Last Updated on January 20, 2023 by Will Sabel
If you own a camper and are wondering about installing a receiver hitch, this guide is for you. There are two types of receiver hitch found for a camper. They are trailer receiver hitch and bumper receiver hitch.
A trailer receiver hitch is installed to the frame of the camper. On the other hand, a bumper receiver hitch is installed on the bumper of the camper. I’ll go over the installment process of a trailer receiver hitch as well as a bumper receiver hitch in this article.
Determine the Hitch Type
You must first decide the type of hitch before attempting to install it on your camper. You must choose a hitch that is appropriate for the items you will be towing.
If you are going to tow a large trailer or a large boat with a large amount of weight then chose a trailer hitch receiver. On the other hand, if you want to attach a bike rack or cargo carrier or other lightweight objects then select the bumper receiver hitch.
Select Receiver Hitch
After selecting the type of hitch, choose the hitch based on the weight capability of the desired load. The weight capacity of the receiver hitches differs. For example, some bumper receiver is not built to tow, whereas some bumper receiver hitch support to tow.
Some trailer hitch receivers require drilling beneath the frame to install, but others do not require drilling beneath the frame. Select the hitch based on the model of your camper and the capacity of the objects you want to pull or attach.
Trailer Receiver Hitch
The trailer receiver hitch for the camper is available in a variety of widths from various manufacturers. It comes with adjustable brackets. You can adjust the bracket according to the widths of your camper frame.
The installation process is not the same. Install a receiver hitch by inserting the bolts to the camper’s attachment point. On the other hand, some receiver hitches require drilling into the camper’s frame to be installed.
Read the instruction manual book to determine how to install your receiver hitch. Determine whether you should install the hitch with a bolt or drill the frame of the camper.
Install trailer receiver hitch with bolts
After ensuring that you have installed the hitch with bolts then follow the steps below to install the receiver hitch. There are four attachment points are exist on both sides. You have to insert the bolts into these attachment points.
- Read the instruction manual book. After reading it you will get some idea about the installment process.
- If you have any wire connector under the frame of the camper, remove it.
- Lift the hitch with some blocks and place it in the position.
- To make sure the hitch is in the correct position insert a carriage bolt to one of the attachment points of the driver’s side. Carry out the same procedure on the passenger side.
- Now insert all the bolts on both sides. First, insert the three remending bolts provided by the hitch to secure the hitch where carriage bolts are not inserted. Then remove the carriage bolt and insert the provided bolt for installing the hitch. Repeat the process to the other side.
- Tighten the bolts using a Traunq wrench.
- Reset the wire connector.
Install receiver hitch by drilling under the frame
If your receiver hitch requires drilling to the frame or if your camper’s frame missing attachment points, follow the procedures below to drill the camper’s frame and install a receiver hitch.
- Place your hitch to the position.
- Mark the frame through the hitch’s holes. You must mark two dots on each side.
- Take out the hitch.
- Drill the holes with a drilling machine.
- Put the hitch in place by aligning the hitch holes with the holes you drilled.
- Put the washers onto the holes then insert the bolts.
- Now take washers for the back side and insert them into the bolts and attach the nut. Now tighten the nut.
Bumper Hitch Receiver
A bumper hitch receiver can be attached to the camper’s bumper. A bumper receiver hitch can be used to tow a light-duty trailer or light-duty items like a bike rack or cargo carrier. The process of installing a bumper receiver hitch is given below.
Required tools
The following are the tools required to install a bumper receiver hitch.
- Wrench
- Torque wrench
Process of installing a bumper hitch receiver
First, read the instruction manual book of the bumper hitch receiver. Then follow the steps below.
- Put the receiver hitch on top of the bumper.
- Take all four bolts and insert them into the receiver hole.
- Ensure that the receiver hitch is centered on the bumper. However, it is acceptable if your receiver is not positioned in the center.
- Take the plate and place it beneath the bumper aligning the four bolts.
- Insert the nuts through the bolts.
- Tighten the nut. Use a Torque wrench on the head of the bolts and a wrench on the nuts.
Conclusion
I hope now you know enough about the receiver hitch installation process. If you intend to tow heavy objects, you must install a trailer receiver hitch. On the other hand, you will need a bumper receiver hitch if you are going to tow lighter objects.
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