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Perfect for light-duty towing, this custom, Mazda 3 trailer hitch receiver features fully welded, gloss powder coated steel construction. Drawbar sold separately.
Features:
Specs:
At etrailer.com we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
Tech Tip
Hitch will fit Sport and MazdaSPEED models. No drilling through vehicle frame required for installation
California residents: click here
Fast Shipping, Product Fits GREAT! It hides under the bumper well....
The hitch went on perfect. The instructions said 20 mins but it took me 45 mins and 2 beers :-) I like the new look my Mazda 3 has now.
Product was delivered before I could turn around ! All items fit perfectly and were easy to install. I couldn't be more happy.
Thank you E trailer.
Installation went well except one bolt pushed back up into the frame when lining up the hitch holes on the passenger side (tail pipe gets in the way on that side). Here is a tip. Go to your local box store and purchase 7/16 inch retainer clips (they are a 3/4-circle washer-like clip commonly used to secure wheels to axles). After you fish the bolt(s) throught the frame, clip the retainers on the bolt as close as you can to the frame. These will prevent the bolts from pushing back up when mounting the hitch.
The hitch is very sturdy, well designed to fit behind the bumper, and the bolt holes fit exactly as designed. Further the gloss black powder coat paint finish looks to be extremely durable. The time for the installation will depend on how good you are using the fishwire to pull the spacer and the bolts into position. Five out of the six went pretty easy, but one bolt was a hassle. The bolts go through easy, but the square holed spacer bar which just slides onto the fishwire (not screwed onto the pigtail) is tricky. It has a tendency to turn perpendicular before entering from the cavity of the access hole into the longitutinal frame piece. Put a small piece of tape (small enough so it can be pulled free with a tug) to hold the spacer bar in line with the fishwire so it can get into the longitutinal frame. Without that, the tendency is for the spacer piece to turn perpendicular preventing it from entering the box frame. Also, if the bolt is pulled into the spacer piece before it enters the main frame, it just won't go any further. Keep a good distance between the spacer and the bolt on the fishwire. You may try pulling the spacer into place and then returning the fishwire to get the bolt. Once your bolts are in place on the frame, attach several inches of cloth tape (or masking tape) to make sure you don't lose them up into the frame when you're positioning the hitch. Since the bolts are very long, your 11/16th's socket must be a deep socket to fully tighten the nuts. The rearmost bolt is directly over the hitch bar, so it is best tightened with a box wrench (there's lots of room for one on that bolt). The half hour install time might be possible if you did these all day long, but for a first timer including setting up jackstands, lights, planning, learning bolt fishwire technique, giving helping canine occassional acknowledgement, and beer breaks, you're looking at a 90 minutes if the bolts go smoothly to 3 hours or so it they give you a hard time. Persistance WILL pay off, if you do have a problem with the fishwire. Positioning the hitch and getting the nuts onto the bolts is not bad at all. In addition to the deep socket (11/16ths) you also do need a good extension on your wratchet wrench. Once the job is complete, you'll have a sturdy, nicely finished hitch that should easily last as long as the car. Spring for the optional rubber plug for a more finished look and as shin protector.
This hitch went on easily on my 2012 Mazda 3 Hatchback. The instructions were easy to follow, bolts lined up perfect, etc. It took about 45 minutes to install by a friend who does auto mechanic work on the side.
Shipping was fast and everything needed was in the box. Price was on par with most other places.
perfect fit, self-install not bad....
be SURE to watch the video first, and fish the bolts in starting with the ones furthest from the access hole toward the front of car and pop the washer blocks down the wire before pulling the bolts in or they get stuck. Its not as easy as the pro installer makes it look. ;) took me about an hour.
We should all write Mazda and ask them to use weld-nuts in future years!
The hitch arrived about 1/2 inch bent and didn't line up with the bolts. It took a few minutes to straighten using a vise. I was very concerned having the bolts fall back into the frame as it would be near impossible to get out so after fishing each bolt through the hole I installed a nut hand tight. This allowed me to make sure the hitch holes lined up with the bolts without pushing the bolts into to frame. I then propped up one end of the hitch on a cardboard box and removed all 3 nuts on the other side. I carefully pushed the hitch in place and hand tightened the 3 nuts. Then repeated on the other side. The whole installation took less than 2 hours without any help.
