[ChipE]

I would go with Curt, but I am biased because I always went to Haas' Cafe years ago.

Chip

 

[awd-gg]

where did you get those prices? everything i needed for the hidden hitch cost me about $249 from etrailer.com. it was NOT fun putting it on...

The U-Haul price is from their website. You have to pick their location near you to install....
The other two ( hidden and curt ) prices are from calling local (suburban chicago)truck trailer shop.

Base on memory, I notice the installation ranges from $30 to $50..... but these local shop hitch prices are like $30 cheaper than anyplace I can find online.....I think of the three, the Max difference in order online vs local store installed prices are only $20..... kind of no brainer to let them do the install...

Note: all of them drill thru' the frame rail ....not removing the bumper way of installation.

 

[awd-gg]

Just for rough numbers folks
Your typical nothing fancy Mt bike can get into the 25+Lbs range pretty easily
Comfort bikes also

Your higher end bikes roughly will be in the 23lbs and under range.

So do your math # of bikes + rack weight ='s your all up weight 5 bike hitch rack I've yet to see one but even those sporting two parents bikes and two kids bikes are typically at or beyond the limit. My 5yr olds 20 inch bike weighs more than my 29er mt bike!!! no joke add that lever effect and I'd bet that any 4 bike arrangement that has bikes that are not approaching higher end bikes will be pushing the limits easily.

I think you just talk me into not installing the hitch on the outback. I will install the hitch on the sienna with a heavier tongue weight limits...(350 lbs van limit and 300 lbs hitch limit)
With 2 adult and 2 kids(20 inch) mt bikes plus rack, the 300 tongue wt limits sound a lot safer than 200 lbs limits on the outback....plus, sienna hitch are cheaper too!

 

[mcbrew]

If you really want to use the Outback, you could put two bikes on the roof and the rest on a hitch rack. I know... More money! I have two of the Subaru/Yakima fork mount roof racks and I really like them.

 

[Fibber2]

I have the Curt on my Sienna, and put a Reese on the OBW.

On the OBW: I liked that the crossbar on the Reese sits closer to the axle than the Curt. Plus no need to drill new holes, and the attachment points are further spaced along the frame. The Curt just didn't seem as well thought out with regards to stress distribution on the frame.

The huge unknown in all of this is exactly what the limits might be on the OBW, as the factory never published numbers on THIS type of aftermarket installation!

The downside of the Cequent hitches, of course, is how far set back the receiver is. My Allen hitch physically fits, but when I mounted a bicycle I found that the handlebars were too close to the glass for comfort. So check it loaded, and not just that it will mount up.

 

[japmaxse]

Just wanted to share mine for those who are thinking of getting a Curt. I decided to go with Curt mainly for it's beefy look. I've seen the square like hitches like U-Haul , Hidden Hitch etc. in person and I'm definitely not a fan of that look.

Did the install in about an 1hr and a 1/2 pretty easy.

I was afraid it was going to sit super low from the bumper but it's only just a little over a inch on gap from the edge of the bumper and less than an inch towards the inside as you can see in the pictures.

An anti rattle pin is a must for your accessories.

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[FlowBee]

Just wanted to share mine for those who are thinking of getting a Curt. I decided to go with Curt mainly for it's beefy look. I've seen the square like hitches like U-Haul , Hidden Hitch etc. in person and I'm definitely not a fan of that look.

The Torklift was definitely a no go because I prefer the hitch to show on the OB for that manly, rugged and insanely tough look. :11:

Did the install in about an 1hr and a 1/2 pretty easy.

I was afraid it was going to sit super low from the bumper but it's only just a little over a inch on gap from the edge of the bumper and less than an inch towards the inside as you can see in the pictures.

An anti rattle pin is a must for your accessories.

Does the Reese / DrawTite anti rattle pin work on the Curt, or did you go with another solution?

The advantage of the Cequent hitch is the fact that they dominate the market and their accessories are carried at WalMart / Meijer / Lowes / etc. It doesn't make them the best, but it does make them the "standard".

 

[Fibber2]

Anti-rattle pins are simply treaded bolts with a nut placed in the hollow section so that you can 'pull' the two components together. They are pretty much universal, and if you don't need the locking feature, you can make you own as I did. I embedded a nut in a block of epoxy (one side of the nut against the edge of the block) and then glued this inside the accessory. Use a hardened bolt to go thru the assembly and tighten the two components together. Finish it with a lockwasher and Nyloc nut on the outside. Get fancy and drill a hole in the end for a clip. $3 in parts and a little fun labor to make several of these at once.

I even tapered the end of one bolt to take an end lock left over from an old Yakama kit.

While WalMart does sell Cequent accessories, I ended up at U-Haul as they stock the longer drawbars (don't believe these were made by Cequent even though most of their hitches are).

 

[craig1970]

I have a Torklift and could not be happier.

 

[KCMike]

I spent the afternoon getting the Hidden Hitch installed. The hitch holes were off and it took a lot of effort to get everything lined up. The thru hole for one of the heat shield bolts couldn't be used. I hope my experience with this hitch is atypical.

 

[Johnny-d]

It depends on what you want it to look like. I hate the curt hitch. Couldn't be uglier or hang down farther in my opinion. Everyone will like something different but I hate the hitch. Unfortunately, once installed it's not returnable. No matter what you install, ask for actual photos on previous installs. I should have waited for the torque lift.
I really hate the huge gap, otherwise it's a very strong product, just ugly.

 

[japmaxse]

It depends on what you want it to look like. I hate the curt hitch. Couldn't be uglier or hang down farther in my opinion. Everyone will like something different but I hate the hitch. Unfortunately, once installed it's not returnable. No matter what you install, ask for actual photos on previous installs. I should have waited for the torque lift.
I really hate the huge gap, otherwise it's a very strong product, just ugly.

