Trailer Hitch Installed
 

There have been many posts about how to add a trailer hitch to a Crossfire but I thought I'd start my own thread rather than tacking a post onto the end of a long thread that might be difficult to find.

Like others, I bought a Curt hitch for a Cadillac CTS wagon and then had it modified to fit onto the bottom of the belly of the rear compartment.

The sheet metal on the belly is incredibly thin and flexible. After installing the hitch and mounting my Thule T2 bike rack, I found that I could pull up and down on the rack and move it 8 - 9 inches. And with a couple of bikes installed, it drooped too much.

So, I added some steel extension plates that go between the rack and the body that extend to the lateral ridge in the skin. It firmed things up incredibly and also kicked the back up a couple of degrees which helped.

I've only used it to haul my bike which is likely more demanding than pulling that small Harbor Freight trailer since it's mostly vertical motion. So far so good.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Very nice bike rack! And like you mentioned, a lot of cantilevered force on your Fulcrum. Avoid bumps and Potholes:p.
Maybe to assist with support, you could use two small nylon ratchet straps on each side of rack, and go up under the trunk lid and devise a good cushioned hold down attachment on the back wall somehow?

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

It's actually very solid and working wonderfully now. And you're right, the Thule T2 is a brilliant rack.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Glad to hear it's working well for you. My dad was an engineer, and I guess I inherited his propensity for analyzing the weak link; (sheet metal fulcrum).

Trailer Hitch Installed
 

X-fired, I'm aware this was accomplished awhile ago but hope you can fill in some of the missing parts.


I have the Cadillac trailer hitch and Silver Spring wheelchair carrier along with the Curt 45030 Class 3 Ball Mount coming next week.


On yours there is a vertical pin. What did you order to receive that? And should the ball have a 1.25" thread diameter size.


Am I missing anything other than hardware?


You did a great job on yours.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Hey Biba. I'm happy to help but I'm not sure what vertical pin you are referring too.

Looking at the Silver Spring wheelchair carrier, it looks like it will insert directly into the square hitch tube so I'm not sure how the ball mount will be used since those are typically used for trailers.

Also keep in mind that I modified the Curt hitch quite a lot - I took it to a metal shop and had it welded. I probably have a drawing if you're interested.

My Thule bike rack inserts directly into the hitch tube and is secured with a screw/pin from the side.

In my post you'll see the steel plates I added to the bottom between the hitch and the belly of the Crossfire. Something like that will be critical to have, I think, if you have a load like a carrier and a wheelchair. Something on the interior that's more substantial than washers might help too.

Brett

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Hello,Curt hitch Cadillac CTS ,year? model? Do you have link?
Thank you.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Almost three years ago, good luck.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

You got it: CURT® 11013 - Class 1 Round Exposed Trailer Hitch with 1-1/4" Receiver Opening (carid.com)

But, as I noted previously, I cut off the brackets on the Curt hitch and welded on new ones.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Funny, I ordered that hitch almost exactly six years ago.

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

Thank you.:cool:

Re: Trailer Hitch Installed
 

God never forget me.:rouler des yeux: