Modified Drawtite 24603 hitch on an SVT Contour

[gmorrell]

Think you just go buy a hitch and bolt it on? Yeah right, this is one of Ford's "special" cars, nothing normal fits, we all know about that, don't we? The only hitch I've ever installed that went semi-normal was the Taurus SHO, the Mustang SVO's hitch was a real pain, but the Contour was the only one where I had to hack it apart, re-engineer it and weld it back together.

Buy a Drawtite 24603 for a regular Contour, but it's too long and interferes with the dual tailpipes, so...
0. I neglected to take a picture of the hitch before I cut it up, so this will have to do.


1. Cut off the C braces on the ends, shorten the end tubes by about 2" each side.


2. Flip the C-braces side-to-side, weld them back on so now they're on the insides of the chassis' box frame rails.


3. Taint Paint re-powder coated the hitch for me, the finished product.


4. Wait several weeks for some decent weather, have no desire to be laying under the car after it's been all about in Colorado's recent serial snow storms.

5. Pull off bumper cover, fit hitch, drill holes, bolt up from underneath and also through the rear bumper panel.


Gary M.

Can only attach 10 images per post, see next post.

 

[gmorrell]

6. Drill some holes through three layers of body sheet metal on the back of the bumper support, bolt up with M10 bolts and locking nuts.


7. Finish mounting hitch, replace Drawtite bolts that failed during torquing.


I don't have a lot to say for Drawtite hardware, it's junk. I guess the installers just know not to torque it to spec as shown in the install directions. I just replaced it with good Grade 8 bolts.


8. Install trailer wiring connector in spare tire well, wire accordingly.


9. Dismantle bumper cover, wash out 11 years worth of accumulated gravel and grit.

10. Reinstall bumper cover, trim bottom piece ever so slightly to clear receiver.


11. Yes, you can jack the rear to tires-off from the hitch, this will help immensely with tire changes.



The finished project is very unobtrusive, the safety chain loops are behind the bumper cover, the trailer light connector is out of sight and the splices are in the trunk, so they're out of the weather. It came out well.

It was a lot of work, but I'm very pleased with the results.


Gary M.

 

[blu_fuz]

That was way too much work. The install looks great though. Honestly, through the mesh doesn't bother me that much and really is a clean look and hides most of the hitch away, but you cut the bumper! :nonono:. Now you have to make more and sell them to everone else that asks about a hitch for a SVT Contour :crazy:.

 

[gmorrell]

Yeah, I'll not dispute that it was too much work, but my projects tend to be like that. I didn't want to cut the cover, and the initial fit-up said I wouldn't need to, but things often change when everything gets bolted up tight, and I couldn't do that until the bar was cut and re-welded.

I might blend in the cut part of the bumper cover to the receiver tube with a bit of Black Silicone caulk.

I'm happy with it, and now I can drag this around.

 

[KAOS_3.0]

what a PITA!

I was planning on a hitch after I get a torsen so I can haul stuff around without needing to borrow a truck, but from the looks of how that mounts up, it won't get past my 3" flowmaster that barely fits between the tie down and the inner fender on the driver side. I mean, the tie down vibrates on the muffler occasionally and makes and annoying noise...

 

[Dyoel182]

I really like that trailer!

 

[gmorrell]

I really like that trailer!

Thanks! Built it myself, well mostly myself. I did the design, cut the metal and fixtured everything for a friend of mine who is a TIG welding Deity. Built two actually, friend of mine bought one and uses it for an autocross/opentrack event trailer. It's pretty light, about 300 pounds empty, so it can haul quite a lot behind a medium sized car.

http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn78/gmorrell_1959/Aluminum Trailer/

 

[95_Mystique]

i've always wanted to put a hitch on my Mystique so i could get one of those cheap car dollys and tow my Tempo. anyone think that'd work? or would that be a bad idea?

 

[CSVT1214]

Towing another car with a Zetec does not seem very smart.

 

[BrApple]

I wouldn't call it a smart idea either seeing as its most likely only able to tow about 1,000 lbs .... however I have done it for a short while. wasn't bad at all, but I didn't have to brake the weight of the other mystique either, just pull and once moving it wasn't bad at all. and yeah, that was back at the point I had 200k on the car ....

 

[95_Mystique]

I wouldn't call it a smart idea either seeing as its most likely only able to tow about 1,000 lbs .... however I have done it for a short while. wasn't bad at all, but I didn't have to brake the weight of the other mystique either, just pull and once moving it wasn't bad at all. and yeah, that was back at the point I had 200k on the car ....

I've pulled my friends 86 F-150 already with my car. It didnt seem to mind it too much, and like you said, once it was moving, it wasnt so bad. I have to say, i was overall impressed with the pulling power of the Zetec. I'm looking to tow 65 mi to the track and 65 mi home. Should i just buy a truck? lol... or can the car do it?

 

[BrApple]

for that distance I would get a proper tow vehicle.

 

[95_Mystique]

Damn, alright. I guess its time to sell the old lady's 09 Fusion.:laugh:

 

[GoofyLeo3]

GREAT write-up. I've always wanted to use mine to tow a motorcycle on my smallest (4x8) trailer, and this answers my queries. If I follow your route, I'll cut off, reposition, and re-weld all 4 mounting brackets so I don't have to trim into the rear dam.... which was the only thing I didn't like.

 

[SuperRob]

No Title

I can't see using the contour to pull anything seems like it would be hard on the engine/trans and suspension rather use my truck or borrow someone truck/suv if need be usually my contours the thing being pulled around lol