Hitch Receiver Installation

[quickstep192]

What’s this thing (Fat Arrow) that looks like it needs to come off to install a trailer hitch receiver?

It looks like there’s no way those long bolts (skinny arrows) will clear the bumper.

Does the bumper need to be removed?

Also, I assume the connector in there is the harness for the trailer lights. Is an additional bracket and adapter of some kind needed?

Thanks for any help.

Sponsored

 

[Truckin]

Mine did not have that but yeah it will need to come off for another hitch

 

[Danielsand]

.... those are some beautiful arrows. wow..
.

If you are aiming to take the title of "The Asshat" from me, you have another thing coming.

 

[Danielsand]

Never slept with a fish. You do know (I hope) that there are only two things in this world that smell like a fish, right? And one of them IS a fish.

I drive Mini Cooper once in a while. It's my wife's summer commuter. She loves it, and she has many speeding tickets to prove it.

 

[MNBigfoot]

Never slept with a fish. You do know (I hope) that there are only two things in this world that smell like a fish, right? And one of them IS a fish.

I drive Mini Cooper once in a while. It's my wife's summer commuter. She loves it, and she has many speeding tickets to prove it.

To be fair, fish never smelled that way before women began swimming.

 

[quickstep192]

We have a Mini Cooper EV and it’s great. Fun to drive and “fill ups” are easy.

Now, let’s get back on topic -
What the heck is this bracket and what’s it take to remove it?

 

[Danielsand]

.... it shows you live in Salmon, ID.. and sure, blame it on your wife. and I'm guessing she "likes" mowing the lawn? lmao

No work on the ranch for her. It's a 1100-acre horse ranch (20 miles out of Salmon). She works full time away from the ranch. You are probably on the "long and lonesome highway, East of Omaha..."?

 

[Danielsand]

BTW...... do you know anything about the bracket in the OP (trying to keep it on the topic)?

 

[Fast Eddie]

The bracket was added at least to 2025's (I have seen a few people claim to have it on their 2024's as well). It is a meaningless bracket that just protects the factory trailoring plug. In Ford's infinite wisdom, they not only put the bracket there but also put it in with 5" bolts, that have thread lock on them. Yes, you have to remove the bumper now to get them out, and yes, they are a bitch to remove. Do not use an ugga dugga, it will rip out the round tacked on nuts on the other side of those bolts and make removal even harder.

 

[Danielsand]

After bumper removal, you heat the bolts with a heat gun (or torch if you feel adventurous), and they come out easy-peasy.

 

[Fast Eddie]

After bumper removal, you heat the bolts with a heat gun (or torch if you feel adventurous), and they come out easy-peasy.

Having to heat bolts that are 5" long, with thread sealant to hold in a tiny, meaningless bracket is some strange sh!t.

 

[Danielsand]

Having to heat bolts that are 5" long, with thread sealant to hold in a tiny, meaningless bracket is some strange sh!t.

No shit. Most likely they had surplus of these bolts, so some "authority" said "let's use these".

 

[DarthLincoln]

Yes, you have to remove the bumper.
See page #9 regarding that bracket.

 

[quickstep192]

Yes, you have to remove the bumper.
See page #9 regarding that bracket.

Thanks. They don’t make it easy, so they?

 

[DarthLincoln]

Thanks. They don’t make it easy, so they?

They keep it interesting

I dunno, but maybe they had warranty complaints about the 7-pin getting damaged because of how it was tucked away on the 2024MY Broncos, so they added this bracket to secure and protect it.

Sponsored