# Installed Hitch Last Night!



## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

Curt Manufacturing is making a hitch for '04 and '05 GTO's. I bought mine from DropHitch.com for $119. It has an excellent, shiny black finish and comes with installation instructions. I have photos posted of the installation at: www.tanglewoodbrushstrokes.com Go to Jerry's Page.

After jacking up the rear of the car, you must remove 12 plastic pins that hold the black plastic cover under the car. This plastic cover includes the piece on the right side of the car that runs over to the right side of the rear bumper cover. You do not need to detach this right side piece from the center piece. There are also three bolts that are to be removed, two in the center of the plastic panel and one towards the front of the car. You will discard the two bolts in the center. The cover is not removed, but dropped down to give access to the underside of the car.

Once the cover is down, you will see a series of studs sticking down towards the rear of the car. The hitch attaches to two of these studs with one stud being a larger diameter than the other one. The other two attachment points are where the two center bolts were previously removed. The kit comes with two longer bolts to replace the original factory bolts and with the necessary nuts and washers to attach the hitch to the studs.

Once you have the hitch bolted on, you will have to cut out the two raised round areas on the top side of the plastic cover where the two center bolts were attached. This is to give clearance for the hitch where the bolts attach the hitch to the body of the car. As you will see by the photos, I did not spend much time making these pretty as they are hidden once the plastic cover is re-attached. Re-attach the cover and you are finished.

I also installed the wiring for my trailer. It uses the four pin flat connector. You will need an electronic tailight converter which I purchased at Wal-Mart. To access the wiring, you will need to remove the plastic panel inside the trunk at the rear. There are four screws at the top hidden by plastic covers that are easily removed. There are also six plastic fasteners to remove. Once the panel is out of the way, you can pull back the carpet on both sides to expose the wiring on the tailights. I also removed the carpet covering the spare tire.

There are five wires to hook up with the converter. 

*White-ground*-hooked up to top bolt on the left side under the tailight housing.

*Red-Brake*-spliced into the blue/red wire on the left tailight plug

*Green-right turn signal*-spliced into the blue wire on the right tailight plug-Since all the other wires were coming from the left side, I ran a separate wire from the right to the left side and then attached the wiring harness there.

*Yellow-left turn signal*-spliced into the blue wire on the left tailight plug

*Brown-parking lights*-spliced into the brown wire on the left tailight plug

I then placed the wiring harness in a plastic protective cover. When not in use, simply place the wiring in the spare tire well. To use, run the cable to the rear and close the trunk on the cable.

Put everything back together and you are done!!

I have a motorcyle trailer and a bike rack that attaches to a hitch which I am looking forward to using.


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## djdub (Oct 23, 2004)

Good god, why?


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## bomber76 (Oct 18, 2004)

My thoughts as well. That is what the minivan is for.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

djdub said:


> Good god, why?


That's what people said when I put a hitch on a Porsche 944 years ago. I used to run it at track events and it was a pain in the rear to try to get my track tires and wheels, tools, etc. inside the car. The trailer worked great. I pulled it as far as Road Atlanta from northern Indiana.

When I first began pulling it, I was a rarity. Within a few years, I saw a lot of people using trailers at track events. The advantage was not having to buy a big truck and a car trailer and then having to drive a truck to and from the track. It was much more fun to drive the car even with pulling the trailer. Unless I was driving into a headwind, I didn't even know it was there. And that was with a 150hp four cylinder!

I am looking forward to using it to haul our bicycles when my wife and I want to ride. Also, I have a motorcycle trailer that I occasionally haul. My wife is an artist and she works some art shows where we have equipment and paintings that must be hauled. We have a Mazda Tribute that we have used, but I would much rather drive the GTO than the Tribute.


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## djdub (Oct 23, 2004)

jerhofer said:


> That's what people said when I put a hitch on a Porsche 944 years ago. I used to run it at track events and it was a pain in the rear to try to get my track tires and wheels, tools, etc. inside the car. The trailer worked great. I pulled it as far as Road Atlanta from northern Indiana.
> 
> When I first began pulling it, I was a rarity. Within a few years, I saw a lot of people using trailers at track events. The advantage was not having to buy a big truck and a car trailer and then having to drive a truck to and from the track. It was much more fun to drive the car even with pulling the trailer. Unless I was driving into a headwind, I didn't even know it was there. And that was with a 150hp four cylinder!
> 
> I am looking forward to using it to haul our bicycles when my wife and I want to ride. Also, I have a motorcycle trailer that I occasionally haul. My wife is an artist and she works some art shows where we have equipment and paintings that must be hauled. We have a Mazda Tribute that we have used, but I would much rather drive the GTO than the Tribute.


