Highland Bike Carrier - Page 2 - Toyota Yaris Forums

zbouncer · 05-05-2011, 12:39 PM

Oh believe me I would leave it as is

but the pressure of the bumper is closing the gap of the tail-lights

and bumper and causing the edges of the bumper that touch the quarter-panel to stick-out and its annoying and looks just wrong

tk1971 · 05-05-2011, 05:27 PM

I wonder if it would settle after continued use of the bike rack (leveraged weight bouncing up and down while driving)?

zbouncer · 05-05-2011, 05:40 PM

I was thinking the same thing, plus the 115* summers here in San Antonio might help...If I loosen the bolts have my girl (all 105lbs of her) stand on the base of rack and re-tighten the bolts it might reduce some stress

Brianr4 · 05-05-2011, 10:34 PM

I just took a good look at mine and the hitch is just slightly touching the bumper. You really have to get down and look at it to notice.
In your pics it is hard to see how much it is touching because your car is black. I can't tell if it is a shadow or the bumper is actually being pushed up that much.
But I would guess it is because you have the S model, which I think is a few inches lower.

Brianr4 · 05-05-2011, 10:41 PM

Pics of my hitch.

zbouncer · 05-05-2011, 11:27 PM

Yours is nice and flushed, mine is actually bending the bumper if you look close in that last pic...unfortunately it is not shadows

I really hate to send back, but I don't think anything less of taking it off and having the actual hitch extended by a shop will fix it. Looks like its back to amazon with this hitch

tk1971 · 05-06-2011, 02:00 PM

Personally, I'd just put something in the hitch (if let's say you had a 1.25" cargo carrier), and just jump on it for a while to get things to settle down. I know there will be plenty of peeps who'll poo-poo that idea. Then again, there are people who don't think hitch carriers belong on the Yaris.

zbouncer · 05-06-2011, 02:18 PM

Yeah I'll give it one more shot this weekend and see what happens

...I wonder if the drawtite or hidden hitch will give better clearance...anybody have any experience with one of those hitches and if so how much bumper clearance do/did you have

gswell · 05-08-2011, 10:38 PM

i think mine is the hidden hitch. i don't have this problem...

tk1971 · 05-09-2011, 12:42 PM

Yeah, my Drawtite is close, but doesn't actually touch the bumper skin.

zbouncer · 05-09-2011, 06:27 PM

gswell do you have the S model 3dr liftback

I tried the whole jumping on the hitch like a bastard recomendation and it did not even budge, which is great if it would have fit!

So I sent it back to amazon this morning, but kept the bike rack because it is such a good buy...hopefully there is another hitch in the Yaris World that will fit a 09 3dr S liftback?

tk1971 · 05-09-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zbouncer

gswell do you have the S model 3dr liftback

I tried the whole jumping on the hitch like a bastard recomendation and it did not even budge, which is great if it would have fit!

So I sent it back to amazon this morning, but kept the bike rack because it is such a good buy...hopefully there is another hitch in the Yaris World that will fit a 09 3dr S liftback?

Must've missed that part about you having the "S" version.

I'd call up etrailer and ask them directly about fit for the "S".

Good luck.

gswell · 05-10-2011, 04:47 PM

i missed the 'S' part too... my bad, mine is not the 'S'

zbouncer · 05-10-2011, 06:14 PM

No worries

, I called etrailer and they were not very helpful for advising me on purchasing a hitch for the S model...the lady was like "just buy it and return if it doesnt fit" but expects me to pay for to ship it back and the restocking fee

Somebody on this forum has to have a S liftback with a hitch

Brianr4 · 05-10-2011, 10:58 PM

I would go to a machine shop to see if they can make some extensions to drop the hitch down where it bolts to the body.

zbouncer · 05-10-2011, 11:20 PM

Yeah I was thinking about that but not sure if it would compromise load capacity, not like I'm going tow a truck or anything crazy but I would hate to drop our bikes at highway speeds.

tk1971 · 05-11-2011, 05:42 PM

You can always remove the "S" body kit from the rear bumper skin.

zbouncer · 05-11-2011, 07:02 PM

Cosmetically it is not the best option, besides there has to be a hitch that will fit the S model...this is going to suck to have to buy every hitch option and see which one fits when we have a whole forum dedicated to this kind of stuff

Or maybe I'll be the first to do an install of a hitch on a 3drSLB

But still open to more suggestions!

