The Torklift Hitch is nice and requires more disassembly, but even with a 1/4" receiver you can manage with it. The Torklift is about 2 inches higher than the Curt hitch I have. You are also required to cut a notch in the bumper cover for the 2" receiver to fit properly if you use the Torklift model.

I pull a 5x8 trailer with the Monroe Air Shocks in the rear instead of the helper air bags inside the springs. Really helps keep the rear end from squatting too much. MAx I've towed with the fit is just under 1500lbs total including trailer weight. Acceleration is way slower, but once you get to highway speed its very stable.

 

Add a trans temperature gauge in the line from the tranny to the radiator,,, (Should be pretty easy its a plain hose.) You don't want to go over 220 or so (At least thats the spec I've always used for pickups...) You can get a thermostatic bypass valve to put in line that will bypass the cooler until the temp gets to about 150.

I've built a lot of race cars, tow vehicles etc and I've never once been able to overcool an automatic. They shed a lot of heat through the trans housing... The fluid is about a 5WT oil compound that does not get very thick until about 0 degrees F.. (Type-F and GM behave very very similarly to temperatures, I've put them in a lab box and heated them to boiling and cooled them to nearly a solid.. I think they were down to -90F when they gelled.. Been a lot of years ago..

 

Dear Bassguitarist1985,

You got me all excited about the Monroe Air Shocks with your great pics and your recommendation of how they are better than the spring balloons--how they lift the rear higher.

But when I went to check at Monroe there was no such product for 2015 FIT, and then I called a local dealer, I was told that Monroe does not manufacture an air shock for 2015 FIT. He may have been wrong, but he told me that no one makes an air shock for 2015 FIT--this model year is not designed to handle an air shock? He said the only fitment for 2015 FIT are spring balloons for towing applications.

Any thoughts?

 

You are correct, there is no OEM fitment air shock for the 2015 Honda Fit. In fact none of the fits does Monroe make a shock for it, not even Gabriel Hijackers.

Instead you need to refer to the air shock mod link in my signature, and the videos below. This will detail how I took an MA811 and modified the upper stem to fit the rear shock mounts. Watch through all three videos to get the full story what I went through.

 

Unfortunately BassGuitarist, I don't have the technical skill or facility to do a shock modification.

Probably a Monroe shock shop wont do it either if the shock is not specifically made for the car.

What about the balloons in the springs--Is there a way to get some "lift" with that? Or that won't effect the height?

Thanks.

BTW: Monroe did make Air Shocks for FITs prior to 2015.

 

No lift with the balloons, only makes suspension stiffer. No there was no air shock for previous fit gens, all were custom modded. Not likely any shop would do such a mod either unfortunately. Its not difficult to install or mod. I did mine right in my driveway.

 

Just had a 2 inch receiver EcoHitch installed on my 2015 FIT.

Had a bodyshop in Los Angeles do the install.

The fitment was excellent as you can see in the photos.

I am using it for a bike rack.

Torklift shipped the EcoHitch 3 business days after I ordered it.

It is the thickest hitch I have seen with a heavy protective coat.

Label on the hitch says Max 200 lb bike rack and bike weight, Max 2000 lb tow. (for FIT)

Hitch receiver bottom sits higher than the exhaust tip bottom which has been on the FIT for a long time with no scrapes.

Some pics below of the before/after/rack:


2015 Honda FIT 2 Inch ecohitch receiver.




After install.




2015 Honda FIT: Ecohitch is completely hidden. Only the receiver shows.




Saris Freedom 2 bike rack installed. 1.25 to 2 inch using their supplied adapter.




Saris Freedom 2 Bike Rack installed on 2015 Honda FIT ecohitch from Torklift.




Before the Ecohitch install.




Delivery picture of the 2015 Honda FIT Ecohitch from Torklift. Very well boxed and padded.




Ecohitch comes with all the parts needed for the install.

 

Love that hitch installation. It really looks nice. Not at all "hacky".

 

Thanks Todd.

You have great taste in FIT colors.

 

Awesome thread - lots of useful info and especially reassuring for us fitfreaks that want to tow stuff.
I've just read all 10 pages of this thread and nobody mentioned what rise in height is needed for the hitch ball mount piece to work with standard 4x8 trailers (like the enclosed box U-haul).
According to U-haul's website you are "not to exceed 25" hitch ball height".
Searching deeper on Google resulted in some references to U-haul trailers having a standard coupler height of 18".

I don't remember exactly what the hitch height is on my Hidden Hitch (on 2013 Fit GE). It's very low for sure, maybe only 10" off the ground. So does this mean that I need an 8" rise ball mount?

The highest ball mounts I've managed to find is 5" rise for a Class I hitch @ 1-1/4" receiver.

If the coupler height for 4'x8' Uhaul is at 18" to be level and the best I can do 10" hitch +5" rise = 15" high ball, then the load of the trailer will shift forward and increase the tongue weight to exceed the recommended 10% of total weight ratio.

