Trailer Hitch for Speed6

[rainking]

You are so wrong!

bye bye warranty is something breaks.

This is simply not true.

I will give a *real* world example involving a MS6 in 7-10 days.

 

[rainking]

Bike a lot

Why do you not wanna do a bike rack on top of the car? A buddy of mine has a integra gsr that has a thule bike rack on it... looks so cool! I almost did it to my speed but i dont like riding bikes so no need for the rack!

I carry a bike on the back of my car a *lot* and it's just far, far simpler to use a hitch rack. I have had all kinds of bike racks on all kinds of cars and trucks. Nothing, IMHO, beats the latest generation of hitch racks .. the ones with the wheel trays like the Thule T-2 and Yakima HoldUp.

Advantages:
o The wheels stay on the bike
o The car is aero
o No slamming bikes into the garage, etc.
o No mud on roof
o No worries about putting a bike on the roof
o No worries about mud and debris falling from bike on to roof
o ...

Disadvantages:
o Hitch receiver

It would be really, really hard for me to use a roof rack as my primary bike rack. That's how awesome these wheel-tray hitch racks are for regular use.

The roof racks do look sporty though!

 

[rainking]

first round of pictures

Did you get a chance to take some pictures of the hitch? I'm also interested to know your opinion about whether or not the hitch would be strong enough to handle a motorcycle and lightweight trailer...i.e. is the whole thing about as strong as it is supposed to be or is it weakened because of the modification? Thanks in advance.

The primary mounting points are to the bumper and to the frame. These four points were barely modified. The holes in the manufactured rack need to be enlarged in different directions. It's not so bad. The frame-mounted points look flimsy, so adding a plate to reinforce here is a good idea. This can be done after checking the fit after grinding or cutting.

The hitch is made more stable using the wings to the spare tire well. These are the ones that did not line up well at all.

I would have no worries about towing.

If the four mount points to the bumper (2) and the end of the frame (?) rail (2) can be enlarged by grinding, then you have done most of the work. The attachments to the wheel well needed the big work (welding). I don't think new holes would have worked, let alone a lot of grinding.

These (linked) pictures are from this morning (10/25/08). I will take more pictures when I can slip a floor jack under the car. Hope to capture better details and show broader perspectives.

A bunch of shots of the hitch receiver mount points on a MS6

 

[Killer]

This is simply not true.

I will give a *real* world example involving a MS6 in 7-10 days.

Planning on breaking something?(rofl2)

 

[mal_tiempo]

Planning on breaking something?(rofl2)

I was about to say...lol. Don't think you wanna give a "real world example" dude.

 

[Killer]

(bump)

 

[Killer]

This is simply not true.

I will give a *real* world example involving a MS6 in 7-10 days.

Still waiting....(cricket)

 

[InlineTwin]

My CX-7 hitch looks like it might fit the MS6. I am not about to try it on my MS6; that's why I bought a CX-7. But someone else interested...may prove good results.

 

[rainking]

Sorry for the delay. How about a MS6 clutch replaced at 20K miles per the TSB? Hitch receiver on the car. 'nuff said. As time permits, I will scan the paperwork for the h8rs.

Added: Hope to scan the docs by the end of the coming weekend: 11/15-16.

 

[rainking]

Warranty Work w/ Hitch Receiver on the MS6

Background (fast & loose w/ specifics):
San Francisco Bay Area.
New Owner, Used 2006 MS6 @ approx. 19K Miles.
Early MS6 (VIN is very low).
Clutch was a *big* problem.
Ride to live (not live to ride).. bicycles.
Hitch Receiver added to MS6... customized Mazda 6 pre-fabbed part.
No towing... using a hitch-mounted bike rack.

Post-Hitch Receiver Installation:
Visited dealer to program keys.
Bicycle rack was on the car.
Inquired about the clutch.
The Service Manager agreed there was a problem.

The clutch was replaced (see attached). The flywheel was loose!?

The only comment that was ever made about the car was with respect to the flywheel being loose. "Hard driving?" was the query after the fact. Actually, the car was never driven hard because the clutch was so darn awful to use.

The new clutch is over-the-top excellent. The car is so much more fun to drive. It is so easy to use the clutch, a new driver could learn how to handle a stick (manual tranny) with this car.

The work order / receipt has been edited for privacy reasons. Of course, you can always find me by looking for a MS6 with a hitch-mounted bike rack.

For good measure, it is worth noting that the clutch replacement was for exactly the reasons stated in the TSB. This car was a pain to drive. It was fun, but now it is a blast.

Everything here is on the up & up. The Service Manager was extraordinarly professional and a pleasure with which to do business.

 

[mpk]

Thread resurrection

So it's been a while since this thread's been updated, and there still aren't any ready-made MS6 hitch mounts to be found online.

Since I tire of dealing with a roof rack, I'm looking for advice on what aftermarket hitch works best for MS6s (in other words, is the least PITA to make work). Please post your experiences and outcomes, good or bad. Pictures of mounting points and modifications would be very helpful. What kind of shop should I have do the work?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[rcookr1]

Im in the same boat any one

 

[zinger002]

buy a truck?

 

[AUTOwrXER]

Same issue here. Looking for the least painful starting point to fab up if anyone has more info to share.

 

[AUTOwrXER]

I carry a bike on the back of my car a *lot* and it's just far, far simpler to use a hitch rack. I have had all kinds of bike racks on all kinds of cars and trucks. Nothing, IMHO, beats the latest generation of hitch racks .. the ones with the wheel trays like the Thule T-2 and Yakima HoldUp.

Advantages:
o The wheels stay on the bike
o The car is aero
o No slamming bikes into the garage, etc.
o No mud on roof
o No worries about putting a bike on the roof
o No worries about mud and debris falling from bike on to roof
o ...

Disadvantages:
o Hitch receiver

It would be really, really hard for me to use a roof rack as my primary bike rack. That's how awesome these wheel-tray hitch racks are for regular use.

The roof racks do look sporty though!

Same exact train of thought for me. Which stand-up rack are you using? I am looking at the Yakima HoldUp, the 1UpUSA, and the Raxter models. I'm wondering about your clearance from the bumper with the hitch so far under the car, as well as ground clearance issues pulling out of steeper driveways and the like.

 

[AUTOwrXER]

Anyone? Bueller?

 

[Aurilious]

I took off my MS6 hitch recently (don't use it anymore). Willing to sell it if there is interest (PM if interested). It is a Draw-Tite for a standard Mazda 6, modified to fit the MS6.

Pictures below.

MS6 Hitch

 

[AUTOwrXER]

Damn I missed you by a few days. I ordered mine and had a friend do the install over the Thanksgiving break. He took a bunch of photos of the install. It was not a simple process: http://picasaweb.google.com/joelfehrman/MS6HitchInstall#

The last few photos show the bike rack installed on the car. It fits like a glove and can be stored vertically without an extension.