I just got a class 3 2" hitch from u-haul for 111 dollars. The class 1 was 137?? just letting everyone know they are on sale.

It was simple to put on and now my bike rack has a new home. Time to hit the trails.

Do you have an AWD Element? I just called Uhaul and for some reason they say they don't have it for the FWD Elements, but do have it for the AWD Elements. Wouldn't the hitch hook-up be the same? Or are they different. I will only be using the hitch for a bike rack and other small racks. Any feedback is appreciated.

Did you pretty much just need a wrench to install?

They have the hitch for $125 at our Uhaul Center...$240 installed.

Tom

The hitch would be the same. The folks at UHaul just aren't smart enough (or don't care enough) to figure that out.

Great...I guess I'll pick up the Uhaul one then. Hopefully I would have to make the whole larger on the E to get it to fit though.

Tom

And I just installed the class 2 valley hitch. The 3 is the same price I paid for the 2. Can't wait to see some pics.

I picked up and installed the U-Haul class III hitch yesterday. I paid $111. They warned me that the access holes in the vehicle are too small and offered to install the hitch for $22.50. I have a well-equipped shop, and I don't like to let other people work on my cars, so I elected to do it myself.

The access holes in the vehicle are not too small. The hardware supplied with the hitch is too big. I used a bench grinder to remove about a sixteenth of an inch from the bolt heads and square hole adapters to make them go through the holes. I primed and painted all of the ground parts to prevent rust. The hitch is heavy and a tight fit, so I used a padded floor jack to lift it into position. I installed the bolts, adapters and nuts per the instructions. The piece of wire supplied with the kit to pull the bolts through worked better than I thought it would. Don't let go of the bolt before you get the nut started! Deepwell sockets were required. I'll use a torque wrench on the mounting bolts tonight, after I look up the correct value for those bolts. I sprayed some underbody coating through the access holes to further prevent rust on the hardware. The big, ugly U-Haul sticker peeled off cleanly.

I didn't have to do any wiring because the hitch is just a place to mount my bike rack. If I have to pull anything, I'll use my truck.

The fit and finish of the hitch is excellent. I think it's much nicer than the Hidden Hitch I have on my truck.

Dave

Thanks for the advice everyone. I got the Uhaul made by Valley hitch ($118 including tax) and got around to installing it this weekend. It was not very difficult to install, except for a few minor problems.

First, they don't have it in their system for 2004s. I had to tell them that 2003 was the same, and they found it no problem. 2WD or 4WD is no difference either.

It was too tight of a fit on the frame rails and was scraping the undercoat off. Eventually I discovered the solution was to put the hitch on the floor, stand on it, hold a block of wood against the "ears" and hit them with a big hammer to bend them out slightly (not so much that you can see it.) When the bolts are tightened later, they pull in the ears against the sides of the beams.

The hole that the bolts go through to get into the beam are slightly too small. The solution is to take a file and use the edge to make a notch about 1/8" deep on each beam. It only took a minute or so.

Don't thread fish the bolts through the beam until the hitch is in place. Otherwise you have to move the bolts out of the way to get the hitch in place and could drop one inside the beam and have to spend all afternoon trying to fish it back out. (Don't ask me how I know.)

I put locktite on the nuts. I also used a torque wrench to tighten the bolts. The torque was more than I probably would have tightened them without a torque wrench.

For the wiring, I got a Drawtite Trailer Wiring Harness part # 18336 from a BSAOhio's Ebay store. $23 (including shipping)

To access the Honda plug, I removed the fasteners and pried back the right rear interior panel from the rear (after removing the trim strip on the threshold of the rear door) and plugged it in. I glued and taped the box to the metal behind the panel next to where the plugs were (there is not a lot of room) and ran the wire underneath the panel into the spare tire well. For the few times that I will need it, I can then run it out under the door. Don't forget to install the 7.5 amp fuse as the drawtite instructions don't mention it, but it is in the Honda instructions which are easily available. It was easier than I expected.

Good luck,

Is this Valley hitch from Uhaul the same Valley hitch that sportsrack sells?

Tom

I think so, or very close to it. Someone mentioned in another post that their Uhaul hitch had both part numbers on it. This is a 2" hitch.

Something to keep in mind if you buy online and have a hitch shipped is that it might be somewhat beat up when it arrives. Packing often consists of slapping a shipping label on it. I am NOT referring to the SportsRack (because I don't know) but in searching other sites I saw disclaimers that if the paint is damaged or the ears bent in shipping, the hitch is not returnable because that is considered normal. Also, on eBay, where a number of dealers have set up stores (like where I bought the wiring), the complaints that I saw in the feedback ratings related to shipping damage.

