dsackman

UHaul will do mine for around $500. That is about $200 for the hitch and around $200 for labour and the rest for the electrics and other stuff. It will take about 3 hours or more. The Uhaul hitch is the same as the Curt.

irv_usc

Hello. I did the hidden hitch installation on thundercloud's car. It's a pretty straightforward operation, but the provided instructions are a little lacking in details. You also would probably want a second set of hands to help hold the hitch up given it's weight.

I'm pretty sure any auto service/mechanic should be able to do an install without any issues.

gat821

Just judging from the pics, it seems the curt hitch is shorter, seems like a bit more space between it and the mufflers. So it may be a slightly more tidy look. But thanks for the pics guys, makes it a lot easier to compare.

Still on the fence between the two. The curt install also probably costs more due to the lengthier install.

irv_usc

Judging from the pics, I think the Curt hitch sticks out a little bit further due to the curved tubes.

The mounts for the hidden hitch actually causes the exhaust tips to be lowered by approximately 1/8".

great2b

Hey Thundercloud, Looks great, thanks for the pics!

Initially, I was leaning towards the Curt. But now that I can see the two hitches and given the install time/effort advantage of the Hidden Hitch, puts it over the top. My primary motivation is for use with a bike rack and the fact that the Hidden Hitch is rated for a bike rack w/o additional straps is another major advantage…

Quick question: How hard was it to remove the fascia below the bumper? Looks like this snaps into the bottom of the bumper all along the length..

Thanks,

-Keith

irv_usc

Hmm, the pictures don't really show, but there is a forward mount that hooks onto the crossmember in front of the spare tire well. There's a hole there in the bar that you slip a bolt into using a fish wire.

As far as the lower fascia, you unscrew 4 T20 sized torx screws and pop it away. There's about 10 or so points where the fascia "clips" into the bumper. My torx screwdriver was too long so I used a short flathead screwdriver that fit into the screw hole. It isn't torqued on very tightly so there wasn't any risk of stripping the head.

The whole install was done with the car on the ground.

kcpowercat

Thanks. Think I'm going to order one and give it a shot with the help of some that have more auto experience than I.

thundercloud

the hidden hitch is a bit more recessed, i think. if you were to look straight down, you wouldn't even be able to see the hitch at all. you can only see it when you're farther away from the car.

since it is a bit more recessed, depending on your bike rack (we got the 1up platform rack), you might need to move your pedals slightly so you don't touch the bumper.

kcpowercat

Okay got the hidden hitch and plan on tackling this weekend. Only thing not clear to me based on the directions is the forward bolt with the fishwire. Do you first snake the fishwire through from the bottom to the top hole then connect it to the bolt and pull it back through to the bottom? Does the square metal block also get fished through from the top?

Maybe its much clearer after I get underneath and see what I'm dealing with but thought someone could provide some clarity before I get under there. Thanks.

Any other install tips?

irv_usc

You are correct. The exception is that unlike the picture, the "top" hole is actually about 1 ft to the right and on the side of the crossmember.

You snake the fishwire through the bottom hole, angled to the right. Then you finagle it out of there with your finger and run the metal block on the wire through the hole, followed by the bolt. Make sure to screw the bolt all the way onto the fishwire. As soon as you get everything lined up right the plate keeps the bolt from spinning as you attach the front piece and the nut.

On our particular hitch the front reaching mount on the main hitch assembly looks a little "crooked", but once you install everything it lines up just fine with the front piece.