Hitch for a C6
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 56
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From: Beulah, ND
Hitch for a C6
I have been looking for a hitch for my 2005 convertable. I have a small tent camper that I pull behind my road bike that I'd also like to pull behind my Vette from time to time.
I found two hitches, one DA'Lan and the other Curt. They look identical and both require drilling to install. I haven't been able to see a picture of them installed to see how they look without the reciever. I am looking for something that is either very very hidden when not in use or removable (easily) when not in use. I'd also prefer not to have to drill if possible, but will if I have to.
Anyone know of anything else out there?
This is where I found these two hitches. http://www.hitch-web.com
TeaMan
I found two hitches, one DA'Lan and the other Curt. They look identical and both require drilling to install. I haven't been able to see a picture of them installed to see how they look without the reciever. I am looking for something that is either very very hidden when not in use or removable (easily) when not in use. I'd also prefer not to have to drill if possible, but will if I have to.
Anyone know of anything else out there?
This is where I found these two hitches. http://www.hitch-web.com
TeaMan
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
My hitch is the Curt/Dalan and it does require drilling. The local U-Haul installed it in an hour including wiring. It would take an hour to remove it and another hour to re-install it. I haven't found any other manufacturer other than the two mentioned above.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 470
Likes: 9
From: Broken Arrow Oklahoma
I just took delivery on one of these hitches. I was advised by the person that took my order that these are the same hitch from two different dealers. The hitch is really beefy - half inch thick steel for the brackets. Can anyone who has one installed, please post a picture?
Jeff
Jeff
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Beulah, ND
Pictures
I found them here. Not super, but they do the job.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1291146
Much appreciated though....
TeaMan
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1291146
Much appreciated though....
TeaMan
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Cruising
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10
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C6 Hitch Pix
I purchased the Curt hitch for my '05 C6 Z51 MX6 to haul my race tires to autocross events. I installed it myself. Here's some pictures.
First the parts from Curt.
The backing plates have to go in the holes in the bumper supports
Here's a mounting bolt on the fishing wire supplied by Curt.
This is the hitch ready to be bolted to the bumper and the bumper supports after the slots were lengthened and a hole for fishing the backing plates was cut into the bumper.
The back of the hitch gets bolted to the bumper supports.
The lowest part of the hitch has more ground clearance than the Z51 sway bar.
Finished hitch
The tire trailer is almost ready and I'll be off carving through the cones without having to ask someone to haul my Hoosiers for me.
Seeya,
Tom
First the parts from Curt.
The backing plates have to go in the holes in the bumper supports
Here's a mounting bolt on the fishing wire supplied by Curt.
This is the hitch ready to be bolted to the bumper and the bumper supports after the slots were lengthened and a hole for fishing the backing plates was cut into the bumper.
The back of the hitch gets bolted to the bumper supports.
The lowest part of the hitch has more ground clearance than the Z51 sway bar.
Finished hitch
The tire trailer is almost ready and I'll be off carving through the cones without having to ask someone to haul my Hoosiers for me.
Seeya,
Tom
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 431
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From: Las Vegas Nevada
I have one of these hitches sitting in my garage and haven't installed it yet. So thanks for posting pictures.
Two questions:
1. The carriage bolts are only grade 5. Does that bother you? It bothers me quite a bit. I'm going to go to a specialty bolt place and see if they have grade 8 carriage bolts. Maybe no one makes such a thing, but I'm going to ask. Seems to me that if grade 8 bolts had been supplied, this hitch could be a Type II instead of a Type I. It's built as strong as a Type II hitch I have on another car.
2. I think the directions say that you have to remove back part of the exhaust system. Did you find that to be true or can you get around it?
Gregg.
Two questions:
1. The carriage bolts are only grade 5. Does that bother you? It bothers me quite a bit. I'm going to go to a specialty bolt place and see if they have grade 8 carriage bolts. Maybe no one makes such a thing, but I'm going to ask. Seems to me that if grade 8 bolts had been supplied, this hitch could be a Type II instead of a Type I. It's built as strong as a Type II hitch I have on another car.
2. I think the directions say that you have to remove back part of the exhaust system. Did you find that to be true or can you get around it?
Gregg.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by SCModerator
I have one of these hitches sitting in my garage and haven't installed it yet. So thanks for posting pictures.
Two questions:
1. The carriage bolts are only grade 5. Does that bother you? It bothers me quite a bit. I'm going to go to a specialty bolt place and see if they have grade 8 carriage bolts. Maybe no one makes such a thing, but I'm going to ask. Seems to me that if grade 8 bolts had been supplied, this hitch could be a Type II instead of a Type I. It's built as strong as a Type II hitch I have on another car.
2. I think the directions say that you have to remove back part of the exhaust system. Did you find that to be true or can you get around it?
Gregg.
