curt installed w/pics

[jeprox]

got the hitch thursday and installed it today.
took me an hour. the muffler rubber hangers were a pain. i have undercoating and the hangers were completely coated so it was hard to remove.
the whole hitch was heavy and it's better if you have a spare set of hands to help you.
best if you can jack up your car or somehow raise it up by around 6 inches, gives you more room to work under.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3423.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3414.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3425.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3420.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3408.jpg

[jeprox]

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3409.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3410.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3421.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3412.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e372/jeprox888/IMG_3417.jpg

[2RedV's]

Looks good.

I just noticed your "ramps" are similar to a set I made, years ago. I just used a 4x4, 4 feet long and used a saw to cut a "ramp" on one end.

I noticed that your V is dirty but you took extra care to polish the exhaust tip before you took pictures.... ;)

[jpod]

Thanks for the pics. Hopefully my Itachi_san will have the same hitch in a week or so.

JPO:)

[jpod]

Oh Man! I used two smiley faces in the previous post. Hope my fellow curmudgeons don't find out.

I'll just lay off the icons for a while.

JPO

[Todd05CRV]

Why so many photos of the same thing? Am I missing something about your hitch or is 10 photos a little overkill?

[jeprox]

Looks good.

I just noticed your "ramps" are similar to a set I made, years ago. I just used a 4x4, 4 feet long and used a saw to cut a "ramp" on one end.

I noticed that your V is dirty but you took extra care to polish the exhaust tip before you took pictures.... ;)

thanks.

i use those ramps all the time for oil changes or sliding under cars to just look around/inspect etc.
the tip is only about 2 weeks old. it was polished and waxed before installation so it looks shiny even when the car is dirty. :)

[jeprox]

Why so many photos of the same thing? Am I missing something about your hitch or is 10 photos a little overkill?

bcoz im trying to show the hitch from different angles and different distances to help other members who may want to buy the same hitch.
when i was doing my research for this hitch, i could only find maybe 1 or 2 pictures from each member who installed it and no close up pics. from those pics, i cannot tell whether i will have room to clean the bumper, how close it is to the bumper, is the hitch sticking out of the rear bumper or is it lined up with the rear bumper, how does it look from the back, how does it look from side and on and on and on and on and on.

so, i took a few pics to show other members and hopefully help answer some questions they may have. i didnt post the pics to show how sexy or how good it looks. there's nothing worst than trying to buy something online and you cannot find any real world pics to show how it looks.

[jpod]

jeprox,

I appreciate you including a lot of pics in your post. Your pics helped me decide on the Curt vs some others.

Thanks again.

JPO

[06whtcrv]

jeprox,

I appreciate you including a lot of pics in your post. Your pics helped me decide on the Curt vs some others.

Thanks again.

JPO
X2 - the more the better. Pics are always appreciated (by most) and yours certainly show all the areas of concern!

[Snowskier]

What model Curt is this? I never plan on towing anything but like the wider range of racks etc for 2"

All I found on eTrailers for 2" was Hidden Hitch and Valley.

[Shoop22]

X2 - the more the better. Pics are always appreciated (by most) and yours certainly show all the areas of concern!
X3 - I wish everyone would post lots of pics. Thank you!

[jeprox]

What model Curt is this? I never plan on towing anything but like the wider range of racks etc for 2"

All I found on eTrailers for 2" was Hidden Hitch and Valley.

the hitch is model 1355 Curt.
i got mine from this ebay seller (hitchsource) Shop eBay Canada Store - HitchSource:: Trailer Hitches, Hitches (http://stores.ebay.ca/HitchSource)
fast shipping and reasonable price/shipping.

so far, this model is the most popular aftermarket hitch for 07+ crv.
valley and u-haul are the same. i didnt like their V shape and it hangs lower than the curt.

[muddy]

So I take it you chose not to install a wiring harness?

A Class II hitch without a wiring harness seems like a bit of overkill if all you are doing is carrying bikes and the like. Or I suppose this might give you flexibility in the future...

[jpod]

Enclosed are pics of Itachi-san’s new hitch, a Curt Class III (Part number 13555).

A local shop that worked on my Jeep for years did the installation. They are also a U-haul dealer so do a fair number of hitch installations. This was the first Gen 3 CRV they’ve done however, and it did not go off without a hitch, so to speak.

Actually the hitch itself was on in less than five minutes. The owner of the shop did the install himself. First he used what looked like a narrow pry bar to pry the muffler loose from its hangers. Then he had a helper hold the hitch while he attached it to the CRV’s tow hook. He then used a cordless driver to remove preinstalled bolts from the CRVs frame, pushed the flanges on the hitch into place against the frame, and then replaced the bolts. He put the muffler back on its hangers (using Vasoline on the rubber retainer rings) and was done. It took less than five minutes, maybe four minutes

There was a problem with the wiring installation however. I did not see this part of the install but apparently the rear hatch threshold and the interior panel that covers the left wheel well need to be removed to access the wiring connectors. Robby (the shop owner) said the instructions did not show all the fasteners that hold the wheel well cover in place. In any case he did not remove all the fasteners, and on his first attempt to remove the panel, he tore it (See pic). This is something to watch out for.