To each their own, but in my opinion you ruined the car. I have a 2005 Ford Escape (same thing as your Tribute), but no matter how much fun the GTO is to drive (how fun can it be with a trailer on it), I would never put a hitch on it. That's why they make SUVs and pickups. If you wanted a fast car to haul stuff, you should have a got a Dodge Magnum.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

djdub said:


> To each their own, but in my opinion you ruined the car. I have a 2005 Ford Escape (same thing as your Tribute), but no matter how much fun the GTO is to drive (how fun can it be with a trailer on it), I would never put a hitch on it. That's why they make SUVs and pickups. If you wanted a fast car to haul stuff, you should have a got a Dodge Magnum.


I mentioned your comment to my production manager who recently purchased my 2002 Z06 with a Magnacharger. He agreed wholeheartedly with you and thought, that to prevent further humiliation on my part, I should give the car to him to dispose of. However, he did say he thought it might take him awhile to even find a place that would take it. He said he would drive it until he found a place even if it meant being laughed at.

What a buddy!


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## Joey Waid (Oct 28, 2004)

I love the idea. I want to tote bikes and still be able to drive the GTO. Do you have a phone # that I can call to get one.


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## Luth (Sep 28, 2004)

This hardly 'ruined the car'. If it wasn't a receiver hitch then I may have thought otherwise. I have been thinking about doing this as well to haul my motorcycle from time to time. What is the hitch rated at? (IE Class 1, Class 2, ...)


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

A trailer hitch? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


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## Xman (Oct 31, 2004)

jerhofer - thanks for taking the time to post pictures. The one big limitation of the GTO is trunk space. I just sold my trusted 99 Camaro Z28 to move up to the GTO. I pedal my bike a lot and attend rallies. With the Camaro, I'd pop the hatch and slide my bike in fully assembled. I don't want to car top with my GTO so my only option is a carrier that attaches to a hitch. This is just what I've been looking for.

One question for you. The aussie hitches for the Morono have the receiver up a bit higher and you actually have to cut a notch out of the bumper. Your install looks much cleaner. Now my question, have you had any ground clearance problems going in and out of driveways where the hitch might be dragging?


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

Joey Waid said:


> I love the idea. I want to tote bikes and still be able to drive the GTO. Do you have a phone # that I can call to get one.


Thanks for the positive comment.

Try 715-874-7072.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

Luth said:


> This hardly 'ruined the car'. If it wasn't a receiver hitch then I may have thought otherwise. I have been thinking about doing this as well to haul my motorcycle from time to time. What is the hitch rated at? (IE Class 1, Class 2, ...)


Class 2


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

Xman said:


> jerhofer - thanks for taking the time to post pictures. The one big limitation of the GTO is trunk space. I just sold my trusted 99 Camaro Z28 to move up to the GTO. I pedal my bike a lot and attend rallies. With the Camaro, I'd pop the hatch and slide my bike in fully assembled. I don't want to car top so my only option is a carrier that attaches to a hitch. This is just what I've been looking for.
> 
> One question for you. The aussie hitches for the Morono have the receiver up a bit higher and you actually have to cut a notch out of the bumper. Your install looks much cleaner. Now my question, have you had any ground clearance problems going in and out of driveways where the hitch might be dragging?


I just installed it last night and have not pulled anything yet. It is 7" from the ground, unloaded. I will have to watch the tongue weight.

Having the hitch mounted higher would have some advantages, but I would not have put up with a hole in the middle of the rear valance. Because it sets so far back under the valance, the hitch is not very obvious.


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## Duck916 (Nov 12, 2004)

This is a great mod that made your car more useful. Congrats!


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

OK, I'll ask.......what is the towing capacity of the GTO?


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## djdub (Oct 23, 2004)

kevracer said:


> OK, I'll ask.......what is the towing capacity of the GTO?


