We recently acquired this vehicle & only later I realized there is no 2" Class 3 hitch receiver, so I am investigating installation. I found the OEM hitch finisher & harness. If possible I'd like to also use the OEM receiver, but my question is: Has anyone used an aftermarket receiver (Curt, DrawTite, Reese, etc.)? Did it fit with the finisher & look OEM? Can you please share photos? Thanks in advance, Jim

I saw that the aftermarket receivers were below the bumper, not through it like OEM so I bought all the parts through the Infiniti dealer.

If you could share your installation process or pictures that would help the community later JKM. Thanks!

Will do. I took pictures and have a couple of tips to share along with the part numbers. This will update a similar JX35 thread from 2013 I saw. I just picked up the finisher panel from the body shop where I had it painted. It will be a few days.

jkm3093 wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:39 am

Will do. I took pictures and have a couple of tips to share along with the part numbers. This will update a similar JX35 thread from 2013 I saw. I just picked up the finisher panel from the body shop where I had it painted. It will be a few days.

Excellent! I've been eye balling this but haven't found a need to tow anything so haven't followed through. Thanks for taking the time!

Well Ilya, if you do not need to tow anything I would not go through all this. But for those who do need to tow (we have 4 trailers), I'll try to summarize the procedure:

Parts needed (I sourced from local Infiniti Dealer):
Tow Hitch Receiver Part No. 999T5-RZ100 $ 250.00 + tax
Wiring Harness Part No. 999T8-XZ000 $ 95.00 + tax
Finisher Panel Part No. 999T5-R4190 $ 75.00 + tax

Miscellaneous:
3" Mini Circular Saw with extra blade ~ $ 110.00 3 in. Circular Saw - 150 kB.jpg[/attachment]
M12 x 1.25 tap (fine thread - 1.25 mm per revolution) ~ $ 5.00
Finisher Painting (optional) $ 200.00 + tax

Procedure:
Refer to the installation instructions for each part. Latest versions are downloaded from www.Infiniti-TechInfo.com.

1. Block front wheels, raise vehicle rear and put on jack stands (I did this in the driveway without the benefit of a lift).

2. Install finisher template over original bumper panel. Cut out the large center opening. Caution - instructions advise to use a reciprocating saw, but there is a risk of cutting wires on the left side if the cut is made too deep (see photo of installed hitch w/o finisher). To control the depth of cut I used a 3" circular saw (see photo). The template locates 4 slots to be cut by drilling 6 mm holes at each end and cutting out the material between the holes. I was cautioned by an Infiniti service tech to make sure the slots are not cut too wide or the finisher clips will not hold.

3. Lift the hitch receiver into place. This is normally a 2 person task but I did it solo by balancing the hitch on a plank and lifting it into place with my floor jack.

4. Install 10 mounting M12 bolts. these are fine thread (M12 x 1.25 thread). I struggled with the first few - they were extremely hard to install (about 50 lb-ft of torque over 15 turns). That's when I took a break and bought a M12 x 1.25 tap at a local hardware store. I chased the threads of every hole and the job then went much easier. I recommend getting this tap before you start the project.

5. Next up is the wiring harness. This is relatively straight forward. There is a relay box that plugs in to a harness on the driver's rear corner requiring removing the storage bin and some trim.

6. Lastly, install the finisher panel. This is the stage I'm at now. I'll supplement this post with any tips from that and a photo of the finished result.

Sorry - the photo attachments can out in the wrong order. I hope this write up helps someone out. Take care, Jim

Good stuff! I'm going to rename this thread slightly so it gets more traffic when searched on Google, etc. but great work so far!

6. OK, the last step to install is the finisher. Per the caution by an Infiniti service tech to make sure the slots are not cut too wide mentioned in step 2 above, When I cut out the bumper I left the slots for later since the finisher was out for paint at the time and I wanted to take measurements to make sure I got it right. This is the only critical point for this step.

Finisher tab thickness is 4.15 mm, and the limit for spring clip engagement is 6.48 mm, so the recommended 6 mm width is too large in my view. I drilled the end holes 15/64" (5.95 mm) diameter. I used 2 drill bits and a straight edge for a guide to cut the slots with a utility knife. I was careful to angle the blade inwards to make the slots sides taper inward. My finished slots measured 4.2 mm wide, just large enough for the tabs to insert.

In the photo: "Finished Slots - Left Side", you can see the close proximity of wires to the cut. The upper white wires are a twisted pair, and the lower black is a wire loom. In my case it was pure luck I didn't cut them, but if possible before making the cut on that side, try to reach in from behind and pull them away. I'm not sure that is possible, but worth a try.

See photo of the finisher product. I am happy with the result but am having second thoughts about painting the finisher to match the paint color. The original bumper insert is still visible at the edges (which I think looks OK) but there is a lot of contrast between the finisher and hitch / connector. If I were to do it over I would have left it original color (close to the original insert) and save the $ 212 on painting, but my wife thought that would look unfinished and this is her vehicle. Got to keep wifey happy!

Good luck if you tackle this project. It is a lot of work - it took me the better part of a weekend on & off. Take care, Jim

Well done!

A few last comments:

Hitch receiver instructions state to remove a couple of things from the driver's side frame:

[*] Remove tow hook by removing 4 bolts. Discard tow hook and the 4 bolts. No issue here.
[*] Remove Evap Canister and bracket located on the drivers side rear rail and allow it to hang freely for reinstallation later. This is a rectangular plastic box, not very heavy. It doesn't get disconnected. None of this was an issue except after this project the check engine light came on. I took it to the dealer to diagnose - it turned out to be a loose Evap Cannister connector even though I didn't disconnect it. So, when you are done, check to make sure the Evap Cannister connector is secure.

Regarding the risk of cutting wires when cutting out the bumper opening, the service tech told me he removes the bumper (insert?) to cut it which takes about 15 minutes. I was already well into this when I heard that but if I had a do-over I'd do it this way.

Take care, Jim

I installed Curt hitch without having to touch any wire or take down any cover. Very easy to do following their installation video. The only modification is to cut about 2 inch square from plastic shield under bumper (a utility knife will do easily, will not be noticeable). I do need an impact wrench to remove one tight screw on the frame, after using torque wrench to properly install all screws, it is solid. . As beginner this is the first job I worked on my car and I didn't even need to jack up the SUV. No issue for the last 8 years.

Here is the installed picture of CURT hitch. It is super easy, I highly recommended it for every owner as DIY.
You unscrew a few bolts from the frame (impact wrench will be handy), cut a small piece of plastic from the bottom (as pictured, you can hardly see it in a shallow angle). hold the hitch up by a friend or on some 2x4 wood blocks, screw in a few bolts per torque spec and done in 1.5 hour!

Always great to have options! Thanks for sharing!