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This fully welded, corrosion-resistant vehicle trailer hitch receiver is perfect for your light-duty towing needs. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. Drawbar sold separately.
Features:
Specs:
Draw-Tite's Tested Tough program provides testing standards far superior to those outlined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the go-to source for engineering professionals.
Each Draw-Tite trailer hitch receiver undergoes extensive fatigue testing and static testing with the ball mount that is either supplied or recommended for use with that particular hitch, thus ensuring results that are applicable to real life use. Fatigue testing is also conducted on hitches rated for use with weight-distribution systems.
In addition, Draw-Tite performs static testing on a simulated automobile, as opposed to the rigid fixture used for SAE testing, resulting in a more true-to-life scenario.
At etrailer.com we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
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Videos are provided as a guide only. Refer to manufacturer installation instructions and specs for complete information.
Today on this 2012 Fiat 500 we're going to install part number 24873 from Draw-Tite. This is what the hitch looks like once it's in stalled on our Fiat. Next we'll give some measurements to help you out in selecting some accessories, such as bicycle rack or a cargo carrier. From top of the receiver opening down to the ground is about 11 inches. From the center of the hitch pin hole to the edge of the bumper is about 2 1/2 inches. Now I'll show you how the hitch is installed. First thing we do is double check to see if this car has a spare tire or not. In this vehicle it does not.
If it did have a spare tire you'd have to lower a spare tire and the spare tire lift. We'll remove 2 fascia mounting screws at the bottom of the fascia. Once we have them removed, we can see how we can move the bumper cover around to give us some extra working room. Next we have to lower the muffler. There will be 2 muffler hangers by the tailpipe that we'll have to spray down with some lubricant and pry one off. We have our inboard hanger removed prying it off and then we'll do our outboard hanger.
It's kind of hard to see. With everything out of the way we can start installing the plates that will hold the hitch up. Then there's a bolt width install going towards the front of the vehicle on the passenger side. Also, before we install the plate, install 1 of the bolts. It will be 1/2 inch by 4 inch long carriage bolt.
Place 2 plates on top of your bumper support. This will be between the bumper structure itself and where it goes into the frame. Then we'll install the 2nd bolt. Before we install these, make sure that the plate is oriented in the correct way so it matches the hitch once we put it up. We're done with the passenger side, repeat the same process over on the driver's side. We can start installing the hitch.
It's a good idea to get an extra set of hands to help pull back the bumper cover and slide the hitch into place. We have to work it around the mounts for the bumper support, then we'll hold it to the bolts and install a conical tooth washer and nuts. When installing the hardware make sure that the teeth on the conical tooth washers should be facing toward the hitch. It also may be a good idea to use a jack to help hold the hitch as well while we do this. Once we have all the hardware installed in the floor bolts we'll make sure the hitch is centered on the vehicle. Once it's centered, snug it down to help keep it from moving around any more. Then there's a bolt we have to install going towards the front of the vehicle and also there's a little bit of space as well. In between the hitch and frame we'll get a 1/2 inch washer. In this case, our hitch arm is off a little bit so we're using an alignment tool to line it up and install our hardware. Then we'll install an 8mm bolt and a conical tooth washer. Once we're satisfied the hitch is centered and is sitting the way we want it, tighten down the bolts for good. Torque the bolts down as specified in the instructions. On the bolts that go around the bumper support, you want to do this in steps. Make sure you have even pressure on both sides. With the hitch installed completely, re-install the exhaust and also the screws for our fascia support. That's what it takes to install our hitch, part number 24873 on our 2012 Fiat 500. .
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars (98 Customer Reviews)
This fully welded, corrosion-resistant vehicle trailer hitch receiver is perfect for your light-duty towing needs. Draw-Tite's Tested Tough guarantee ensures that this hitch exceeds industry standards. Drawbar sold separately.
