I just installed the Curt 11468 trailer hitch to haul by bicycles, and purchased the Thue bike rack to go with it. I used it this weekend and its very solid, bikes don't move and you have access to the rear hatch. It was a great purchase and I installed it with a friends help. It would be hard to install the hitch without an extra set of hands to hold it up. Wally
I concur on the installation point, I ended up needing a second set of hands. After installing 3 of the 4 bolts, I also needed a bottle jack to get the last bolt hole to line up. Now that it's installed, I don't know what I'd do without it! Putting it to work! I seem to be having less and less need for my Chevy Silverado 2500HD pickup! The trailer is a 1955 Hilltop Boat Trailer, and light enough to pick up when unloaded.
Thanks for the pics! I've been debating whether or not I want to get a hitch on my Prius and I think your pics are swaying me in that direction. Really, I want it to carry bikes, so I'm not sure if I do that or some sort of rear window / trunk mount thing. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to share this with us!
I was able to install mine easily with one set of hands and my faithful Makita impact driver. I used both legs to support the hitch while I partially screwed in a bolt; once you get one bolt in, it is smooth sailing from there. I made sure to use some lock-tite as well.
If my hitch hadn't been delivered to me in pre-bent condition, I would have been able to install it myself, however trying to hold a piece of wood and a bottle jack while installing bolt #4 was a little too much to handle I tried lining up the last bolt hole with the first 3 bolts backed out several turns, but it just wasn't happening. I've seen other threadson this topic, it seems the curt hitches are known for not lining up that well from the factory.
Mine was very slightly bent, but not enough to complicate the installation at all. I guess I got lucky
Hi guys... This is a great thread, and LDPosse thanks for the great pictures! Nice job on the hitch install. I do have a question, though. I notice that your signature shows that you get an avg of 40.9 MPG. I am the new owner of a 2007 Prius (which I love!) and am knocking around the idea of a hitch vs. a trunk rack (mainly to carry three bikes). As a new Prius driver who hasn't even studied hypermiling yet, I'm getting an average of 53 mpg and that's on trips over hill and dale in Maine along with the local city driving. I'm wondering if installing a hitch will cut my beautiful MPG average! Seriously, I understand that there will be a hit when I'm actually towing something, including a single bike. But I mean the hitch itself.... Do you see a hit to your consumption simply by having the hitch installed? I wouldn't think so, but think it's worth asking someone who knows more than I do about these things. which is basically everyone. ;-) Thank you!
I haven't noticed much difference in MPG with the hitch installed. My MPG is just low in general, mainly due to my short commute to work (4 miles 1 way) and the fact that alot of my driving is on back roads that are excessively hilly/twisty. My best tank since the hitch was installed was 53 MPG. I generally do not use hypermile techniques in my driving. With the trailer installed, I don't notice much difference in MPG until my speed exceeds approx 50 MPH. At 70 MPH, the drop in MPG is very noticeable, barely flirting with 40 MPG. EDIT : I just updated my fuelly account for the first time since I installed the hitch. My average MPG went from 40.9 to 41.6...