View Poll Results: Should I cut bottom of bumper to make Curt Hitch fit?
Cut that S#%T!	2	25.00%
Dont cut that S#%T!	5	62.50%
Other...will explain in thread	1	12.50%
Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll

05-05-2011, 10:41 PM	#23
Brianr4 Drives: 2008 Yaris 3dr Hatchback Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New Orleans Posts: 43	Pics of my hitch. Attached Images

05-06-2011, 02:18 PM	#26
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	Yeah I'll give it one more shot this weekend and see what happens...I wonder if the drawtite or hidden hitch will give better clearance...anybody have any experience with one of those hitches and if so how much bumper clearance do/did you have

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Follow up on roof top carrier.......	westyaris2	Cosmetic Modifications (Exterior/Interior)	17	08-02-2007 10:26 PM
Securing a Cargo carrier...	Astroman	General Yaris / Vitz Discussion	10	06-29-2007 10:52 PM

05-05-2011, 12:39 PM	#19
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	Oh believe me I would leave it as is but the pressure of the bumper is closing the gap of the tail-lights and bumper and causing the edges of the bumper that touch the quarter-panel to stick-out and its annoying and looks just wrong

05-05-2011, 05:27 PM	#20
tk1971 Drives: 08 2Dr LB Base, Silver Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SG Valley, SoCal Posts: 237	I wonder if it would settle after continued use of the bike rack (leveraged weight bouncing up and down while driving)?

05-05-2011, 05:40 PM	#21
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	I was thinking the same thing, plus the 115* summers here in San Antonio might help...If I loosen the bolts have my girl (all 105lbs of her) stand on the base of rack and re-tighten the bolts it might reduce some stress

05-05-2011, 10:34 PM	#22
Brianr4 Drives: 2008 Yaris 3dr Hatchback Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New Orleans Posts: 43	I just took a good look at mine and the hitch is just slightly touching the bumper. You really have to get down and look at it to notice. In your pics it is hard to see how much it is touching because your car is black. I can't tell if it is a shadow or the bumper is actually being pushed up that much. But I would guess it is because you have the S model, which I think is a few inches lower.

05-05-2011, 11:27 PM	#24
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	Yours is nice and flushed, mine is actually bending the bumper if you look close in that last pic...unfortunately it is not shadows I really hate to send back, but I don't think anything less of taking it off and having the actual hitch extended by a shop will fix it. Looks like its back to amazon with this hitch

05-06-2011, 02:00 PM	#25
tk1971 Drives: 08 2Dr LB Base, Silver Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SG Valley, SoCal Posts: 237	Personally, I'd just put something in the hitch (if let's say you had a 1.25" cargo carrier), and just jump on it for a while to get things to settle down. I know there will be plenty of peeps who'll poo-poo that idea. Then again, there are people who don't think hitch carriers belong on the Yaris.

05-08-2011, 10:38 PM	#27
gswell Drives: yaris 07 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: right coast Posts: 15	i think mine is the hidden hitch. i don't have this problem...

05-09-2011, 12:42 PM	#28
tk1971 Drives: 08 2Dr LB Base, Silver Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SG Valley, SoCal Posts: 237	Yeah, my Drawtite is close, but doesn't actually touch the bumper skin.

05-09-2011, 06:27 PM	#29
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	gswell do you have the S model 3dr liftback I tried the whole jumping on the hitch like a bastard recomendation and it did not even budge, which is great if it would have fit! So I sent it back to amazon this morning, but kept the bike rack because it is such a good buy...hopefully there is another hitch in the Yaris World that will fit a 09 3dr S liftback?

05-10-2011, 04:47 PM	#31
gswell Drives: yaris 07 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: right coast Posts: 15	i missed the 'S' part too... my bad, mine is not the 'S'

05-10-2011, 06:14 PM	#32
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	No worries , I called etrailer and they were not very helpful for advising me on purchasing a hitch for the S model...the lady was like "just buy it and return if it doesnt fit" but expects me to pay for to ship it back and the restocking fee Somebody on this forum has to have a S liftback with a hitch

05-10-2011, 10:58 PM	#33
Brianr4 Drives: 2008 Yaris 3dr Hatchback Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New Orleans Posts: 43	I would go to a machine shop to see if they can make some extensions to drop the hitch down where it bolts to the body.

05-10-2011, 11:20 PM	#34
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	Yeah I was thinking about that but not sure if it would compromise load capacity, not like I'm going tow a truck or anything crazy but I would hate to drop our bikes at highway speeds.

05-11-2011, 05:42 PM	#35
tk1971 Drives: 08 2Dr LB Base, Silver Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: SG Valley, SoCal Posts: 237	You can always remove the "S" body kit from the rear bumper skin.

05-11-2011, 07:02 PM	#36
zbouncer View User's Garage Drives: 2008 Yaris LB 5MT Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: SAT Posts: 70	Cosmetically it is not the best option, besides there has to be a hitch that will fit the S model...this is going to suck to have to buy every hitch option and see which one fits when we have a whole forum dedicated to this kind of stuff Or maybe I'll be the first to do an install of a hitch on a 3drSLB But still open to more suggestions!