Install Trailer Hitch- Part 2
12-10-2010, 09:58 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 05-13-2009
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 466
Install Trailer Hitch- Part 2
Trailer Hitch Installation continued: Part 2:
After much trial & error, here is the shot of the bolts & spacers in the correct position:
Next I got under the back of the car & lifted the left side of the hitch up & into position over the muffler. I let it rest on top of the muffler & lifted the right side up & carefully started the nuts onto the exposed bolt ends. This was difficult because I was on my back, holding the hitch up with one hand & trying to thread a nut onto a loosely fitting bolt with the other hand. I had to start & stop a couple times because the hitch was so heavy. Lots of moving the hitch around & trying to start the nut onto the threads without pushing the bolt up into the frame rail. This is one of the places where a lift would be a big advantage! Finally I got all the nuts hand-tightened:
The instructions say to slide the hitch over to the passenger side & then tighten & torque to 75 lb/ft:
Trailer Hitch Installed
:
Tounge installed:
The ball I got with the trailer didn't fit the tounge. I had to buy a 3/4" shank, 1 7/8" chrome hitch ball (mfg: Reese= $10.76 at Advance Auto parts):
Overall the job took about 1 1/2 hours start to finish!
I hope to go ride my dirt bike this weekend with my new trailer! Proud pictures to follow...
After much trial & error, here is the shot of the bolts & spacers in the correct position:
Next I got under the back of the car & lifted the left side of the hitch up & into position over the muffler. I let it rest on top of the muffler & lifted the right side up & carefully started the nuts onto the exposed bolt ends. This was difficult because I was on my back, holding the hitch up with one hand & trying to thread a nut onto a loosely fitting bolt with the other hand. I had to start & stop a couple times because the hitch was so heavy. Lots of moving the hitch around & trying to start the nut onto the threads without pushing the bolt up into the frame rail. This is one of the places where a lift would be a big advantage! Finally I got all the nuts hand-tightened:
The instructions say to slide the hitch over to the passenger side & then tighten & torque to 75 lb/ft:
Trailer Hitch Installed
:Tounge installed:
The ball I got with the trailer didn't fit the tounge. I had to buy a 3/4" shank, 1 7/8" chrome hitch ball (mfg: Reese= $10.76 at Advance Auto parts):
Overall the job took about 1 1/2 hours start to finish!
I hope to go ride my dirt bike this weekend with my new trailer! Proud pictures to follow...
12-11-2010, 07:59 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: 08-21-2009
Location: Tallahassee,Fl
Posts: 228
Nice post on putting on hitch. I put mine on after being told that my new HHR didn't come with cross rails for the side rails($350 for the cross rails) I had a car top carrier that I was going to put on,but I got another idea. Why not put on a hitch and build a trailer using my carrier. Found a small trailer kit at Harbor Freight tools that matched the size of my carrier 
12-11-2010, 08:40 AM
#6
Member
Join Date: 02-03-2010
Location: Dalhousie, QC
Posts: 45
I installed a "Hidden Hitch" trailer hitch and the installation was pretty much identical. I found an old spacer with carriage bolt and an old spring/hook inside the frame when installing the new one, from a previous owner who probably quit when trying to install a hitch...
12-11-2010, 09:15 AM
#7
New Member
Join Date: 04-17-2010
Location: Vermont
Posts: 23
Thanks for the how-to. I've been thinking about putting a hitch on but I've been waiting to find a good deal on a small trailer first. It's going to have to wait till spring now. Too darn cold to be crawling around on the ground now.
12-13-2010, 09:21 AM
#8
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 05-13-2009
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 466
It's a pita
12-13-2010, 09:22 AM
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 05-13-2009
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 466
Nice post on putting on hitch. I put mine on after being told that my new HHR didn't come with cross rails for the side rails($350 for the cross rails) I had a car top carrier that I was going to put on,but I got another idea. Why not put on a hitch and build a trailer using my carrier. Found a small trailer kit at Harbor Freight tools that matched the size of my carrier 
12-13-2010, 09:24 AM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 05-13-2009
Location: Western North Carolina
Posts: 466
I installed a "Hidden Hitch" trailer hitch and the installation was pretty much identical. I found an old spacer with carriage bolt and an old spring/hook inside the frame when installing the new one, from a previous owner who probably quit when trying to install a hitch...