It's listed as 1000 pounds on a few websites, but I swear in the owner's manual, it says specifically not to tow anything with this vehicle.

**Edit... Just looked in the online owner's manual at mygmlink.com and it says in regards to towing..."Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to tow a trailer".

Like I stated above, way to ruin your car.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

kevracer said:


> OK, I'll ask.......what is the towing capacity of the GTO?


In the GTO manual it does say it is not designed for towing. However, on the Monaro website, it lists the towing capacity as 1600kg which is 3527 pounds. That's why I went ahead and installed the hitch. My guess is GM's lawyers made the decision on what the GTO manual says about towing. 


I am not planning on hauling anything near that heavy so I don't anticipate a problem.


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

Amazing how corporate lawyers can get involved and change things. I understand the idea of the hitch to haul bikes or whatever. I withdraw my earlier comment regarding hitches on GTO's.....


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## Joey Waid (Oct 28, 2004)

I bought mine last night.140.00 with shipping. in my opion you can barely see the hitch. This the answer to my promblems, I was putting [craming] my bike in the back seat O how I hated doing that. My bike rack off my intrepid would not fit and nobody makes mounts for the GTO.Can I get a HELL yea from the congregation.


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## BigJim (Oct 30, 2004)

Why not buy a cheap car if you are going to tow bikes around? Maybe an STI? jw its your car though.


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## tireman (Dec 24, 2004)

*Love that hitch!*

You could always add air bags to the rear suspension to hold more load and even jack it up a bit for that 70's look... Add some Yosemite Sam Back-Off mud flaps and you're the man!

Seriously, I too had a Porsche with a hitch and pulled tires and tools to track events. It just shows that you use the car and don't just polish it. Always cool in my book...it is just a car...(albeit a great one!)


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

tireman said:


> You could always add air bags to the rear suspension to hold more load and even jack it up a bit for that 70's look... Add some Yosemite Sam Back-Off mud flaps and you're the man!
> 
> Seriously, I too had a Porsche with a hitch and pulled tires and tools to track events. It just shows that you use the car and don't just polish it. Always cool in my book...it is just a car...(albeit a great one!)


Actually, I'm thinking 50's. 

Fender skirts, sunvisor, and curb feelers!!!!!!!! 

Maybe some blue dots in the tailights if I really want to go whole hog! Hey, I know someone who already has blue dots. Scratch that idea as I wouldn't want to be a copycat.


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## wakarr (Oct 12, 2004)

The GTO is an excellent light duty (under 2000 pounds) tow vehicle. I had a custom hitch made immediately after the purchase of the the GTO. I pull a 1500 pound trailer five days a week. I find that the car handles the trailer with ease but this came as no suprise as my previous car, a '99 Camaro SS, pulled the same trailer for five years without any ill effect. 

So why pull a trailer with a GTO?

1. I've always liked cars (as in, Ya know, it IS a GTO!) over trucks (as in, 
DULL and BORING!). 
2. If I had a truck it would have to be my personal vehicle and I don't care 
to drive a truck to dinner or to the show.
3. I get tremendous positive feedback from my customers when I show up 
for work with a GTO and a trailer.
4. I love to see people do a double take when they see me go by!


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## BLACKTHUNDERGTO (Sep 22, 2004)

I was thinkin of attachin a plow to my GTO for the winter...JK just as stupid as a hitch


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

you could sure push lots of snow, once you got the tires to hook up


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

BLACKTHUNDERGTO said:


> I was thinkin of attachin a plow to my GTO for the winter...JK just as stupid as a hitch


And a mower deck for the summer!! 

And a bucket to move some dirt!!

Can't wait to get it done and post some pics!!


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## bnvus (Nov 19, 2004)

WTF is next...I can see a post on the Z06 forum coming. Jesus...Any one in Oz have a hitch?


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## fffernan (Dec 9, 2004)

Anybody see the movie "Out Cold" really funny and the guy in it has a 60's/70's charger/challenger (forget for sure) with a snow plow attached to the front of it, and the movie takes place in alaska.

-Frank


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## kevracer (Sep 27, 2004)

Didn't "Monster Garage" have an episode where they added a mower deck to a Mustang? Good use for a Ford if you ask me. 

The Charger with a snow plow reminds me of the awful 68 Charger monster truck I saw once in the 80's.........