The installation took less than thirty minutes and cost sixty US dollars. The hitch and harness cost about 180 USD delivered from ETrailer. I’m very pleased with the looks of the hitch. It fits close to the contours of the tire well and does not extend out behind the bumper. And it is much more robust than the Class I that was on the 04 CRV.

“Build it and they will come.” certainly applies to new trailer hitches. I’ve already been “invited” to help move furniture this weekend.

I did not include a lot of pics as jeprox's first post already has very helpful pics.

Happy Motoring (and Prudent Towing)
JPO


1100

1101

[R11]

bcoz im trying to show the hitch from different angles and different distances to help other members who may want to buy the same hitch.
when i was doing my research for this hitch, i could only find maybe 1 or 2 pictures from each member who installed it and no close up pics. from those pics, i cannot tell whether i will have room to clean the bumper, how close it is to the bumper, is the hitch sticking out of the rear bumper or is it lined up with the rear bumper, how does it look from the back, how does it look from side and on and on and on and on and on.

so, i took a few pics to show other members and hopefully help answer some questions they may have. i didnt post the pics to show how sexy or how good it looks. there's nothing worst than trying to buy something online and you cannot find any real world pics to show how it looks.

I also appreciate all the pics. Don't let some grumpy bonehead give you any grief ;). I nearly ordered the drawtite unit a couple days ago but have ultimately decided to get the Curt too. It looks like a very well integrated fit. The only thing about it that bugs me a bit is the gloss finish, so I think I'll likely give it a coat or two of flat black paint to better match the lower cladding prior to mounting up. Thanks again for ALL the pics.


ron

[perfchris]

If you are really worried about it you can order another one from a parts store such as magauto.com which offers free shipping and discounted prices.




Enclosed are pics of Itachi-san’s new hitch, a Curt Class III (Part number 13555).

A local shop that worked on my Jeep for years did the installation. They are also a U-haul dealer so do a fair number of hitch installations. This was the first Gen 3 CRV they’ve done however, and it did not go off without a hitch, so to speak.

Actually the hitch itself was on in less than five minutes. The owner of the shop did the install himself. First he used what looked like a narrow pry bar to pry the muffler loose from its hangers. Then he had a helper hold the hitch while he attached it to the CRV’s tow hook. He then used a cordless driver to remove preinstalled bolts from the CRVs frame, pushed the flanges on the hitch into place against the frame, and then replaced the bolts. He put the muffler back on its hangers (using Vasoline on the rubber retainer rings) and was done. It took less than five minutes, maybe four minutes

There was a problem with the wiring installation however. I did not see this part of the install but apparently the rear hatch threshold and the interior panel that covers the left wheel well need to be removed to access the wiring connectors. Robby (the shop owner) said the instructions did not show all the fasteners that hold the wheel well cover in place. In any case he did not remove all the fasteners, and on his first attempt to remove the panel, he tore it (See pic). This is something to watch out for.

The installation took less than thirty minutes and cost sixty US dollars. The hitch and harness cost about 180 USD delivered from ETrailer. I’m very pleased with the looks of the hitch. It fits close to the contours of the tire well and does not extend out behind the bumper. And it is much more robust than the Class I that was on the 04 CRV.

“Build it and they will come.” certainly applies to new trailer hitches. I’ve already been “invited” to help move furniture this weekend.

I did not include a lot of pics as jeprox's first post already has very helpful pics.

Happy Motoring (and Prudent Towing)
JPO


1100

1101

[Pender]

Is there a trick to getting those rubber hangers off their hooks before installing my e-trailer hitch. Maybe a muffler shop is the answer.

[jeprox]

Is there a trick to getting those rubber hangers off their hooks before installing my e-trailer hitch. Maybe a muffler shop is the answer.

if you want to save some money, do it yourself - not really that hard to install.

tip for the rubber hangers is to spray wd-40, then start wiggling the hangers and spray a bit more until you can feel they're loose. once they're loose, you can just slide them off. you may need a big/long screwdriver to pry them off.

[jamadeacs]

I also had a rough time also with the muffler hangers on my 2008 CRV was getting no where fast...but it wasn't until I came back in for one more internet search and found that dishwashing liquid is a good lubricant to help get these off. It is almost as slick as KY Jelly or something like that. I disagree with WD40 or silicone...a not a good idea because it will stay lubed or slick for a while. The dishwashing liquid will wash away or dry soon after.