Select your vehicle to confirm the Trailer Hitch fit
Rust is formed by the reaction of iron and oxygen in the presence of water or air moisture. Left unprotected, your hitch, ball mount, hitch ball or accessory will pit and corrode over time, which can make towing a trailer a safety concern. When these products are used around water, they are at increased risk for rust and corrosion. You can extend the life of your towing products and keep rust and corrosion from beginning with these tips.
Start With Rust-Resistant Products
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a material that is very strong and very resistant to rust, corrosion and staining. Stainless steel towing products are perfect for applications
in high humidity or with watercraft trailers.
Many of our tow bars,
exhaust systems,
hitch receiver locks,
coupler locks and
tube steps are made of stainless steel.
Aluminum
Aluminum is a lightweight metal that naturally stays free of rust. An
aluminum ball mount slides into the hitch receiver and provides a rust-resistant platform for the hitch ball.
Zinc-Plated or Galvanized Steel
Zinc plating or galvanizing is a process that makes a product resistant to the elements. Steel or iron is dipped in zinc, which then forms a physical barrier
against corrosion. Zinc-plated hitch balls are available. And many of the
following towing products are made with corrosion-resistant materials:
hand winches,
jacks, and
couplers.
Powder Coated Steel
Most trailer hitches are black powder coated steel. The powder coating offers some resistance, but does break down over time.
The best way to inhibit rust formation is to touch up scratches with a good rust-inhibiting spray paint.
Look for Scratches and Pitting - Hitches are pieces of steel bolted to the bottom of the vehicle. Dents and dings will break through the powder coating and
leave the bare metal open to the elements. Routinely check hitch for scratches or missing paint. When bare metal is showing, it is essential to touch up the hitch to prevent rust from
forming. If you notice rust, you can lightly sand the hitch and touch it up with paint to stop the rust from growing.
The ball mount slides into the hitch receiver and provides a platform for the hitch ball to sit on. In some extreme cases, if it is left inside the hitch, the ball
mount can rust or weld inside the receiver tube and may take extra effort to remove. You can prevent this by removing the ball mount when it is not in use. If you store the ball mount
in your vehicle, a ball mount bag will protect the inside of the vehicle and keep all equipment together. You will also want to routinely
touch up scratches on the ball mount.
A hitch ball sits atop the ball mount platform and within the coupler during towing. The hitch ball is subjected to road debris, road salt and harsh weather even when
you are not towing a trailer. Liberally apply ball grease to ensure a smooth pivot with the coupler. This will also protect the hitch ball when it is not in use. If your hitch ball is
rusty, you can use WD-40 to loosen the rust and then you will need to scrub the hitch ball with a wire brush. You can keep rust from reoccurring by lubricating and protecting the ball with
ball grease and covering it with a hitch ball cover. We recommend removing the ball mount from the hitch receiver and storing it until ready to use it.
Keeps ball grease from rubbing off when hitch ball is not towing or while it is in storage
Jj
12/14/2020
I installed my CURT HITCH on my 2004 Lexus ES 330. Since the hitch goes under the exhaust, I already scratched the hitch. What is the best method to protect the scratched area? I can see chrome metal on some spots.
Scratches are bound to happen on a trailer hitch whether it's during the install or from road debris later on. It's best to touch up any scratches with rust-inhibiting spray paint. If you're fresh out or can't find any then the next best thing is to just use regular black spray paint.
To answer your question plainly Jeff, no, cutting of the fascia is not truly required. This is only required on the EcoHitch and HiddenHitch options because they are marketed as a "hidden" type of hitch. So, they're going to sit farther…
Sally, yes the EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver #EH97FR you're talking about does fit your 2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and it looks like it has the same installation as the previous year.
The best hitch for your 2023 Honda Passport is going to be the Curt Hitch item #C13421. This hitch is custom fit and bolts to your Honda with included hardware. I really like the Curt hitch because it tucks up underneath your rear bumper cover nicely…
Hey Daniel thanks for all the questions! One of them is going to be pretty easy but also disappointing, every hitch for your 2019 Toyota Sienna is going to require the panel to be removed, trimmed, then reinstalled. This is actually not as hard to do…
The main difference between the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver part #C13416 and the EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver part #EH97FR is that the EcoHitch has a completely hidden cross tube whereas the Curt cross tube will be visible from the rear of…
I do have another option for you, but your local installer is correct that the Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver #75940 excludes the S model of the Porsche Macan. The only hitch that we have that fits the S model of the 2020 Porsche Macan is…
There is only one difference between the Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver #C13176 and etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver #e98909 that fit your 2020 Chevrolet Colorado, which is the finish. The Curt trailer hitch has a glossy black finish while the etrailer…
I do have our shipping weight, which is 47 lbs. The actual weight of the product will be slightly less than the shipping weight. I spoke with EcoHitch and they were unable to give me a weight for the #EH97FR Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit…
Sometimes in shipping the hitches can get a few scratches or nicks on the surface. I would go ahead and hit them with some black spray paint, especially if you live up north and get snow and the salt that goes along with it. I attached an FAQ article…
I have attached the installation instructions of the EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver part #306-X7291 for a 2008 Honda CR-V to this answer page for you. In regards to installation, this is a bolt-on fit with a very clean finished install look.…
I'd be happy to help! All of the hitches for your 2011 Honda CR-V weigh relatively the same when it comes to the different classes, and while the Class I hitches definitely weight lighter I recommend using a Class III hitch since they have a…
For your 2024 Honda Odyssey I would recommend the Hidden Hitch part #DT76GR if you wanted a totally hidden hitch that has a removable lower opening. This would give you a totally hidden hitch when not in use but it does cost a bit more. For a similar…
Jj
12/14/2020
I installed my CURT HITCH on my 2004 Lexus ES 330. Since the hitch goes under the exhaust, I already scratched the hitch. What is the best method to protect the scratched area? I can see chrome metal on some spots.