Help. No time to search extensively, have to decide a.s.a.p. (did a quick search, but found too little info) Someone's selling a 5172 Thule bike-hitch and another person is selling a bike-hitch-to-trailer-hitch conversion (just the round knob to fit on the bike-hitch). (They are very rarely for sale and I cannot use one without the other, so that's where the rush comes from: I either buy them both, or none, and one's waiting for an answer and the other I cannot reach). Together they are about 150€/200$, but they are both used (slightly rusty) AND there's no electronics or connectors. New is 300€, but I cannot find if this is for both or just the bike-hitch-part (5172). Do or don't? And the electronics: do I need gizmo's because just tapping into the wiring will cause errormessages about blown bulbs? (E.g. Volvo's seem to need this or the measuring-circuitry will think something's wrong if your blinker suddenly draws double the current). Can I find a schematic on which wires to tap into for the hitch-connector? Thanks!!!
Sorry I can't help on pricing, as I don't live in Europe. If it helps, I got a brand new hitch (no rust) installed for around $150 USD... As for the wiring, I simply tapped into the wires running to the tail lights, no gizmos, and my Prius doesn't complain nor am I having any problems with blown bulbs or fuses. I used the schematic in the back of my Haynes manual to determine wiring.
Thanks. That "150$ fitted" strikes a nerve... Is that with knob or just the bike-rack-compatible shaft? I know many things are pricier here in Europe (like the Model S*), but this bike-hitch thing is insane. I can hardly get rusty crap that I have to fit myself for the price you payed for a new fitted one. Yet I cannot find any cheaper options (new is ~275€ for without fitting, wiring and knob), so I guess I will go ahead if they are still available. *:Model S is 50k$ in the US? and closer to 60k€ here despite the VERY favourable exchangerate of 4€:5$ or better... (do note our price includes VAT/federal tax)
With neither. It's only for the receiver, into which one plugs either the tow hitch (what you call "knob") or the bike rack. Including wiring, tow hitch and assorted hardware, I was in for about $185 USD. If you need help finding parts, let me know, I can point you to what I got... I think it's available on Amazon. Do they ship to Netherlands?
do not know, never used Amazon. But thanks for the offer! I bought the receiver-part (~100$, page 1, left upper bar-thinghy), the 'knob' that fits on it had been sold already. Now I am trying to find what I need for the wiring. There's a 7 pin set for <10€ and a 13 pin set for 130€ sold by the maker of the receiver (Thule) that is advised for the Prius.(Page 53 of above linked PDF) The first is a simple set used on many brands of cars, just the European 7pin socket and some loose wires you have to clamp on the wiring near the rear-light clusters. The other set has some intelligence like 'knowing' when the foglight is on and switching it off on the car and clips right into the sockets. Since I'm doing it on the cheap, I'll go for the 10€ set. Maybe add some Camry connectors (if I can find them, Camry's are rare here) for ease of fitting. I should be ably to whip up some electronics to prevent e.g. the indicators from changing frequency and to add the fog-light intelligence, but haven't given that too much thought. I'll try to update once I get any further.
For lights wiring they sell a kit that plugs right into the rear lamps and has an extra power supply that supplies power to the trailer lights. No chopping or clamping into the existing Prius wires. Thats what I am using with my Curt hitch. Do not chop into the wire harness and parallel the trailer lights with the rear lights. Here you go: http://www.etrailer.com/t1-2007_Toyota_Prius.htm
Camry connectors Could anyone have a quick look around if they can be found for peanuts? (the 6-pole connector+socket , 2 sets) I cannot locate them here. I did find complete sets (link1 link2) but..... they undoubtedly have the american flashing (rear-lights/brake-lights and indicators are the same bulb, where in Europe we have separate indicator bulbs), so I doubt the unit is any good to me.
Finally got to fit it after rustproofing it. I know now why it is kinda expensive... No problems with the exhaust, and even the shield on the left of the Prius only has to be modified slightly to get it to fit. If I had known, I could have taken some of the metal off and no modifications whatsoever would have been needed. Original towing-eye put back, and small cutout in the 'shield' thingy. When seeing it now, I'm not sure it would have been wise to remove that much metal to keep the shield intact. There would have been plenty left, but still. 3" of 1/2" thick steel are better than just 2"... The stock 'exhaust guide' is bent downward a little, but I cannot see this cause any deformation of the bumper like with some older design US trailerhitches. The white paper is kitchen-towels that have stuck onto the anti-rust spray (which is why I put them there, to be able to lift the thing without getting oily handss), but meh. It's under the car... Who cares... I've even mailed EVNUT from the Camry-connectors link himself, but he cannot find me the connectors either, so I guess I will be hacking into the wiring shortly
