it was a standard Scamp hitch. I looked at the Scamp bed hitch but I did not like giving up the bed of the truck so I opted for the B&W turnover. It has a much higher load rating and it is bolted between the truck frame so its bullet proof.

[Philmag1]

This would be my next addition to the hitch. I bet this would really make the ride nicer. My Tundra has a soft tail and I bounce pretty good on the bad California roads.

Shocker Hitch - Air Suspension Trailer Hitches