WTB Trailer Hitch

[J A Blazer]

I am in the market for a new or used trailer hitch for my recently acquired 2000 Outback wagon. There appear to be three different brands: Valley, Curt, and Hidden Hitch. Is there any real difference between these in terms of ease of installation, quality, and durability?

[PAezb]

I am in the market for a new or used trailer hitch for my recently acquired 2000 Outback wagon. There appear to be three different brands: Valley, Curt, and Hidden Hitch. Is there any real difference between these in terms of ease of installation, quality, and durability?

 

I installed a Hidden Hitch on my 05 OBW, easy enough though a second person would have saved sore muscles the next day from lifting/aligning/holding the hitch while on my back

 

Look at http://www.etrailer.com

 

They rate the ease of installation and time with the various hitch brands to the brand/model vehicle (Subaru's tend to be pretty easy)

 

If I remember, there are only a couple of facilities that actually manufacture for the difference brand names, so quality/durability should be similar. However, some brand styles may change how the hitch looks on the vehicle. That's what was the final factor for the Hidden Hitch choice on mine.

[unverviking]

I am in the market for a new or used trailer hitch for my recently acquired 2000 Outback wagon. There appear to be three different brands: Valley, Curt, and Hidden Hitch. Is there any real difference between these in terms of ease of installation, quality, and durability?

 

I've got a DALAN on my 01 OBW and I had it installed at a local shop, for $258.00 with wiring included. I found that I couldn't install it myself for that price. The only difference I found in looking at them is the routing of the hitch around the muffler's tailpipe.

 

Good Luck

[Zephyr]

I installed a Hidden Hitch on my 05 OBW, easy enough though a second person would have saved sore muscles the next day from lifting/aligning/holding the hitch while on my back

 

Look at http://www.etrailer.com

 

They rate the ease of installation and time with the various hitch brands to the brand/model vehicle (Subaru's tend to be pretty easy)

 

If I remember, there are only a couple of facilities that actually manufacture for the difference brand names, so quality/durability should be similar. However, some brand styles may change how the hitch looks on the vehicle. That's what was the final factor for the Hidden Hitch choice on mine.

 

You don't happen to have a trailer hitch mounted bike rack do you? I want to go with the hidden hitch on my 05 LW and I'm wondering if the bike rack connector is long enough to meet with the hitch. Although I want class 2 and the rack is class 1 so I might be able to add some extra length with the adapter.

[PAezb]

You don't happen to have a trailer hitch mounted bike rack do you? I want to go with the hidden hitch on my 05 LW and I'm wondering if the bike rack connector is long enough to meet with the hitch. Although I want class 2 and the rack is class 1 so I might be able to add some extra length with the adapter.

 

 

No, I put the bikes up on the roof with a Thule rack/bike mounts. Having worked at a local bike shop years ago, some of the customers commented that they had installed a heavier class hitch to accommadate the 2" receiver models of bike racks - having a sense of security in strength of the larger tubing. I don't think it is necessarily a concern, but watch how far you extend that receiver if it's the 1-1/4" tubing, especially if you have a 4-6 bike capacity rack.