FrankieC

Hi All,

So I recently inherited an '04 Hybrid 4dr 5 speed manual. I am planning to install a hitch on it for a few utilitarian purposes. Don't worry I'm not planning on using it like an F150. I mainly want to use a hitch mounted bike rack, occasionally tow my dad's jet ski, and gig with my band with the smallest enclosed uhaul trailer. Towing will only be on occasion and for short distances, as I can use his minivan 90% of the time. I am really not worried about the civic's ability to tow since it has a manual transmission and would only be towing very light loads. I know that european civics are rated to tow much more, and Honda USA would just prefer for you to buy a more expensive ridgeline, odyssey, or pilot to tow. The aforementioned Jet ski is kept 60 miles away at our summer home in Michigan, and I mainly just want to be able to tow it to the ramp in a pinch if the van isn't up there.

So I have been looking at hitches, and some, namely uhaul say that they will fit hybrid models. Some say they will fit 4 door models excluding hybrids. Is this just because Honda does not recommend towing with Hybrids? Or is there actually some difference maybe in the exhaust that would prevent installation of a hitch? Is this maybe just an oversight on Uhaul's part?

Uhauls price for the hitch, installation, and wiring isn't bad. I just want to weigh my options and have and have a diy ethic.

ezone

Before you do anything please read page 142 in your owners manual:
"Towing a Trailer
Your vehicle is not designed to tow a
trailer. Attempting to do so can void
your warranties."

That tells me NO. You should not tow with this car. U-Haul would be perfectly correct telling you NO.

Stick to telling them it is for a bike rack.

You can probably purchase a plug-n-play wire harness later on and DIY that if you need to.



But

I have seen two of them on Hybrids here, I know it can be done. They were the small size though, like about 1". Like for a bike rack.

IIRC, the back ends of a 4 door and a Hybrid (same years) are physically/structurally the same.
U-haul may balk at installing a hitch if their "book" doesn't call for it, even though it can be physically accomplished.


This is a lot like Walmart not changing oil on a 2012 Fiat 500 because "it isn't in the book".
(clicky) http://consumerist.com/2013/01/03/wa...t-in-the-book/




Please be aware, the couple of hitches I have seen on these cars had them drilled through the spare tire floor sheetmetal and hanging from the loop in the center. Definitely not something I want to trust with a bunch of weight or my life.

I would also be leery of pulling weight with a CVT transmission.
I'd prefer a manual trans. I see you have that.

HTH, Good luck.

FrankieC

Thanks for your reply. I think you misinterpreted my previous post though, the car does have a manual transmission. Uhaul has a hitch that they say will fit hybrid models and they will install it. Other hitches I have seen for the '04 civic say they wont fit on the hybrid. Its also out off warranty now. I would be fine with having uhaul install the hitch and wiring, and whether or not I have them install the hitch, I will definitely have them install the 4 way flat wiring. I am just curious as to why some other hitches say that they won't fit hybrid models, but they will fit other 4 door models. Uhaul's hitch is 1 1/4 inch, the standard size for class 1 and 2 hitches (2000 and 3500 lbs. respectively rated). Towing will be very minimally loaded and sporadic over short distances. A 2 seater jet ski on a small aluminum trailer is not very heavy, and is well within the capacity of similar compact cars. I can walk around with it on flat ground fairly easily. On the other hand the small uhaul trailer loaded may be pushing it, so I may try to avoid that, as I see the enclosed one weighs 850lbs empty.

FrankieC

Hah nevermind i misread your post, thanks,

Cheers!

ezone

I think I misunderstood parts of yours too, but I guess we got it all now. LOL


I'm mostly leery of HOW the hitches were mounted on the couple cars I saw. Looked good enough for a small load, but "iffy" for anything serious.

clinton_hedrick

Just because you can pull something doesn't mean you can stop it
Make sure you have good brakes, tires, and use your gears to slow down, even with a light load like a jet ski. It's not that your car doesn't have enough power, it's that your brakes and suspension are not built to stop or steer with a trailer.

ezone

^^^Good point!
How much DOES a Jet Ski weigh?

They wrote that for a reason LOL

clinton_hedrick

And another point, if you were to be in an accident with a trailer, your insurance company would point this out and you could be SOL, especially if there were an injury/fatality. Things to think about

FrankieC

You guys would know more about this car than I would, as I just got it. I am mainly worried about the Hybrid's regenerative braking. But for the distance and frequency that it will tow, and the weight of the trailer, I doubt it will cause excessive wear on the car. It does weigh close to 2.5x the weight of the said pwc and trailer. I grew up around boats, and have towed a much larger boat on a tandem axle trailer numerous times(obviously not with a civic); I understand the physics of towing and know how to drive accordingly. I know its a far cry from a suitable tow vehicle, but am confidant in its ability to stand in for my pop's van in a pinch without being damaged or becoming unstable. The hitch will mainly be used for my bike rack. The clutch might not like it too much. I think its funny that in Europe Honda rates the Civic to tow 2.5k but don't reccomend towing with the same car in America. Sounds to me like Honda trying to sell Americans a Ridgeline or Pilot. 2500 pounds does sound like a generous for a 2700lb 4cylinder car though. But yeah I'll probably just have uhaul install it. They rate the hitch at 2000 pounds, but I very seriously doubt I will ever use it to tow that much. My Maxima(2nd gen)handled it like no one's business, but it was a tired old thing long before I towed with it, but was very similar in size to the civic.

Thanks guys!

ezone

WHY in the hell do you have two worthless 1x1 pixel images embedded in every post you make?
Do you get paid to spam the forum?