Installing the Honda Hitch and Harness

[grizzfan]

After long thought about hitches and reading these excellent posts I opted for the Honda hitch and harness. Got what seems to be the best price on line from Colonial Honda - $397 for both delivered. (Comes in two shipments, one by UPS the other by freight.)

The instructions are excellent and I'll highlight two important ones:
1) Disconnect the battery's negative post before beginning.
2) This project is not for do-it-yourselfers. You'll see what I mean in a minute!

It's been hot here lately so I began the harness install at 6:30AM. Detaching the two dash panels is easy - they just pop out - the clips are built in. I was worried about breaking them - almost no chance of that.

The next part was to locate some connectors under the dash and remove tape that holds them to something else. WOW! Got that done. Then one has to connect a 10 pin and 6 pin connector from the box to the ones just released under the dash. I'm 6'2", 225 pounds and 67 years old but in pretty good shape, limber and all. As hard as I tried I couldn't fit my slightly portly frame under the dash. The seat is in the way! But then I heard the neighbor boy putting out the garbage next door. He's 14, 6'2" and skinny as a snake. Nick connected those buggers in nothing flat. I should have kept him around for the next part: bolting the controller to the under dash, but managed to get that done myself. Finding the location was the hard part.

The next part, installing the hitch, I did the following day as it was starting to heat up. I bought a torque wrench for $25 at O'Reilly Auto Parts. As all foot-pound torque wrenches I looked at are 1/2 inch drive, I bought a 17mm & 18mm 1/2 socket and a 6" extender at Sears for about $18. You need to get the rear wheels up off the ground, so bought a pair of Gorilla Ramps at K-Mart for $32.49. So at the end of the day I spend a total of $455 including the hitch/harness.

You really need some help on this one. The hitch weighs some 75 pounds and it's constructed in such a way that it's almost impossible to balance it. My little helper was my "weak wife" and I traded her in pretty quickly for a metal box to support the hitch on under the truck. Somehow, through pure braun I guess, I managed to align the bolt holes on one side and get the first bolt seated. From there it was a snap. Back to the wife, while supporting the hitch with one hand and trying to keep the holes lined up, I asked her to pass me one of the big black bolts on the floor. She gave me one of the little bolts that secures the muffler shield. By this time I was laughing so hard I almost dropped the hitch!! I sent her into the house for more ice tea!!

Cautions here - get some help. If you drop the hitch on yourself, you will be injured severly. Also, I really struggled getting the rubber hangers disconnected from the muffler. (You have to lower the muffler). That was probably the most physically difficult aspect of the whole venture. There must be a simpler way.

There are a couple more cable connections to make and some fuses to put in under the hood and that's it. Good looking hitch and you can be confident of a quality hookup - one that takes no short cuts with the wiring, etc.

Dig out your radio and nav codes to re-enter when the power is back on.

If you try this one you now have a heads-up!!

Tom

[jeepwatchman]

Nice write up Tom.

That was why I bought the RTX, it was already done except hooking the brake controller under the dash. I am 6'3", 220 lbs and it was fun reaching up under the dash to plug in the controller!

Now you can sit back with your wife and enjoy that iced tea!

[Webwader]

Reading your post makes me thankful that when I bought my RL in '05, the dealer had not installed any hitches yet. As part of the deal, the sales department agreed to install the hitch package and my brake controller for a total of $453. That was obviously a steal and when I picked up the RL the service manager was moaning that they lost their butt on the deal.
I'm not a youngster any more, so I let other people do most of the wrenching now days. I just recently installed a trailer hitch and aftermarket hitch harness on my wife's new Toyota RAV4. Thank God for Tylenol.

[grizzfan]

That was why I bought the RTX, it was already done except hooking the brake controller under the dash. I am 6'3", 220 lbs and it was fun reaching up under the dash to plug in the controller!

I presume you are talking about an after market electric brake controller here. What model do you recommend and is there a plug-in point under the dash for it?

Thanks,

Tom

[Webwader]

The Tekonsha Prodigy has been getting very high marks since it hit the market and I have been very happy with mine. They also have a new one on the market, the P3, that is supposed to be even better, but it looks like just more bells and whistles to me.
While I didn't do the installation myself, I understand it is located just above the parking brake and taped in place. You may need the neighbor boy again. You can either wire the universal Tekonsha wiring harness into the plug, or much easier, you can buy a harness from Teskonsha specifically for the Ridgeline.

[Lingered_I]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

This project is not for do-it-yourselfers.

I think I'd have to disagree with you here. This is a relatively straightforward DIY project as many people here have already found, myself included. The weight of the hitch means that you should have help on hand, but other than that it I'd rate it a 3 out of 10 on a difficulty scale.

[grizzfan]

Quote:
Originally Posted by grizzfan
This project is not for do-it-yourselfers.

I think I'd have to disagree with you here. This is a relatively straightforward DIY project as many people here have already found, myself included. The weight of the hitch means that you should have help on hand, but other than that it I'd rate it a 3 out of 10 on a difficulty scale.

I hate to be picky, but I was paraphrasing both items from the Honda instructions! And, if 'you should have help on hand' you are not really doing it yourself are you??!!

Truth be told, I really did do it all by myself. I'll rate it a 5.7!

Tom

[shovelhd]

I'd rate it a 4 from 1-10 only because I didn't have a tranny jack which would have made it a 1.

Grizzfan, only another month for football, I can't wait. I hope to see our teams play each other again.

[grizzfan]

Grizzfan, only another month for football, I can't wait. I hope to see our teams play each other again.

Yeh, me too, as long as it's in the friendly confines of Washington-Grizzly Stadium!!! Even so I'd rate that a 9.8 against a very good UMass team.

We're looking strong this year, three All-American picks, but a bit strained at Corner as the starter, Jimmy Wilson was arrested for murder in CA and his backup, Freeman, was a witness - naturally both off the team.

As for the Honda hitch, it's beautiful!

Tom

[Rib]

Instead of a helper or a floor jack, I used a five gallon bucket, upside down, to prop up the driver's side of the jack while I got the passenger side of the hitch situated and got the bolts started. The bucket is just the right height, gets it within a few inches of where it needs to be.