s13 trailer hitch install. help please - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

sliEighty · 01-23-2009, 12:46 PM

Has anyone put a trailer hitch on a s13? I was looking at the hitch i just bought before mounting it and noticed where it mounts to the bumper it is at an angle. The chassis mount is flush to the bottom of the spare tire well, but the mount that goes on the rear bumper is at an angle not flush to it. Is that how it is supposed to be. its a curt/dylan class 1 hitch(fixed). if anyone has installed on onto a s13 please feel free to chime in.

http://fileresource.sitepro.com/file...53877418CD.pdf

redsx13 · 01-24-2009, 11:42 PM

sliEighty,
more than half the people on zilvia wont let you put a trailer hitch on your s13, but if you really insist, start by pulling off your rear bumper. there is a large steel bumper under it. if i where you i would fasten the upper part of the hitch to that bumper. from there you gotta try to retro-fit the lower mount. if you take a good look at the underside of your car you will notice that the gastank is right there, so you will either have to mount the lower hitch support in front of the gas tank (where there is very little room) or behind the gas tank (which i very far away). If you dont think its something your able to do by yourself, just bring it to a trailer hitch shop, thats all they do. but just a warning, if you do decide to go to a shop, chances are, they are going to try to sell you something.

djsilver · 01-25-2009, 03:26 AM

I bought one of those because it's the only one I could find made for the 240sx. It fits but it's not a good design. The T-bar in the picture bolts to the bottom of the spare tire well, which is quite flimsy. I put large fender washers on the bolts but it didn't help much. They don't tell you in the instructions but I had to remove the bumper from the car to get access to put those two nuts inside the bumper. After using it to tow a few times it pulled the bumper down and left a gap between it and the trim piece. When I removed the hitch and bumper to check it out I could see that the piece of metal with the weld-nuts that the bumper is bolted to is not very substantial either. Sorry I don't have any good news but I haven't found anyone else who makes one for the 240sx. If I figure out how to make a good one maybe I'll market it...,

sliEighty · 01-25-2009, 07:24 PM

im just using it to haul around my dirt bike. ive put hitches on befor but it seems like the hitch is for the wrong car. It seems like its made for a bumper with an angle on it and the one on my hatch is pretty much a straight

01-23-2009, 12:46 PM	#1
sliEighty Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central pensyltucky Posts: 471 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	s13 trailer hitch install. help please Has anyone put a trailer hitch on a s13? I was looking at the hitch i just bought before mounting it and noticed where it mounts to the bumper it is at an angle. The chassis mount is flush to the bottom of the spare tire well, but the mount that goes on the rear bumper is at an angle not flush to it. Is that how it is supposed to be. its a curt/dylan class 1 hitch(fixed). if anyone has installed on onto a s13 please feel free to chime in. http://fileresource.sitepro.com/file...53877418CD.pdf __________________ livin on the east cost is harder then you think... ECM for life lll Last edited by sliEighty; 01-23-2009 at 12:51 PM.. Reason: i can take pictures if needed... but i cant find my cam at the moment.

01-25-2009, 07:24 PM	#4
sliEighty Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central pensyltucky Posts: 471 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	im just using it to haul around my dirt bike. ive put hitches on befor but it seems like the hitch is for the wrong car. It seems like its made for a bumper with an angle on it and the one on my hatch is pretty much a straight __________________ livin on the east cost is harder then you think... ECM for life lll

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01-24-2009, 11:42 PM	#2
redsx13 Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Agoura Hills, Ca Age: 31 Posts: 572 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	sliEighty, more than half the people on zilvia wont let you put a trailer hitch on your s13, but if you really insist, start by pulling off your rear bumper. there is a large steel bumper under it. if i where you i would fasten the upper part of the hitch to that bumper. from there you gotta try to retro-fit the lower mount. if you take a good look at the underside of your car you will notice that the gastank is right there, so you will either have to mount the lower hitch support in front of the gas tank (where there is very little room) or behind the gas tank (which i very far away). If you dont think its something your able to do by yourself, just bring it to a trailer hitch shop, thats all they do. but just a warning, if you do decide to go to a shop, chances are, they are going to try to sell you something.

01-25-2009, 03:26 AM	#3
djsilver Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Georgia Age: 64 Posts: 24 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I bought one of those because it's the only one I could find made for the 240sx. It fits but it's not a good design. The T-bar in the picture bolts to the bottom of the spare tire well, which is quite flimsy. I put large fender washers on the bolts but it didn't help much. They don't tell you in the instructions but I had to remove the bumper from the car to get access to put those two nuts inside the bumper. After using it to tow a few times it pulled the bumper down and left a gap between it and the trim piece. When I removed the hitch and bumper to check it out I could see that the piece of metal with the weld-nuts that the bumper is bolted to is not very substantial either. Sorry I don't have any good news but I haven't found anyone else who makes one for the 240sx. If I figure out how to make a good one maybe I'll market it...,