Waggin

I wanted to see how far the receiver would sit below the bumper cover..
I bent the end of a wire and hooked it over the top of one bumper beam support, and marked it at the bottom edge of the cover. (Arrow on white tape in photo)
With string marking the same mounting plane on the hitch, I placed the wire over it, and discovered that most of the receiver appears to be above the bumper cover, making it completely inaccessable.
(BTW: Their instructions say to make a 2" by 2.5" cutout in the cover,, which is just big enough for the vertical section.)

<img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HitchMeasure.jpg">

I'm emailing this photo and text to Curt to see if they have anything to say about it before I disassemble the rear of the car tomorrow.<ul><li><a href="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/hitch-web-instructions.pdf">Hitch installation PDF</a></li></ul>

OOOO-A3

The prototype design works fine on the 2.0T, should fit the 3.2Q and will fit with the standard &amp; s-line valences (and the Votex valence, based on measurements). Buuuut.... they changed the design arbitrarily. Who knows if they actually tested all fitments for the horizontal receiver after they changed it at the last minute. Them fabricating it with the wrong dimensions is also a possibility.... they did that before...

I can say, however, that trying to guage the fit that way may not be the most accurate. Removing the bumper cover is pretty easy, so try hanging it in place to get a better idea.

jwa9681

..your string to the top of the horizontal portion of the receiver....should be 9". If it is less, yep, probably going to be in the bumper cover. I haven't personally looked at the difference between the sline valance and the standard, but Len says that shouldn't make a difference.

Waggin

The distance from the mounting plane (string) to the valence bottom is 9.75", which is the bottom of the receiver tube. The vertical stem needs to be about 2" longer for it to clear.
The instructions say to install the center bolts, but they appear to go through the rear valence below the tire well floor. (need to lower muffler and remove heat sheild)

jwa9681

shoot me an e-mail with your phone number...

jwa9681

kschwennsen@curtmfg.com

his name is kris....great guy...

OOOO-A3

Yeah, depending on what your tolerance for abuse is.

Waggin

The vertical plate can't be extended upwards on the 3.2Q. There's a curved bump-out in the rear sheetmetal that's below the level of the bumper support tops (I tried to stretch a string across, but it was held down by this ledge. I suspect that this may be the rear of the spare tire well.

I'll post more photos once I get the skin off and the hitch hung in place. (No cuting/drilling until I'm absolutely sure it will fit..)

Waggin

Before I removed the bumper cover, I taped a piece of card stock to the muffler shield and marked a line across it, even with the edge of the cover.
Here's how the hitch sits relative to the bottom of the cover. It's just not usable.
<img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HitchHeight.jpg">
The ruler is bearing against the bottom of the hitch cross bar. The top of the receiver needs to be at least 7.25" below this to clear the S-Line valence/cover.


And another, from the side:

<img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HitchSide.jpg">


The center holes are usable. They would emerge just below the floor of the trunk. If there's room, I may make a right angle brace to transfer some of the load to the trunk floor pan. (If I can get the hitch replaced with one that clears the bumper cover)
<img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HitchHoles.jpg">

Oh well, back to the dealer, unless Curt offers to swap with me directly.

I still don't like this mounting scheme though. Most of the load is carried by the crushable bumper support tubes, which are secured to the car by only three bolts each.
I think it may be possible to make bars that replace the nut plates and extend into the frame rails to bolt through the factory hitch mounting holes.

And, I received an email from Mike Brunner at Curt, with this photo of an S-line installation in progress:
<img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/CurtPhoto.jpg">
Notice how far the left end is lifted above the exhaust tips while it's sitting on the hitch receiver. I have no idea how they got it to fit, unless they just forced it down over the hitch, making the bottom edge bend up and around it.

Waggin

With camera fixed on a tripod, I shot it with the hitch in place, then removed it, installed the bumper cover, then shot it again. A bit if Photoshop layering and selective erasing reveals the installed relationship between the hitch and cover. Not gonna work.


If Curt can't make this work, I may have to try and import a factory hitch..

<img src="http://webpages.charter.net/dwarner2/HitchBumper.jpg">