I thought this deserved a separate thread from those discussing hitch availability, and is specific to the '09 because Honda says it is not fit for towing.

So, what will you use that 1.25" receiver for?

• I will initally use it for a bicycle rack.
• My kayak should work well on a hitch-mount rear carrier and a front Yakima bar.
• I might get a small ATV hitch-mount cargo rack, to carry firewood for camping, or a portable generator and gas can.
• I would like to find an ultra-light trailer to haul the dirt bike (yeah, that's towing).
• There is a folding picnic table attachment which looks interresting.

 

If you leave the draw bar and ball on it all the time, it works great as armor for your rear bumper. If parked on the street or in parking lots, people who would otherwise screw up your bumper will screw up their own instead. BTW, Thule makes an ultralight trailer out aluminum and motorcycle wheels. Not cheap though.

Also, Costco used to sell an ultralight trailer with a covered bed made of thermal plastic-- looked like a giant ice chest. Costco doesn't carry it any more, and I can't remember the maker's name, but it was strong enough to carry bikes, canoes, etc. on the roof of the trailer.

 

Honda also "said" the same thing about the 07-08 Fit.

 

For that reason alone I'd get it.


It would be nice to tow a little trailer with gear for my gigs, instead of being careful with the upholstery. I think for other GE8+ markets you can tow if its less than 1000lbs worth, but Honda doesn't recommend it and it will probably void your warranty?

 

I'd be a bit concerned about installing one of those. Honda might not honor the warranty if they spot the hitch. They do specify that the Fit isn't for towing.

 

If your visit is for warranty work on your stereo or anything unrelated to the transmission, they can't "void" your warranty. Besides, the hitch is only there as armor for the rear bumper and/or "for my bike rack"! Pay attention.

 

That's good to know.

 

You're right. I was reading too many forums and watching TV at the same time. Sorry about that.

 

That's OK- I do the same thing myself. If you let the "car dealer system" use you, they'll do it every time. My life motto is "Hope for the best, but always be ready for the worst".

Awareness and pre-planning has saved me from two car wrecks (totaled), two plane crashes, and two coal mine explosions. Getting what I want out of a car without risk from a dealer is easy.

 

I'm using the hitch for bike transport only.

 

I plan to use a hitch to tow this very tiny trailer:

gabe on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I restore and ride vintage mopeds at rallies all over the country and I use this setup to travel around. It's attached to my old Acura RSX in this photo, which tows it like it's nothing. I can easily lift the trailer, and a moped weighs maybe 100 pounds, so I'd be surprised if the whole setup weighs 500 pounds fully loaded.

By the way, the Honda UK Web site says the 09 Jazz can tow 2,200 pounds. So unless the UK version is radically different in some way, I'm guessing they're discouraging us Americans from towing stuff for legal reasons only.

 

Yeah that was the # i saw, not 1000lbs as I mentioned earlier.

Must be some legal reasons or something like that.

 

Yeah, you'll be fine. Heck, at autocrosses you'll see Miatas roll in pulling a small trailer with a set of race tires/wheels, toolbox, air tank, cooler, Easy-Up for shade, etc.

 

1000kg is 2200lb

I'd use one for a bike rack, but I think I can probably fit all the bikes I'm likely to need in the back of the car. Though maybe not with other gear...

 

Yah, I know. But in my original post I said lbs. I just wasn't too sure on the max #.



I was reading that for the GD Fits, people were replacing the stock shocks with the Monroe's (as per manxman's DIY.. great info btw). As per that thread I'm guessing no one has figured out the new Monroe part # that will work with the GE8, but I'm guessing that replacing the stock shocks (GD or GE models) would be real helpful if your towing, no?

 

I am hoping to use the hitch to tow my ultralight trike (Part 103 aircraft). Weighs only 150 pounds and the trailer is another 200. The wing weighs 88 pounds and is 18 feet long, so I gotta sort out the roof/front hood mounts.

Anybody transporting a hanglider on a Fit?

 

I bought the air shocks primarily to improve the ride, with the extra payload capacity and trailer tongue weight handling ability as a side benefit. Depending on what you tow, it would seem that the air shocks would add stability and safety to a lesser or greater extent, and in some cases, would be an absolute necessity. If you have a purpose-built trailer for two dirt bikes, an ATV or Jet Ski, you have no way at all to adjust tongue weight by balancing the load as you would with a utility box trailer.

Without the ride height adjustment of the air shocks, a little too much tongue weight will leave your muffler in the first dip, and maybe blow a trailer tire as it rolls over your poor, unlucky muffler. Murphy is a passenger in every trailer.

 

^Yeah, after reading your DIY, and a few other threads thats what I thought regarding it being a necessity in some cases, as well as you installing them to improve the ride.

I've read that the ride on the GE8's could use a little stiffening, I hope some one figures out the new Monroe part # for the 09's, and that this stiffens it enough.

I probably will only need to tow a utility box trailer maybe several times a year, but its a good option. With the space in the Fit itself, I can fit most if not all my equipment in there one shot.

+reps

Who's Murphy?

 

heres those capacities:
Max Load Weight (kg) 1555
Maximum roof load (kg) 50
Maximum towing weight with brakes (kg) 1000
Maximum towing weight without brakes (kg) 450

Honda Jazz | Book Test Drive | Specification, Finance & Information

I would also note that those capacities are specified for the 5-speed manual or the 5-6 speed I-SHIFT transmission.
so i dunno about the 5 speed auto on the US market. it would probably be OK though.

 

I'm in your same situation. My Fit replaces a Ford F-150 with its interior space and a Thule roof rack when necessary for Home Depot lumber, molding, etc. The air shocks will take car of a load of concrete pavers, bags of concrete and such.

On my '07, the stock shocks are merely too weak, particularly on rebound. On mountain curves with a dip at the apex, the car wants to throw itself off the road. And freeway expansion joints cause vibration in the rear. With the much stronger air shocks, freeway vibration and trying to leap off mountain roads have stopped.

To paraphrase Murphy's Law- "In any situation, anything that can go wrong will go wrong".