Torklift EcoHitch

[Jrzapata]

I finally got my Model 3 and got to install my EcoHitch.

Installation was easy, given I have access to a master technician (my father in law). We watched the instructional video from torklift which gave us some good pointers.

The hitch lol oks clean, it gives you an option to remove the hitch connection to make it as if you didn’t have one, but I will choose to just keep it on all the time so I can put my bike rack on in a hurry.

I got out this weekend with my cycling team and got several kudos on the look of the car and the look of the hitch.

I made a mistake on my order and received a call from them to verify the additional part was really what I wanted. Got to correct my issue on the phone. Now THAT is awesome customer service.

Fully recommend this for your model 3 if you plan to carry your bikes on a rack.

https://torkliftcentral.com

 

[Blue in NC]

How easy is this to install? I have installed hitches before on SUVs but that did not involve pulling off the bumper and frankly I am a bit nervous about that. Maybe I will just hire a shop to do it.

 

[nam33r1]

Congrats! I love the eco hitch as well. So glad i can carry around my bikes again

 

[mekberg]

How easy is this to install? I have installed hitches before on SUVs but that did not involve pulling off the bumper and frankly I am a bit nervous about that. Maybe I will just hire a shop to do it.

About 3 hours and ~45 fasteners.

1. 5 in each wheel well (3 push pins, torx, plastic nut)
2. 5 in the trunk felt (push pins)
3. 2 for each tail light (7mm? nuts)
4. 1 under each tail light (10mm bolt)
5. 5 in bottom of bumper cover (10mm bolts)
6. 5 in bumper cover support (10mm bolts)
7. 6 in crash bar (15mm bolts - deep socket)
8. 4 in each crash bar support (15mm bolts - regular or deep socket)

Other tools:

1. 50 ft lb torque wrench required for hitch nuts.
2. 3 1/2" - 4" hole saw for receiver.
   
3. Need some sort of plastic prying device as the crash bar supports are epoxied to the body. I had a plastic spackle tool and a rubber mallet.
   
4. For my 2" receiver a 15/16 socket was required to bolt to the hitch. There wasn't a lot of space for my socket with a 3 1/2" hole saw, but it worked. I have since ordered a ratcheting wrench.

 

[mekberg]

My other post about this:

Need hitch recommendations

 

[thescud]

Anyone know where to get one of these hitches (or something similar) in Canada? Torklift Central wants $200 to ship this thing up north.

 

[Bandit]

Anyone know where to get one of these hitches (or something similar) in Canada? Torklift Central wants $200 to ship this thing up north.

It's a challenge for sure. I shipped to a cross-border pickup facility so I could get free shipping (although it cost me $10 to have it received). The shipping carton is huge and weighs 53 lbs.

 

[scubastevo80]

Just finished installing mine yesterday. Overall it was fairly easy and would have only taken me about 2 hours to do.
Some tips - get help with the bumper, especially putting it back on. I had to jack up one side of the car because the back bottom part of the bumper guard wasn’t under the center plastic piece. Also, don’t use anything less than a 3-1/2” hole saw bit. I tried 3” and it was just too small on both sides. I probably spent another hour with a dremel enlarging the hole, mainly on the side the bolt goes in. Some pics are attached.

 

[Smytty]

Just finished installing mine yesterday. Overall it was fairly easy and would have only taken me about 2 hours to do.
Some tips - get help with the bumper, especially putting it back on. I had to jack up one side of the car because the back bottom part of the bumper guard wasn’t under the center plastic piece. Also, don’t use anything less than a 3-1/2” hole saw bit. I tried 3” and it was just too small on both sides. I probably spent another hour with a dremel enlarging the hole, mainly on the side the bolt goes in. Some pics are attached.View attachment 565202View attachment 565203

I installed mine the day before yesterday - took about 90 min. Had the same issue with reinstalling the bumper - had to jack one side up to get underneath to seat the bottom fairing properly. Mine’s a 2020, so didn’t have to cut/Dremel anything. Overall, pretty easy.

 

[bsk997]

Installed mine 2 weeks ago and it wasn't too bad.
Unfortunately mine came in scratched on the hitch part. Hopefully it doesn't rust up.
Are you guys leaving it on all the time? It's a paint to get my big torque wrench up there to torque down properly. It'd be a pain to take on/off all the time.

 

[Dave EV]

I installed my EcoHitch a few months back. Installation was straight forward, just follow the instructions. I found it helpful to put the back of the car up on ramps, made it much easier to work.

I am slightly concerned about the lack of paint/coating under the old crash bar mounts. It looked like mostly bare aluminum under there. I was tempted to spray some primer on there, but didn't. May take it all apart to do so later, but no snow here, so not too worried about it.

With the car on the ground, the size of the receiver bolt (7/8") makes it hard to work with. A stubby ratcheting wrench would be useful. I just left the hitch in most of the time even when not using it, doesn't seem to affect anything.

 

[scubastevo80]

It's a paint to get my big torque wrench up there to torque down properly. It'd be a pain to take on/off all the time.

I agree - I can't do it with mine on the ground flat, so I have to jack the right rear up about 12" and then my torque wrench fits and gets about 18" of handle pull. I am planning on leaving mine on through the end of the fall and then I'll likely take it off in winter when the cold/snow comes.

 

[Pricedm]

Can you use summon to backup the car if a bike is on the hitch-mounted receiver? thx

 

[oripaamoni]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HRY3OBE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the wench I got to install the receiver with the car on the ground

 

[scubastevo80]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HRY3OBE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the wench I got to install the receiver with the car on the ground

How do you torque to 112ft/lb with that wrench? Do you just go tight as you can?

 

[android04]

Can you use summon to backup the car if a bike is on the hitch-mounted receiver? thx

No, a bike on a mount is too close. Look at your Summon settings in the car and see what the minimum distance for the rear is. It uses the ultrasonic sensors on the rear bumper to measure. Summon and Autopilot work fine with a trailer though and I've used both multiple times.

 

[oripaamoni]

How do you torque to 112ft/lb with that wrench? Do you just go tight as you can?

Ya I just tighten it as much as I can. I guess I can check it with a torque wrench and see how close I am. That being said I have had my bike rack and bike (45 lbs e-bike) on there for some long trips and haven't had an issue. I usually need to use my foot to push on the wrench to loosen it.

 

[Pricedm]

No, a bike on a mount is too close. Look at your Summon settings in the car and see what the minimum distance for the rear is. It uses the ultrasonic sensors on the rear bumper to measure. Summon and Autopilot work fine with a trailer though and I've used both multiple times.

Thanks for confirming; that's what I assumed.

 

[Dave EV]

With the car on the ground, the size of the receiver bolt (7/8") makes it hard to work with. A stubby ratcheting wrench would be useful. I just left the hitch in most of the time even when not using it, doesn't seem to affect anything.

For the record, I had the wrong size wrench, here. It's 15/16", not 7/8". The wrench that @oripaamoni linked to should work great.

 

[swaltner]

Have any Model 3 owners that installed this hitch taken the bumper cover off a year or two after installation to check for corrosion? I'm curious if the Model 3 has the tendency to suffer from dissimilar metal corrosion like was an issue on the Model S, at least initially.