[sportytourer]

I bought a Racing Kart and needed a hitch installed on my STI so I could pull the trailor and Kart to the track. The trailer is quite light weighing less than 1000 lbs (total weight kart inlcluded is about 1500 lbs). Well I installed the hitch myslef and it looks really sweet!
It fits in behind the bumber and very little of it is exposed. Only a tiny piece of the bumber was needed to be cut but it is totally unoticeable. I had to remove two tie down brackets that were on the car and the hitch required the existing bolts on the car to bolt easily on to the frame. Instructions were excellent! This hitch is highly reccommended!!!
I was told to use a power converter for the wiring and was told to hook it directly to the battery for power. I ended up going from the dash with a keyed power source instead which worked fine. Anyways if I get the time will take some pics....
Th hitch is rated to 2000 lbs and the STI is rated to 1500lbs without trailer brakes and 2000 lbs with trailer brakes. The hitch is rated class 1.
Custom Trailer Hitch Products, Custom Receiver Hitch, Heavy Duty Towing, Curt Manufacturing

[BrianGT]

pictures? I am looking to get a trailer hitch for pulling a tire trailer.

[nathan.d.kim]

What did you use to cut your bumper? Did you cut it yourself? If so, is the cut made underneath out of sight?

I have a trailer and motorcycle to haul. I sold my other car that had the hitch on it.

Thanks.

[sportytourer]

Sorry, I should have posted pictures!
My gf has my digital camera so cannot do at the moment either.
However I can say this.
The hitch bolted on with the only adjustment being a small 1 cm cut in the bottom plastic of the rear bumber near the muffler.
It is soo small that unless, you look from under the car you cannot even see it either. It was cut with a small utility kife as the plastic cuts very easy.
Anyone can do this.
The only thing that was more complicated was the wiring.
The guy who sold me the hitch said that my car needed a seperate switch for the lights called a power converter. It hooks up direct to a 12 volt power source (in my case I went straight to under the front dash where there was a fusable 12 volt direct leed) and the rest hooks up to your lights. The device recognises the signals when lights are activated and powers up a seperate signal for the trailor hitch plug in.
I ran the cable out the bottom plug under the spare tire in the trunk.
The rest bolted on super easy and I did not have to adjust the muffler or anything else.
Would highly rec this hitch as now I have been using it for a year.
I guess will take pictures if I get a camera again....
Anyways here is the instruction sheet and what it looks like:
http://fileresource.sitepro.com/file...FCC9F61D25.pdf
This is to look up hitches:
http://www.curtmfg.com/index.cfm?event=guide

[Lang]

Cool, I just ordered a Curt hitch from http://www.etrailer.com, cost was $119.95 + 11.89 shipping. It's 1 1/4 inch, which will be fine for hauling bicycles.

#11318 Curt Class I Trailer Hitch Receiver with Drawbar

http://www.etrailer.com/hitch-2005_Subaru_Impreza.htm

No drilling required for hitch installation
Tech Tip: Hitch will fit STI models.

If anyone is looking for a bike carrier that uses the hitch, I just ordered this one:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4411
$159.99, which is way cheaper than any other one that has the tires rest on the rack, not just dangling. There's also a coupon code now (#6002412) that will get you 15% off, plus free shipping (actually they charged me $10 freight, still cheap).

[kwkSTi]

Is it likely to fit over a Cobb exhaust????

[Lang]

Originally Posted by kwkSTi

Is it likely to fit over a Cobb exhaust????

Not sure about Cobb, but i just installed my hitch, and it fit over my Stromung Dual-Tip 3" exhaust, with the stock rubber hangers.

I'll have install pix posted this weekend.

[Lang]

Note the section over the exhaust = more clearance



Right side of car. Tow hook needs to come off. 2 x 17mm and 1 x 14mm. Use an extension to get up there. PB-blast the area, too...



Left side of car. The section that mounts the hanger comes off, since the hanger will be mounted on the hitch. The section in front of this mount comes off, too.











Here's why they recommend trimming the bumper. You can pull the bumper over the hitch, it'll just look "pulled down".



I trimmed it with some snips, probably coulda made it cleaner It's a very small section, though.



They included the hardware to mount the hanger to the hitch (3 washers, 5/8" bolt, 11/16" nut). The hardware to mount the hitch to the car where you removed those parts will be re-used. I put anti-seize on the threads.



Leftovers from the left side..save 'em.













Done! Hardly visable, really.







The hitch receiver is 1.25". Now I just have to wait for the bike rack to come

I would think if your exhaust tip is long enough, such that the muffler is closer to the front of the car, and the tip isn't a huge coffee can, this hitch should be fine. Again, that exhaust is a Stromung 3" dual-tip.

The quality is the hitch looks to be good. However, there's an area on the edge of it where the paint peeled up a bit. Going to ask the vendor if touch-up paint is available, it wasn't worth returning it just for that.

etrailer.com shipped very fast, I received it in 2 days. The box came with a letter containing a coupon code good for 5% off, not sure if it will work on new customers though, you can try "XBBJ7".

[05cgm]

Looks great!

[amg destroyer]

Looks good. I like the fact that it isn't very apparent from directly behind, unless you look closely.

[nathan.d.kim]

I wonder if there is a way to modify the 07 STi rear air diffuser underneath the Curt trailer. I don't think it is very functional but I like how it looks - pretty sharp. I ordered the hitch and will install it next week most likely. I will see if there is a way to change the diffuser to make it fit. Also, I have a Cobb TBE so I'll verify whether it fits well or not. I bought the extended hangers for the inner rear and mid-pipe. I am also going to use kartboy hanger for the one remaining one (better stiffness). More to follow...

[Lang]

The bike rack came early!

Installation was fairly easy. This one holds 2 very FIRMLY. Note the way the wheels rest in the wheel hoops, along with velcro around them, plus the heavily padded clamp at the top is holding the top tube in place.

Can't think of a better, more-stable setup which allows easy access, and where no part of the bike needs to come off.

[sportytourer]

Lang you did an awesome job on the install. Same as I did! I know you will like the hitch as it fits really nice on the car and is barely noticeable!
Your car is the same color as mine!!

The only thing that took me long was the wiring. I ended up installing a power converter and being fussy ran a 12v direct line from the fuse box, under the door trim, behind the seat and to where the jack is. Then I hooked the wires to the lights and ran the trailor light switch out the bottom plug under the spare tire. I mounted the power converter beside the jack behind the panel.
Looks like you got pirelli Pneros on your car lang!
I had them also, did not last long.....
I am running general Exclaim UHPs now. They have good reviews so will see how they do.
I also have a cobb downpipe, stage 2, work rims, lowered 1 inch and rest is stock.
Awesome car so far for one year and good luck with yours!

[Kirv]

Originally Posted by kwkSTi

Is it likely to fit over a Cobb exhaust????

I have this hitch installed with the COBB exhaust. Short story, you'll need the kartboy long hangers. For the full story, see link in sig...

sorry for the hijack.

[Stieve]

I bought the uhaul hitch and you don't need to trim your bumper. It fits over my APS single tip tbe. Also it picks up 4 bolts on each side. I pull a trailer with a dirtbike and a 4 wheeler at the same time with it!!!

Wiring is a breeze if you have any clue with wiring. I made my own plug and play harness.