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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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Average Customer Rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars (109 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 installed this on my 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 and it works great. It's VERY hidden on the Mazdaspeed (I'm guessing there's a bit more showing on a regular Mazda 3 hatchback), which is great for me. It's also sunk back pretty far under the bumper so you'll probably need an extended ball mount to use it for towing. Fortunately I'm only using it for a bike rack.
Be very careful when threading the fish wire with bolt attached into the bumper support frame, as I could see it being very easy to mess up.
Another thing that wasn't clear in the instructions was that you should drill out the rearward hole on the sides, not the front. I did the front first and the bolt and plate didn't properly seat.
Finally, a unibit/step drill bit makes drilling the holes VERY easy. If you have one, definitely use it. If you're going to buy a drill bit, buy one of those. If you already have the proper sized drill bit, I'm not sure I'd spend the money on a unibit, though.
This hitch fits perfectly on a 2009 Mazdaspeed 3. The hitch is well constructed and very sturdy once installed. So far I use it with a Curt cargo carrier. In the future I plan to also add a bike rack. I installed the hitch myself using a car jack to get it into position. To enlarge the holes to 1/2 in I used a black oxide drill bit going slowly then spray painted the bare metal black to reduce rusting. Once the hitch was in position I fished the horizontal bolts first and loosely put them on before moving to the vertical bolts. To fully tighten the horizontal bolts you will want a pretty long socket extension ideally with a wobble. In all it took about 1.5 hours and I could not be happier with the hitch.
Awesome trailer hitch, especially for the price.
I use it at least a couple times each week, between attaching my bike rack to attaching my luggage rack. Wonderful product.
My only issue is attaching my bike rack to it. But that is an issue of how low my car sits which makes it hard to attach. Vice anything wrong with the actual hitch. Lesson learned Mazda 3 sport is not a good fit for trailer hitches.
Anthony
2/24/2023
Great trailer hitch, use it a couple of times a week.
I received the hitch and had it installed quickly with the exception of 1 trip to the store. I have included a picture of the socket extensions required to tighten the two horizontal bolts which might be useful to others installing this hitch. I'm a pretty big guy and though I could barely fit my hands in the gap there was no way a wrench was getting in there. All in all it looks like it should work very well.
Also another note. For those of us installing this on a mazdaspeed3, you need the 9-9/16 inch drawbar to clear the bumper. The 7-1/2 inch bar is not long enough.
Great hitch. Although I don’t tow with it. It works well with my double platform mt bike rack. Love it!
This hitch has been awesome! Easy and quick install. My bike rack hooked up flawlessly and looks good. When the rack isn't attached you can barely see it. Plan on putting a hitch on all of my future cars. So much easier than a roof rack.
Great Value (2008 Mazda 3)This review is for a “Hidden Hitch”, Model 60201 installed on a 2008 Mazda 3, 4-Door sedan. The instructions for the 5-door Mazda 3 Hatchback are different but similar. The bolt hole locations used are different, so follow the directions carefully if you have the hatchback.
The Hitch itself is a very high quality item. Etrailer.com shipped it the same day via UPS and it arrived in 4 days. It was a present for my daughter so she could use a bike rack, which this hitch is more than adequate to handle. I wanted a strong hitch so she could pull a small u-haul trailer when she goes to college next year. This hitch meets both goals perfectly! Once installed, it lives up to the name "Hidden Hitch" as it is tucked in nicely under the bumper. The hitch bar itself is only visible if you get down low. The little rubber hitch cover was a nice bonus as a finishing touch to the project.
After installing the hitch, I posted a review on etrailer.com. I got a reply from Robert at etrailer.com as he was concerned that I did not install the hitch correctly. He had looked at the pictures I had posted. Now that’s customer service! Thanks, Etrailer. After discussing the install with Robert, I decided I needed to revisit the work I had done and make some changes.
I had originally used both holes in the bumper frame extensions.
(see image 1)
This put the hitch about 2 inches out of place (toward the front) and made it impossible to attach the two bolts on the bumper support bar.
(see image 2)
So, I uninstalled the hitch and started over, fishing the two bolts into the bumper bar, then mounting the hitch in place and hand tightening those bolts. Once the hitch is in place, fishing the bolts through the bumper extensions is a snap. The trick it to put the spiral end of the fish wire thru the hitch hole and frame side first, working it out to the opening between the two parts of the bumper bar. Attach the plate and the bolt and pull it home.