Curt hasn't made one specifically for the 5thgen and because the rear bumper profile is now shorter on the 2015 OB the gap will look even bigger.

I took pictures and measured this and brought it up here and in the 5thgen hitch thread. I bet if you measured yours like I did it would be greater than 5 inches on gap.

Its barely 1 inch gap on the 4thgen so it looks pretty snug up against the bumper with plenty of ground clearance.

 

[Johnny-d]

Curt hasn't made one specifically for the 5thgen and because the rear bumper profile is now shorter on the 2015 OB the gap will look even bigger.

I took pictures and measured this and brought it up here and in the 5thgen hitch thread. I bet if you measured yours like I did it would be greater than 5 inches on gap.

Its barely 1 inch gap on the 4thgen so it looks pretty snug up against the bumper with plenty of ground clearance.

Yeah it's my fault for being in a hurry to get a hitch. I should have waited till I saw actual installed photos on a 2015. Its also on etrailer for not telling me the truth till I called and complained. Originally I checked the online fit and they didn't show any that were compatible. When I looked a few weeks later they showed the one I purchased online. To make sure I called them and they said it was made for my car. What the dang salesman meant was it would work on my car, it was not made to look good on it. After I put it on I called right away and the lady said it's not returnable and they are not responsible. If the hitch shows any marks regardless of being torqued or not you can't retune it.
I've always been happy with etrailer but will no longer use them. I also teach welding and have access to equipment that can fix this mess. I just don't have the time as I work a ton of hours. I wish I had the easy teaching job everyone talks about in the press.
I've also installed a bunch of hitches for friends and recommended etrailer many times as the bike trails. I will make sure to recommend any other company in the future. I wish they would have told me it wasn't made for the fifth gen cars. I would have waited.

 

[japmaxse]

Yeah it's my fault for being in a hurry to get a hitch. I should have waited till I saw actual installed photos on a 2015. Its also on etrailer for not telling me the truth till I called and complained. Originally I checked the online fit and they didn't show any that were compatible. When I looked a few weeks later they showed the one I purchased online. To make sure I called them and they said it was made for my car. What the dang salesman meant was it would work on my car, it was not made to look good on it. After I put it on I called right away and the lady said it's not returnable and they are not responsible. If the hitch shows any marks regardless of being torqued or not you can't retune it.
I've always been happy with etrailer but will no longer use them. I also teach welding and have access to equipment that can fix this mess. I just don't have the time as I work a ton of hours. I wish I had the easy teaching job everyone talks about in the press.
I've also installed a bunch of hitches for friends and recommended etrailer many times as the bike trails. I will make sure to recommend any other company in the future. I wish they would have told me it wasn't made for the fifth gen cars. I would have waited.

Maybe try selling it on this board and or ebay, you may not get all of your money back but you could put it towards the new one to your liking.

Secondly it sucks they wouldn't allow a full refund and return.

Amazon has the same hitch that's where I got mine and you can get a full refund at no charge, UPS will even pick it up for you. On top of that it was cheaper $144 free shipping. Sorry you probably didn't want to read that.

 

[Johnny-d]

Maybe try selling it on this board and or ebay, you may not get all of your money back but you could put it towards the new one to your liking.

Secondly it sucks they wouldn't allow a full refund and return.

Amazon has the same hitch that's where I got mine and you can get a full refund at no charge, UPS will even pick it up for you. On top of that it was cheaper $144 free shipping. Sorry you probably didn't want to read that.

No I'm not upset anymore. Lesson learned but I do hate how that hitch looks everyday I thought about selling it but if I have to remove the bumper cover again I will probably just cut and reweld the hitch. I have a friend with a powdercoater so it won't be to bad. I just won't give money to etrailer anymore. Plus I have 570 students in our programs so I am using this as an example in classes they say unhappy people tell 10 people. I'm telling them all, guess I'm not totally over it.

 

[japmaxse]

I had a change of heart and ditched the Curt, Torklift FTW

 

[NinjaTurtle2.5]

It depends on what you want it to look like. I hate the curt hitch. Couldn't be uglier or hang down farther in my opinion. Everyone will like something different but I hate the hitch. Unfortunately, once installed it's not returnable. No matter what you install, ask for actual photos on previous installs. I should have waited for the torque lift.
I really hate the huge gap, otherwise it's a very strong product, just ugly.

That looks like a shoddy install, my Curt hitch is much closer to the bumper...

 

[subiesailor]

That looks like a shoddy install, my Curt hitch is much closer to the bumper...

Ninja the 15's have a more trimmed higher cut bumper cap than the 14 and older models which gives the perception that the aftermarket hitch is hanging down more when really the rear bumper on the 15 was trimmed back some compared to prior generations.

However!!! Not counting the trimmed back bumper cap on the 15 model year Curt hitches have never fit as well as Hidden hitch or other brands.

 

[NinjaTurtle2.5]

Ninja the 15's have a more trimmed higher cut bumper cap than the 14 and older models which gives the perception that the aftermarket hitch is hanging down more when really the rear bumper on the 15 was trimmed back some compared to prior generations.

However!!! Not counting the trimmed back bumper cap on the 15 model year Curt hitches have never fit as well as Hidden hitch or other brands.

Touché sir,

That being said, maybe someone with a 2015 should post in the Gen 5 forum, instead of the Gen 4 forum. Might lead to less confusion, says I.

 

[mattGT]

I had a change of heart and ditched the Curt, Torklift FTW

What was wrong with the Curt? Just the profile of it? The Torklift looks nice but is it worth the extra $100?