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Car Forum / Nissan / Nissan Cars / January 2006Nissan Pathfinder hitch
I have a 1999.5 Pathfinder SE. I have never towed anything or used the hitch. I am now looking for a way to carry around three bicycles. I have a choice of getting a rear mount bike rack that has these nylon straps and clamps that connect to the top and bumper, like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Allen-144A-4-Bike-Trunk-Mounted-Carrier-Car-Rack-NEW_W0QQite mZ7208436178QQcategoryZ56201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem They are kind of clumpsy. Then there is the hitch mount variety, like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Outback-4-Bike-Carrier_W0QQitemZ7208482219QQcategoryZ56200QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I am tempted to get this kind, but I don't know when they say "hitch mount" is it an universal thing? Are all hitch mount the same or different cars have different size hitch? Do I need an adaptor of some sort or can I use these out of the box without some other parts from Nissan? Thanks, MC > I have a 1999.5 Pathfinder SE. I have never towed anything or used the > hitch. I am now looking for a way to carry around three bicycles. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > MC I have the factory hitch on an '02 PF. I use a hitch-mounted bike rack and I love it. I have a Rak-n-Lock, now sold by Thule. I like this type of rack better because there's less chance of scratching the car's paint. It also folds out of the way for access to the back hatch. As long as you buy one that says it will fit a 2-inch receiver, you should be fine. Some of these racks are made to hold only two bikes, but you can buy add-on kits to carry up to four. You might want to check out www.nashbar.com. They have a good selection of several styles of racks, including roof racks if you're interested. Their prices are pretty good too. > > I have a 1999.5 Pathfinder SE. I have never towed anything or used the > > hitch. I am now looking for a way to carry around three bicycles. > > > > I have a choice of getting a rear mount bike rack that has these nylon > > straps and clamps that connect to the top and bumper, like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Allen-144A-4-Bike-Trunk-Mounted-Carrier-Car-Rack-NEW_W0QQite mZ7208436178QQcategoryZ56201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem > > They are kind of clumpsy. > > > > Then there is the hitch mount variety, like these: http://cgi.ebay.com/Outback-4-Bike-Carrier_W0QQitemZ7208482219QQcategoryZ56200QQ rdZ1QQcmdZViewItem > > I am tempted to get this kind, but I don't know when they say "hitch mount" > > is it an universal thing? Are all hitch mount the same or different cars [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > selection of several styles of racks, including roof racks if you're > interested. Their prices are pretty good too. Have you tried the Softride brand that supposedly can be moved out of the way to open the trunk? http://cgi.ebay.com/SOFTRIDE-REVERSIBLE-UNIVERSAL-DUAL-HITCH-4-BIKE-RACK_W0QQite mZ7207823843QQcategoryZ56200QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem It says that "hitch is designed in two sizes to fit either a 2-inch or 1 1/4-inch receiver hitch." so I assume it will work with the PF. I see hitch rack for as low as $49 and as much as $379, a little confused as to why the dramatic price difference. I found this on the Nashbar site you mentioned: http://www.nashbar.com/profile_moreimages.cfm?category=71&subcategory=1019&sku=1 4125&brand= and of course there is this: http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=71&subcategory=1019&brand=&sku=11907 &storetype=&estoreid=&pagename= if it says "ball mount" then I cannot use it without some sort of adaptor right? MC I've never seen the Softride, but it looks good to me. Almost all brands can fold out of the way to open the trunk though. Yes, it should fit your hitch. Yours should be a 2-inch like mine. That's a standard size. Prices vary because some racks are built heavier than others. If you go off-road with a mountain bike to the middle of nowhere, you want a heavily built (expensive) rack that won't bounce your bike around too much or smack the back of your car. On the other hand, if you just take your road bike across town to the parking lot at the beginning of the bike trail, you can use a lighter rack. One isn't necessarily better than the other for you. I just depends on how you will use it. You don't want a ball mount rack since you'll just have to by a hitch to go into your receiver so that you can bolt the rack on. I have a Yakima 2-bike hitch mount (2" receiver). It's very heavy duty and I love it. Like all Thule and Yakima they're expensive though. It swings down to allow the tailgate to open, however you pretty much have to have your bikes off of it to do this (you could do it if you really wanted to). But I can usually still get to stuff in the back through the back window. Yakima (and other brands I'm sure) also makes a "swing away" variant so you can open your tailgate with the bikes still attached (this one costs a bundle). I'd make sure whatever you get has something in the attachments to prevent your bikes from swinging into each other or into the back of the car when you accelerate and stop. Also when I was looking at these, the ones that said will fit either size hitch mount came with an adaptor. Also, I don't think the smaller one will hold more than two bikes very well. But like he said below you will have