Installing the Curt 11566 Hitch

[Shin Hayata]

DriverOne - what is the height of the installed hitch, with and without the ball installed?
I'm cross shopping small trailers and the hitch height would be useful to know. Thanks.

[TominMO]

DriverOne - what is the height of the installed hitch, with and without the ball installed?
I'm cross shopping small trailers and the hitch height would be useful to know. Thanks.

DriverOne hasn't been on the sight since January.

The hitch height will depend on what tires you have. But I would guess about 8" off the ground. Any trailer you put on it will be sloping downward a little; no problem unless a lot of weight is involved. With a heavier load, I like to balance my load so that I have no more than ~75 lbs of tongue weight, about what I can pick up with one hand. Of course with a light load this issue is pretty moot.

Here's another idea: Festiva bumper with hitch

[ryanprins13]

Its actually pretty high up, a lot of trailers have ridden level for me. I have written down somewhere the hight loaded and unloaded, ill see if i can find it tomorrow, i think its 15inches to the top of the ball unloaded. Its a full 7 inches higher than the hitch on my civic. I have hit some things pretty hard with the civic hitch and the highest 1 1/4 reciever i could find was only 3.5in rise so my trailers tip low. But ill try to find those numbers for you. I like this festiva hitch for how its out of the way and high off the ground.

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[Shin Hayata]

Thanks so much.

I'm giving some thought to this trailer, which has a 14" hitch height.

https://theusatrailerstore.com/ace-single-motorcycle-trailer/

The combined weight of the trailer and my dual sport motorcycle would be ~650 lbs., so I'm also working out whether or not a B3 in proper running condition could safely manage the job. I'd be the only one in the car when taking the bike somewhere for a ride & camp weekend.

[ryanprins13]

Thanks so much.

I'm giving some thought to this trailer, which has a 14" hitch height.

https://theusatrailerstore.com/ace-single-motorcycle-trailer/

The combined weight of the trailer and my dual sport motorcycle would be ~650 lbs., so I'm also working out whether or not a B3 in proper running condition could safely manage the job. I'd be the only one in the car when taking the bike somewhere for a ride & camp weekend.

The car can easily handle that. What factors in as far as safety is how good of condition your rear steel rebar (steel bumper) is and what your skill level is/how much your willing to pay attention. People have towed over 2000 pounds with that hitch at freeway speeds. I personally have towed 900 pounds with that hitch, but im not one to go over its rating. And yes, thats with a B3.

So hights: 15in top of ball empty, i believe i had 155/80 r12 tires.
If i climb in the back it drops to 14 3/8.
If i put 4 large suv tires and steel rims in the back and i climb in the back and bounce around it settles at 13inches.
Im 170ish pounds, no idea how heavy the tires were but probably more than me.

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[Shin Hayata]

Thanks, ryan.

[Shin Hayata]

I personally have towed 900 pounds with that hitch, but im not one to go over its rating. And yes, thats with a B3.

Do you remember the estimated or actual tongue weight when you were towing with the Curt hitch? The Ebay listing notes the tongue capacity (limit) as 100 lbs. I'm considering a single motorcycle trailer that, when loaded with my dual sport motorcycle, will have an estimated tongue weight between 130 - 160 lbs. This is per a direct response from an online seller.

I want to do the math, so to speak, before I make a purchase decision. Thanks again.

[ryanprins13]

Do you remember the estimated or actual tongue weight when you were towing with the Curt hitch? The Ebay listing notes the tongue capacity (limit) as 100 lbs. I'm considering a single motorcycle trailer that, when loaded with my dual sport motorcycle, will have an estimated tongue weight between 130 - 160 lbs. This is per a direct response from an online seller.

I want to do the math, so to speak, before I make a purchase decision. Thanks again.

I am pretty good at guestimating what 100 pounds is. If i was ever towing something heavy and/or the tongue weight was close to 100 pounds i would use a bathroom scale to check.
The limit for the curt hitch is 100 pounds and my rear steel rebar wasnt in great shape, i never went over 100 pounds.
Someone who has a car in good shape does go over that with a curt hitch but i wouldnt trust it.
I looked at the trailer and thats not something i would use behind the festiva. How heavy is your motorbike? I think 160 pounds of tongue weight is a very conservative estimate, in my opinion its likely to be more unless your bike is light. I would use a flat deck trailer with ramps. Its larger, but you will have much more control over the tongue weight and you can use it for other things too.
The 100 pounds you put on the tongue becomes significantly more when you hit large bumps or brake hard. The festiva can pull a lot of weight, but i personally wouldnt put much more than 100 pounds of tongue weight on the curt hitch.

Actually a better question is how heavy is your bike on just the front tire? Roll it onto a bathroom scale. Then ask the manufacturer of that trailer what the tongue weight of their trailer is empty. Then add the 2. Thats roughly what the tongue weight will be on the festiva loaded.


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[Shin Hayata]

Thanks. The alternative is to install a receiver hitch, and/or a bed extender, on my Ridgeline. Hauling a motorcycle with that vehicle would be a doddle.

I have more practical need for a vehicle like the Festiva than I do with a large and thirsty (if comfortable and dead reliable) truck like the Ridgeline. With that in mind, I'm determining the work that the little Ford should and shouldn't be asked to perform.

For someone who wants to use the Festiva way beyond its design brief, you really took a conservative tack with my Curt hitch inquiry. That's cool. I appreciate the feedback, ryan.

[ryanprins13]

Thanks. The alternative is to install a receiver hitch, and/or a bed extender, on my Ridgeline. Hauling a motorcycle with that vehicle would be a doddle.

I have more practical need for a vehicle like the Festiva than I do with a large and thirsty (if comfortable and dead reliable) truck like the Ridgeline. With that in mind, I'm determining the work that the little Ford should and shouldn't be asked to perform.

For someone who wants to use the Festiva way beyond its design brief, you really took a conservative tack with my Curt hitch inquiry. That's cool. I appreciate the feedback, ryan.

I would make it work with the festiva, but i think you know that
I just think that the method of attachment of the curt hitch is compatable with its 100 pound capacity. Many people on here have towed with much more tounge weight than that. You could talk to others too.
I still would never put more than 100 pounds tongue weight on the curt hitch on my red festiva.
Its mostly that style of trailer i take issue with. It looks like it puts most of the weight of the bike on the tongue. You saw the hitch i made for my festiva now- even with that i wouldnt be very comefortable putting a heavy bike on that trailer and pulling it. However ill pull a 1700 pound trailer with 170 pounds tounge weight across the country and be more comefortable.

Use the curt hitch and one of those folding harbor freight flat deck trailers. Get one thats 3 or 4ft wide and long enough that you have room to position the bike how you want. Youll be happy, itl be cheap, and youll hardly notice its there when your pulling it. The price difference between the one your looking at and a harbor freight one will get you some nice ramps and attachment stuff to keep your bike in place. And you can still use the trailer for other stuff.
If you want a dedicated motorbike trailer look for one that has the axle more in the middle of the bike.
Theres also a guy on facebook selling a festiva hitch with a reciever tube that attaches to the tow hooks.



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