Arrives before Christmas To see if this custom-fit item will work for you please tell us what vehicle you'll use it with.
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This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Matte black, powder coated steel is durable and corrosion resistant and creates a rugged look.
Features:
Specs:
The sturdy steel construction is protected with a matte black finish for added durability. This unique powder coating gives etrailer hitches a carbide-like appearance and a rugged look that sets them apart from traditional glossy hitches. In addition to being rust and corrosion resistant, the tough matte coating hides dirt, scuffs, and dings better than a glossy finish.
At etrailer we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
Average Customer Rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars (76 Customer Reviews)
This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Matte black, powder coated steel is durable and corrosion resistant and creates a rugged look.The holes do not line up AT ALL. I spent a bunch of time disassembling my car only for this product not to fit. Now I will have to take time out of my day to ship this item back. Tried to call the support number with no answer.
Works great, very solid on 2018 Tesla Model 3. Preload the 6 carriage bumper bolts before bolting up the hitch. The size of the opening I cut in the lower under rear panel was 2.75" wide and 3.25" long... I think the instructions had different dimensions. The bottom of the hitch is 6.5" off the ground.
Steve
10/13/2023
The hitch works fine and although it is low to the ground, there has not been much scraping of the hitch when traversing inclines. The Model 3 suspension is stiff so there is not much bouncing.Also the rear of the car doesnt much when the trailer tongue weight is added which in my case is about 80 pounds. There is not much room to install an anti rattle hitch clamp but it can be done.
I installed the hitch on my 2019 Tesla Model 3 and found it sturdy with heavy steel and excellent welds. I subtracted two stars due to the extra effort required to install it. The hitch frame was slightly long so on each end it was difficult to access one of the securing nuts. I also had to significantly enlarge one of the access holes in the 1/8" thick aluminum bumper in order to tighten the securing nut. Not that difficult but takes tools not normally required for installation.
But the hitch fits the car well and any anyone with some DIY experience should be able to handle it.
Fit the Tesla Model 3 perfectly it was an easy install if you are a little handy and you don’t mine taking the rear plastics off your Tesla. A little tricky to put it all back together. Mostly snap fit. Saved big $$$. It was a 1 hour job that took me 2-3 hrs.
does the job well. sturdy and well made. very happy with this purchase. My third trailer hitch purchase from etrailer
The install was time consuming but not technically difficult. This hitch fits the 2023 Tesla Model 3 RWD perfectly without cutting the bottom panel. The 2023 model comes with a removable hitch cover and this hitch slides right through it. It's best to raise the rear end by 2" by driving over a set of 2x4 lumber. I laid down two large moving pads for the work space. One underneath the bumper and one to place the removed bumper on. It's also advised to lay down a small towel on the side and place the small parts on it in order as you remove them. That makes sure the parts stay together and makes the order of the reinstall much easier. The trickiest part was installing the stock aluminum crash bar over the eTrailer hitch. Its best to use painter's tape to hold the golden crash bar bolts in place while trying to align with the bar holes. Re-installing the bumper was also tricky re-aligning the bottom lip to re-install the two 10mm retaining black bolts. I referred to the eTrailer Youtube Draw-tite video for the 2022 Model 3 and a video made by "Reid Tomasko". Combining the information for both videos made the install possible.
1 year review: I opted for this product since it was a fraction of the cost of the stealth type hitches. Some people may mind the look of a hitch especially on a Tesla Model 3 but this hitch sits as close up underneath to the bumper as possible, so it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb. With the Model 3 being a low car, I've scraped the hitch a few times backing out of my driveway. Upon inspection, the hitch did not bend and the scrapes are only visible when you get underneath it. It's a solid design bolting up to the rear bumper cross bar mount points. I mainly use the hitch to haul up to 2 mountain bikes using a 1Up platform carrier and again, it is very solid with no play. Installation was straight forward other than the fact that my Model 3 is a 2019 and it does not have the removable hitch cover like later model years. The suggested cut out dimensions weren't big enough so I had to measure/cut twice. For the price, I've already made up in the gas savings driving the Tesla instead of my 15mpg SUV. Well worth it!
Does not fit a 2019 model 3. You will need a dremel and 4 hours on your hands to make this fit on the bumper. etrailer knows about this problem as many other reviews say this but they keep advertising it as a fit. Would not buy again and I would recommend looking elsewhere.
This is a good hitch. The install is not for the faint of heart, though. I installed this on my 2019 Tesla Model 3 after watching this video from etrailer that was very helpful:
The preparation of the car for the installation was a royal pain. Not unexpected for sure.
For the hitch, I did have to make one of the mounting holes a little bit larger, similar to what a lot of people have referenced. I just used a round file and made the hole about 1/16” larger. The rest of the hitch components fit well without hassle.
