Nissan Frontier Drawtite Hitch Install

from Nissan Offroad

Installers Notes
This installation was performed by a certified mechanic and the owner of the
vehicle pictured. At no point do we recommend altering or otherwise changing
the geometry of the rear bumper system. If you feel you are unable
to safely install this piece of equipment, please see a certified Vehicle
Technician or your Local Nissan Dealership for Installation.

Installing a hitch on your Nissan Frontier is an easy process, assuming you use the proper hitch and tools
and you have a friend to help. Hitches are typically designed for specific makes and models of vehicles
(in some cases, for specific trims on the same model). When ordering a hitch, be sure to request the
hitch specific to the vehicle you own.

*For information on Towing safety and choosing the proper hitch, CLICK HERE*

The Nissan Frontier is rated for a “Class 3” hitch. The hitch we have chosen to install, conforms to
the Class 3 specifications and is specifically designed for the 2001 Nissan frontier pickup.

Drawtite Hitch Part Number: 75106
Retail: $204
Total Install Time: 30 minutes

BEGINNING THE INSTALL

First, if you have recently take your truck off-road, or haven’t washed the truck in a while,
I recommend taking a few moments and washing the underside of the truck and letting
it dry. This will keep you much cleaner during this process.

Once the truck is dry, move it onto a FLAT AND LEVEL surface. Set the parking brake and chock
the wheels of the vehicle for safety. We will be removing and installing very heavy objects,
so having an extra set of hands is ideal. The first step is to loosen the 6 bolts (three on each
side) that hold the bumper in place.

The bumper won’t fall freely, The three bolts that are holding it in
place on each side are all connected via a bracket. This assembly must be slid part way out of the
frame in order to release the bumper. (The bracket can be seen in the top left photo)

Once the Bumper has been removed, set it aside and concentrate on installing the Hitch
itself.

The hitch comes with several pieces of mounting hardware that go in a VERY specific order.
Care should be taken that you get the right hardpoints in the right holes.

Slipping the hard points and bolts into the square frame member can be tricky, take care not to push them so far into the frame that you can’t retrieve for re-alignment if you need to! (we used a long flat head screw driver to push them into place)
be sure the bolts are seated properly in the square holes on the hard points.

Once they are installed, they will look like this (note the size differences
in the hard points. Smallest to the BACK)

Once you have them seated in place, replace the bumper. It is important to replace the Bumper BEFORE you install the hitch for ease of installation (we learned this the hard way)

Note: the installation bolts for the hitch hanging
loose while the bumper is tightened back into place
with an impact wrench.

Be sure to torque the bumper bolts down to the proper specifications. The bumper is a SAFETY DEVICE on the truck and great care should be taken to ensure it is installed correctly and all bolts are tightened to OEM Specifications.

Once it is in place and tight, place the hitch on your stomach and slide under the truck, orientating the hitch in the position it is to be installed. Have your friend hold one side of the hitch up while you hold the other side up.

Align the bolts and hand tighten the nuts in the hitch. Now, move to the other side, and relieve your friend. Hand tighten these bolts.

The hitch should now be hanging from the bolts on either side.

Using your impact wrench (or wrench) tighten the bolts according to manufacturer’s specs.
This hitch is gong to be, potentially carrying a LOT of weight, make sure you
get the bolts properly tightened.

Your hitch should now be installed and you should be ready to wire the lights! (which will be
the second part of the install)

DISCLAIMER: DIY AT YOUR OWN RISK. NICO CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE DURING OR AFTER YOUR INSTALLATION.