Am I misunderstanding something here? what ball mount rises are you guys using?

 

Andrei_ierdnA,

You're right, the hitch does sit rather low. I didn't use a rise mount, I just used the standard U-Haul mount and it worked fine with the U-Haul trailer. The challenge I had was that the chains that you attach would drag on the ground or smack the ground when I'd go over a bump, so I had to figure out how to secure them. It probably would have been easier with a mount that added some additional clearance.

Hope this helps!

 

I'm using this riser:

https://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts...SABEgLd7fD_BwE

https://www.etrailer.com/Accessories...ady/80400.html

I also have the back plate bumper guard. Highly recommended for use with a riser so the trailer doesn't wind up bashing my back bumper. If you had a drop it wouldn't be a problem. Speaking from experience on that. My air shocks also allow me about 4 inches of lift so my rear end doesn't look like the stock photo with the Uhaul below. My 5x8 has 15" radial tires. and my line level indicator is at level with the car. Sometimes its slightly higher when unloaded due to the air shocks.



This is before I got the air shocks installed. its squatting somewhat, not anymore with the monroe air shocks.



7 way round and 4/5 way flat combo port



The 10" long shank makes it easy to clear the hatch for opening, and helps on the steering angles





Obviously you dont want this



stock photo

 

Bass,

Can you please post more details about your Monroe Air Shocks you installed on your 2015? FIT?

I would like to get them, but I am not seeing any shocks listed for a 2015-17 FIT on the Monroe Shock Finder Website.

Do you have a model or part number? Were they for another vehicle and you adapted them for FIT?

Thanks!

 

Thanks a lot Bassguitarist1985 - I've followed your thread on towing as well but didn't see any info on the ball mount riser there either. The riser you proposed was actually one of my top 2 options and only one at 5" rise. The other one I like is the Curt Euro Style that's one solid piece riser & ball, but it maxes out at 3" rise and can't add a bumper guard:

https://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/Curt/C45562.html

I see that Curt makes the 5" rise for 1-1/4" hitches in both Class I (2,000 lbs) and Class II (3,500 lbs). Since the actual hitch on the Fit is only a Class I, why would one chose the slightly more expensive Class II riser?

And is that bumper guard really necessary? I understand what it does, but it appears to be more of a redundancy type of safety feature and seems a bit expensive for just a steel plate. If I pay special attention to the hook-ups and double check everything every-time, can I get away without one?

My plan is to move from Ontario to British Columbia next summer, one way 5,000 km (3,000 mile) trip including passing through the Canadian Rockies while towing a 4x8 enclosed Uhaul to carry stuff like winter tires/rims, books, 2 snowboards, 1 longboard, a hitch cargo rack, plastic car ramps and that's about it. 2 people in the front, one dog in the back seat & lighter stuff like our clothes, camping gear and small gadgets will be in the trunk/hatch. I don't have towing experience but will rent it for a day sometime just to learn & practice.

I do intend to get the Monroe air shocks. Thanks for your YouTube trilogy on these! Even though your video is on GK Fit you share very useful info there for the GD & GE Fits and the difference btw the 2 Monroe models that can be used.
I assumed these can only bring the rear back to stock "empty" height. I didn't realize you can actually raise the rear higher. So could I then get the 3" Euro rise + 10" hitch height + raise the pressure in the shocks to add 4" extra to reach about 17" ball height for the approx 18" Uhaul coupler?

And one more thing. I noticed on the 4x8 Uhaul trailers there's a warning sticker that says: "Recommended Min. tongue weight = 175 lbs. / Max. tongue weight = 275 lbs."
I think the trailer dry weight is about 825-850 lbs so I highly doubt that the empty trailer or a lightly loaded one has 175 lbs tongue weight.
Why would they have a minimum tongue weight recommendation for?

 

If you look at my signature i have an entire thread on the topic. I have them on my 2017 Fit now. The MA809 is the closest match, but you need to add a coupler and 3/8" threaded rod to the upper stem to have the proper length and travel. This will get you close to the oem shock. You also need to reuse the oem bump stop.

 

The riser class 2 was all the trailer place had, thus why i got it. Tongue weight with an unloaded 5x8 for me is about 100 pounds, with my tongue toolbox too. You can skip the bumper guard plate but for me i wont take the chance. Cost $200 usd to fit my bumper. Also keep in mind just because you can raise the rear higher than stock, dont. I meaaured about 26 inches from ground to apex of fender line. The rear axle alignment will then be off. Hubs are fixed bolted to the axle. Higher suspension will change your toe settings and cause premature tire wear. Again, from experience... Also Min tongue weight is a recommendation. You need positive weight so the trailer doesn't sway while driving. I keep my tongue about 100 to 150 max. Put all the weight on the axle, balance the tongue from there.