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Over in the towing forum, someone mentioned that they had installed the towing package in their garage after getting the car home. Unfortunately, they never followed up with a how-to, so here we are. There aren't enough pictures in this, but hopefully I can provide enough info that people aren't going in blind.
Main advantage of this over the UHAUL variety is that it is embedded in the rear bumper cover. You lose less ground clearance compared to aftermarket options. I did not bother with the OEM trailer wiring as its just a tap into the brake lights. If I hit the point I need it, I can tackle that then.
Final product:
![79868]()
Supplies needed:
1 x Hitch kit, part number LJ6Z-19D520-AA. If you look around online, you can get this for about $300.
1 x Plastic fastener removal tool, like this: Amazon.com: Lisle 35260 Plastic Fastener Remover: Automotive
1 x Socket set with 8-18mm sockets
1 x Torque Wrench capable of 85 ft lbs
1 x set of tin snips or other tool capable of cutting thick plastic and thin metal.
1x Rivet gun or 2x zip ties
Before you start, double check to make sure your hitch kit has 8 bolts, a new rear plastic cover, the hitch receiver, and 2 plastic rivets.
Steps:
1. Fit the new plastic cover on. Remove the old silver cover. There is a plastic rivet on each end you will need to cut out.
![79860]()
You can then pry the silver plastic cover out of the black plastic bumper cover. Put the new silver plastic cover on in its place. Reattach the ends using the included plastic rivets, or zip ties if you don't have a rivet gun.
2. Detach the exhaust heat shield from the rear bumper cover. I think it was 6x 8mm hex head screws along the bottom edge of the black plastic bumper cover.
3. Cut a hole for the hitch receiver. With the new cover on, you will see that the cutout for the hitch receiver is currently blocked. The area under the cutout looks something like this:
![79861]()
Trace the cutout straight down to the end of the black plastic cover. Cut this section out with the tin snips. Your rear bumper cover is now modified for the receiver.
4. Remove rear bumper cover. Now for the fun part. In Ford's instructions, this is just a step that states "remove rear bumper cover" like that is totally routine. I'm not that mean.
First we need to detach the bumper cover from the rear wheel wells. On the driver side, there are two 10 mm hex head screw under the bumper just to the rear of the wheel well. Then, both have plastic clips in the wheel well like so:
![79862]()
Not pictured is a fifth one lower in the wheel well. Remove all five of these plastic fasteners. Either carefully use the tool, or make sure you have some replacements handy. The center lifts out and then you can pull the fastener out. Pull back the black trim piece these fasteners go into. It will come off almost to the peak of the wheel well, where a white fastener will hold it in. You probably need to remove one of the white fasteners, but its not essential. Behind this cover you will find one more plastic fastener:
![79863]()
Remove this. Once you have done so on both sides, the entire rear bumper cover assembly can be removed. Work your way up from where the fastener under the cover was, gently popping the rear bumper cover out, it will go up to the headlight, down under the hatch lip, and the same on the other side. There are no other screws or fasteners holding it in.
![79864]()
Once you pop all the attachment points out (they aren't standalone fasteners, its just kind of clipped to each other with wedges and loops molded into each piece of plastic), the rear bumper will be removable.
5. Remove the original metal bumper. There will be 4x nuts around where it meets the frame. Unscrew these and the old bumper will come off. Once removed, put the nuts back on the threads to protect them.
6. Attach the hitch. Push the hitch into the holes in the frame left by removing the old bumper. There are 4 bolt holes on each side, but they are in a different place than the original bumper used. Screw them in and torque to 85 ft lbs.
![79865]()
![79866]()
![79867]()
7. Reattach rear bumper. At this point, reassembly is pretty much reverse of disassembly.
8. Cut exhaust heat shield. The exhaust heat shield will need a notch cut in it for the hitch receiver before reattaching to the bumper. I basically eyeballed it as I put them together, and cut a small notch. Then reattach the exhaust heat shield to the rear bumper cover.