I’ve owned this for a year and travelled across the country with a trailer on a fiat 500. I went beyond the weight limit for my car and hitch, and it went flawlessly. I’m a mechanic, so I wouldn’t recommend everyone should do this, but the hitch is still holding up strong. If you’re thinking about this hitch, I’d just buy it. It took about 1 1/2 to install and if you’ve worked around a fiat 500 before, you’ll need no warning to know some of the bolts are in some tight spots. It’s not the hitch, it’s the fiat.
I purchased the Draw-Tite Sportframe trailer hitch receiver from etrailer with hopes that their description of the ease of installing it were accurate. I am happy to report the description was dead on. The hitch went on easily, and the video helped. It is solid, no rattles, and a good fit. You barely notice the hitch is there.
I plan on using the receiver to attach a rod rack to my Fiat to save wear and tear on my truck. Once i get the rack I'll be all set to hit my fishing spots incognito.
This trailer hitch fits my 2015 Fiat 500e perfectly without any needs to drill additional holes. It took about 45 minutes to install if you are handy. The Fiat 500e is not designed to tow anything so the trailer hitch is really to hold my bike rack since it's designed to latch on to the left/right bumber brackets and to the right side of uni-body above the spare tire mount. If the hitch is re-designed to attach to both side of the uni-body, then I would consider towing a very lite weight trailer but I will not with the current design.
It'd helped to watch the eTrailer installation video to a 2012 Fiat 500, on YouTube. The 500e does not have a spare-tire mount nor a muffler so it is easier to install since you would skip those steps.
I had search the internet for an inexpensive trailer hitch and I am glad some dude recommended this particular hitch for the 500e and it fits! The best part of this whole installation is that you can remove the hitch and return the vehicle to the original configuration.
Mark
5/6/2015
Hi: I to have the 500E and am very interested in this hitch as the trunk mount is a risk to the window. Di you need to buy anything else such as the hitch mount Have you tried 2 bikes? does it drain the battery excessive/ Thanks
The trailer hitch I purchased for our Fiat 500 Sport is perfect. The installation was straight forward and went as expected. The hitch has performed well being used to tow our tear drop trailer.
Greg
4/14/2020
Sold car. But known to be still working.
As always everything fits like a glove. This is for our tow car (2015 Fiat)
So that we can take bikes with us down south. This matches the base plate and tow bar we got from etrailer which, too, fit perfect
Larry
5/20/2022
Performed well for the bike carrier. We now have 2 electric bike that weighs in a 60# each plus a heavier carrier. Handles it well. Hitch is stable with the anti rattle bracket. Did have to convert to a 2” receiver but is still under the 200# tongue weight
Easy to install, and much heavier duty than I expected. However, the receiver isn't deep enough. None of my hitch accessories can go in far enough for the pin holes to line up. I'll need to either cut them all shorter or drill a new hole.
Mike L.
5/28/2019
Draw-Tite welds or punches a stop into the receiver tube of their Class I hitches to prevent higher-rated Class II accessories from being used in a Class I hitch and possibly being overloaded. This is intentionally done as a safety measure. The distance between the pin hole and the end of the shank on a Class I accessory is longer than that of a Class II, so the end will hit the stop before the hitch pin holes will line up.
Joseph B.
5/26/2020
After my previous review I was informed that the concern I had about the reciever not being beep enough was because this is a class one, and the attachments I have are class 2, though they are the same size. I guess I just assumed that class one is smaller than 2, but I was incorrect. Had I known this at the time, I would have given 5 stars. After one year, the hitch is still working as expected.
Great quality. Fairly easy to install. Great video instructions online. Has worked very well for over a year now. Would highly recommend this hitch.
Hitch P.
3/2/2021
All good. No issues at all. Would recommend.
The trailer hitch for a Fiat 500 arrived in good time, with no damage to the carton at all. The greatest amount of time I spent was in the assumption that I was doing something wrong, instead of the hitch being out-of-spec. I suspect there was poor quality control at the manufacturer rather than "flexing in transport," given the rigidity of the steel, and the fact that there was no damage to the shipping carton, nor any marring of the paint.
