Has anyone tried to Install a Tow Bar on their fit, (to pull fit behind motor home) i don't know whether to try this at hone or pay some pro to install it.

 

I have not installed one myself, but there is a good youtube on doing this: YouTube - ‪Roadmaster EZ Base Plate Kit Installation - 2010 Honda Fit - etrailer.com‬‏
This is the place to get the base plate:
http://www.roadmasterinc.com/vehicle_guide/tow_bar_brackets.php



You will also need to connect the brake lights, running lights and turning lights as well as having a brake-controller installed.
I am planning on paying to have it all done when I am ready for using my Fit as a "toad".
The MT Fit is especially good as a toad but the AT isn't impossible.

 

If I were doing an AT fit as a towed car, I'd go for the dolly that gets the front wheels off the ground.

 

The Honda fit and Honda crv is the most popular towed vehicle out there(automatic), simple procedure to tow 4 down, no fuse pulling, just let it run for three minutes and put in neutral with switch in acc position. in all fit and crv manuals, have pulled crv 60-70000 miles no harm.

 

Ok, I took it upon myself to install baseplate, no I am not a mechanic, lol
I installed a democo base plate, it states it takes three hours to finish job, I purchased one of the little tools to remove the plastic assembly plugs and that made it a lot easier. I raised the front about 8" to get to everything better. If you follow directions it's easy, remove plastic plate on top next to radiator, remove two screws and plastic plugs tonremove the complete front end, remove metal bumper, retaining all bolts, drill out four holes to install 4bolts to increase strength of bumper, install base plate, at the same time reinstall front metal bumper, (gets trickie if you are doing it alone) using loctite replace the 8 bolts that Held the bumper on, reinstall front cowl, reinstall plastic strip at top of radiator, finished! Took me three hours but stopped to eat lunch,lol, beautiful job

 

Show us a pic of your rig with the Fit for a dinghy!

good work!

 

I dont know when i will be taking another trip but i can show you what the fit looks like with the towbar installed if you like.
and i will post one when i take in on the next trip.
now i will have to figure out how to post a picture. here it is with one cover removed.
there are photos of both on my facebook "https://www.facebook.com/geowens"

 

I've installed Blueox towbar brackets on two other cars in the past, plus the wiring kit. My 2012 Fit Sport is due in around 7 July, and I plan to self install again.

Did you find a good route for the 4 wire ribbon flat cable from front to the rear tail lights? In the past I found a existing penetration through the firewall, under the dash, along the drivers side door sill under the carpet to the rear tail lights. Just wondering what you found for a route for the wiring on the Fit?


I'm using the seperate bulb kit - already on order: http://www.etrailer.com/Tow-Bar-Wiri...Ox/BX8869.html

 

I was going to wait on the 14 Fits, but just this week pulled the trigger on a 13 and I will be setting up for dinghy towing behind the RV. I was surprised to find in the owner's manual that it states the car IS suitable for four-wheel-down towing. All the major RV towing guides show both MT and AT as suitable for four-down towing, but I thought the owner's manuals advised against it and I would have to remove the towing setup if I ever had a transmission warranty issue. But apparently not since the manual endorses four-down (dinghy) towing.
The 14s (15?) automatics are to have CVT, as I understand, and most CVTs are not towable four-down. Plus the release date is all up in the air.

 

I know of two people towing AT 09 Fits. One of them did have a transmission problem in 2011 and Honda fixed it under warranty.

 

That's great to know, n9cv. I wonder if the person with the AT issue strictly followed the instructions (65 mph max, etc.).
One question I have on towing my 13 fit: a friend of mine who lives in his Class A and tows a Saturn Vue, has a toggle switch that a dealer installed, which turns off his odometer. He said it is only good for towing, and that the Saturn can't be driven with the toggle off, since it messes up the car's computer. Anyone have any idea about setting up the Fit this way?

 

I ordered a bunch of parts today to set up my Fit for dinghy towing. Picked up a Blue Ox Aventa tow bar (I know it is overkill at 10,000 pound rating) and a Blue Ox Apollo braking system from Craigslist ads. Ordered a Blue Ox baseplate and a diode tailight wiring kit online. Also ordered a rear (Curt) trailer hitch for the Fit. I could only find 1 1/4 inch receiver hitches, but all of my attachments are for 2-inch receivers, so I also ordered a 1 1/4-to-2-inch converter. I will use either the rear Hitchhaul shelf or a bicycle rack. I'd like to be able to use both, and may have to visit a welding shop to get a multilevel hitch insert fabricated. Those over-and-under inserts are widely available in a two-inch receiver profile, but I couldn't find one for a 1/4-inch receiver.
I'll also have to order Thule pads for the Fit, so I can load my kayaks on the roof.
This forum has been very helpful in the week I have had my Fit.
BTW, it is my seventh or eighth Honda, and all but one of them have been fantastic. The one that was only ok was made in America (wince). Another reason I opted for the 13 Fit was the J S/N. I'm not real enthusiastic about Mexican sourcing and I understand all of the next generation Fits will come from there.
My only other Honda right now is a 2000 S2000 with 42k miles. I'm going to have to try to squeeze the S2000 into my tool shed into the back of the garage to make room for the Fit. Funny, the S2000 is towable "with all four wheels off the ground." Not too practical. An 86 Civic SI and a 91 Accord SE were passed on to my son, and both had extremely high trouble-free miles. The Civic SI had 550K on it when it got T-boned and totaled. Somebody bought it from the insurance company and fixed it and I still see it around town sometimes. What a great car!

 

One of the guys is in Michigan and the other is in N.C. I'll sent the Michigan guy an email to see if his Fit accumulates mileage while being towed.

 

Here is the response I received:


No it does NOT! The FIT is towed with the trans neutral and the key in the first off position so the steering wheel is not locked. There is a specific section in the manual on towing the car, at least there was when I bought ours. Ours is the 5 speed sport automatic with the paddle shifter or using the gear shift lever.

 

Since I just finished setting up our 2013 Base model automatic for towing, thought I would give the particulars, in case anyone is interested:

baseplate: Blue Ox BX2253 (hitch height 14")
towbar: Blue Ox BX7365 Alpha
auxiliary braking: SMI Stay-In-Play Duo
lighting: Hopkins 48955 diodes and Tow Ready 118158 Converter

The SMI has an air vacuum/pressure pump which both provides power brake boost and actuates a cylinder permanently mounted on the brake pedal lever to pull down the pedal. The diodes and converter are mounted and spliced in under the dash, so no wires had to be run to the back, and the brake lights don't do double duty as turn signals. As the battery is dinky and the brake system draws power to operate, I used a 7-pin flat blade connector between the m'home and Fit, which carries 12V back to the Fit battery for maintaining charge. It also powers a voltage boost circuit for the rear lighting circuits.There is also a line to the m'home cab to activate an LED when the SMI system operates. Inside the Fit, nothing is visible to driver or passengers in normal driving. I mounted a flashing LED on the dash to indicate when the SMI system is switched 'on'.

Steve