Even my uhaul hitch was in very good shape but had paint chipped on the corners, which I touched up. It is, after all, a 20 lb awkward piece of steel.

[quote:5952c1563e=" "]Is this Valley hitch from Uhaul the same Valley hitch that sportsrack sells?

Tom[/quote:5952c1563e]

The guys over at sportsrack said to call them if there was any damage to the box. Does hanging outside of the box count? I called them immediately. I opened it while talking to them on the phone. I understood how awkward it was but at least the guys over at sportsrack anticipate this and tape everything to the hitch.

I haven't received mine in the mail yet. I guess I'll find out shortly how the shipping went though.

Tom

[quote:b2a1c4ada4=" "]The guys over at sportsrack said to call them if there was any damage to the box. Does hanging outside of the box count? [/quote:b2a1c4ada4]

I think others might not even put it in a box. The hardware is usually taped inside the receiver. Other than the paint, I doubt much can hurt it- it's a big hunk of steel!

Touching up the paint after installation is pretty much required. I have noticed that the hitches on I have been seeing on various around town have varying degrees of rust on them.

I just installed the class 3 hitch from U-Haul, $111.25.
I was surprised at how easy it was.
I did have to break out the hammer and hit on the sides a bit so it would fit the outside diameter of the frame as well as taking the sawzall with a metal blade to enlarge one hole on each side to allow for the carriage bolts with metal plates.
I was :shock: at how easy it was to fish the bolts through the holes!
A fast install with next to no aggrivation!

Yeah the Valley was just as easy. I also had to widen the holes but instead used a large drill bit and just expanded the hole slightly by riding the edge of the hole.

I have had 3 Uhaul hitches on past vehicles and loved them all but the fact that here in the northeast they start to rust about 3 hours after you finish the install. Expect to take it off at least once and sandblast and paint it if you live anywhere that they use salt on the roads.

[quote:579f83c1f2=" "]I have had 3 Uhaul hitches on past vehicles and loved them all but the fact that here in the northeast they start to rust about 3 hours after you finish the install. Expect to take it off at least once and sandblast and paint it if you live anywhere that they use salt on the roads.[/quote:579f83c1f2]


Also, if you live where they salt the roads you should get some rust inhibiting paint "rustoleum" and paint around the holes you cut/enlarge while installing the hitch.

My Valley hitch and Yakima Big Horn 4 bike rack arrived today. I orderd from Sportrack about two weeks ago. I thought the delivery took a while, especially for the $30 in shipping I paid (they are heavy items). But the hitch arrived in a box, with no damage. Not even a chip in the paint. I wasn't in a rush to get the hitch or bike rack. So the two week wait wasn't an issue for me. I was just happy to see the items arrive in great shape.

I'm going to be putting the hitch on this weekend. I'll let everyone know how it goes.

Tom

If this uhaul hitch is 2" receiver tube type shaped like "V", it is a class II hitch, not III.

[quote:693990dda9=" "]If this uhaul hitch is 2" receiver tube type shaped like "V", it is a class II hitch, not III.[/quote:693990dda9]

I did some calling around and Uhaul sells the Valley hitch and sticks their sticker on it. For some reason Uhaul calls it a class 3 but Valley calls it a class 2. It is the same hitch. I put mine on this morning. Now I have to figure out what wiring harness to buy and how best to route it.

Steve

[quote:ebc4dec01a=" "][quote:ebc4dec01a=" "]If this uhaul hitch is 2" receiver tube type shaped like "V", it is a class II hitch, not III.[/quote:ebc4dec01a]

I did some calling around and Uhaul sells the Valley hitch and sticks their sticker on it. For some reason Uhaul calls it a class 3 but Valley calls it a class 2. It is the same hitch. I put mine on this morning. Now I have to figure out what wiring harness to buy and how best to route it.

Steve[/quote:ebc4dec01a]

Steve, which of these does it look more like:

http://www.valleyindustries.com/trailer_hitches.html

-brendan

The Valley hitch isn't pictured on their web site. I called them and talked to them. They said it is a class II hitch with a 2 inch receiver. They rate hitches different than Uhaul but it is the same hitch. They don't sell directly to the public but said you can buy a Valley hitch from a bunch of places including Uhaul. Part numbers are listed on the installation instructions from Uhaul and it includes the Uhaul number and the Valley number. Uhaul says a class 3 can tow 3500 pounds, Valley says a class III can haul 6000 pounds, therefor Valley calls the hitch a class II.
By the way the hitch fits nice and hugs the bumper close.

Aha. That explains the confusion. Thanks!

-brendan