Trailer hitches

["Christopher Morgan" <cmorgan02@sprynet.com>]

Wasn't someone asking about hitches a while back?....
Anyway, I just put a hitch on my car.  I ordered it through
http://www.hitch-web.com.  After they faxed me the instructions for the
three different brands that are available for the Jetta, I ordered the Reese
(~$102, shipping included), which is a flat bar receiver hitch.  When I got
it, I was impressed by the nice finish, but when I test-fitted it, I was not
as impressed anymore.  The width between the frame rails of the car is 69
3/8" and the hitch was only 69" wide.  Also, the receiver didn't fit up
against the bottom of the bumper (like they said it would when I called
Reese and asked) and the hitch ball barely cleared the bumper.  I returned
it and ordered a Draw-tite (~$123, shipping included), which is a 1 1/4"
square receiver hitch.  The Draw-tite is 69 1/4", so it fit better, but it
isn't as well finished (it arrived with a lot of paint chips).  However,
it's a bit sturdier even without the extra support bracket that attaches to
the tow hook (I left it off).  So, I went ahead and drilled the four 1/2"
holes (ACK!) into the car and bolted up the hitch.  One of the nuts was
impossible to tighten with a socket or box end wrench, I needed to cut off a
small piece of the corner of the hitch side plate for clearance of the left
tailpipe (they
probably designed the hitch using a 4cyl car) , and I trimmed away some of
the blobs of chip guard that were in the corners of the body, but other than
that it was a relatively easy installation.
BTW, the third brand available was Da'Lan, but I didn't consider it because
it required drilling through the trunk floor and rear body panel, and the
receiver stuck out too much.  Also, the hitch I got for my Quantum was made
by them and it looked like some junior high school kid slapped it together
in metal shop.

Chris