Our regular auto shop did not want to install the hitch, but I was able to do it myself.
Installation tips:
1) Do not fish the 1-3/4" bolt through the chassis until the last step. If it gets lost in the chassis, you'll have to take everything apart to get it out.
2) My muffler had a heat shield on it, and didn't look exactly like the installation video. Note, if you have small hands, it is possible to install the plates on the bumper supports WITHOUT loosening the muffler at all. Taking off and putting the muffler back on is a job in itself, especially if you just have the car on ramps. The fish wire can be used to help guide the plates into position, if your hand won't reach in there.
3) You will need a 3/4" DEEP socket to tighten the nuts all the way later, but only put them on very loosely for now.
4) Take off the tire lift and see how well the 1/2" hole aligns with the matching hole on the hitch. If, after wiggling and bullying the hitch as much as you can, it does not align, note how far off it is, and in what direction. The picture below is NOT of how the hitch should be installed -- the tire lift is shown on top only to illustrate how far off the actual hole in the chassis was. Then take the whole hitch off, and bend it into shape according to etrailer's suggestion. Or take it to an auto body shop if you don't have the tools or strength.
5) Do a trial fit again. If it doesn't align, bend it more. ONLY when the hole by the tire lift is perfectly aligned, should you take off the rubber plug and fish the 1-3/4" bolt through the chassis. Then put on the washer and nut, the other bolts and nuts for the tire lift, and tighten the bumper support nuts securely.
The hitch went on with just one kink. On the right tab that extends forward, the smaller hole for the bolt to the pre-threaded hole on the frame, needs to be oversized by 0.125" Diameter. The large bolt (the one you feed with the fish wire) fit perfectly but the smaller bolt was 1/16" off center and the hold had to be widened. No amount of twisting and repositioning would get it to line up, but the big bolt was perfectly centered. Aside from that it bolted up nice and tight.
Here is a picture with the #63120 bike rack I also ordered from etrailer.
And finally, my hat is off to your shipping people. They did a masterful job of getting both the hitch and the bike rack securely in the carton. Fantastic and creative packing!
Poor Tolerances = Impossible Proper Installation.
Unfortunately, the trailer hitch receiver was manufactured with the square crossmember extending across the outermost driver-side mounting plate in such a way that precluded the use of a washer on the mounting hole (photo attached). (This alone is worth returning the trailer hitch receiver)
To test fit, I omitted the washer and used the bolt alone. It had enough clearance to turn, but was tight with the socket wrench.
I then found that the body attachment bolts at the bumper support, extend rearward and interfere with the carriage bolts (photo attached). I ground off the excess portion of the body attachment bolt to accommodate for the carriage bolt. With the two brackets snug on the bumper support, I found that the forward attachment arm was 1" below the frame of the vehicle (photo).
Lastly, the product arrived with chips in the paint and in generally not with that 'shiny new' look. This didn't upset me as much as it surprised me. Happily, there were no etrailer or Draw-Tite stickers.
Contacted support to get replacement trailer hitch receiver that will accommodate the washer on the outermost driverside mounting bracket. Hopefully, the other tolerance issues will resolve themselves as well and maybe, just for fun, the replacement will have that 'new and shiny' look.
Was apprehensive but had to get things done and doing it myself. The e trailer kit was well thought out and I did install it myself. The install and wiring kit have functioned flawlessly. I did study a few u-tube videos and learned more as I went along ,,,hitch is solid and wiring kit performing perfectly. I believe there is etrailer tech support which I didn’t need .
i just had the time to install the hitch. instruction ware excellent i also watch the how to video witch was excellent and very accurate..the hitch looks good and does not look bulky great product, only thing i can say is regarding the online order process.. would have like it best of the online order process was able to tell of the product was in stock or out of stock instead of finding out after i place the order... other then that product is excellent customer service was also excellent thank you...
