Draw Tite Hitch and Harness installed

[GJRUGBY]

Well, I had to do it. I went and ordered all the stuff I needed to install it at my local truck accessory place (Brown's), and they installed it today, in just about an hour. Cost was $276 and change including install, tax, etc.

All-in-all, a nice piece, very rugged and clean install, plus it saved me all the headache. I also put in my order for the Access tonneau cover...the good one. I can't wait till I can use the bed when it is raining outside.

The First pic is before, and second one is after the hitch install.

Cheers,
George

[Kodiak]

Dt= 4 bolts

Honda = 6 bolts

Do the math - ok if you don't plan on towing a heavy trailer

[GJRUGBY]

As a matter of fact, the Drawtite hitch uses three bolts on the driver's side, three bolts on the passenger's side, and two bolts directly in the middle above the receiver.

That is eight bolts all together. I can take more pics tomorrow if you need further proof. Also, the wiring harness is from Drawtite and is zip-tied to the hitch bar, and the excess (quite a bit, I guess if you don't have a very long pigtail that reaches to the hitch itself) is all coiled up underneath, too. I was very impressed with the installer (some young kid, who immediately started to play with the power rear window...he was awe-struck!)

Wanna wrestle now?!?!?!

Cheers,
George

[Kodiak]

I guess D-T changed their design - maybe one too many liability suits.

The Honda hitch is designed to more stringent durability standards (load and cycle). The aftermarket hitches will not survive this abuse.

By the way – the Honda hitch looks better = hidden under the bumper fascia plus skid plate and integrated 7-pin adapter mounting.

You will probably be OK with your hitch under your intended ownership experience. Honda designs for the 6 sigma customer. That is why the products are reliable. The drive-train is protected for aftermarket hitch installations since the towing coolers are standard (unless you plug-up the cooling area with a grille “plug”). The truck will be fine. Your trailer should be OK as long as you don’t exceed the load rating at all.

Be safe and try not do be so defensive.

[zero]

Not to hijack a thread, but what exactly is a '6 sigma' customer?

[Kodiak]

Six Sigma - What is Six Sigma?

Definition of Six Sigma

Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process -- from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service.

The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications. A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect.

[zero]

Thanks for the quick reply.


Now back to your regularly scheduled thread . . .

[JOZ RIDG]

Originally Posted by GJRUGBY

The First pic is before, and second one is after the hitch install.George

I dont want to nit-pick or be a killjoy but your drawbar/ball look like they are tilted or cocked a little to the right. Not much though.

You may want to check it. The install looks nice and level.

It may be the Six Sigma factor.

I should shut up. You got a great price and a good install. I can tell you are happy.

[GJRUGBY]

My Drawtite hitch also has the rating right in plain view...6000 pounds with a load-distributing trailer and toungue-weight of 600, or the "Honda-rated" 5000 pounds trailer weight and 500 pound tongue weight.

Sounds to me like my hitch is stronger than your hitch. Plus I got it for $276 as opposed to $795 from Honda...that makes mine about one-thrid the cost of the Honda one.

Yes, I did notice in the PICTURE that the hitch looks slightly off-center. You must realize that I took the pics with my SONY digital camera, and if you know most digital cameras, the photo lense is off to the side. So, if you stand right in the middle of something, it will seem like it is "leaning" off to the other side, simply because the lense is closer to that side of the object, as such with my pictures. I was a finance major, not under-water-basket-weaving. Trust me, it is straight.

Cheers,
George

[BamaRidge]

Originally Posted by Kodiak

Six Sigma - What is Six Sigma?

Definition of Six Sigma

Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process -- from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service.

The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications. A Six Sigma opportunity is then the total quantity of chances for a defect.

Oh, that would explain the windshield noise.