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## Joey Waid (Oct 28, 2004)

No matter what .5 of you guy's think, I got my hitch installed today. It took me 30 min. It will save me from scratching the inside and outside of my car. I cant afford 2 cars, just to have 1 haul bikes. O I live in Georgia, so i thought about putting a cottton picker on front.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

Joey Waid said:


> No matter what .5 of you guy's think, I got my hitch installed today. It took me 30 min. It will save me from scratching the inside and outside of my car. I cant afford 2 cars, just to have 1 haul bikes. O I live in Georgia, so i thought about putting a cottton picker on front.


Sounds like you had an easy time installing it. 

Since the snow finally melted away today, I took the opportunity to hook up my motorcycle trailer to see how everything worked. I measured the tongue weight at 210lbs and it did not lower the rear of the car by much. I didn't take a test drive as the car was clean and there was lots of standing water from the melting snow. 

I posted some photos of the car with the trailer attached at: http://www.tanglewoodbrushstrokes.com/kawasaki_1600_classic.htm

We raise cotton in this area as well so I like you cotton picker idea. What a practical car the GTO is turning out to be!!!


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## bioinformaticus (Aug 6, 2004)

jerhofer said:


> We raise cotton in this area as well so I like you cotton picker idea. What a practical car the GTO is turning out to be!!!


A quicker cotton picker... arty: 

The posts on the hitch and install were great.. thanks!


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## Luth (Sep 28, 2004)

jerhofer said:


> I posted some photos of the car with the trailer attached at: http://www.tanglewoodbrushstrokes.com/kawasaki_1600_classic.htm


Whoa, you pull that around...

I have one of these for my bike. Well something like that anyway. I have an older version of it.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

Luth said:


> Whoa, you pull that around...
> 
> I have one of these for my bike. Well something like that anyway. I have an older version of it.


That is a clever trailer.

We also use our trailer for my wife's business. She sells her artwork at shows and we have to haul the paintings, her tent, and various other odds and ends to the show. That's why I bought this trailer. Not to mention that the bike stays clean when I haul it.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

BLACKTHUNDERGTO said:


> I was thinkin of attachin a plow to my GTO for the winter...JK just as stupid as a hitch


This is where I think I am going with my GTO styling!

Check out those pipes, man!!!!!

Do you think I might be a *******????


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## cclerc (Sep 1, 2005)

*Big Help*

I just bought the same hitch and used the instructions you wrote as well as the pictures in the link. Works great! I would not have attempted it without!


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

cclerc said:


> I just bought the same hitch and used the instructions you wrote as well as the pictures in the link. Works great! I would not have attempted it without!


Great ! Glad I could be some help to you.


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## LIVEVIL (Sep 9, 2005)

I solved the problem of storage room by purchasing a suv


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## HTRDLNCN (Jul 1, 2005)

I am getting one as well. I wantto be able totow a reasonably sized trailer to race meets with my tools,jacks,slicks and spare parts in it.

Funny how 20-30 years ago noone though twice about towing a trailer or boat with the family coupe/car now everyone thinks you need a 6000lb battletank to tow a jetski.Pathetic. The aussies have it right,,Most holdens/monaros come from the factorythere with a 3500lb hitch installed. Youll notice in most of the pictures from down under the distinct lack of aircraft carrier sized suvs running around like here. With vehicles like the ute and the tonner they have the perfect idea. Utility without futility. 
Of course once gas gets to $5 a gallon here maybe people here will finally get a clue.


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## mjc (Sep 7, 2005)

I'm SO glad I found this site and these posts about trailering. As a one-car family we've been having to beg friends to help us with our jetski all summer. Now that I know I can tow it myself I'll be much happier. We had a hitch on our T-bird for years and never had a problem. In fact it also saved us from the park-by-feel method New Yorkers love so much.

Has anyone had a dealer install a hitch?


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## HTRDLNCN (Jul 1, 2005)

Holdens info on towing with the Monaro/GTO below:

http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/action/modelaccessories?aid=20590&&modelid=12001&bitmask=1
Towing
Holden provides a full range of towing equipment to suit your towing needs. Towing packages rated 1600kg(3520lbs) with a range of towing accessories are available. Tow bars have been specifically designed to meet stringent Australian Design Rules therefore only Holden approved tow bars are covered by Holden's warranty. For more information regarding specific requirements, please contact your Holden Dealer.


