Recommended Hitch and Suspension Upgrade for a 2018 Honda Odyssey

Question

Question:

To Whom It May Concern, We have a 2018 Honda Odyssey that we’ve added factory side rails and factory cross bars to the roof. With 4 kids and a dog we are starting to fill the thing up rather quickly and have never been able to take bikes or a boat kayak or canoe when we go camping. I’m looking at adding a hitch and see there are suspension improvements that would prevent the van from sagging as much when loaded. I’d like to explore what our options are for utilizing this van and hauling more, either on the roof or hitch. Can you help me with what are some good options? We currently have a 21 year old Thule cargo carrier we use that is about 7 92” long but that is it.

asked by: Adam B

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Expert Reply:

It sounds like you have your roof top completely covered that's a large cargo box. I would be surprised if you weren't at or over your roofs capacity with it fully loaded. To add a hitch to your 2018 Honda Odyssey, I recommend the etrailer Hitch item # e98855. This hitch is custom fit and bolts to your Honda with included hardware. It is a class III 2" which will give you the most options for accessories and the highest capacity for towing.

Suspension upgrade options for your van are pretty limited. The Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System item # T26FR has a 3,500 lbs capacity and will keep your van from sagging. These replace your factory bump stops and limit the amount of travel in your suspension. This is the best option available and it will take care of the sagging issues. The only drawback is they can stiffen up your rear suspension during daily driving.

With the 2" hitch installed you can use any of the following to bring more stuff like kids bikes or have more room inside your van.

Cargo Carrier - 24x60 etrailer Cargo Carrier for 2" Hitches item # e98874

Bike Rack - Hollywood Racks Destination Bike Rack for 4 Bikes item # HR4000

If you end up towing a trailer you will also need a wiring harness item # C56382 and a ball mount kit item # C45534.

I also recommend using the No-Drill Mount Bracket item # 18136 and the item # C42CR to secure the 4-way connector to your hitch. This will put it in an easy to reach spot and prevent the risk of it falling onto the road.

We had a bunch of installation and demonstration videos that we made on Honda Odysseys so I have linked them below. Feel free to email me back with any additional questions.

expert reply by: Jerred H

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Answer 1

The Thule bars on your 2008 Mercedes E350 wagon should be around 50 inches long. If you alternate directions on the bikes which is permissible you can get a few extra inches of space on the rack for a cargo box. The narrowest box that will fit…

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Answer 2

I recommend using the Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System #T26FR for your 2018 Honda Odyssey. Currently (June 2020) SumoSprings doesn't have a fit for your vehicle so we would need to get all of the measurements that you see in the…

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Answer 3

The Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System #T26FR will help to reduce the sag you are getting on your rear suspension of your 2022 Honda Odyssey. These hollow rubber springs provide stability to your stock suspension and will help to reduce…

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Answer 4

According to my research the only suspension enhancement system available for the 2018 Honda Odyssey is the Timbren Rear Suspension Enhancement System #T26FR. It obviously won't be as smooth as an air suspension but in order to ensure…

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Answer 5

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 6

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 7

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

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Answer 8

For sag from towing a trailer the best recommendation I can make is actually a weight distribution system. Suspension enhancement will help level your truck while towing. But the advantage to a weight distribution system is that it levels the vehicle…

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Answer 9

You will have to go with a sliding hitch to allow the trailer to make tight turns. For a trailer 8 feet wide the only bed length that's going to allow 90 degree turns without a slider is a stationary hitch. That being said you have two options.…

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Answer 10

Lance does have a proprietary plug, but many customers see a standard 6-way or 7-way round and notice it doesn't fit their factory 7-way as well. I've attached an article to help if you have one of the 7-way or 6-way round connectors which we…

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Answer 11

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 12

Class I and Class II hitches both have a 1-1/4 inch receiver opening. The difference is that a Class I hitch has a lower tongue weight rating, usually 200 pounds and a lower towing rating, usually 2,000 pounds. A Class II hitch usually has a tongue…

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