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Trailer hitch recommendations

35K views 79 replies 30 participants last post by  Hammering hank 
I have not seen these, but I am sure encouraged that three mfr's are making a proper hitch for this car (and for the sedan, too, incidentally). I say this 'cause the owner's manual cautions against towing. I realize you are using the hitch platform for the Yakima bike rack...

The really funny thing is, in Europe, the same 1.6TiVCT powertrain (same "Sigma SE" engine, same IB5 manual transaxle) with a "taller" final drive, and "shorter" first and second gears -- is rated at something like 1500# braked, and 800# unbraked. The North American Fiesta is better suited to trailer towing with its gearing, at least if you only go as high as 4th gear on the highway.

The Toyota Corolla is rated at 1500# braked with either transmission, and the Hyundai Elantra, too, is rated the same. I know these are compacts, whereas the Fiesta is a subcompact, but...

The Yaris is rated at 750#... - a subcompact.

North American mfr's are very, very cautious as this goes. The Europeans would NOT stand for this nonsense!
 
I would say that whether you potentially void your warranty is contingent on whether you have wiring in place, more so than whether you have a hitch platform in place (i.e. either a 1-1/4" square receiver tube or a flatbar receiver arrangement). Once you have wiring in place, it is pretty evident that you are towing a trailer. Otherwise, lots of folks use hitch-mounted bike carriers...

If you want the capability of a 1000# trailer (and therefore need the writing) -- I would say the following: If you have the vehicle serviced by Ford, I would say that it is problematic. If it is serviced by others (including yourself) probably no-problem.

If it were me, I would grab the wiring take-offs (for brake, ground, parking lights) from inside the car -- under the rear seat (assumedly the wiring loom passes that way). Make tie-ins, and then use factory-type Molex-like connectors. I would make it such that if you had an engine or transaxle related warranty claim where you would have to approach Ford, you would disconnect the wiring at the takeoff points prior to bringing in the car. Goodness knows, no-one would search for said wiring takeoffs there in the event of awarranty claim.

I don't advocate running the car in a manner that challenges its ability to deal with 1000# of trailer, breaking it, and then expecting Ford to pay. However, with intelligent use, 1000# max would probably be fine (750# would be better).

Remember, Ford will not pay for your clutch, regardless (it's considered a wear part). I would also be careful not to be on the gas, much (rather, coast, instead) when the wheels are cranked over right or left (that's hard on the CV joints). For that matter, goosing it, with the wheels turned much, is hard on the CV joints, regardless of trailer or not.

As for me, I once-in-a-while use my 500# empty trailer for runs to the trash and yard-wastes dump; 250# max payload, downhill all the way... I don't want a mfr telling me how to go easy on my car (I know how to do so).

Tell me if 750# total trailer wt is much different than four 200# people in my car?

Eurofordfan
 
Electronics Impact of Wiring a Hitch

Hey all:

I found this article from an Australian site (actually a very good site) about wiring-up a car that has CAN-BUS (as the Fiesta has).

Now the Fiesta may not have all of the issues that the Peugeot in the article had / has ... but heads-up: Browser Warning

Incidentally, there are a very good series of articles (> four articles...) here on modifying your ESC system. Just search for "Electronic Stability Control" in the above article's Search provision... The main fellow who operates the site has an incredible number of articles on electronically modifying your car. For the Tuners out there, it's a pretty awesome source of info.

Eurofordfan

Vancouver, BC
 
Messed up link...

Here is the link again: http: //autospeed.com/cms/A_111415/article .html

I have put in a number of spaces at the front, after the http colon fwd slash fwd slash -- and at the end, it ends in do html.
 
Folks, I stand corrected...

The article on wiring the trailer lights appears fine -- but in viewing the article on disabling the ESC -- I don't think it works... And CAN-BUS, additionally, may further complicate matters.

Sorry!
 
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