I applied some “Lock Tight” (medium) thread locker to the nuts to prevent them from coming loose prematurely. Now the four bolts are in the right location and the hitch looks great.
(see image 3 and 4)
If I had installed this right the first time, I think it would have taken me about 60 to 90 minutes to complete. I did it by myself with only the help of a floor jack to lift up one side of the car for more room to work.
I've installed several trailer hitches before and this was a little more difficult than others since Mazda does not provide threaded holes. Bottom line, if you are comfortable working on cars, this is a very doable project. If not, you can always try it yourself and if needed, take it to an installer to complete the job.
Fast as a bullet. Well packaged. Complete, Doesn't get much better Thanks
Easy to install. Liked the fact that it came with the cable pullers to pull the bolts through the frame to the holes and that the trailer wiring harness was Plug and Play
I am not an auto mechanic in any way, so unlike the other posts, it took me around 2 1/2 hours to get this installed with just a 1/2" drill bit, a cordless drill, and an 11/16th socket (and socket wrench). So I would say that if an amateur like me can do it, well then anyone can do it.
I purchased this for my Speed 3. It fits great on the car. Hidden would be an understatement. It is almost too hidden. If installing on a Speed 3 make sure you get a ball mount that is at least 9" from center of pin to center of ball hole. I got the 7 1/2" and the only way to get it to fit is to bend/compress the lower sill of the back bumper about an inch. I am going to have to return the mount and get the longer version.
Very quick shipping and straightforward instructions, take the time to get the clearance for your body to fit under the car and it will make the process easy. Car lift is not necessary if you don’t have access to one.
Fast service, great video help. Took about an hour to install. This is the 3rd hitch I have bought here and every time it has been a great experience.
Great hitch for the money. Arrived in a few days. Installation on my 2008 Mazda 3 5-door took 2 hours. I used ramps under the rear wheels to get the rear of car up and give me more room to work. The install was a fiddly job. Drilling out the 4 holes was straightforward. But fishing all the bolts through the steel beams took a while. A pair of skinny needle-nosed pliers helped. Getting the hitch in place without knocking the bolts out of their holes took some time. I had to leave the fish wires on the upper bolts while I put the hitch in place to avoid losing the bolts through the holes. I could not get my socket wrench to have any swing on the top bolts until I went to a very long extension with a wobble head. None of this is the hitch's fault, it just the way the Mazda 3 is. The install video was very helpful (the included instructions were not).
BTW - I ordered this hitch off of Amazon.com twice before I went to eTrailer. The first Amazon hitch was made by Reese. It was welded crooked so I sent it back. I then ordered a Draw-Tite hitch off of Amazon (same model as I got here from eTrailer). It arrived with zero packaging (just a tag with my address stuck on the hitch) and no installation kit. I emailed to ask that an installation kit be sent and they said they would have to talk to warehouse. I decided enough already and ordered the hitch from eTrailer. It came welded straight, with an installation kit, and was shipped in a box. I should have gone to eTrailer from the beginning, it would have saved me a lot of hassle.
Bill
6/11/2018
The hitch is still working great for me and I still plan to go with etrailer from the start the next time I need a hitch!
Excellent price and super fast shipping on this Drawtite hitch from etrailer! Installation was exactly as shown in the videos and I had drilled open the 4 holes with a step drill prior to receiving the hitch. A bit of patience is required to fish the two side bolts through the bumper beam but it worked out fine and the installed hitch looks very stout and is nearly hidden from view. I plan to use the hitch to pull a small trailer with dirt bikes, as well as miscellaneous yard waste.
Chrisb
5/25/2018
Hi, I still feel the same about the hitch and etrailers service, both were stellar! You have so much great info, reviews, tips, etc on your site that youre the one-stop-shop for me on this stuff. The hitch was a great addition, very handy to have and it opened up new opportunities for us even though its not a big towing vehicle.
This hitch is easy enough to install that I entrusted the process to a teenager. In all fairness, I teach at a vocational-technical high school with an automotive shop. One of my Junior students installed it and said it was a breeze. To prove the quality of his work, while the car was still on the lift, he performed 10 pull-ups! He said the process was easy and the directions were clear and succinct. The hitch is barely visible yet totally usable. It accepts my three-bike rack nicely and securely holds the weight.
Michael
10/25/2019
My bike hasn’t landed on the interstate so it’s still a great product that I confidently recommend.
