Hello, and welcome to another Ford Maverick project. If you are new around here, this is the official blog for the Cuban Redneck DIY channel on YouTube. Please be aware that in the very near future, I plan to support other platforms, including ODYSEE.COM and RUMBLE.COM.

My 2022 Ford Maverick is an XL FWD base model with a 2000 lbs. tow capacity. This is more than sufficient to tow my 19-foot skiff and watercraft around. However, we need a tow hitch receiver before we can do that. I have said this before, and I guess I’ll repeat it. I did not order many features on my truck due to time restraints. After totaling my Chevrolet Equinox, I found myself between vehicles and having t rely exclusively on my motorcycles for transportation. And no, running to the store for a case of beer on a bike is not fun. Leveraging my sources, I was made aware of a bottleneck at the Ford plant in Mexico, where the Maverick is built, due to supply chain issues regarding options and added features.

For this reason, I opted to order the vehicle without a hitch, the spray-on bed liner, and other options. At the end of the day, it all worked out, and I have no regret not having ordered these things. The spray-on bed liner resulted in a recall, and some of the first trailer hitches received have questionable craftsmanship. With that said, I still need these things, so over a few episodes, I’ll share with you how I when about doing this.

If you are looking for a trailer hitch receiver for a Ford Maverick, the FORD offering would probably be my choice, but at $336, I find it a little pricy! I was also surprised that the aftermarket was so slow to deliver an option! It took almost 18 months for eTrailer and uHaul to provide a solution, but based on the cost, I think the one Ford offers is better.

One little wrinkle: when I ordered my FORD trailer hitch receiver, it was in an unspecified backorder. That means they had no idea when it was going to be available. That same weekend while shopping at Harbor Freight, I took a look at their selection and opted to go with their HAUL-MASTER 3500 lb – Step Bumper Receiver part #69673. I am familiar with this type of trailer hitch receiver. I have used them in the past and never had any issues. Besides that, the $22 price was very attractive compared to $300+. Although, in hindsight, I should have gone with the HAUL-MASTER 5000 lb. – Step Bumper Receiver. We’ll get to that a little later.

Installing a trailer hitch receiver on your Ford Maverick may look like a monumental task, but it is not. This has to do with the removal of the bumper cover. The bumper cover is held in place by 4X – 8 MM alone at the tailgate and 22X – 7 MM around the lower perimeter and the sides. NOTE: there are two sets of hidden screws behind the taillights, but it takes no effort to remove them. Start by removing the spare tire and the plastic cover on the passage side. Then the 4X 18 MM bolts that hold the crash bar into place. Please take a look at the video for additional detail, and by all means, feel free to contact me if I can be of any assistance.

Please be aware that this is NOT an invention and that there are thousands of vehicles out there with either one of these hitch receivers. If you frequent Harbor Freight, you will notice they move through quite a bit of these units and are often out of stock. Also, know that upon further inspection, there seems to be no difference between the crash bar vs. the OEM hitch receiver offered by Ford.

As I mentioned in the video, my truck was somewhat of a guinea pig since I had NOT worked on a Ford Maverick before. Since then, I have done a few and can tell you with just a 7 MM, an 8 MM, and an 18 socket and rachet; you can do this using U-Bolts. (see images below)

It is a matter of fit around the bumper opening and the location of the chainrings and pin (see images below) …and no, that does not mean you can tow 5000 lbs.

The following pics are of a 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid using the U-Bolt installation methods and the Harbor Freight HAUL-MASTER 5000 lb. – Step Bumper Receiver Part #69670. As previously mentioned, I strongly recommend going this route and with this hitch receiver.

[Click the image to enlarge]