The hitch went on a 2012 Mazda 3 hatchback. I've been using for a few weeks and it's working perfect.
Seems to be holding up great! My use of it has probably been somewhat below average as the main reason I bought was to haul around a bike rack (in which that has not happened as often as I thought it would)... tested my confidence initially with the installation using the guide wire (fishing?) technique to secure it to car but it turned out to be really easy. On a later trip for tire rotations, I just asked a technician there to torque the bolts to specification. Thanks etrailer.com
The hitch was installed with minor issues. I have an after market exhaust on my 2010 MS3. We had to detach the exhaust from the hangers in order to get the hitch up to bolt on. The instructions were great, just the work around got us. Because of that it took us about 2 hours to get it installed.
etrailer was also very helpful with question I had regarding the shipping. I'll definitely be coming back to buy my next hitch.
No issues with this hitch after a year of use. The Thule bike rack I purchased to go into the receiver does rattle a little due to the tiny amount of wiggle room it has sitting in the receiver but it is 100% bulletproof still.
Katrina B.
6/21/2022
I see that you had purchased the Thule Roadway 2 Bike Rack. For this hitch and bike rack combo, you will need to use a stabilizing strap part # 18050 for non-wheeled load like your bike rack. The strap helps take some of the stress off of your hitch when carrying bike racks cargo carriers, which should help prevent the excess rattling.
Outstanding product. I actually installed this bad boy by myself with the occasional hand from my well intentioned son. I would suggest using a c-clip or zip tie to hold the bolts in place while positioning the trailer hitch so as not to lose the bolts back into the frame.
Took about an hour, but I am very stoked. Also, watch the video!
Great company, fast shipping and I will highly recommend to my biking buddies.
Happy Trails.
Paul
8/28/2013
I never knew a trailer hitch could be attached to my Mazda. I have a 2010 hatchback. I plan on ordering the hitch. Can you tell me where you got the actual bike rack? Also, does it hold two bikes? Lastly, how does it hold up sagging, etc.... Thanks so much.
Glynn
8/29/2013
Hello Paul,The bike rack can be purchased from this company etrailer. The make and model is the Kuat Sherpa. It holds 2 bikes and weighs 27 lbs. It does not sag. I was going to go with the Kuat NV but it is much heavier and by the time you put 2 35lbs bikes on the rack you are well over 100 lbs. The max tongue weight for the hitch that I purchased is 200 lbs so in the interest of not getting too close to the max. I opted for the lighter one. I am very pleased with the whole setup and loading and unloading the bikes is a breeze.I hope this helps.Cheers, Glynn
Patrick B.
8/30/2013
Paul, Glynn wrote me back and said the following: Hello Patrick,Thanks for the e-mail. Let the person know that I use a Kuat Sherpa and that he can purchase this particular rack from you guys.Cheers, Glynn
Hitch was really easy to install just takes a little time, never gave me a problem and still working great. I have the mazdaspeed version of the mazda 3 so its a little lower than the regular 3 so my actual bike rack scrapes the ground sometimes. If you have an aftermarket exhaust it might not fit had to take off one of my exhaust pipes to get the hitch to fit so check fitment before other than that great hitch
A great addition to my 2013 Mazda 3 Hatchback. Useful for towing a small trailer but even more so in hauling bicycles. Easy to install especially with the videos explaining the different nuances of the hitches available.
Very high quality, and fit my car perfectly. A bit fiddly to install but once we got the hang of using the wire threader it went great. recommended tools: 3/8" torque wrench, 10mm sockets with length extension, needle nose pliers, gloves, wd40, head/back cushions. :) We have a bike rack to attach to it. Thanks Curt and etrailer!
easy to install......lost a bolt in the frame curt hitch would not help ...but the friendly people of E-Trailer stepped up and helped me out and sent me a new bolt the people at E-Trailer were fantastic I would give them an 11 stars out of ten on there costumer service thank you all at E-Trailer
This is my second Curt hitch, the first was on my old Protege5. As with my previous install everything went smooth, all the parts were packaged well. I was a little apprehensive about this install as my car has an aftermarket exhaust that takes up additional space but the hitch slid right I to place. Having a second set of hands is a good idea as the piece is awkward
I like how everything tucks up neatly behind the bumper. I didn't even have to put the car on jack stands. Fishing the bolts and spacers through the frame was fairly easy with only one bolt being stubborn. The only real issue was when the bolts needed to be torqued down. The four bolts closest to the front were straightforward but the two closest to the rear are blocked by the crossbar. The bar blocked extensions and even angle adapters. But if I put the torque wrench directly on the bolt, there was not room to move it. In the end I had to put a socket wrench with a pivoting head on it and just guess the torque.
