I did the wiring for the Hidden Hitch today. Pics are posted at the link below. Here goes my first try to post a URL so wish me luck. Let me know if you find any errors.
Click Here
Click Here
Hidden Hitch Wiring Photos
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Thanks man, I needed that.
I smell engineer!
I smell engineer!
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Prof,
Thank you! I've been kind of sitting on my Hidden Hitch wiring harness for a couple of weeks, dreading the "discovery adventure" of wiring it. The Honda instructions are a nightmare but your step-by-step was just the ticket. I got out my handy trim-panel tool and in a little over an hour the job was complete.
The only change I made from your suggestions was by making the butt-splices down near the 4-flat connector at the hitch rather than inside the body panel.
My reasoning: While the buttsplices have a higher probability of corrision or damage outside (though I electrical taped the daylights out of the entire harness including splices afterwards) it's also a HECK of a lot easier to get in and diagnose/repair a failed splice at the hitch than having to tear the interior out of the vehicle again.
Thanks again for a GREAT job of photography/explanation,
Steve - whose hitch AND wiring are now happily installed!
Thank you! I've been kind of sitting on my Hidden Hitch wiring harness for a couple of weeks, dreading the "discovery adventure" of wiring it. The Honda instructions are a nightmare but your step-by-step was just the ticket. I got out my handy trim-panel tool and in a little over an hour the job was complete.
The only change I made from your suggestions was by making the butt-splices down near the 4-flat connector at the hitch rather than inside the body panel.
My reasoning: While the buttsplices have a higher probability of corrision or damage outside (though I electrical taped the daylights out of the entire harness including splices afterwards) it's also a HECK of a lot easier to get in and diagnose/repair a failed splice at the hitch than having to tear the interior out of the vehicle again.
Thanks again for a GREAT job of photography/explanation,
Steve - whose hitch AND wiring are now happily installed!
[quote:32f611314b="eleMentalCase"]Prof,
The only change I made from your suggestions was by making the butt-splices down near the 4-flat connector at the hitch rather than inside the body panel.
My reasoning: While the buttsplices have a higher probability of corrision or damage outside (though I electrical taped the daylights out of the entire harness including splices afterwards) it's also a HECK of a lot easier to get in and diagnose/repair a failed splice at the hitch than having to tear the interior out of the vehicle again.
[/quote:32f611314b]
Yea, good point. I almost did it that way. If mine goes bad I'm cutting a hole in the plastic panel and covering it with a picture.
The only change I made from your suggestions was by making the butt-splices down near the 4-flat connector at the hitch rather than inside the body panel.
My reasoning: While the buttsplices have a higher probability of corrision or damage outside (though I electrical taped the daylights out of the entire harness including splices afterwards) it's also a HECK of a lot easier to get in and diagnose/repair a failed splice at the hitch than having to tear the interior out of the vehicle again.
[/quote:32f611314b]
Yea, good point. I almost did it that way. If mine goes bad I'm cutting a hole in the plastic panel and covering it with a picture.
[quote:7bf2e65c92="eleMentalCase"]
The Honda instructions are a nightmare but your step-by-step was just the ticket. I got out my handy trim-panel tool and in a little over an hour the job was complete.
[/quote:7bf2e65c92]
An hour? Wow, that's screaming!
The Honda instructions are a nightmare but your step-by-step was just the ticket. I got out my handy trim-panel tool and in a little over an hour the job was complete.
[/quote:7bf2e65c92]
An hour? Wow, that's screaming!
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ProfJoel said:
Great Step-by-step photo demo. I'm sure that you're an incredible teacher. I create similar demos for my students on my course website. I only hope that they learn half as much from mine as I have from yours. The internet is such a great learning tool (most of the time).
I'll be tackling the hitch and wiring harness project tomorrow afternoon (if my hitch arrives from hidden hitch). I'm going to print your step-by-step (the Honda Hitch Kit installation guide too), grab my tools and just let the trim panels fly! I might even be brave enough to remove the bumper cover.........then again maybe not!
Thanks again!
I'll be tackling the hitch and wiring harness project tomorrow afternoon (if my hitch arrives from hidden hitch). I'm going to print your step-by-step (the Honda Hitch Kit installation guide too), grab my tools and just let the trim panels fly! I might even be brave enough to remove the bumper cover.........then again maybe not!
Thanks again!
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Yeah my wife is an engineer, the smell is often lovely. 
ProfJoel: Thank You, thank you, thank you. Those are without a doubt the clearest directions I have seen to do anything to a vehicle. Now, I have a suggestion for you. Would you please disassemble your entire Element and document the procedure? Then put it back together and document that also. When you are finished, publish your documentation. I'll go at least a couple of hundred for the book and I'm guessing there are thousands of owners who would do that also. If you don't want to tear into your E, maybe you could get a job with Honda doing that for their vehicles. Just make sure you start with the E. Please start with the audio system because I have some thoughts of upgrading but am reluctant to dive into it(lol). :wink:
Thanks again!
I completed my "Hidden Hitch" and wiring install in about two hours thanks to your great instructions. I did remove the bumper (pretty easy and fast) and routed the wires as specified by Honda. I added about three feet of (4 wires) trailer wire so that the connector would reach the end of the hitch. Everything went back together easily without breakage.
I'm off to drag my boat into the drink!
Fishguy
I completed my "Hidden Hitch" and wiring install in about two hours thanks to your great instructions. I did remove the bumper (pretty easy and fast) and routed the wires as specified by Honda. I added about three feet of (4 wires) trailer wire so that the connector would reach the end of the hitch. Everything went back together easily without breakage.
I'm off to drag my boat into the drink!
Fishguy
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299 Posts
5 hours later, done. Oh yeah, played a game or two, took over an hour for lunch, cleaned the interior, washed the floormats, and generally dilly-dallied while doing the wiring.
Thanks very much Joel, your pics were a great help to use with the factory instructions. I used the same hole you did, and sealed it up with 3M 5200<<----instant permanent grommet.
One comment, directed at the assembly workers: The white plastic with adhesive on the back does serve a purpose or two, sound deadening (not much) and keeping the outside where it belongs, outside. If you don't press the plastic onto the unibody, it won't work. None of mine was adhered by more than like 1/2" sections. I pressed it all down pretty well. I know I won't notice a difference, but I know it's correct now.
Thanks very much Joel, your pics were a great help to use with the factory instructions. I used the same hole you did, and sealed it up with 3M 5200<<----instant permanent grommet.
One comment, directed at the assembly workers: The white plastic with adhesive on the back does serve a purpose or two, sound deadening (not much) and keeping the outside where it belongs, outside. If you don't press the plastic onto the unibody, it won't work. None of mine was adhered by more than like 1/2" sections. I pressed it all down pretty well. I know I won't notice a difference, but I know it's correct now.
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245 Posts
1st my hat goes off to ProfJoel on the very detailed instructions of the Hidden Hitch install...I know this is an old Topic but I try to just do as much research as I can and try to ask questions just prior to making a decision on actually doing the modification, so hopefully someone is still around to answer a not so difficult question.....can you just leave the wiring inside the spare tire well or coiled up inside one of the pockets inside the E and use the connector only when towing??....I remember when we moved from FL to MA, I had U-Haul install a hitch on my wife's Malibu and they wired it so that I could take the wiring out when I towed a trailer.....the rest of the time it was out of sight and kept nice and clean inside a baggie......
Thanks....( and if you have done it...can you tell me if is a pain to do it that way....MA has incredible Winters and the roads hardly ever lack salt...)
Thanks....( and if you have done it...can you tell me if is a pain to do it that way....MA has incredible Winters and the roads hardly ever lack salt...)
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