MazdaSpeed3 Towing Hitch

[AutoXRacer]

Some people just don't seem to understand that cars are for more than handling/straightline accel...

My car does it all!!!!

-Weekend race car (autocross & drag race)
-Mountain bike hauler/transport
-People mover
-Grocery getter
-Daily Driver
-Pimp mobile
-Street warrior
-Road trip/RV
-Beach mobile
-Lowe's cargo carrier
-etc...

(2thumbs)

(lol2)

 

[cld12pk2go]

Installed:

Marking the 4 holes (2 shown):

Drilled to 1/2'':

Pulling wire:

Bolt in:

Needed to add 3 washers on the 2 inner points to get proper level (this was a b****):

Final Product:

Very clean. I like it. Took about 90 minutes to install. About a 4/10 on the PITA scale.

Weather permitting I will try it out tomorrow and go bike 30 miles or so...

(headbang)

 

[AutoXRacer]

Installed:
Needed to add 3 washers on the 2 inner points to get proper level (this was a b****):

Why did you have to put three washers in there? How was it not leveled?

I didn't put three washers in mine; I wonder if my install is wacked!!(uhm)

 

[cld12pk2go]

My receiver would have been slightly touching the rear plastic (under the license plate) if I didn't slightly adjust the angle.

Maybe it wasn't required, but it seemed like having the receiver coming out the back straight made sense.

It could have been slightly dimensional differences between our cars, the hitch, or how we drilled our holes.

 

[AutoXRacer]

My receiver would have been slightly touching the rear plastic (under the license plate) if I didn't slightly adjust the angle.

Maybe it wasn't required, but it seemed like having the receiver coming out the back straight made sense.

It could have been slightly dimensional differences between our cars, the hitch, or how we drilled our holes.

Weird, I would have assumed all installed would be identical...
Makes me want to recheck my install now... I know mine did not fit 100% perfectly...once torqued, everything came together.

 

[Raymo853]

i know its probably been said......Why the hell would putting a tow hitch on a speed 3 even cross your mind?

Did you bother to read any of the thread or even just look at the photo directly before your post?

 

[cld12pk2go]

In case anyone is curious, the Thule 912 is an awesome bikerack. It is built like a tank and will last forever. I feel like I stole it for only $117. It is a s***-ton better than the Saris rack I had on my last car.

I just got back from my biking, and I am loving the utility of the MS3. (mj)

 

[nullmod]

Here's my setup. I love the Curt hitch.

I did end up having to fish all of the bolts from the same side of the hitch, during the install. For some reason, there was a blockage that I could not see, when I tried to fish the passenger side bolts. This required lengthening the supplied tool with a coat hanger.

It is interesting that some of you felt that the material that you bolted the hitch to was soft. Mine was definitely steel, and very, very, hard. I burned through a few decent drill bits enlarging the holes.

 

[cld12pk2go]

Here's my setup. I love the Curt hitch.

I did end up having to fish all of the bolts from the same side of the hitch, during the install. For some reason, there was a blockage that I could not see, when I tried to fish the passenger side bolts. This required lengthening the supplied tool with a coat hanger.

It is interesting that some of you felt that the material that you bolted the hitch to was soft. Mine was definitely steel, and very, very, hard. I burned through a few decent drill bits enlarging the holes.

I burned through one high speed steel bit before going with Titanium Carbide for the second. I was definitely drilling through tough stuff.

That must have been a b**** fishing in from the far side...

On the inner driver's side hole, I had to send through a couple of zip ties and duct tape that to the wire so I could pull the wire through the hole.

The other side just happened to pop right out through the hole (dumb luck after about 10 seconds). I gave up on the other side after about 10 min and used the zip ties and duct tape.

 

[nondual]

I need a hitch too...

I'm a travel nurse.

I just found a 42" LCD 1080p set and some other stuff....I need more carrying capacity.

I've seen a Porsche (mid to late '80s, I'm guessing) with a tow hitch. All I need is enough to tow a U-haul trailer.

Any advice?

 

[FrancoNemo]

I'm a travel nurse.

I just found a 42" LCD 1080p set and some other stuff....I need more carrying capacity.

I've seen a Porsche (mid to late '80s, I'm guessing) with a tow hitch. All I need is enough to tow a U-haul trailer.

Any advice?

rent a U-haul truck! its super cheap! i wouldnt recoment hooking a U-haul truck to ur car! un less its a small less that 4 by 6 uhaul truck but im sure that TV wont fit!

 

[Erich]

Ordered the Curt hitch and a Saris Thelma bike rack yesterday (my brother has the rack an really likes it, plus its only 26 pounds.)

 

[Falconx84]

I'm a travel nurse.

I just found a 42" LCD 1080p set and some other stuff....I need more carrying capacity.

I've seen a Porsche (mid to late '80s, I'm guessing) with a tow hitch. All I need is enough to tow a U-haul trailer.

Any advice?

shouldn't be an issue, LCD tvs are very light. As long as you have some sense, and watch your boost it won't be much of an issue. If it's local, you may want to just rent a uhaul or stop by lowes or home depot, they rent trucks as well. Sometimes uhaul will even rent a pickup or van if the local place has them. Are you on the m3f.com? PM smokinAMD he helped me out with the price of my uhaul when I moved from NC to WV

 

[goldwing2000]

+2 on the U-Haul. You can get a pickup, van or one of their beater trucks for $19.95 plus gas and miles. It'll cost you about $75-100 in the end, depending on how much you drive it.

 

[nondual]

One way U-Hauls are crazy expensive. I know because I had to move from Tucson, AZ to the U.P. of Michigan in January when my only vehicle was a motorcycle. It cost me about $2k. Seriously.

I'm a travel nurse. I don't move locally - I move across states. I don't want a hitch for a U-Haul truck - I want a hitch for a U-Haul trailer.

 

[assman]

Maybe someone should rename this NSFW!

 

[Rotus]

Ah. Maybe a Europa. Was it incredibly ugly?

Europa was def fiberglass. The last Lotus that was not mostly fiberglass was the 7. This is not counting cars like the Cortina and Omega, etc. that were based on other cars.

 

[blacksheepms3]

hey cld12pk2go, can you hitch a thing where u can put a jet ski, motorcycle or a small uhaul container with that hitch? if u can then that would be awesome.

 

[cld12pk2go]

hey cld12pk2go, can you hitch a thing where u can put a jet ski, motorcycle or a small uhaul container with that hitch? if u can then that would be awesome.

The hitch came with the attachment that you can put a ball on to hook up to a small trailer. So yes, you can tow any of the things you just mentioned.

However, to be legal you will also need break/turn light wiring hook ups I believe.

 

[blacksheepms3]

The hitch came with the attachment that you can put a ball on to hook up to a small trailer. So yes, you can tow any of the things you just mentioned.

However, to be legal you will also need break/turn light wiring hook ups I believe.

nice! I will be lookin for this thread if I happen to shop for a hitch. tnx