Trailer hitch?

[Fit-in-Richmond]

Installation was simple, I was able to do it myself in less than an hour.


Shot with FE190/X750 at 2007-07-03

[john trials]

Information for anyone considering a hitch mounted bike rack:

I just installed a Draw-Tite hitch on my Fit. I used a Thule 1-1/4" four-bike trailer hitch rack to carry two bikes.

I just completed a 1100 mile trip. The hitch worked flawlessly. Having the bikes back there was great (although they do get in the way of the hatch...that's my only complaint). The bikes even stayed fairly dry during a rainy section of the trip.

I went 1100 miles with 4 people in the car, AC on most of the time, with two bikes on the hitch mount...average MPG: 34.5 I doubt I'd get that kind of mileage with the bikes up on the roof.

Also, with my wife's 96 Civic sedan, the same bike rack scrapes on the driveway (at the bottom of the hill, where the driveway meets the road). With the Fit, the bike rack is about 3-4" off the ground at the same place on the driveway. Much more ground clearance under the hitch rack! This is due to the length of the Civic's trunk versus the Fit's short rear-overhang hatch...the Fit really doesn't have that much more ground clearance than the Civic.

[dbvolfan]

How about hitch mounted cargo carriers? Has anyone used their hitch with one of those, like the 20" x 48"? I am worried about it being so low to the ground. On my WRX and Mazda 3 it would sometimes scrape a little when you were exiting the driveway but it wwas OK other wise.

Has anyone hooked one of these up yet and travelled with it?

[Polish]

Bumping this up to see if anyone has used a hitch mounted cargo carrier yet. I am moving and need as much room as possible so I am highly considering one of these, the hitches are under 100 and the cargo carriers seem to range from 100-150. It's a lot of money for a one time use but beats the hell out of the price of roof racks I was looking at and it won't scratch the car either. Anyone use one? Thoughts? Opinions?

[manxman]

I thought about buying a cargo carrier, but wound up not doing it. The hitch is so low to the ground, and the carriers protrude so far out from the bumper, it seemed to me that the carrier would be banging and scraping almost anywhere I might drive. With any added weight on the carrier, you'd be lucky to drive over the most shallow driveway or dip in the road without shredding the carrier and/or denting the rear floor where the hitch is mounted. I'm not saying that these things WILL happen, just that they are likely.

[Polish]

In reading around here I found someone who mentioned his Civic did that but the Fit never had a problem with scraping.

[manxman]

Well, that's good news- but which brand carrier carrier did He buy that does not scrape? There seem to be lots of brands and designs. Good luck!

[john trials]

Originally Posted by Polish

In reading around here I found someone who mentioned his Civic did that but the Fit never had a problem with scraping.

Yeah, I've got a 96 Civic sedan and a 2007 Fit. Both have a Draw-Tite 1-1/4" trailer hitch. My bike rack is a Thule (I don't know the model #). The bike rack holds 4 bikes. It seems that Thule takes a 2" hitch bike rack and welds on a 1-1/4" square tube to make it into a 1-1/4" bike rack. The bike rack extends backwards pretty far because of this 1-1/4" modification (far enough that I can open the Civic's trunk without it hitting the bike rack...the Fit hatch hits it though).

The Civic sedan's trunk extends rearward (past the rear axle) much farther than the Fit's rear hatch. If I remember correctly, the Civic's rear overhang is 16" more than the Fit's.

I have a steep driveway. The front of the Fit scrapes if I don't come to a stop before going up the driveway, and I have to go up the driveway entrance at an angle. BUT, the bike rack (on the Fit) has about 3-4" of clearance under it when I go up/down that part of the driveway. On the Civic, the bike rack scrapes.

[john trials]

Originally Posted by Polish

Bumping this up to see if anyone has used a hitch mounted cargo carrier yet. I am moving and need as much room as possible so I am highly considering one of these, the hitches are under 100 and the cargo carriers seem to range from 100-150. It's a lot of money for a one time use but beats the hell out of the price of roof racks I was looking at and it won't scratch the car either. Anyone use one? Thoughts? Opinions?

If you get a hitch mounted cargo carrier, will it block the rear tail lights? That would be my concern. If the driver behind you cannot see the brake lights, that could be unsafe...I know there is the high-center-mounted brake light, but I'd still be concerned.

[Polish]

Originally Posted by manxman

Well, that's good news- but which brand carrier carrier did He buy that does not scrape? There seem to be lots of brands and designs. Good luck!

