Draw-Tite Hidden Hitch install -- what do I do with my hidden bumper hole? (3D printing design anyone?)

[scoopman]

Hey! So I got myself a Draw-Tite Hidden Hitch for my Mach-E and had it installed professionally today. So far it seems great for both a bike carrier, and it also should provide a safe rear winch point if I need to get my car towed (hoping never to need to try this last part!). I've got a video in post-production on the whole process!

Here's the ask, and basically the only downside of this install. I have a non-visible hole in my bumper (and a little from my diaper) for the adapter. Does anyone have any ideas (such as a 3D-printed piece for this hole) that would help cover it up?

I do live in California, and the Earth is warming, so it's acually an event here if it ever rains, but still, would be great to figure out some way to cover this hole from schmutz getting in there.

Here's the hole:

And I had the installers give me the piece they had to cut out, in case any awesome 3D design wizards have any interest in designing me a piece to cover this hole:

As you can see, the hole is completely not visible from the back when the receiver attachment isn't in there:

Are there any generic solutions to cover this up? I was thinking of perhaps buying some underbody felt (which seems to be available) and plugging the hole somewhat that way. But some kind of custom-3D-printed piece would be most excellent.....

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[JohnFoxeSheets]

Are there any generic solutions to cover this up? I was thinking of perhaps buying some underbody felt (which seems to be available) and plugging the hole somewhat that way. But some kind of custom-3D-printed piece would be most excellent.....

@horsiedad made a cover for his Stealthhitch install.

 

[scoopman]

@horsiedad made a cover for his Stealthhitch install.

Thanks for spotting this! ooooooh @horsiedad geddy up! where'd you get that rubber piece?

Here's what I just kinda thought of and will see if it holds, I had some plastic brackets and I used some 3M double-sided tape and attached them as kinda brackets for the cut out piece to sit onto.

But I think Mr Horsie has an even better idea there, if I can find a piece of rubber that's a little bigger than the cutout piece to glue onto the back of the left-over bumper piece I already have.

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Thanks for spotting this! ooooooh @horsiedad geddy up! where'd you get that rubber piece?

Here's what I just kinda thought of and will see if it holds, I had some plastic brackets and I used some 3M double-sided tape and attached them as kinda brackets for the cut out piece to sit onto.

But I think Mr Horsie has an even better idea there, if I can find a piece of rubber that's a little bigger than the cutout piece to glue onto the back of the left-over bumper piece I already have.

I would order the rubber from either Amazon or McMaster-Carr. The latter will have a wider selection while the former will be cheaper shipping...

 

[scoopman]

I would order the rubber from either Amazon or McMaster-Carr. The latter will have a wider selection while the former will be cheaper shipping...

Yeah about to do so on Amazon, but curious how thick I need. The plastic part doesn't weigh much and fits perfectly so I think your general gasket thickness should work...

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

Yeah about to do so on Amazon, but curious how thick I need. The plastic part doesn't weigh much and fits perfectly so I think your general gasket thickness should work...

I think shore hardness is as important as thickness. You want something fairly pliable in order to get it through the opening, but not so pliable that it will fall out! I wouldn't be surprised if you need to make the cut-off bumper fascia piece a bit smaller than it is currently, since I don't see how the rubber would otherwise get through the hole...

Here's hoping you never need to find out what it's like to use the hitch to tow your car!

 

[P. T. Magoo]

My solution might not appeal to you as it'll be harder to remove to get to your hitch, but in case somebody might be interested I'll share my mod here. The nice thing for you is if you used my design you wouldn't have to cut a notch for a permanent receiver like I did, which was kind of a pain in the butt. The drawback would be needing to remove and reinstall a couple of trim bolts when you need the hitch, and there'd be a hole whenever the hitch is in use.

I have a non-hidden Draw Tite hitch, but there were still gaps on either side of the hitch receiver. My hole plug doesn't need to be removed and re-installed, so it can just sit there.

I went to Ace Hardware, bought a piece of light-gauge sheet aluminum, and made it a little wider than the hole -- wide enough that I could drill holes in it for the bolts on either side of the hitch holding the belly pan to the fascia, and used a couple pieces of 2x4 to improvise a sheet metal brake to re-create the contour of the scrap piece that was cut out. I cut a notch in it for the hitch receiver, and it nestles in the hole quite nicely to keep rain water, and in a few months snow and road salt, out of the hole. I left a little slot on one side where the trailer wire harness can be pulled out or shoved back in.

