Trailer Hitch for M3

[Jumpin J]

I’m planning to install a trailer hitch and bike rack on my M3 to carry an e-bike. I live in the east bay and am looking for:
1. What is the most reliable/strong hitch?
2. Ditto with bike rack?
3. Recommendations for a reliable competent installer.

Thanks in advance.
Jesse

 

[A Morgan]

Stealth hitch and 1up rack.
Sorry, can't help on installer but the hitch isn't hard to install with some pretty basic tools.

 

[TechM3]

I like the stealth hitch

 

[KYVolsfan]

I purchased and installed a Curt hitch and have a Yakima bike rack. The hitch install took about 4 hours but saved me about $300. There is an installation video on YouTube from Uhaul that gives a detailed step by step procedure.

 

[elbenson]

I second the Stealth Hitch. It is very well designed and has 2" receiver. They have an installer list on their website, but like mentioned above, it is a pretty easy install that most shops can do without worrying about them messing something up.

Lots of options for bike racks, but as mentioned above, 1up is a very high quality rack, but many others also work very well. Most hitch makers are now making heavier duty racks to handle E-Bikes and the extra weight.

 

[rotarypower101]

Does anyone make a 2 inch "Vertical" Receiver tube compatible with Model 3?

Hoping for a flush or slightly recesses 2" tube surface to the bottom undertray.

 

[Watts_Up]

Does anyone make a 2 inch "Vertical" Receiver tube compatible with Model 3?

Could you find a picture of what you mean by "Vertical" Receiver tube ?

Do you mean something like:

rear bike rack question.

i have a 1up bike rack on my current car (audi q5) and thinking of getting a hitch receiver installed on my model 3 when it arrives. wondering if it will mess with autopilot in anyway?

teslamotorsclub.com

or something like:

Four Bike Rack

I just had a 2" Ecohitch installed on my 2021 MY and I am looking for a four bike rack for two adult bikes and 2 kids bikes. I am leaning towards getting the Thule Apex XT Bike Hitch Rack. For anyone that has this bike rack do you like it? Is it easy to put the bikes on? Do I have to buy...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[rotarypower101]

Could you find a picture of what you mean by "Vertical" Receiver tube ?

Do you mean something like:

rear bike rack question.

i have a 1up bike rack on my current car (audi q5) and thinking of getting a hitch receiver installed on my model 3 when it arrives. wondering if it will mess with autopilot in anyway?

teslamotorsclub.com

or something like:

Four Bike Rack

I just had a 2" Ecohitch installed on my 2021 MY and I am looking for a four bike rack for two adult bikes and 2 kids bikes. I am leaning towards getting the Thule Apex XT Bike Hitch Rack. For anyone that has this bike rack do you like it? Is it easy to put the bikes on? Do I have to buy...

teslamotorsclub.com

These are for different vehicles, but a 2" receiver tube mounted in a vertical orientation gives a Lot of flexibility, even if there is some added hassle.

Have them on 3 different vehicles, the main attributes are the hitch is unseen when not in use, as well as it is extremely robust and can be configured to maximize vehicle departure angle when that is advantageous. For me, all these attributes have been beneficial, as I do a lot of towing in areas that can be difficult.

Understanding there are "similar" solutions (like "conical" interfaced hidden hitch), explicitly looking for a 2" receiver tube.

If there is not one avalible, I will grudgingly construct one when the time comes.

 

[NeverFollow]

it ... can be configured to maximize vehicle departure angle

I agree with your concern. The Model 3 is very low from the ground.
I installed a Stealth Hitches with a 2" square receiver for my bike rack.
See my experience:

The first time I used it, I heared this big "Bong" noise when passing above a dip.
You can notice that the bottom of the receiver was 7 inches above the ground.



I contacted Stealth Hitches and they recommended to use a 6 inches raiser.
In fact this was even worse because this extended the receiver by few inches



After getting this second "Bong" noise I decided to test if using a ball mount tow hitch would saved the problem.
So I welded a square 2"x 2" and 6" long receiver on to of the ball mount.
This gave an extra one inch of clerance, and the bottom of the receiver was now 8 inches above the ground.



