If you didn't use the black plates with the square holes in them that were in the pictures in post #24.... I would. It might be okay, but I'd be sure if it was me. Those plates are supposed to be INSIDE the frame rail reinforcing it to support the hitch weight and the tongue weight of the trailer.

I found that if I lengthend the steel wire they gave me I could push it through the hole in the frame where the bolt goes and keep pushing it along the inside frame rail until it exited at the opening at the back of the vehicle by the bumper. Then while making sure not to pull it so far that the wire gets lost at the bolt hole end, pull down the wire at the back end of the frame, put the wire through the square holed plate, make an flat S shaped bend in the wire (I think there is a picture in the instructions) to retain it as it drags through the frame, and finally thread the bolt on the coil at the end. If the bolt is ON the plate at the start it won't slide along the frame and it will get caught. By putting the bend in and keeping it flat and separate when the plate reaches the inside of the mounting hole it will slip through the little bend you put in the wire... the bolt will come next, pass through the hole in the plate and the one in the frame and come outside, put on the hitch, the conical washer and the nut and tighten. It sounds pretty harry but it seemed to work pretty well.

The hard part is If you choose to re-do it when you take the hitch back off I'm not sure how you'd fish the bolts back OUT so you can put the plate on the wire when you put them back in... maybe one of those magnetic retrievers he suggested?

 

The load spreaders are provided for a reason. But you have already modified the holes and I assume you put a minimum of 72 ft-lbs of torque in the nuts. I would ask myself: How often am I going to be pulling the 1000lbs limit imposed on the FEH or am I just installing a bike rack?, etc. If you are planning a lot of towing, I wouldn't mess around and I would start over again. The other choice is a continuous concern and regular inspections of the fastener locations.

 

It's worth repeating two things that have come up in this thread. First, the load spreaders go inside the frame, and both spread the load and keep the bolts from turning when you tighten them. The square in them is approximately the same depth as the boss on the bolt, so the part of the bolt that then goes through the round hole is itself round. Second, if you omit the load spreader, and file out the round hole to accommodate the square bolt head, you are asking for trouble. A corner is a load concentrator, and is the place where material failures (cracks) are most likely to start to grow. There are zillions of cases in which engineers have overlooked such stress concentration, with awful results.

HAL

 

Hi, for those of you who installed the Draw-Tite #75281, does it actually protrude beyond the edge of the bumper, so someone loading or unloading stuff could injure themselves by knocking or scraping on it?

What are your thoughts about a folding hitch cover like http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant...egory_Code=fsd

Or a hitch step bar like this? http://www.etrailer.com/mm5/merchant...egory_Code=TC2

Maybe these covers are larger (more obvious) so it will prevent our legs or knees knocking onto the hitch?

 

Hey TeeSter, I checked out the Thule T2 on etrailer.com but it seems like it's only for 1-1/4" hitches only. How did you manage to fit it on the Draw-Tite or Hidden Hitch?

Also, I wonder what the main difference between the T2 and the "normal" folding Thule bike racks, like the ones here: http://www.etrailer.com/c-BRFT.htm

 

The receiver extends a couple of inches, at shin height, but I put a rubber cover on it (any auto supply store). If you add a step, it's another matter. I considered making a step, but opted out.

Hal

 

A step would help for loading stuff onto roof rack or car wash, no?

 

It most certainly would, that's why I considered it, though only for loading. As for washing the top, I rarely look at the top.

My wife likes the car to look good---it gives her pleasure. I, on the other hand, go along with the New York Times columnist who long ago advised his readers to avoid practices that are intended to make them happy, because "a half bottle of wine, once or twice a week, will provide all the happiness the average man requires."

 

There are two versions. One is for the 1-1/4 one for the 2". Mine was for the 2". Believe it or not I ordered it on Amazon.com

The main difference is in how the bikes are held. In all the racks pictured the bike is hung from the frame. On the T2 the front wheel goes into a trough, and the back wheel is strapped down. A lever comes down over the top of the front wheel. I can take a picture with the bike in it if you like. Because the bike is held by the wheels there is no chance of it swinging and the front wheel can't rotate. Everything is held by ratchet type mechanisms so it goes on in about 15 seconds (no exaggeration). And you can leave the bike on and open the back hatch.

 

The T2 rocks!

A picture is appreciated, but not necessary, just curious to see your setup

eTrailer.com managed to find the T2 version with a 2" receiver for me, so no need to resort to the "bookstore" for a bike rack

One question though, does yours have a silver/chrome part? I've seen some photos of T2 which is completely black, which I prefer, but those may have been the older model. It seems like the newer ones have silver/chrome bars which are glaringly unconfirming to my FEH's color (all glossy black)