I think I’ve mentioned before how Autopian contributor Emily Velasco is always reliable for spotting and sending me interesting cars she happens to see, and she’s done it again, though this time it’s a little more mundane than what she usually sends. Mundane, but still interesting. The car itself isn’t particularly exciting, but what’s been done to it is, because while it’s a sort of crudely executed modification, it’s also pretty smart.
At least I think it is?
The DIY mod is, as you can see, a tow hitch mount for what looks like a 2015 to 2019 or so Toyota Corolla. Normally, adding a tow hitch to a Corolla involves one of those tow hitch mounts that goes under the bodywork and mounts to the frame. Well, it’s unibody, so not the frame as such, but some stronger mounting points:
These are fairly unobtrusive and not that expensive, though they can be a pain to install. But what if you don’t like this solution? What if you don’t want to give up about an inch of ground clearance, or you don’t want the extra weight? What are your options then?
Well, I’m happy to say there do seem to be options, like this one, where you can cut a hole in the bumper skin and mount a tow hitch right onto the heavy-duty bumper bar inside the bumper cap:
That bumper bar is very securely mounted to the frame and should be a strong point to handle a tow hitch. What’s this guy towing, anyway? A boat? I’d like to think it’s a boat. I bet the boat is a fiberglass recreation of the Civil War ironclad USS Monitor and has working cannon and is used for Civil War naval reenactments. Just a guess.
But back to that tow hitch; it’s a little sloppy but the concept is good. I think the key is that metal insert that the DIYer used to encapsulate the open cut-out bumper skin area. It looks like it was an existing part from, um, something, because that central rounded-rectangle feels too well-executed compared to the other cut-out parts.
This got me thinking that perhaps one could manufacture and sell these plastic inserts designed for just this purpose, like this:
You’d cut a properly-sized hole in your bumper skin, install this plastic box to fill the hole, install your tow hitch, and maybe there would even be a snap-in cover to hide the hitch when not in use.
The “box” could also be used to hold things like tow safety chains and other small towing accessories! Like tow lights, maybe?
There’s something about this solution that I like. Even coarsely executed, it feels tidier than the under-the bumper bar method, and it keeps the tow hitch closer to the rear of the car, which let’s say without checking is a good thing.
What do you think? Am I a fool to be impressed with this clunky modification, or do you also see the beauty in it?
Now I have to get to sleep; I have a plane to catch in the morning!
The post What Do We Think Of This Janky DIY Tow Hitch Solution? appeared first on The Autopian.
