The banner above is an advertisment - if it asks you to download software, please ignore.
Site News - 7/1: Members: Log In to See Fewer Ads! | 5/28: SAAB Evolutions/TSN T-Shirts $14
[General | Members | C900 | 9000 | NG900 & OG93 | 93 | 95 | NG95 | 99 | Sonett | Vintage Models | Clubs | Other Cars | FAQs | Gifts | Member Photo Galleries | Member Directory | Classifieds | Manuals | *Buddy Registry | *Mileage Registry | Polls | What's New | Raffle | Photo of the Month | Sponsors]

95 Bulletin Board
1999-2009 [Subscribe to Daily Digest]
(Search Author's Posts: e.g. Keyword:username)*Members Only

[Main 95 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ | Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ] Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
Class II trailer hitch installed on my '08
Like This Post: - Subscribe to Daily Digest for this Bulletin Board
Posted by MI-Roger [Email] (#882) [Profile/Gallery] (more from MI-Roger) on Thu, 14 May 2020 11:28:03 Share Post by Email
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup

I bought a Draw-Tite Class II hitch for my '08 9-5. Vendor catalogs say this device will not fit any 9-5's after the 2005 model year. However, all OG 9-5's from 1998 thru 2009 use the same rear under body sheet metal per the EPC. All mounting holes aligned.

Now for the bad news. I tried to install this myself in the driveway by following the Draw-Tite instructions. I was able to secure 3 of the 5 bolts. I lost the bolt and reinforcing plate for the Right-rear hole twice in the frame, was successful at extracting it both times without too much difficulty. I lost the bolt and reinforcing plate for the left rear hole in the frame too. This one was far more difficult to extract but I was eventually successful TWO days later!

After this I cried 'UNCLE' and took the car and hitch to a hitch installer. But only after I was first able to convince them the Draw-Tite catalog had an error of omission by not including the 2006 thru 2009 cars as valid fits for the hitch. I blamed it on slow sales of the factory accessory hitch which caused its cancellation and the hitch manufacturer to 'assume' there were rear underbody changes which were never communicated to their designers.

I believe the factory instructions make the job too difficult. If I were to do this job again, and if my drill press was operational, I would install the three tricky bolts before I loosely fitted the hitch to the rear under body. The instructions say to loosely fit the hitch first. The second change would be to cross drill the three Grade 5 bolts near the tip (hence the drill press) so a thin steel pulling wire could be routed thru the hole for a more secure grip to the bolt. Trying to wrap fine wire around the threads was simply not strong enough. I would also fashion some type of temporary 'hair pin' to the bolt after it was installed in the frame holes so it would not disappear when I and a second person worked together to place the hitch and start threading the nuts onto the bolts.

Only took the Pros an hour. Experience and tools make a huge difference.




->Posting last edited on Thu, 14 May 2020 12:35:51.
_______________________________________
Saabs owned:
2008 9-5 Aero Sedan, sold at 227K miles
2006 9-3SC 2.0T - Wife's daily driver
2000 Viggen Convertible - Sold May, 2022
1964 Quantum IV Formula Car - Retirement project
2000 9-5lpt Sedan, sold at 318K miles
Posts in this Thread:
Alert me when someone posts in this thread:
Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup
Post a Followup

No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.

Name: Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
E-Mail: (Optional)
Re-Enter E-Mail: (Confidential & Secure - Not revealed to other users!)
Note: Please check your spam folder for BB responses.

Subject:

Posting rules are simple - No for sale/wanted ads may be posted here - use the site classifieds.
You may not cross-post your message to multiple BBs.
Not permitted: political/religious topics and being disrespectful (personal attacks, insults, etc...).
 Site Members do not see any red text, inline ad links, bottom of page anchor ads, box ads, or anti-spam check.

Message: (please no for sale/wanted classifieds - post those in the Saabnet.com Classifieds)
Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).

Links are now automatically made active, no need for any special code (or use the Option Link field below) - don't put links in () or end with a '.'
To add inline images to your post above, use [img]http://www.domain.com/img.jpg[endimg] (or use the Optional Image Link field below).
Optional Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/)
Link Title: (Optional)
Optional Photo/Image Link: (e.g. http://www.saabnet.com/img.jpg)
Photo/Image to Upload: (Please be patient while file uploads)



StateOfNine.com
SaabClub.com
Jak Stoll Performance
M Car Covers
Ad Available

The content on this site may not be republished without permission. Copyright © 1988-2024 - The Saab Network - saabnet.com.
For usage guidelines, see the Mission & Privacy Notice.
[Contact | Site Map | Saabnet.com on Facebook | Saabnet.com on Twitter | Shop Amazon via TSN | Site Donations]

Random Saabnet.com Member Gallery Photos (Click Image)
This is a moderated bulletin board - Posting is a privilege, not a right. Unsolicited commercial postings are not allowed (no spam). Please, no For Sale or Wanted postings, SERIOUSLY. Classifieds are to be listed in The Saab Network Classifieds pages. This is a problem solving forum for over 250,000 Saab owners, so expect to see problems discussed here even though our cars are generally very reliable. This is not an anything goes type of forum. Saabnet.com has been a moderated forum since 1988. For usage guidelines, see the Saabnet.com Mission and Purpose Page. Please remember that you are not anonymous. Site Contact | Site Donations | Other Sites by SP - Poverty2Prosperity.org | Run Club Menlo Park | ScreenBot


Site Members do not see red text instructions, bottom of the page anchor ads, or box ads.
Click here to see all the Site Membership Benefits!