Mazda Accessory Hitch

C

cymx5

Has anyone purchased a hitch for their CX-5? I'm considering ordering one through Rosenthal if it's a simple bolt on accessory. I've got a Grand Touring and will not be using it for anything more than a hitch mounted bike rack.
 
Has anyone purchased a hitch for their CX-5? I'm considering ordering one through Rosenthal if it's a simple bolt on accessory. I've got a Grand Touring and will not be using it for anything more than a hitch mounted bike rack.

I purchased a hitch from etrailer.com. The brand is Curt. It was a fairly easy install. Took me about 45 minutes. Would have been quicker if I had help. It is just bolt on. No cutting or drilling of any type is required. Just a wrench or socket will do it.
 
Ah thanks for the advice.

$150 from E-trailer is much more attractive than $250+ for the Mazda part. The Mazda part requires cutting of the rear bumper also, based on the instructions.
 
I ordered mine (Curt brand) from Hitchweb.com
138.73$ shipped to my door.
No cutting or whatsoever. Nice fit and finish. It took me about 25 minutes to install.
Heres the link
http://www.hitchweb.com/product/88/12080/Class-2-Hitch-Mazda-CX-5

That looks like a fair price, w/ the free shipping....Do you have the ability to post a photo of the installed hitch ?

I'm guessing that you would still need to temporarily lower the exhaust, to do the hitch installation....right ?

If you did the install in 25 minutes, then lowering the exhaust must be pretty easy to do.....right ?

Thanks for the link.
 
http://www.curtmfg.com/masterlibrary/12080/installsheet/CM_12080_INS.PDF. If you are buying the Mazda class one hitch, be sure to ask them to throw in some Vaseline, because you are getting screwed. If you own a socket set you can install a Curt class II and not have to cut your bumper. Dropping the muffler is the easiest part. Check out my install of the DrawTite class III. If you can read and follow simple directions, anyone can do it.

http://www.jpsaos.com/jones/pics/trailer/image2.png

If you spray some soap solution on the rubber muffler hangers, they will slip off fairly easily. The muffler only needs to drop a couple of inches. As the picture shows, I rested it on a Home Depot plastic bucket.
 
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That looks like a fair price, w/ the free shipping....Do you have the ability to post a photo of the installed hitch ?

I'm guessing that you would still need to temporarily lower the exhaust, to do the hitch installation....right ?

If you did the install in 25 minutes, then lowering the exhaust must be pretty easy to do.....right ?

Thanks for the link.

Yes you've got to drop the exhaust for instalation and it was pretty easy. I did not put ramp like Lando and dropped the exhaust directly on the ground. I used a littlle bit of WD-40 on the hanger and slip them out without problems.

Heres my personal advice. When you reinstall the muffler start by the hangers from the rear! If you install the front first you will have some clearance issue with the rear one.

heres the pic
c53307b2.jpg
 
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Any links to how to take the rear cargo area apart to install the t-connector wiring? the link on the curt site seems to have a very generic pic of a Honda or something since the kits works with multiple cars.
 
I installed the Curt wiring kit on the CX-5
The "trick" to getting the rear panels loose, is the "hidden" bolt, located under the spring loaded tie down points,..... just pop open the bolt cover w/ a jewelers screwdriver.
I used a sturdy jewelers screwdriver, and covered the tip w/ some electrical tape.
The panels just pop off, with the help of the screwdriver.... after you have enough space to get your fingers under the panel, (and after removing the hidden bolt(s), you can just pull the panels loose.
Under the car, on the drivers' side, you will see a round "plug" that you can cut a hole in, (w/ a razor blade or exacto knife) and run your connector thru the removable plug. I put some vinyl tape on the round plug after the wires were run thru it, to insure that no water or dirt could get into the car. The connectors on the Curt kit can only connect one way (the connectors are each slightly different), so there is now way you can connect it wrong.
The panel that runs across the cargo area will just pop off, .... just pull up on it. You can't see it in the pics, but there is a brass screw on the drivers side (behind the panel) that you can connect the ground wire to.
When you put the panels back in place, use the small screwdriver to make sure the rubber material goes back into place properly. The pics are kinda big.... I guess I should have shrunk them down, before posting.


P1010260.jpg

P1010259.jpg

P1010261.jpg

P1010262.jpg
 
I stalled my Curt harness last night - took about 1.5 hours - not bad. these pics helped - thank you bro.
 
Thanks everyone for the info in this thread. I ordered my Curt Hitch on Amazon for $130 on Wednesday. Installed yeterday in about an hour or so. Was really easy to install with a helper holding it up while I threaded on the nuts. Just make sure you take the muffler hangers off the muffler and not the car, as there won't be enough room to slide them back on after the hitch is up.

Also picked up a Swagman XTC2 Bike Rack from the local bike shop for $130 (got a great deal). We took the bikes to the park for a ride after. Hitch and bike rack worked great!
 

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I installed the Curt wiring kit on the CX-5
The "trick" to getting the rear panels loose, is the "hidden" bolt, located under the spring loaded tie down points,..... just pop open the bolt cover w/ a jewelers screwdriver.
I used a sturdy jewelers screwdriver, and covered the tip w/ some electrical tape.
The panels just pop off, with the help of the screwdriver.... after you have enough space to get your fingers under the panel, (and after removing the hidden bolt(s), you can just pull the panels loose.
Under the car, on the drivers' side, you will see a round "plug" that you can cut a hole in, (w/ a razor blade or exacto knife) and run your connector thru the removable plug. I put some vinyl tape on the round plug after the wires were run thru it, to insure that no water or dirt could get into the car. The connectors on the Curt kit can only connect one way (the connectors are each slightly different), so there is now way you can connect it wrong.
The panel that runs across the cargo area will just pop off, .... just pull up on it. You can't see it in the pics, but there is a brass screw on the drivers side (behind the panel) that you can connect the ground wire to.
When you put the panels back in place, use the small screwdriver to make sure the rubber material goes back into place properly. The pics are kinda big.... I guess I should have shrunk them down, before posting.


P1010260.jpg

P1010259.jpg

P1010261.jpg

P1010262.jpg
This is only if wiring is needed for a trailer right?
I'm thinking about the hitch only for a bike rack.
 
Anyone mind posting a picutre of the Curt hitch installed, from a lower angle (Too show the hitch and muffler in the same frame)? Thanks. Curious how this may fit with an aftermarket exhaust.
 
Installed a Curt Class III hitch today for a bike rack. Great fit, and it would have been a very easy install except...

CAUTION! when you raise the hitch in place, make sure you don't push the fished bolts into the frame-rail by accident. You will use lots of profanity as you try to fish the bolt out of the frame-rail so that you can re-fish it back into the bolt-hole.

Otherwise, great-looking hitch for a great price.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12797137@N06/8542563574/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12797137@N06/8542563624/in/photostream
 
Installed a Curt Class III hitch today for a bike rack. Great fit, and it would have been a very easy install except...

CAUTION! when you raise the hitch in place, make sure you don't push the fished bolts into the frame-rail by accident. You will use lots of profanity as you try to fish the bolt out of the frame-rail so that you can re-fish it back into the bolt-hole.

Otherwise, great-looking hitch for a great price.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12797137@N06/8542563574/in/photostream
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12797137@N06/8542563624/in/photostream
Thanks for the heads up. I'm installing my Class II this weekend and, reading the instructions, thought that might be the case. Did you have much difficulty holding up the hitch while finding the holes? I've got my wife to help me, but it looks like that part could be hernia-inducing.
 
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