All in all, its not super difficult, popping off the rear bumper cover is a little nerve wracking in terms of not breaking plastics, but other than that its straight forward. I would not do this on one of these in 10 years if someone finds this post on google, as the plastics will be way too brittle to do this easily. However, on a newer vehicle it wasn't too bad.
Hopefully this helps someone.
Main advantage of this over the UHAUL variety is that it is embedded in the rear bumper cover. You lose less ground clearance compared to aftermarket options. I did not bother with the OEM trailer wiring as its just a tap into the brake lights. If I hit the point I need it, I can tackle that then.
Final product:
Supplies needed:
1 x Hitch kit, part number LJ6Z-19D520-AA. If you look around online, you can get this for about $300.
1 x Plastic fastener removal tool, like this: Amazon.com: Lisle 35260 Plastic Fastener Remover: Automotive
1 x Socket set with 8-18mm sockets
1 x Torque Wrench capable of 85 ft lbs
1 x set of tin snips or other tool capable of cutting thick plastic and thin metal.
1x Rivet gun or 2x zip ties
Before you start, double check to make sure your hitch kit has 8 bolts, a new rear plastic cover, the hitch receiver, and 2 plastic rivets.
Steps:
1. Fit the new plastic cover on. Remove the old silver cover. There is a plastic rivet on each end you will need to cut out.
You can then pry the silver plastic cover out of the black plastic bumper cover. Put the new silver plastic cover on in its place. Reattach the ends using the included plastic rivets, or zip ties if you don't have a rivet gun.
2. Detach the exhaust heat shield from the rear bumper cover. I think it was 6x 8mm hex head screws along the bottom edge of the black plastic bumper cover.
3. Cut a hole for the hitch receiver. With the new cover on, you will see that the cutout for the hitch receiver is currently blocked. The area under the cutout looks something like this:
Trace the cutout straight down to the end of the black plastic cover. Cut this section out with the tin snips. Your rear bumper cover is now modified for the receiver.
4. Remove rear bumper cover. Now for the fun part. In Ford's instructions, this is just a step that states "remove rear bumper cover" like that is totally routine. I'm not that mean.
First we need to detach the bumper cover from the rear wheel wells. On the driver side, there are two 10 mm hex head screw under the bumper just to the rear of the wheel well. Then, both have plastic clips in the wheel well like so:
Not pictured is a fifth one lower in the wheel well. Remove all five of these plastic fasteners. Either carefully use the tool, or make sure you have some replacements handy. The center lifts out and then you can pull the fastener out. Pull back the black trim piece these fasteners go into. It will come off almost to the peak of the wheel well, where a white fastener will hold it in. You probably need to remove one of the white fasteners, but its not essential. Behind this cover you will find one more plastic fastener:
Remove this. Once you have done so on both sides, the entire rear bumper cover assembly can be removed. Work your way up from where the fastener under the cover was, gently popping the rear bumper cover out, it will go up to the headlight, down under the hatch lip, and the same on the other side. There are no other screws or fasteners holding it in.
Once you pop all the attachment points out (they aren't standalone fasteners, its just kind of clipped to each other with wedges and loops molded into each piece of plastic), the rear bumper will be removable.
5. Remove the original metal bumper. There will be 4x nuts around where it meets the frame. Unscrew these and the old bumper will come off. Once removed, put the nuts back on the threads to protect them.
6. Attach the hitch. Push the hitch into the holes in the frame left by removing the old bumper. There are 4 bolt holes on each side, but they are in a different place than the original bumper used. Screw them in and torque to 85 ft lbs.
7. Reattach rear bumper. At this point, reassembly is pretty much reverse of disassembly.
8. Cut exhaust heat shield. The exhaust heat shield will need a notch cut in it for the hitch receiver before reattaching to the bumper. I basically eyeballed it as I put them together, and cut a small notch. Then reattach the exhaust heat shield to the rear bumper cover.
All in all, its not super difficult, popping off the rear bumper cover is a little nerve wracking in terms of not breaking plastics, but other than that its straight forward. I would not do this on one of these in 10 years if someone finds this post on google, as the plastics will be way too brittle to do this easily. However, on a newer vehicle it wasn't too bad.
Hopefully this helps someone.
