Concern with Exhaust Contact with DrawTite Hitch Installation for 2000 Buick Century Sedan  

Question:

Expert Reply:

We offer two different Draw-Tite hitch receivers than will fit the 2000 Buick Century sedan. 24659 (DISCONTINUED) is a light-duty Class I Sportframe hitch. Draw-Tite # 36374 is a full-size higher-capacity Class II hitch with a 3500-lb tow rating.

I suspect your concern with exhaust contact is in relation to hitch # 36374. If you refer to the linked installation video and reference the 3 minute and 10 second mark you will note that our installer points out that the bolts supplied by the hitch manufacturer are intentionally just long enough to make full thread contact but not so long that they would contact the muffler. Since hitch applications are vehicle-specific and the Draw-Tite engineers know where your stock exhaust will be they select appropriate hardware suited to your specific year/make/model car. Still there are ways to address hitch/exhaust contact detailed in the linked article.

All other things being equal I suggest that you opt for the higher-rated Class II hitch # 36374 since it offers substantially greater capacity. Even if you do not need that full capacity for your intended application it is always a good idea to have a safety margin whenever possible. This is true whether you are actually towing a trailer or using the hitch for a bike carrier. Please note that a Class I hitch can only carry two bikes, even if you have a carrier that holds 3 bikes.

If you plan to install the hitch yourself, you will need a torque wrench and may also want to use a fish wire like # 80101-1 and thread cleaner # DW00254. For your reference I have linked a video and article on hitch installation tips and also the written install instructions for both hitches.

If you intend to tow you will need a ball mount with the correct height to keep your trailer level, a hitch ball of the correct size to match your trailer coupler, a pin and clip and a wiring harness to transmit your Century tail light signals to the lights on the trailer.

I suggest wiring kit # 18252 from Draw-Tite since it includes a circuit tester. If you choose hitch # 36374 you can use ball mount # 36061 and either 2-inch hitch ball # 19258 or 1-7/8-inch size # 19257. If you choose hitch # 24659 you can use ball mount # 3592 and either 2-inch ball # 19258 or 1-7/8-inch ball # 19256

expert reply by: Adam R

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