 

[scoopman]

My solution might not appeal to you as it'll be harder to remove to get to your hitch, but in case somebody might be interested I'll share my mod here. The nice thing for you is if you used my design you wouldn't have to cut a notch for a permanent receiver like I did, which was kind of a pain in the butt. The drawback would be needing to remove and reinstall a couple of trim bolts when you need the hitch, and there'd be a hole whenever the hitch is in use.

I have a non-hidden Draw Tite hitch, but there were still gaps on either side of the hitch receiver. My hole plug doesn't need to be removed and re-installed, so it can just sit there.

I went to Ace Hardware, bought a piece of light-gauge sheet aluminum, and made it a little wider than the hole -- wide enough that I could drill holes in it for the bolts on either side of the hitch holding the belly pan to the fascia, and used a couple pieces of 2x4 to improvise a sheet metal brake to re-create the contour of the scrap piece that was cut out. I cut a notch in it for the hitch receiver, and it nestles in the hole quite nicely to keep rain water, and in a few months snow and road salt, out of the hole. I left a little slot on one side where the trailer wire harness can be pulled out or shoved back in.

Interesting solution, but I think I want to try and use the plastic cut-out piece from my bumper if possible. Would make it super-stealthy. Also, I need to have the size hole I have to be able to get the receiver part in (it has a knob on one side of it that needs clearance).

Honestly, the piece is basically hanging out there now without a problem and not even really contacting the little brackets I have, so I'm hoping the rubber gasket material I just got will provide enough rigidity to hold the piece in from above.

It's hard to describe, but because the diaper has a little cutout that they needed to do as well, I can easily slide in the cover piece from the diaper forward (and take it out the same way). So I think the rubber idea will probably work well, assuming the rubber isn't very soft and squishy.

I might have to even go to Michaels and see if they have something less squishy.

 

[AEtherScythe]

Sorry I won't be able to help anyone in this thread who has already had a hitch installed. But for anyone else reading, my work may help you.

https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...lution-dremel-cutting-guide-and-covers.25995/

 

[RedDragon]

My solution might not appeal to you as it'll be harder to remove to get to your hitch, but in case somebody might be interested I'll share my mod here. The nice thing for you is if you used my design you wouldn't have to cut a notch for a permanent receiver like I did, which was kind of a pain in the butt. The drawback would be needing to remove and reinstall a couple of trim bolts when you need the hitch, and there'd be a hole whenever the hitch is in use.

I have a non-hidden Draw Tite hitch, but there were still gaps on either side of the hitch receiver. My hole plug doesn't need to be removed and re-installed, so it can just sit there.

I went to Ace Hardware, bought a piece of light-gauge sheet aluminum, and made it a little wider than the hole -- wide enough that I could drill holes in it for the bolts on either side of the hitch holding the belly pan to the fascia, and used a couple pieces of 2x4 to improvise a sheet metal brake to re-create the contour of the scrap piece that was cut out. I cut a notch in it for the hitch receiver, and it nestles in the hole quite nicely to keep rain water, and in a few months snow and road salt, out of the hole. I left a little slot on one side where the trailer wire harness can be pulled out or shoved back in.

I have the exact hitch installed and am looking at solutions - this idea is great. It would amazing if your cover solution could be scanned for a 3d printer!!

 

[RedDragon]

@AOSK any interest in designing a product like the above? I would buy it to cover the hole from my hitch

 

[scoopman]

Hey -- I have this hitch (video) and I tried several types of plastic to find something to cover the hole when not in use. I settled on this plastic, cut to size, which works well to cover the hole and protect the innards of my pony from getting dirty with schmutz.

Here it is in place:

And here's a short video on my taking it out -- note the phone was in the way and it's generally not as hard to slide out, but I couldn't stick my head under there while pulling because my phone was where I would put my head to find the piece to slide it:

 

[RedDragon]

Hey -- I have this hitch (video) and I tried several types of plastic to find something to cover the hole when not in use. I settled on this plastic, cut to size, which works well to cover the hole and protect the innards of my pony from getting dirty with schmutz.

Here it is in place:

And here's a short video on my taking it out -- note the phone was in the way and it's generally not as hard to slide out, but I couldn't stick my head under there while pulling because my phone was where I would put my head to find the piece to slide it:

So that stays in there solely due to the force between the bottom cover and the bumper ?

 

[scoopman]

So that stays in there solely due to the force between the bottom cover and the bumper ?

yes! no problems with it over an entire winter with road trips and atmospheric rivers of rain

 

[RedDragon]

That seems easy enough. I'll need to notch the plastic bc mine isnt a hidden hitch, but feels like it should do the trick.

Thanks!!

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