Hitch for 97 Legacy OB Wagon

[outback_97]

http://www.etrailer.com/products.asp?category=hitch&year=1997&make=Subaru&model=Legacy&t1=&h=e&style=Outback+Wagon&ob=

 

Any comments from experienced board members who have towed re: which of these two hitches shown via the link (Draw-Tite vs. Hidden Hitch) is better, and why? Any difference at all? They are very similar in price and design just looking at the small photos, but the Draw-Tite looks a bit beefier, it's hard to tell.

 

If I can't find a good deal on a used hitch for my OB (I posted in the classifieds here, plus Nasioc, plus SLC craigslist) then I think I'll just get a new one from the place linked above.

 

Thanks for any info or feedback you might have regarding these hitches or the vendor.

 

Steve

 

edit: I called etrailer re: the yellow stars next to the name of the mfg on their website search results, that's just the popularity of the product. So apparently they've sold more of the Draw-Tite.

[frag]

I have a Draw-Tite on my car and it looks very beefy and very solidly bolted to the under carriage. It might depend on the model, but mine exceeds by a ration of 3 the towing capacity of the car. The car's owner manual says 1,000 pounds max towing weight (without trailer brakes) and the hitch can take 3,000 ; the car's owner manual says a limit of a 100 pounds tongue weight and the hitch can take 300.

[Commuter]

My 97OB has a Draw Tite hitch. The original owner put it on. I've never used myself except for a bike carrier a couple of times. Seems pretty sturdy, just from looking at it.

 

Commuter

[outback_97]

Called the local Uhaul and they have hitches (which they can order in) for $130, so again about the same price... but no shipping fee. Plus, the wiring is a little cheaper too... $17 as opposed to $35 or so.

 

I don't want to go cheap on a part that could be dangerous if it fails, but I would think the Uhaul product would be decent, maybe even made by one of the other manufacturers already listed. I asked which company makes the hitches for them... the kid at the store said Uhaul does, in Arizona. That seems unlikely, but maybe they do make their own.

 

Steve

[Smpol19]

I've got a U-haul one on my impreza OBS looks exactly like the draw tite for the same car so I would bet they are made by Draw tite. The guy at the u-haul place told me but i can't remember what he said. Anyway I had a good experience with it, cost me around $200 for the hitch, drawbar, ball, and wiring harnes and the whole thing has a lifetime warenty. I think it would have worked out to about $20 less to get it from e-trailer and install it my self but I figured it was worth the $20 for the time saved and the lifetime warenty.