Two questions:
1. The carriage bolts are only grade 5. Does that bother you? It bothers me quite a bit. I'm going to go to a specialty bolt place and see if they have grade 8 carriage bolts. Maybe no one makes such a thing, but I'm going to ask. Seems to me that if grade 8 bolts had been supplied, this hitch could be a Type II instead of a Type I. It's built as strong as a Type II hitch I have on another car.
2. I think the directions say that you have to remove back part of the exhaust system. Did you find that to be true or can you get around it?
Gregg.
You don't have to remove any of the exhaust, just the 13mm bolts for the hangers so you can move the mufflers slightly to fit the crossbar of the hitch above the mufflers.
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
I agree, Grade 5 should be sufficient. We're not towing anything heavy here. My trailer was formerly my tire trailer I easily used to tow with my Miata. The tongue load is well under a hundred pounds and the trailer is probably a lot less than 500 pounds.
You do have to lower the rear of the mufflers, but no big deal. The real traumatic thing was the 1-1/2" hole I had to drill into the bottom of the bumper. I found a chrome plug at Loews that pops in so it doesn't look so bad.
Seeya,
Tom
You do have to lower the rear of the mufflers, but no big deal. The real traumatic thing was the 1-1/2" hole I had to drill into the bottom of the bumper. I found a chrome plug at Loews that pops in so it doesn't look so bad.
Seeya,
Tom
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,039
Likes: 0
From: Stuttgart
Originally Posted by TAS
I agree, Grade 5 should be sufficient. We're not towing anything heavy here. My trailer was formerly my tire trailer I easily used to tow with my Miata. The tongue load is well under a hundred pounds and the trailer is probably a lot less than 500 pounds.
You do have to lower the rear of the mufflers, but no big deal. The real traumatic thing was the 1-1/2" hole I had to drill into the bottom of the bumper. I found a chrome plug at Loews that pops in so it doesn't look so bad.
Seeya,
Tom
You do have to lower the rear of the mufflers, but no big deal. The real traumatic thing was the 1-1/2" hole I had to drill into the bottom of the bumper. I found a chrome plug at Loews that pops in so it doesn't look so bad.
Seeya,
Tom
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by Steve Germany
How did you drill a 1 1/2in hole in the bumper??? Is this the plastic or metal?
Seeya,
Tom
Racer
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas Nevada
More questions...
Wow, that's a big honkin' hole. Are you going to put the plug back in there and weld it closed or leave it? Looks like an invitation for rust or a crack.
I wonder if there's a way to get into the side of the rear frame piece. See this picture of the prototype? The 'bumper' beam is open at each end. See the arrow. Is there a way to get in there? Or is it covered with something?
And then one more: How did you get the holes in the main frame rails (on the sides) open further? File, hole saw? (Pic below)
My comment on the Grade 5 bolts not being strong enough -- I am more concerned about their sideways sheer strength. So say your trailer is hit and forced forward into the car. The four bolts take the hit too. They can sheer off. That hitch suddenly coming loose would do major damage, on top of whatever happened if the trailer was forced into the car. Or what if someday (heaven forbid) the car gets stuck somehow and I wrap a strap around the hitch and pull. It's a convienent place to tie on. You might be able to exceed the sideways sheer strength of the bolts. Is that sideways sheer scenario possible?
Thanks.
Gregg.
I wonder if there's a way to get into the side of the rear frame piece. See this picture of the prototype? The 'bumper' beam is open at each end. See the arrow. Is there a way to get in there? Or is it covered with something?
And then one more: How did you get the holes in the main frame rails (on the sides) open further? File, hole saw? (Pic below)
My comment on the Grade 5 bolts not being strong enough -- I am more concerned about their sideways sheer strength. So say your trailer is hit and forced forward into the car. The four bolts take the hit too. They can sheer off. That hitch suddenly coming loose would do major damage, on top of whatever happened if the trailer was forced into the car. Or what if someday (heaven forbid) the car gets stuck somehow and I wrap a strap around the hitch and pull. It's a convienent place to tie on. You might be able to exceed the sideways sheer strength of the bolts. Is that sideways sheer scenario possible?
Thanks.
Gregg.
Last edited by SCModerator; Feb 16, 2006 at 10:51 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
Seems to me the thin wall steel in the frame rails and bumper beam would be more likely to distort or tear than the bolt. The bolts are much thicker than the sheet metal they are bolted thru.
Your scenario of a trailer being hit and forced into the car is a little farfetched. Obviously you're going to have a different type damage if a trailer is forced into the car than if your car was hit directly regardless of what type of hitch attatchment is used.
Your scenario of a trailer being hit and forced into the car is a little farfetched. Obviously you're going to have a different type damage if a trailer is forced into the car than if your car was hit directly regardless of what type of hitch attatchment is used.
