This receiver is going on my 98 XJ that does not have a stock gas tank skid plate. This installation will vary slightly between the years. Hidden Hitch includes (sketchy) instructions for all years of XJ's with the hitch.

This is one of the first projects I did to my 98 XJ. I decided I needed good tow points above everything else in preparing the Jeep for off-roading. This class III Hidden Hitch, along with a D-ring shackle and bracket, should provide me with a great rear tow point for when I get in-to-deep. I chose the Hidden Hitch because most of the hitch receiver hardware is tucked up and behind the bumper, which makes for great ground clearance and a slightly increased departure angle (over other types of hitch receivers.)

Tools Required:	Ratchet wrench, impact wrench, all hardware that came with the receiver, and an extra hand wouldn't hurt although I did this on my own. You may also consider purchasing Sill Reinforcements (aka nut strips) from the dealership. You especially want to buy these if you ever plan on installing an aftermarket gas tank skid. On 97+ Cherokee's you only need the drivers side (P/N 52001175). On older Cherokees that did not come with the factory hitch, you'll also need the passenger side (P/N 52001174).
Project Time:	2 1/2 Hours with a couple of breaks.
Purchase Information:	I purchased the hitch on 5/1/2002 from 4 West (4west.com). I also picked up a 2" WARN Receiver Shackle, shipping for all of this was about $50 from California. 4 West was very timely and I had the receiver within 4 days of ordering from the web.

1) Detach the exhaust and heat shield bracket (fig 1.) I was able to break these nuts by hand. Keep the original hardware that you take out (seen on the right hand side of fig 2) for re-installation later.

fig 1 - Exhaust and Heat Shield Bracket

fig 2 - Wire bolt puller/fishing line

2) Thread one of the wire bolt pullers (fig 2) onto the appropriate bolt and begin feeding the bolts through the frame rail on the passenger side and into position. The front-most and rear-most bolts here required the 1 1/2" spacer. I put a nut on each bolt after I pulled it through so that the bolts would not disappear into the frame while I was positioning the hitch receiver. If you chose to buy the Reinforcement Sills, you'd install them in place of this step.

3) Start threading the rear-most bolt (closest to rear bumper) on the passenger side next to the exhaust. Only hand tighten this a couple of turns. Now you're ready to position the hitch under the Jeep. Make sure that the mount on the passenger side goes in between the heat shield and the exhaust bracket (I found this out the hard way fig 3.) Tighten up that rear most bolt that you already started, but don't torque it down until later.

fig 3 - Receiver Mounted Incorrectly, notice that the mount is on the outside of the exhaust heat shield.

fig 4 - Driver's side mount

4) Get the bolts (that you fished through on the driver's side) through the mount (fig 4) and tighten those nuts. You will need a deep socket to get these nuts on all the way.

The hardest part of this installation for me was getting the bolts into the pre-threaded holes in the uni-body's frame rail on the passenger's side. These holes were rusted pretty good and I had to hold on to the impact wrench for dear life to get the bolts in all the way. I suggest using plenty of anti-seize when reinstalling these bolts. Once they are in, you can put the original hardware that was holding up the exhaust bracket and heat shield back in.

Torque everything down to the specification provided by Hidden Hitch and you're done!

Altogether this project did take me 2 1/2 hours. The next time I have to install one it will probably take me about a half an hour but that's the story of my life. Hopefully these instructions will help you get through it a little quicker than I did.