Trailer hitch?

Bolts are supposed to be in tension. That's the entire point of tightening the nut - to put the bolt in tension. For big bolts, we use hydraulic tensioners. They pull the bolt up to a specific tension and then you just snug the nut and let the bolt go. This is more accurate than torquing because it doesn't rely on knowing the frictional coefficient between the nut and the bolt. With torquing, you generally only pull the bolt up to about half the proof load. With a tensioner, you can get them up to around 90% of proof load, and more is better.

A bolt is just a clamp.

 

In this case, I can wait a bit to see if the other receiver hitch manufacturers comes out with one similar to the style I prefer. Sad to say the 1 1/4" receiver means I'd need an adapter for my wife's wheel chair carrier. Not a heavy load, still ...

Bob Wilson

 

Tomorrow, we should be hearing about the hitch from Curt for Prime.

 

What we do is evaluate each part and depending upon one's requirements, get the one that best matches expectations. The Draw-Tite would work but I have experience with both Gen-1 and Gen-3 receivers.

In both our Gen-1 and Gen-3 Prius, the receiver replaced the bolted on, shipping tie-down fixtures. Shipping tie-down fixtures have to be strong enough to survive ocean storm stress and strains because loose cars rolling about a ship have led to sinking the ship.

Bob Wilson

 

delete

 

Something isn't right about that hitch number. The bolt bracket placement doesn't face the right way and it doesn't say it fits Prime.

Oh well, something should be on the way soon.

 

Even the finish and material on the bolt and nut matters. A black steel bolt & nut takes a different torque tightening spec than an cadmium plated bolt & nut of the same size in the same application. Lubrication makes a big difference to the torque spec for equal tightening. I've worked with nuts so big it took 2 men to carry each nut, and the hydraulic tensioner made the job of tightening or removing easy, as well as accurate tightening every time.

 

Any ideas of how the Prime is secured to the deck when shipped?

Bob Wilson

 

Curt Trailer Hitch

That has been confirmed by eTrailer to fit Prius Prime. Their website will be updated within the next 2 days.

$115.95 for the order, which you can do right away over the phone if you don't want to wait to do it online.

 

Soo.... Has anyone had one installed yet? I would be curious to hear the results. I, too have a Thule 2 bike carrier I want to put on my Prime but it is a hitch mounted rack.

BTW, the 24944 Draw tite hitch is $82.95 on etrailer. com right now....

 

Curt provided the confirmation for eTrailer, who in turn called me.