1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Trailer hitch?

Discussion in 'Prime Accessories and Modifications' started by MikeDee, Nov 16, 2016.

  1. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,117
    15,386
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    It looks like we have have roughly half a day to make any corrections.

    Bob Wilson
     
  2. MikeDee

    MikeDee Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    1,534
    582
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    1upUSA. Sag? Not that I've noticed.
     
  3. 17Prius4

    17Prius4 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2017
    4
    4
    0
    Location:
    DE
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    It sounds like that 18lb Drawtight hitch from etrailer might be going on the back of our Prius for our 1.25" receiver bike rack.

    I do have a slight concern about the bike rack bottoming out when pulling in/out of our driveway which is on an incline. I will have to have my wife drive the Prius in/out while I watch to see how much clearance we have prior to ordering...

    (I just installed a 2" Curt hitch from etrailer on the front my Tundra a few weeks ago for hauling bikes up front when I'm towing a camper)
     
  4. bear15

    bear15 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2006
    168
    35
    0
    Location:
    Suburban Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    I did the same for our Toyota Sequoia and it works great, but it was a very easy install vs. doing the back hitch for the Prime.

    (I just installed a 2" Curt hitch from etrailer on the front my Tundra a few weeks ago for hauling bikes up front when I'm towing a camper)

     
  5. MikeDee

    MikeDee Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    1,534
    582
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I don't know why the Curt and Draw-Tite hitches are recessed so far behind the rear bumper. Ideally, the end of the receiver should be flush with the bumper. It didn't help that these hitches weren't redesigned for the Prime, as the distance from the hole in the receiver to the bumper is 3" on the liftback vs. 6.5" on the Prime for the Draw-Tite hitch.
     
  6. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,747
    5,243
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Make sure to turn off the "Intelligent Clearance Sonar" off prior to driving with a bike on back...

    [​IMG]

    Think about how close your bike tires are to the sensors.
     
    #106 john1701a, Apr 8, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2017
    Prodigyplace likes this.
  7. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,682
    11,292
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Why spend the money on making a different model hitch when there will be only one Prime on the road to every 3 or 4 Prii?
     
  8. MikeDee

    MikeDee Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    1,534
    582
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I can see that, but it's just not an optimum fit.
     
  9. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    21,682
    11,292
    0
    Location:
    eastern Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Perhaps they'll come out with a Prime specific model in time when sales increase. Until then, hitch extenders are available.
     
  10. BenPrime

    BenPrime New Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2017
    5
    3
    0
    Location:
    Columbus OH
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    Can everyone please post which bike racks work and which don't as the find out? One person has confirmed that 1up design BARELY fits. They are nice enough to provide the schematic with dimensions here: (oops, not allowed to post links yet, but go to 1upUSA's site and it's right on the products page)

    This tells me each rack needs to have a tenon of roughly 7.5-8" (minimum) to work.

    I want the Rocky Mounts SplitRail...but don't know if it'll fit yet....
     
  11. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,747
    5,243
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
  12. bear15

    bear15 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 28, 2006
    168
    35
    0
    Location:
    Suburban Chicago
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Three
  13. galenagal

    galenagal Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2016
    24
    8
    0
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Thank you everyone for all the photos and info! I need a hitch and bike rack for two carbon fiber framed mtn bikes for my Prime (which I love). I'm considering the Curt 1.25" hitch - will I need an extender? I'm considering the Kuat Transfer to go w it. Bikes are <30 lb each.
     
    AldoON likes this.
  14. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,117
    15,386
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Hi @john1701a,

    Any possibility of getting a A-B test with and without the bikes at highway speed?
    • A - with bike
    • B - without bike but bike fixture
    Thanks,
    Bob Wilson
     
  15. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,747
    5,243
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    Eventually, I'll get some measurement stats. Too much going on right now still.


    I have the Curt. If your rack doesn't have anything special (just a long neck), no. However, the extra few inches sure makes hatch access easy.

    My rack has that tighten/lock knob, so it was necessary in my case.
     
    #115 john1701a, Apr 11, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2017
    bwilson4web likes this.
  16. itsmejame5

    itsmejame5 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    2
    0
    Location:
    Brea, California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium

    Thanks to you, I was able to order the hitch from etrailer and got it installed by my auto technician for $100 :)
    I do have 1 question for you. You did mention that the hitch necessitate of an extender, would you provide me with the link for that item?
    I want to get the specific one that you have, so that I can purchase the bike rack and have it look like yours exactly.

    Thanks.
     
  17. itsmejame5

    itsmejame5 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    2
    0
    Location:
    Brea, California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium

    Thanks to you, I was able to order the hitch from etrailer and got it installed by my auto technician for $100 :)
    I do have 1 question for you. You did mention that the hitch necessitate of an extender, would you provide me with the link for that item?
    I want to get the specific one that you have, so that I can purchase the bike rack and have it look like yours exactly.

    Thanks.
     
  18. MikeDee

    MikeDee Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    1,534
    582
    0
    Location:
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    I do not need an extender. I've been thinking of getting one just to space the bike rack farther so I can open the hatch with a bike on the rack, and make it easier to take the rack on and off the hitch. Etrailer has hitch extenders. One is 6" long, which is about the shortest one I've found, however it's expensive at $47. I would also want an anti-rattle device and a lock for it, which means spending almost as much as the hitch itself costs.
     
  19. itsmejame5

    itsmejame5 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    2
    0
    Location:
    Brea, California
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Premium
    so how is it without having an extender? any clearance issue? What kind of bike rack are you using that doesn't require an extender? I'd totally be down on NOT getting an extender because it's a total BS when we have to purchase additional product for the hitch to work.
     
  20. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2004
    12,747
    5,243
    57
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Advanced
    This is my rack ($400):



    It locks to the hitch... which is nice... but that knob prevents it from fitting under the bumper... hence this extender ($27):

     
    #120 john1701a, Apr 11, 2017
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2017
    yoyoman and itsmejame5 like this.