Reassembly of the car was, of course, a pain.
All in all, this was about a six hour install in our personal well-equipped shop. Follow the video, take your time, be ready to adjust a little bit, try to do have someone else help you and you can do it!
Easy installation for car diy’ers. I like that it retains the factory crash bar. Quality construction and works perfect with my mountain bike rack. I had to cut a section out of the bottom bumper of my 2018 Model 3.
Good hitch. Not perfect. I did it on Sunday morning. Took be about 3 hrs. It’s not hard to do. Etrailer instructional video was very helpful. Little stressful when working on new car that’s not known for paint quality. I took my time. Used mostly hand tools.
It would take me less time, but I had hard time tightening one nut holding hitch to the body (pic of nut by the black hitch) and I had to dremel out the right side of a hole (just one) in aluminum Tesla beam to be able to tighten the beam to the hitch. (Lower right nut, golden color, inside the aluminum beam). The rest of holes/hardware was fine. Be careful. Aluminum beam has really sharp edges.
Great kit and easy to install. I have experience with cars but it's the first time I have taken the bumper cover off a Tesla 3. Over all full install time for new was 1 hour and it was straight forward. Looks great and can't wait to use it. My vehicle is a 2023 and has the factory hitch cut out so I did not have to cut anything on my own. So that was super nice.
Instructions were precise and clear. Great fitment and well crafted product.
Overall, I'm very pleased with the hitch. The most difficult part of the installation is attaching the reinforcement brace to the hitch, since the holes did not line up well. I had to use a die grinder on the aluminum brace. Some design changes would make it an excellent product. I purchased the ecohitch for my last Tesla, but decided against for this car since I rarely ever removed the receiver. This hitch looks clean and was half the price.
Aaron
1/7/2024
Im still happy with the hitch. The only problem I have with the fixed receiver is backing into curbs and scraping the ground on ramped drives. Otherwise it is a good product.
The hitch receiver looks great and seems like a quality product. However it was not designed correctly for my 2018 Model 3. The minimum spacing for the holes is 36 inches, while the bumper is 35 inches. Installing it this way will result on the bumper shifted to the driver's side, and almost impossible to reach the passenger side bolts.
The aluminum on the bumper is pretty thick, but thankfully it's soft enough that I was able to cut about 1/2" and more or less center it on the car before bolting it back on. (Cutting the hitch receiver is NOT at option - solid steel!)
Anyway, it is a shame I ran into this problem and doubled my installation time. Based on the reviews here, it seems a lot of people also running into this problem.
Easy install, tows great! This is my third hitch receiver from etrailer, and all have been great! Delivery has always been on time, no problems after years of towing.
The trailer hitch is excellent. The ordering was easy and the shipping fast. The installation video was very good although I wish it had mentioned that the Model 3 must be jacked up to get to two of the bolts.
I purchased this to use my Kuat bike rack. I paid a body shop to install and they charged $240 while doing a great job. The hitch seems the perfect solution for my wants and needs.
great company with super install videos,great prices and fast delivery! I'm a second time installer of your hitches!!!
The hitch seems to be of very good quality and fits perfectly. Installation was more difficult than any hitch I've ever installed but doable. When you remove the rear bumper facia, take extra care to sit it on a soft, non-abrasive surface.
Exactly what I needed for the price. I have a 2020 model 3 SR+. Installation can be difficult but if you have the tools it is possible. There are many [online] videos of installing a hitch in the model 3 to guide you. Overall this item is well built, like many other hitches it will shorten your ground clearance since the model 3 sits low.
This hitch is great I use it all the time behind my Tesla model 3 to tow my little Boston whaler and for my bike rack when I go putt of town. It did take me half a day to install but the installation was straight forward if you are a mechanical person. Turned out great.
Works great, excited to be able to do some small projects and use my bike rack.
It’s a good hitch but the holes don’t quite line up and have the clearance needed to seat the bolts down comfortably. There was muuuuch finagling to do to have the bolts torque down… some retooling is in order. But if you’re handy then you can make it work… eventually
Installed on a 2023 Model 3 RWD. Smooth sailing aside from some surprise trimming required on the bumper. You can see in the attached photo that I have taken an oscillating tool to the top 2mm or so of the protruding plastic mount. I found one other review mentioning this issue.
It doesn't complicate the installation much as it frustrates when one expects the bumper to pop back into place. Would be nice to see updated instructions or a heads-up that this may be an issue, seems to be hit-or miss on these cars.
Install took ~3hrs with a lot of head scratching before trimming the bumper as needed
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Brooke M.
10/15/2024
I am so sorry to hear that, Christopher. I am wondering if there was a manufacturing defect on this one. That doesnt happen super often but every once in a long while it can. Let me look into this for you. Be on the lookout for an email!