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

[kennethjk]

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

Probably could put a couple of screws in to secure if you wanted

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[RedDragon]

Probably could put a couple of screws in to secure if you wanted

Yes was thinking the same thing. I'm going to get a piece wide enough so I can drill holes in it that line up with the bolts that secure the under cover and bumper. Ease of removal is irrelevant in my case as I don't have the hidden hitch

 

[JohnFoxeSheets]

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:

Cool! If you still have the original cut-off piece of bumper facia, I'll bet you could bond it to the piece of plastic your bought so that it would be even less visible... But that may not be worth the trouble

 

[scoopman]

Cool! If you still have the original cut-off piece of bumper facia, I'll bet you could bond it to the piece of plastic your bought so that it would be even less visible... But that may not be worth the trouble

I don't have the original piece (it fell off as I was driving soon after I tried to use that to cover the hole). But you do not see this at all unless you are crawling underneath the car.

 

[21st Century Pony]

So I (finally) made a cover for my hitch hole in the bumper.

I've been thinking about it for months, ever since I cut the bottom of my rear bumper to install my Ford of Europe tow hitch. It is pretty hidden, just like the Stealth Hitch. However, my reverse light started to get dimmer and dimmer after I had installed the Ford hitch... it turns out it began to fill with water, and this despite the fact that the reverse light is a clamshell whose two halves (the black part and the clear part) are RF-welded, which makes a pretty solid seal. With a new light lamp thanks to the warranty, I got to work this week.

However the water got into there, I figure closing that new bumper hole can't be a bad idea as long as the cover is easily manipulable to open and close the access to the Ford tow hitch.

My solution was to use the cutout part of the bumper, which I had saved, as a cover.

I found this H pattern rubber, somewhere online. It was pretty cheap... can't find the receipt yet but I will look harder if anyone needs it. EDIT: This is the H pattern rubber thingy, on EBay:


H type rubber seal strip glass shock absorption strip aluminum caulking profile
$13.99Unit price $13.99

Item number:284555709391
11x25mm



I had to cut back just a bit of my bumper cutout piece on all sides... you can see the cuts in pic #1 - it's all the edges all around in between the right-angled notches. I made these cuts to allow for space of the H Pattern rubber thingy's middle "web".

Just because I am our Father's son and tend to over-engineer hobby projects, I also decided to secure the rubber H blocks with safety wire... I have a safety wire tool from my motorcycle work. However, before safety-wiring I fitted the bumper cutout into place in the bumper with just the H pattern blocks and it seemed to hold well in its space, so the safety wire can't hurt but might not be necessary.

Pics #2 and #3 show the cutout with the safety wires twisted in, front (outside) and back (inside).

Pic #4 shows the H-pattern rubber thingy in profile. The one I bought was all one piece about 18 inches in length... I cut the pieces as I needed them and still have a bit left over.

The final pics are showing the cover in place. NOTE: my red added shackle, which swings from the Ford of Europe hitch mount, is both to attach the safety chains of a U.S. trailer and also to pull my Mach E out of trouble backwards, like onto a tow truck etc. Therefore, I had to further cut out the bumper cutout piece to let this red shackle swing freely, especially when hooked to a pull chain. Without the Ford of Europe hitch, this step would be needless.

When this new / old bumper cover is in place, the H blocks do not interfere at all with the hatch auto-lift leg feature... I use that auto-lift all the time.

Hope this gives someone an idea. I f asked, I'll try to dig up the source of that H pattern rubber. EDIT: I found the source of this item - it's now listed above, within the post.

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