Tow hitch and spare tire?

[Purpleorchid]

I installed my Curt hitch (13575) this afternoon. Thirty minutes, and definitely a two person job. No bending of heat shield needed, no jacks/wheel ramps needed.

My question is: While I was under the car, I noticed that the hitch now overlaps the spare tire by 2-3 inches. For those of you with Curt hitches, does the hitch now interfere with lowering the spare tire? Or once you loosen the spare, that allows you to wiggle the tire around the hitch?

Thanks in advance.

 

[RoadKing01]

I installed my Curt hitch (13575) this afternoon. Thirty minutes, and definitely a two person job. No bending of heat shield needed, no jacks/wheel ramps needed.

My question is: While I was under the car, I noticed that the hitch now overlaps the spare tire by 2-3 inches. For those of you with Curt hitches, does the hitch now interfere with lowering the spare tire? Or once you loosen the spare, that allows you to wiggle the tire around the hitch?

Thanks in advance.

The hitch does get in the way a bit when raising the tire. A slight push and it goes right in to place. Lowering the spare is not an issue at all. Gravity should pull it down with little issue. I've raised and lowered mine several times since installing the hitch and it has not given me any issues at all.

 

[Purpleorchid]

Several times? That many flat tires?

Thanks for the reassurance that the spare tire is fine with a hitch! Crossing my fingers that I'll never need the spare tire though! Fourteen years (four cars) and only one flat. (Knocks on wood)

 

[RoadKing01]

Several times? That many flat tires?

Luckily no flat tires yet. Just my OCD kicking in making sure that I can get to the tire if i ever need it. Every long trip i take, i check the spare to make sure it is serviceable to be safe.

 

[Seven Valleys]

Do you have a photo what the receiver looks like from the rear. My concern is how much lower then the bumper it hangs. Thanks.

 

[scottm]

This is good to know. I bought a Hidden Hitch for my '11 Touring and plan on installing it today. Any issues with the install I should know about?

 

[table5511]

Don't forget that the spare looses 2 to 3 pounds of air per month. Multiply that times years... The only way to access the air valve is to take the spare off.

 

[ceric]

This is good to know. I bought a Hidden Hitch for my '11 Touring and plan on installing it today. Any issues with the install I should know about?

Find someone else to help you hold it....

 

[mihalis]

Find someone else to help you hold it....

Make sure you have the proper tools (It took me 5 hours b/c I didn't have the proper tools nor help). I have a torque wrench when I got to the end of it to make sure the big bolts are 60lbs and the small ones are 17lbs.

If you raise it off the ground, then you can pretty much put it right into place and you will not need a helping hand.

 

[scottm]

I actually did it alone in about 45 minutes yesterday morning lying on the floor of the garage. The hardest part was definitely moving the receiver into place alone with very little wiggle room. Removing the spare was a big help though. I had to bend the heat shields out of the way but they went back into place without issue. My primary use for the receiver is for a cargo rack but should I end up towing with it, how difficult is the wiring harness install?

 

[ceric]

After 2009, Mazda sells a wiring kit that taps into a connector in the cargo area.
Before 2008, without tow prep, the wiring has to go all the way to the battry.

 

[scottm]

Thanks ceric.