While I did have a problem (mismarked hitch), the staff at etrailer.com were patient, helpful and commited to resolving it. They spent a good deal of time with me on the phone to identify the problem and send me the correct part. Free return shipping, no hassles. As for the Curt hitch, it is top notch. Good fit and finish, appears to be a really well designed and sturdy. I would highly recommend both the Curt hitch and etrailer.com.
Richard
3/31/2019
It fits and functions perfectly. This car has a very low ground clearance and the hitch is tucked in as close as it could be designed yet still be functional without modifying the bumper. That being said, I have a very steep driveway so, when I have the bike rack mounted, it scrapes going in or out of the garage. It’s to be expected and is no fault of the hitch. I would purchase again.
I just installed this on my 2012 Mazda 3 Hatchback and I am glad that I went with this model. It looks very well built and rock solid. I like that it fits tucked up under the car and doesn't hang low. The only thing that is visible is the receiver itself. I plan on using this for a bike rack and I am happy with this purchase and plan on getting a bike rack as well. It will be nice to have my back seat and cargo area available again.
Robert A.
5/25/2019
I have had the hitch for a year now and my review has not changed. It still looks good and works good.
Excellent hitch, after one year I am still really happy and 100% satisfied with the purchase.
Worked better than I hoped, took me a few hours to install, but once I became experienced with the tool to get the carriage bolts inside the frame rails it went smoothly. First two bolts took an hour, the remaining a minute or two each. My Mazda 3 Towed the 20 foot Jet boat from Virginia to NJ at highway speeds without any fishtails, the tongue weight was hefty, since there was no motor in the boat (Big Block 454) so massive weight not there to counter balance the load. I definitely plan on measuring the tongue weight and making it the same when the boat is completed. The little Mazda acted like a an airline Tug, no problem stopping or starting up with it, long hills, what hill? I am actually thinking about keeping the car because of the hitch!
This hitch is the fourth (fifth?) hitch installed on small cars (Mitsubishi Expo and Mazda 3s) in the past 25 years. All have been surprisingly easy to install and very solid. The formed fish-wires for the bolts are the key to simplicity, since Curt (and HH) plan the connections so well. Instructions are good, and in each case, I was able to install the hitch by myself using wooden boxes, 2x4s, a floor jack, or just sheer determination to lift the units into position for the first two bolts.
The hitch is perfect and fits like a glove. Installation is probably a two-person job because the tailpipe on the Mazda 3 is a little difficult to get around. The fishing method for getting the bolts through the frame is easier than it sounds. Thread the bolts onto the spring-like coil first, drop the rectangular washer on and then fish the other end into the access hole and out of the bolt hole in the frame. Do all 6 and then have someone help you press the hitch into place. Do the driver side first so that you have freedom to move around the exhaust pipes.
I jacked up one rear side of the car to make it easy to work under. Put blocks of wood or a jack stand under the car as a backup.
My warning harness went in easily, but took a little thought about routing. The wires on the driver side are a little short, so I had to mount the junction box next to the car's jack in the side access compartment. Would like to have had another 6 inches of wires on that side.
Overall, awesome products. Shipping was reliable. I'd order again.
This Curt trailer hitch receiver fit my 2013 Mazda 3 5door perfectly. I did use a hydraulic lift to make installation a little easier. It took a bit longer than I thought it would to fish the bolts through the holes but I eventually got them. I also had to drop my exhaust down a little bit to get the hitch on, but that was easy to do. I am very satisfied with all aspects of my purchase, product, and installation.
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Gwendolyn Y.
4/8/2025
We are always here to help when you need it, Christopher. I hope that you get to take the bikes out more this season :)