Hitch and Bike Rack Installed

[antlind]

Bike Rack

There's also something else I should mention about the bike racks.
I have a rack that carries 4 bikes and after using it a couple times I found that there was a lot of 'bounce' to the rack; given the weight of four bikes.
I ran into someone else with the same rack as mine and they had a strap that hooked the bike rack to the top of the rear hitch. This strap eliminated all of the 'bounce' I was getting with my rack.
So off I go to the rack dealer and true enough, they forgot to include the strap when they sold me the rack....Idiots.
So, I used the strap last weekend and there is no more bouncing of the bikes on the rack. The kit included a strap, u-clip to secure the strap to the top of the rear door, and a plate to attach the strap to the bike rack.
Anthony

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

Hell no eh.. can you supply a pic please ASAP as I am using my rack this weekend.... I also have a 4 bike rack set up and don't like the bounce. I thought I would have to put a wedge in the receiver to stop it??

Did you all know we have a supplied cargo strap in our spare tire compartment we could use to strap this puppy down then?

 

[antlind]

Bike rack Strap

Here are two images of the changes I made to my bike rack to prevent the bouncing.
The first image is the plate I attached to the first bike mount. This plate has a slot in it to which I have attached the strap.
The second image shows the end of the strap that fits to the top of the rear hatch.
I plan to mount the rack the weekend for a trip to BC. I'll send you some more pics with the strap attached and let you know how it feels with the rack strapped to the car.
Anthony

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

Great and thanks look forward to the pics

 

[soulnette]

Be carefull, the hole door is made of plastic!

Here are two images of the changes I made to my bike rack to prevent the bouncing.
The first image is the plate I attached to the first bike mount. This plate has a slot in it to which I have attached the strap.
The second image shows the end of the strap that fits to the top of the rear hatch.
I plan to mount the rack the weekend for a trip to BC. I'll send you some more pics with the strap attached and let you know how it feels with the rack strapped to the car.
Anthony

Be carefull, the hole door is made of plastic!

 

[antlind]

Door Attachment

Be carefull, the hole door is made of plastic!

Are you saying that the entire rear hatch is made of plastic? I didn't know that.
Anyway, I plan to attach the strap to the top of the rear hatch, so I'm thinking that the frame for the door will take most of the stress....Hopefully the frame is not made of plastic....
Hell, if it cracks I'll take it back to the dealer....It's under warranty anyway.

 

[jmcglynn]

Great pics! Thanks!

Here's the U-Haul hitch installed.

Thanks for posting the pics of the U-Haul hitch! Great help for those of us looking at what hitch to buy. So, you really can't see anything but the receiver? That's cool!

If anyone else has put on a hitch other than the U-Haul, lets see those pictures too!

 

[mazdaFIVEmike]

Thanks for posting the pics of the U-Haul hitch! Great help for those of us looking at what hitch to buy. So, you really can't see anything but the receiver? That's cool!

If anyone else has put on a hitch other than the U-Haul, lets see those pictures too!

No problem.... check out

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123630071&page=4

for pics of the hitch cover I got.

 

[5-4-fighting]

Ok I may have missed where you got the bike rack from?

 

[mazdaFIVEmike]

Ok I may have missed where you got the bike rack from?

I got mine off eBay from HITCHYOURRIDE. Its a Swagman XXX.

 

[soulnette]

electrical connection

I would like to know what kind of electrical installation you have with your hitch?
Was it included in your price?
Is it a special module with extra wiring?

I just got myself installed a hitch (class II recommended by my dealer!), but an issue was brought up for the electrical harness, according to the hitch installer, a special module is needed to power the trailer lights! Wire gage to small to take the load!

Have any comments.

Thank you all.

 

[was98strat]

I would like to know what kind of electrical installation you have with your hitch?
Was it included in your price?
Is it a special module with extra wiring?

I just got myself installed a hitch (class II recommended by my dealer!), but an issue was brought up for the electrical harness, according to the hitch installer, a special module is needed to power the trailer lights! Wire gage to small to take the load!

Have any comments.

Thank you all.

You might want to double check with the dealer (and get it in writing) that the wiring won't void the warranty. The manual(actually sectio 4-12) specifically says "Never tow a trailer with your Mazda" I'd hate to see you void your warranty!!

 

[mazdaFIVEmike]

We had a discussion about warranty - I thought it was this thread but now I can't seem to find it.

My dealer said if I wired the hitch I could potentially void my warranty on powertrain - which could basically include everything if they want to get nasty with you.

I did encounter some mixed opinions on the wiring though. Everything from you can't do it - to - its going to be tricky. And because towing is not recommended with the 5 - my dealer wouldn't even talk to me about wiring. They just said it couldn't be done. IMO I think it can be done and I may explore that later on but for now its just a bike rack hitch.

 

[was98strat]

We had a discussion about warranty - I thought it was this thread but now I can't seem to find it.

My dealer said if I wired the hitch I could potentially void my warranty on powertrain - which could basically include everything if they want to get nasty with you.

I did encounter some mixed opinions on the wiring though. Everything from you can't do it - to - its going to be tricky. And because towing is not recommended with the 5 - my dealer wouldn't even talk to me about wiring. They just said it couldn't be done. IMO I think it can be done and I may explore that later on but for now its just a bike rack hitch.

Absolutely it can be done, it's just wiring! . I've seen kits (not specifically for Mazda) that allow you to add trailer wiring without any tapping of the existing wiring. I think it has connectors that go in between the socket and the bulb

That said I think the wiring in the 5 is just about as small as yu can get away with!

 

[airman_slacker]

U-haul said they won't install a hitch on my Mazda because their service center said that it would void the warranty and that they won't install on any mazda's for 04 on.

 

[mazdaFIVEmike]

U-haul said they won't install a hitch on my Mazda because their service center said that it would void the warranty and that they won't install on any mazda's for 04 on.

U-Haul installed my hitch but said the dealer would have to do the wiring.

 

[Apple Guy]

Mazda will void the trans warranty if a hitch is installed. They have weak trannies if pushed and they know it. That is why the 04 and later no hitch rule. If you want to carry bikes you need a roof rack bike kit. I am pissed too. I had the dealer call the district manager about this to make sure. This all happened on the same day I bought it. So I knew going into this that I can't have a hitch till the warranty is up or near up.

 

[opus]

I called Mazda and they would not commit one way or the other. They did say that there would have to be proof of abuse, and a hitch would not be proof of abuse. I talked to my dealer and he put in writing in the system that the hitch was being used only for the bike rack. The way this is backed up is the lack of wiring. Trying to get a bike on the roof of a 5 is a pain in the backside unless you are 6'3" and up. This is really true if you are trying to get more than 2 bikes on the roof, the middle ones would be a complete pain. I would like to think that they would be reasonable, but if you want to be totally safe, don't put the hitch on the 5.

 

[bulwnkl]

Mazda will void the trans warranty if a hitch is installed.

Incorrect. Your individual dealer may say your warranty is void, but:
A) They (the dealer) don't have the authority to do that,
and
B) Moss-Magnusson doesn't allow them or Mazda to do any such thing.

You may have to have a good local attorney who was genuinely willing to work the case if they told you to buzz off, though.

 

[monsta]

Agreed. The addition of a hitch doesn't automatically assume that a trailer will be on the other end.

I know of a number of lawyers who would love that lawsuit against the dealer!