Cut the bumper for a hitch? Yikes!

[Melanie]

Has anyone ever had to cut the bumper to install a hitch? I read it somewhere online (dangerous, I know) that to install a hitch on a VW Golf they may need to cut the bumper! We're hoping to buy a 13' Boler tomorrow but this could change my mind about towing it with our 'relatively' new (30,000 kms) car. Melanie

[Hambone]

maybe cut just the plastic cover to get it to fit?? dont really know

[Brian Bran]

I have seen people cut the plastic cover as mentioned above.That is usually because someone is using a hitch that wasn't made for their car though.If you get a hitch that is made for your car it shouldn't have to be cut.

[DonDeutsch]

Find a good hitch shop. cutting a bumper should not be necessary.

[CindyL]

Anyone Install a trailer hitch that is Non OEM yet? - VW GTI Forum / VW Rabbit Forum / VW R32 Forum / VW Golf Forum - Golfmkv.com


CindyL

[Christopher Phillips]

My jeep patriot required, by Chrysler, for the bumper cover to be cut. The dealership cut a half-moon shape in the bumper cover and then installed a nice piece of trim around the cut. It looks like it came from the the factory.
You can get an after market hitch that will install under the whole bumper cover but it hangs kind of low and I would rather pull my little RV with a hitch that the manufacture recommends.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Brian Bran

I have seen people cut the plastic cover as mentioned above.That is usually because someone is using a hitch that wasn't made for their car though.If you get a hitch that is made for your car it shouldn't have to be cut.

This hitch was made for this car, the bumper was cut and mods were made to accomplish this result, cutting the plastic cover is no more dangerous than adding a bumper sticker or scratching the paint...

[Brian Bran]

Originally Posted by floyd

This hitch was made for this car, the bumper was cut and mods were made to accomplish this result, cutting the plastic cover is no more dangerous than adding a bumper sticker or scratching the paint...

Thats why I said "usually",because some hitches do require cutting the bumper.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Brian Bran

Thats why I said "usually",because some hitches do require cutting the bumper.

The cutting, in this case, was not required to install the hitch.
I simply designed the plug-in bracket to above and center.It also stabilized the bumper cover and provided the best possible location for the cable.
I liked the design so well that I did the same on our 2008 Escape.
Since my Ranger has a step bumper, I had to use the conventional location for the plug-in. It works well, but is slightly less convenient and slightly more exposed to possible damage or road debris.

[Pam Garlow]

I have a 2011 Escape and I had a class 1 trailer hitch installed. It drops down under the bumper with no cutting involved. The plugin bracket is attached to the bottom of the bumper. However, a factory-installed 2" hitch would have required that bumper with a cutout be used.