Hitch and supplied hardware look great. My installation could have gone smoother though. More specific instructions to my model could have saved me from picking wrong holes to bore out on my frame rail. The installation graphic was clear on which hole on the hitch to use for my model (4 door Mazda 3) but not on the holes on the frame rail. For whatever reasons, this hitch installation went rougher than previous one I'd done on '07 Honda Accord. In the end, job done and the hitch fits well and is ready for use.
Bernie R.
12/30/2014
Im pleased. No problems to report after 1 year..
I have bought after recommendation from Etrailer hitch for my Mazda3 about a year ago. The challenge was that Mazda 3 manual page 4-15 says "The Mazda3 is not designed for towing. Never tow a trailer with your Mazda3." I have found on internet that Mazda 3 has been used for towing in UK. Talking a risk I did tow sailboat about 1400 lbs over distance 90 miles with no problems. Installing hitch was a little tricky with feeding screws using cables. Watching video from Etrailer was big help. Wiring harness installation kick me in the butt because I had turning signals revered so my left turning signal was right on the trailer. Not a problem to reconnect matching sides. No instructions to warm you about it. Overall install has worked for me saving me plenty of $$$ against auto body shop large charges. Thank you Etrailer.
very good product end easy to install thank you very much and I recommend this product and by the way the service is very good during buying and after.
Wasn't looking forward to lying on my back under my Mazda 3 to install this, but overall it went pretty well. After blocking both front wheels fore and aft, I jacked up the back end and supported it with jack stands.
Pulling the cable with the bolts attached wasn't too hard - it just required a lot of jiggling and a lot of patience.
Holding the hitch with one hand and putting on the first washer and nut with the other wasn't exactly easy either. Having a helper would have made that easier, but there's not a whole lot of working room under the car.
Like any job, the key is working slowly and not rushing. I didn't time myself, but it was definitely less than a 2 hour job start to finish.
Installed in about an hour. Here is a hint, feed the bolt wires into the hole with the curly end first, then attach the bolts and pull them thru. It was easy once I figured that out.
Ordered this for my 2006 Mazda 3 sedan and so far so good. Installation wasn't that bad - I picked up the best 1/2" drill bit I could from home depot (around $18) to bore out the holes and it worked great. The only thing is make sure you're wearing eye/ear/face protection because those little metal shavings get everywhere! Plus they're pretty hot too... That was pretty much the hardest part - using the fish wire to get the bolts thru was a little tricky but not too bad. So, pending delivery of the bike rack itself (it's taking a little longer than I was hoping...), I'm in pretty good shape and very excited to have this as opposed to the yakima king joe 2 I had before. Now I can use my trunk again!
While I could have installed this, I had the co-op across the street do it. The Mazda 3 is pretty low, and I'm glad I had the pros take care of it. The shop tech told me they had to grind out just one of the pre-drilled frame holes to get it to work, but it took two guys to get it all up and attached.
Huge win for etrailer.com - Nichole called and emailed me and said the original rack would not fit in this hitch BEFORE shipping! That was some of the best customer service ever.
The products came quickly and the trailer hitch is a great fit on our 2006 Mazda 3 5 Door. We had trouble installing the hitch on the car due to tight clearances and losing the bolt in the frame a couple of times. It took two of us an hour to install with the car on ramps. This installation is not for people with large hands due to the tight clearance to start the nuts on the bolts. We have been using the hitch to carry four bikes for our weekly rides.
I found your hitch and wiring kit to be excellent in quality and easy to install. I do have a couple of suggestions, though. Instructions for installing the hitch itself could have been better illustrated. They were somewhat confusingly drawn, and I used to use blueprints and drawings for my work routinely. I figured it out without them. I installed this hitch on my 2006 Mazda 3, and when done, found that I couldn't put the draw bar with ball into the hitch upside down to level out my trailer when being towed because it interfered with the bumper of my car. I bought the draw bar and ball from you too. My suggestion is to make the bar longer to clear the bumper, or to make the receiver come farther out the back. The wiring loom is a work of art, though. And the hitch virtually disappears under the bumper. Wonderful! Overall, money well spent.
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Derek L.
5/24/2018
A year later this hitch still works great. Ive since added trailer wiring to my car and used the hitch to haul small [rental] trailers around 1,500lbs with no issues. I got a curt 45592 2 ball hitch with a ~3 rise and ~11 ball center to hitch pin distance and it works great!