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

HTRDLNCN said:


> I am getting one as well. I wantto be able totow a reasonably sized trailer to race meets with my tools,jacks,slicks and spare parts in it.
> 
> Funny how 20-30 years ago noone though twice about towing a trailer or boat with the family coupe/car now everyone thinks you need a 6000lb battletank to tow a jetski.Pathetic. The aussies have it right,,Most holdens/monaros come from the factorythere with a 3500lb hitch installed. Youll notice in most of the pictures from down under the distinct lack of aircraft carrier sized suvs running around like here. With vehicles like the ute and the tonner they have the perfect idea. Utility without futility.
> Of course once gas gets to $5 a gallon here maybe people here will finally get a clue.


Even towing the trailer, the GTO is more fun to drive than an SUV. Just depends on how often you will be towing and how much weight you have to pull. That power really comes in handy if you get behind slow traffic on two lane roads.

I recently purchased a motorcycle in Tulsa and hauled my 6 x 12 enclosed motorcycle trailer from SE Missouri, about 400 miles. Absolutely no issues. I just changed jobs, but my last company car was a Dodge Magnum RT with the trailer towing package which included rear load leveling and a much heavier hitch. Having used both cars to pull similar loads, I felt the GTO actually did a better job. Running 10 over the speed limit, the GTO had better gas mileage as well as compared to the Magnum. 12.7mpg in the GTO and 10.7mpg in the Magnum running similar speeds and loads.


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## bradz24 (Sep 14, 2005)

HTRDLNCN said:


> I am getting one as well. I wantto be able totow a reasonably sized trailer to race meets with my tools,jacks,slicks and spare parts in it.


I have been towing a small tire trailer behind mine and I can't even tell its there.. . I used an old waverunner trailer for mine. a small tool box on it.3'x2'x2' and all my tools, jack, and stuff fit in it and I put my slicks on it.


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## Tacmedic (Feb 24, 2006)

*I don't understand why...*

...people get so worked up over this topic. The car has 400hp. Pulling a small trailer is not a big deal. I like cars and motorcycles and my wife and I do track days on the bikes. I have no use for an SUV, nor do I have the room for it. It's a car, for christ sake. If you want to put it in a museum, why even drive it? Just seal it under glass


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## jerhofer (Oct 16, 2004)

*Tacmedic*

I do still have the installation photos but not where I can get to them currently. We are in the process of moving and they are on our desktop at our other house. I will be there this weekend and have put a reminder on my Outlook to send them to you. What e-mail address do you want me to use?


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## Tacmedic (Feb 24, 2006)

jerhofer said:


> I do still have the installation photos but not where I can get to them currently. We are in the process of moving and they are on our desktop at our other house. I will be there this weekend and have put a reminder on my Outlook to send them to you. What e-mail address do you want me to use?


Send them to medic1502 at comcast.net. No hurry. Thanks!


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

^^^Hey *Tacmedic* You might want to PM him your email address. I might send you some pictures of guys in backward thongs.


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## Tacmedic (Feb 24, 2006)

gm4life said:


> ^^^Hey *Tacmedic* You might want to PM him your email address. I might send you some pictures of guys in backward thongs.


Do you have any nude pictures of Ernest Borgnine?:lol:


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

Tacmedic said:


> Do you have any nude pictures of Ernest Borgnine?:lol:


I won't go there. :lol:


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## Cottonfarmer (Jul 11, 2005)

Tacmedic said:


> ...people get so worked up over this topic. The car has 400hp. Pulling a small trailer is not a big deal. I like cars and motorcycles and my wife and I do track days on the bikes. I have no use for an SUV, nor do I have the room for it. It's a car, for christ sake. If you want to put it in a museum, why even drive it? Just seal it under glass


I was going to reply to this thread until I read your post. You said it so well that all I can add is "ditto". -Jim


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## lackneramanda (Jul 7, 2011)

I am looking for a front hitch receiver so that I can use motorcycle haulers on the front and back so that we can travel with our Vespas with out needing a trailer. But I have looked and looked and can't seem to track down a front receiver...


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## Poncho Dan (Jun 30, 2009)

A hitch for the _front_ of the car?


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