Trailer Hitch Installation

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

Hi, got a PM on trailer hitches, so I said I'd post pics. Might as well show everybody.

I bought the Reese 79154 because I wanted a hitch that didn't hang down very far. It has a flat drawbar. If you need a square drawbar receiver, get the draw tite or the hidden hitch. You can see these hitches at www.hitch-web.com and can download the installation instructions for each one in .pdf format.

When I installed the Reese 79154, I had to cut a hole in the flat lower part of my rear valance so that the pull pin could go all the way through the drawbar receiver, which is flat up against the bottom side of the valance.

Pic of rear w/hitch:

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

Here's another pic of the underside view. See how the drawbar is flush up against the bottom of the valance? That's why you have to cut a hole big enough to let the pull pin drop through to the top of the drawbar. This let's you put the safety clip through the hole in the pull pin.

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

Here's a pic of the way this hitch goes over the stock exhaust. It has a U shaped piece to clear the tailpipe.

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

And here's the final pic of the fuel side of the hitch. You have to remove a relief solenoid having to do with the fuel system from the chassis so the hitch can attach to the frame, then bolt the solenoid to the hitch.

Here's the pic:

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

Finally, some words about the wiring. There's a nifty rubber plug in the spare tire well that you can slit and use to route the wires from the tail lights to the hitch. It's on the vertical face of the spare tire well next to the bumper.

Here's the wiring colors and what they are for on the tail light piece of the wiring harness:

Tail light: Green with black stripe
L turn: Green
R turn: Same Green on right side of car
Brake: Green with yellow stripe
Ground: Black

You might also need a convertor to make your trailer lights work with our separate turn and brake lights. I used four diodes and made my own. I also used 1/4 inch spade connectors and put 3 amp fuses in line with the tail, left, and right wires going to my trailer. That way, a fault in the trailer lights blows the fuse in my spare tire well and leaves the car lights working.

Any questions, Bueller?

alexlitov · Jul 27, 2003

Why?? Why would you do such a thing to a P5??? These car's weren't made to haul s***...

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

It's an MSP and I have a jetski to haul. Less than 1000 lbs, run it less than 10 miles to the boat launch ramp.

t3ase · Jul 27, 2003

I'd be more than happy to take the Jetskit off of your hands for a while..

Limited Edition · Jul 27, 2003

I'd never think someone would use their MSP to haul a trailer. But that's great to know you were able to do it.
Got some pictures of your trailer hooked up?
i want to see those jet skis!

slug420 · Jul 27, 2003

I was the one who requested the pics - Thanks!

And I am planning on putting one on to haul a jet ski over a long distance. The frame already has holes in it to attach the hitch to....jetski with a trailer is really light so i dont really see what the problem could be. I haul a jetski on a trailer around with my 350cc 450lb ATV and I cant imagine that such a light load on the back of a 3k lb car will make any kind of difference.

If someone wants to change my mind please do so cuz the last thing I want to do is something that will hurt my car but I just cant see how this would be bad for it

slug420 · Jul 27, 2003

also....Is there any part of this hitch that could not be like 1/2" lower? If not could some kind of 1/2" washer (spacer) be used to lower the hitch just enough so no hole is needed?

MSP Pro · Jul 27, 2003

slug420: I wouldn't use a spacer to lower the hitch at the frame. It weakens the attachment to the frame by giving the load a longer lever arm in the shear direction.

If you don't want to make a hole, look at the other two hitches for our car, which have 1-1/4 inch box receivers that the pull pin goes through sideways. However, one of them (that Ping installed) interfered with his muffler. I don't know about the other one.

For long distances pulling the jetski, I wouldn't load the car to it's full rating (4 people and all their baggage) so there would be some margin for the 200 lb max tongue weight. I'd also put some Redline Water Wetter in the radiator to help keep the temps down. And run synthetic oil to help keep the engine lubricated at higher temps.

slug420 · Jul 27, 2003

been running synthetic for almost 10k miles now, it will only be me a bag of clothes and the ski on this trip and ill look into the water wetter.....

as for cutting the bumper, the reese kit seems to be the easiest to install and seems ot require the least amount of cutting......the draw tite one looks like it might be even better from the diagram but without someone having first hand experience with it ill probably stick to the reese.

my parents keep tellin me how bad of an idea it is to put a hitch on my car and it sounds like one but eeh.......when i try to talk myself out of it i just cant, seems harmless.

DistantTea · Jul 28, 2003

Autocrossers use small trailers all the time for really long distance hauls. Its not unusual to see a miata or MR2 with a trailer hauling three sets of tires, and a multitude of tools and crap. If the trailer hitch is properly done there is no reason your common 4cyl sedan couldn't haul 1000lbs.

ping · Jul 29, 2003

HI - ping here. I put the Hidden Hitch on my MSP for use with a bike rack - and will be wiring up for a small utility trailer this weekend. The Hidden hitch fits exactly flush with the lower valence - no cutting needed there, but where MSP Pro's hitch has a clearance bar over the muffler the Hidden hitch doesn't - you have to cut off the fancy diagonal brace - which is no big deal at all.

Were I to do it again, I'd remove the tailpipe section of the exhaust - that removal and reinstallation is a two-bolt, 10-minute job and makes the hitch install go like a breeze. If you're getting the Hidden hitch it also makes removing the diagonal a non-issue - just Dremel it off (it's superfluous anyway...). Here's a pic of the Hidden Hitch installed.

ping · Jul 29, 2003

... and a pic of the problem clearance area with the diagonal brace removed.

ping · Jul 29, 2003

For the heck of it, here's the hitch as it appeared OFF the car. Please ignore the inexpensive Chinese ratchet handle - it was the only one in the garage at the time and yes I did use my torque wrench on the nuts...

ping · Jul 29, 2003

Note some bracket mods necessary for proper fitment on my car - no big deal, just carefully bend with the appropriately sized monkey wrench. Another image follows which shows the bend better.

ping · Jul 29, 2003

Bracket bend (better pic).

PM or email if you have any questions. No I haven't towed anything with the MSP but I've transported 4 good-sized bikes (total weight about 120lb) and, while I could certainly detect the extra weight back there it wasn't a problem.

Trailer Hitch Installation

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