Front Hitch Install

Today I installed a Reese Front-Mounted receiver Hitch on our Jeep Liberty. Here is where I got the hitch.We are using this Jeep for offroading, and it is a good idea to have some sort of attachment point in the front of the vehicle in case you get stuck so someone can help tow you out. Many people use tow hooks in the front, but we decided to go with a receiver hitch. This gives you the equivalent of a tow hook, and the added ability to be able to mount a winch on the front if needed in the future, let alone put a trailer out front for putting a boat in the water, etc.

To install this hitch you have to first remove the grill and fascia over the bumper.

Then you put on the one piece hitch. It goes on pretty easy, the hard part is holding the nuts in place inside the frame tubes while you screw in the bolts. The Reese hitch is a single piece unit. It mounts via 6 bolts to the unibody subframe tubes. This hitch has a 9000 lb winch pull capacity. Much more that the Liberty weighs. Another common front mount hitch is a Hidden Hitch. That model only has a 5000 lb rating, about the same as the weight of the Liberty.

Here it is all buttoned up. I did cut a hole in the front license plate mount so the hitch is exposed. I installed a fold up license plate holder, for the front license plate.

The only difficulty with the installation was reinstalling the plastic rivets. I don’t have a plastic rivet tool, so I’ll either have to get one or install them without a special tool (Bottom of page).