a 2" receiver for your pathfinder anyway and will want to get a rack for a 2" hitch. > I've never seen the Softride, but it looks good to me. Almost all > brands can fold out of the way to open the trunk though. [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > You don't want a ball mount rack since you'll just have to by a hitch > to go into your receiver so that you can bolt the rack on. OK here is a REALLY stupid question. I went to look at my hitch and I did not see one. There is a spare tire mounted at the underside of the truck...is the hitch an optional equipment? I thought it came with it but I guess not. So I need to buy a hitch and have it installed? MC The hitch is optional. The hitch, if there, would be below the bumper and behind the spare tire. You would see it if it were there. If you don't have one, it would be cheaper to go with a rack that attaches to the rear hatch or you could have a hitch added for around $250 and then buy the hitch rack. I bought the hitch myself, $50.00 used, installed myself, about 20 minutes, 6 bolts and I was on my way. > The hitch is optional. The hitch, if there, would be below the bumper > and behind the spare tire. You would see it if it were there. If you > don't have one, it would be cheaper to go with a rack that attaches to > the rear hatch or you could have a hitch added for around $250 and then > buy the hitch rack. I bought a Draw-Tite hitch new for about $130 and installed it myself. Took about an hour, most of which was spent figuring out just how to route the trailer wiring, which you don't care about. Hitch install is easier with two people, but it's not necessary. DO NOT GET A STRAP ON BIKE CARRIER. They suck. They are all one size fits none. The bikes flop around. >I bought the hitch myself, $50.00 used, installed myself, about 20 minutes, 6 bolts and I was on my way. >> The hitch is optional. The hitch, if there, would be below the bumper >> and behind the spare tire. You would see it if it were there. If you >> don't have one, it would be cheaper to go with a rack that attaches to >> the rear hatch or you could have a hitch added for around $250 and then >> buy the hitch rack. I called Nissan and they told me the hitch is $299.95 and installation is $275.00. Are there generic hitch I can use that will fit the 1999.5 SE models? I think this is the first PF model with the bottom mount spare tire. Does UHaul carry anything I can use? Does installing the hitch require any special tools? Also, how would I know what "generic" hitch work for my truck? Thanks, MC > I called Nissan and they told me the hitch is $299.95 and installation is > $275.00. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > MC If you had searched this NG, you would have found a thread with the same header posted only two days ago. It too, was for a PF hitch. There were two good answers. Al McFarlane said on 1/5/2006 I bought the hitch myself, $50.00 used, installed myself, about 20 minutes, 6 bolts and I was on my way. Chuck Tribolet said on 1/5/2006 I bought a Draw-Tite hitch new for about $130 and installed it myself. Took about an hour, most of which was spent figuring out just how to route the trailer wiring, which you don't care about. Hitch install is easier with two people, but it's not necessary.  SignatureBill In Hamptonburgh, NY You don't want a generic trailer hitch, you want one made specifically for your truck. The good news is that there are a number of good brands: Draw-tite, Reese, U-Haul, and others. I've had Draw-Tite and Reese. Just google "Trailer hitches". The majors all have websites that will guide you to the right hitch. . >I called Nissan and they told me the hitch is $299.95 and installation is > $275.00. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > MC Thank you. I did not know brands like Draw-Tite makes a trailer hitch specifically for PF. I will check it out. Thank you again. MC > You don't want a generic trailer hitch, you want one made specifically for > your truck. The good news is that there are a number of good brands: [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > > > MC I found this one from UHaul Part number 78141 for the 1999.5 PF for only 139.95. Do they carry the same stuff at local UHaul stores so I can look at it closely and get it immediately while avoid paying for shipping? Also is custom tools required for assembling it myself? Do I need to lift the truck up in order to do it? Thanks, MC > Thank you. I did not know brands like Draw-Tite makes a trailer hitch > specifically for PF. I will check it out. Thank you again. [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > > > > > MC No custom tools, just the right size (fairly big) socket. You don't need to lift the truck up, but if you have a big buddy, offer him a couple of beers to hold it up while you put the bolts in. That will make it a lot easier. But I did both of mine by myself, but I probably used my floor jack to bear the weight.while I put the bolts in. I wouldn't worry about the quality of the hitch. I ordered the Draw-Tite on for my '01 PF through a local hitch installer. He got it in a day, no shipping charges. Price was about $130. >I found this one from UHaul > [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] >> > > >> > > MC I called around and found a location at UHaul that carries the item. So it's 139.95 and they will install it for additional $27.00 so I think I will go for it and get it done, much cheaper than the $699 quote I got from the Nissan dealer. MC |
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