Look at Etrailers.com they are all almost identical. The design can't really vary at all because of the confinements. It has to bolt to the same 3 bolts and the center of the hitch has to be, well, center. Any small differences are going to be negligible.

Originally Posted by john trials

If you get a hitch mounted cargo carrier, will it block the rear tail lights? That would be my concern. If the driver behind you cannot see the brake lights, that could be unsafe...I know there is the high-center-mounted brake light, but I'd still be concerned.

The cargo carriers are flat and when slid into the hitch will be bumper level, not even close to the tail lights at all. Not to mention they aren't that wide either. You'd have to pile stuff up REAL HIGH to even come close to blocking the lights.



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After speaking with some people I am just going to make my own cargo carrier. Spending $130 for a simple flat panel with a 1 1/4" square tube attached to it is insane. Not to mention something that I will likely only use one time. So I will get my own square tubing, some angle iron, and plywood and bolt together something the exact size I need. I'll try to remember to post pics. I will be buying the hitch though $90 is fair to me.

[Bluemoon]

Originally Posted by john trials

If you get a hitch mounted cargo carrier, will it block the rear tail lights? That would be my concern. If the driver behind you cannot see the brake lights, that could be unsafe...I know there is the high-center-mounted brake light, but I'd still be concerned.

If the lights were blocked, you would need to put lights on the cargo carrier to be legal in just about any state. I am pretty sure most states require tail/brake lights on both sides. Even if the high-mounted brake/tail light would suffice, you still have to worry about the turn signals.

A pair of towing lights with magnetic mounts (the kind that are placed on top of a vehicle in tow) would work nicely, though you would need to attach them with bungees or tie-downs if your cargo carrier is not metal.

[Bluemoon]

Originally Posted by nosewitdot

what about these hitches from Uhaul? 99 bucks and free shipping U-Haul moving supplies: Your shopping cart

No a bad price, for just the hitch. However, my local U-Haul dealer just quoted $160.00 for the hitch, which includes installation and taxes. It's another $100 if I want a wiring harness for lights. For that price, I'll do it myself.

[manxman]

Originally Posted by Bluemoon

No a bad price, for just the hitch. However, my local U-Haul dealer just quoted $160.00 for the hitch, which includes installation and taxes. It's another $100 if I want a wiring harness for lights. For that price, I'll do it myself.

I bought a wiring kit from a vendor on eBay for around $45. that was advertised as "plug & play" for the Fit. But they lied- it is still necessary to cut off one of the plugs that does not match the connection on the Fit. I did not buy the cheaper wiring kit on eBay that required cutting & splicing. Point being-go with the least expensive wiring kit, because you will have to cut & splice anyway. The eBay kits were less expensive than the very same kits on etrailer.com.

[Bluemoon]

Originally Posted by manxman

I bought a wiring kit from a vendor on eBay for around $45. that was advertised as "plug & play" for the Fit. But they lied- it is still necessary to cut off one of the plugs that does not match the connection on the Fit. I did not buy the cheaper wiring kit on eBay that required cutting & splicing. Point being-go with the least expensive wiring kit, because you will have to cut & splice anyway. The eBay kits were less expensive than the very same kits on etrailer.com.

I was luckier than you. See my post below.

Sorry you got screwed on eBay; it has certainly happened to me before.

[manxman]

Originally Posted by Bluemoon

Interesting. Well, I have already ordered the kit, so I'll see what I need to do when it arrives. I can handle a little cutting/splicing, if need be. Thanks for the heads up, though!

If you bought the "plug & play" version, your cut & splice will be on the passenger side connections. No big deal, I just hate the eBay liars.

[richard612]

Who is making wiring kits for the Fit? I see that eTrailer sells T-One and that Hoppy has nothing for us yet. What else is out there?

[solbrothers]

dave, do you have pix from underneath the car? the hitch is just bolt on right? how much can you see it when not in use?

yeah i know, questions, questions, questions! :P

[manxman]

Originally Posted by solbrothers

dave, do you have pix from underneath the car? the hitch is just bolt on right? how much can you see it when not in use?

yeah i know, questions, questions, questions! :P

Matt-
My hitch (hiddenhitch) mounts underneath the triangular black rear lift pad that you see between the rear wheels. I keep a draw bar and 2" hitch ball on it act as anti-idiot armor to protect the rear bumper when parked on the street or in parking lots, so EVERYONE (tailgaters also) sees the hitch.