Let me just say, the product fit as described, and once installed looks good. Installation was straight forward and the hardest part was getting the muffler brackets off to lower the muffler. The only problem I had was instead of packing 5 1/2-13 nuts and 5 1/2 washers the manufacture packed 5 extra 1/2 x 2" carriage bolts which didn't go anywhere. A quick trip to the hardware store and I was back in business. I don't intend to tow anything but this will allow me to take our bikes along when we travel.
Hitch and bike rack work great. Excellent service good products
Great stuff. Installed in 30 minutes by myself. Put the car on ramps and popped it in.
The hitch and installation worked out fine. One problem was when I inserted my bike rack into the receiver, the rack would not go far enough into the receiver for the pin to slide through. I had to cut about an inch off of the bike rack. Later, I tried to insert a hitch ball into the receiver with the same result. I will need to cut about an inch off the hitch ball. Upon inspection, it appears the receiver has some welding slag inside the receiver which is stopping any attachement about an inch short.
Katrina B.
7/25/2022
I have contacted the manufacturer and I have found a solution for you! This seems to be a defect of some excess slag when welding. We recommend taking a file and filing down that excess slag, Then cover that filed area with some rust resistant paint. This will not affect your towing or tongue weight.
Installed perfectly on our 2015 Fiat 500 convertible. I don’t have a spare tire so that made it super easy to install in 15 mins. I use a Thule 3 bike rack and have enjoyed the practicality ;)
A. R.
7/17/2020
Still very happy with the hitch ! Highly recommended! No signs of rust either
A. R.
7/17/2020
Still very happy with the hitch ! Highly recommended! No signs of rust either
A. R.
7/17/2020
Still very happy with the hitch ! Highly recommended! No signs of rust either
A. R.
7/17/2020
Still very happy with the hitch ! Highly recommended! No signs of rust either
Fourth product I have bought from e-trailer. As usual, it was perfect except for a 2015 Fiat 500 Pop, the four hanging bolts should be 1/2 inch longer. Great product, again. Thanks for providing a product for a vehicle that is not usually known for needing a trailer hitch.
Neugie
12/6/2017
The hitch is working great on our Fiat 500 Pop. We use it for a bike rack often as well as a light trailer for a motorcycle and lighter weight loads.
Fiat 500e. Bolt holes on the torque beam were off by a smidge but could be nudged into alignment with a pry bar. Overall the kit was great and I will be ordering again. The fish-wire to insert the blind bolt was really neat!
Easy install. Had good instructions. If you don't do any maintenance yourself, you might have a different opinion. We use it a lot. Mounted it on our FIAT 500e, and use it to haul two bikes on a double rack. The receiver has held its shape. Great little hitch.
Troy
3/7/2019
Still have the car and the hitch. Still a solid product and purchase. Lowering my FIAT this summer. It fits closely under the rear damn but I have concern that it might drag in certain situations. Not a fault of the hitch or its design. . . . and it may not drag. Only time will tell.
Fits perfect for a fiat 500 sport. Have a small trailer and have hauled more stuff than ever imagined. No issues at all with this hitch.
Best customer service from any company I have ever ordered from! The timeline from order to picking to shipping and delivery was excellent. All displayed with associate names and pictures. Great prices, free shipping and fast service. Who needs A****n.
1.Product was delivered promptly.
2.Installation instructions included aren’t worth the paper they are written on, video is 100% better.
3.I had to drill the hole bigger on the hitch for the screw that goes into the frame.
4.3 hours installation time, 2 hours and 20 minutes was messing with the rubber hangers and trying to get them off.
5.Installation was pretty simple and straightforward after watching the video.
6. Buy some muffler hanger remover pliers.
I bolted this bad boy up to my 2014 Fiat 500 with no difficulty whatsoever. The fit was find and the quality of the construction is great.
I did this by myself with the rear end up on ramps and it took me about an hour with air tools.
I would give it a two thumbs.
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Frank B.
8/11/2015
The hitch has lived up to its description. After a year and now having my rod rack installed I have to say I am extremely satisfied with the hitch and its performance.