In fact, this was not sufficient enough, as I heared for the third time a big "Bong" noise
However, I noticed that the ball mount could be moved 2" 1/2 closer to the rear bumper.



So I decide to shorter the ball tow hitch.



And welded everything together



So far, I don't have the big "Bong" noise that I experienced when driving above a dip.



Note: I would not recommend using this custom hitch receiver to tow a trailer but this seems fine for a bike receiver.

 

[NeverFollow]

I’m planning to install a trailer hitch and bike rack on my M3 to carry an e-bike. I live in the east bay and am looking for:


1. What is the most reliable/strong hitch?


2. Ditto with bike rack?

I wanted a bike carrier easier to remove and to fit in my trunk when not in use.

I would recommend the QuiKRStuff Mach 2, see this previous posting:

rear bike rack question.

Get the stealth hitch, you won't regret it. Easy install and when you don't have your bike rack on you won't have the ugly receiver poking out I recently installed a "Stealth Hitches" to my Model 3 and I use the new "QuikRStuff Mach 2" bicycle carrier for two bikes. I selected the...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[Georgesb2]

I agree with your concern. The Model 3 is very low from the ground.
I installed a Stealth Hitches with a 2" square receiver for my bike rack.
See my experience:

The first time I used it, I heared this big "Bong" noise when passing above a dip.
You can notice that the bottom of the receiver was 7 inches above the ground.

View attachment 924272

I contacted Stealth Hitches and they recommended to use a 6 inches raiser.
In fact this was even worse because this extended the receiver by few inches

View attachment 924278

After getting this second "Bong" noise I decided to test if using a ball mount tow hitch would saved the problem.
So I welded a square 2"x 2" and 6" long receiver on to of the ball mount.
This gave an extra one inch of clerance, and the bottom of the receiver was now 8 inches above the ground.

View attachment 924279

In fact, this was not sufficient enough, as I heared for the third time a big "Bong" noise
However, I noticed that the ball mount could be moved 2" 1/2 closer to the rear bumper.

View attachment 924280

So I decide to shorter the ball tow hitch.

View attachment 924286

And welded everything together

View attachment 924284

So far, I don't have the big "Bong" noise that I experienced when driving above a dip.

View attachment 924287

Note: I would not recommend using this custom hitch receiver to tow a trailer but this seems fine for a bike receiver.

I have a 2022 M3P. I mountain bike a lot and want to stop having to put the bike into the car. I'm considering a Stealth 2" receiver and a 1Up HD Double. Looks like it will likely hit the ground. I don't presently have the ability to manufacture what you made.
Do you have recommendations and advice for me before I get the receiver and bike rack?

 

[elbenson]

I have theStealth hitch and it is nice because you can remove the receiver when not in use and you get your ground clearance back. There really is no solution available (except the custom designs shown above) that will raise the receiver up out of the way to prevent hitting the ground once in a while. The car is low to the ground so you just have to pay attention to entry/exit over dips and try to go over at angle. Scraping the ground at low speed occasionally really won't hurt anything so don't worry too much.

1up makes a great heavy duty rack, but really won't fit in the trunk when not in use without the seats folded down.

Eric

 

[Georgesb2]

I have theStealth hitch and it is nice because you can remove the receiver when not in use and you get your ground clearance back. There really is no solution available (except the custom designs shown above) that will raise the receiver up out of the way to prevent hitting the ground once in a while. The car is low to the ground so you just have to pay attention to entry/exit over dips and try to go over at angle. Scraping the ground at low speed occasionally really won't hurt anything so don't worry too much.

1up makes a great heavy duty rack, but really won't fit in the trunk when not in use without the seats folded down.

Eric

Good inputs. I'm not sure how important it is to me to get the bike rack into the trunk. I am leaning towards the Stealth hitch and the 1Up HD. Mmmmm....