From archive-owner Mon Nov  7 18:44:51 1994
From: jaimev@panix.com (Jaime C. Villacorte)
Subject: Re: trailer hitch for miata
Date: Mon, 7 Nov 1994 18:43:57 -0500

> I wondered if anyone on the list had any experience with it or if they 
> found someone who manufactured the hitch/rack setup for less.  The hitch
> looks really simple so I'm a bit skeptical over the price.  I know 
> having a hitch installed at a shop is more expensive than $135 but this 
> is a bolt on design and should be, imo, cheaper.


  I've recently gone through the exercise of putting one of these trailer
hitches on my new 94B, for the primary purpose of hauling my bike(s).

  I called Da'Lan (1-800-372-9848), the manafacturer of these hitches
and I spoke with Scott who suggested I should contact a store local to my
area, in order to avoid the costs of having it shipped from Massachusetts.
They gave me the name of a San Diego dealer, San Diego Trailer Supply
(619-469-2244). I called them and ordered the Da'Lan model #247262,
a 1 1/4" receiver hitch. (Their other model was #217324, a ball mount
hitch). The price was $115.95 + local CA tax + UPS shipping, and I received
it after 1 day (San Diego is right down the street from LA).

  Next, I purchased a Rhode Receiver Shuttle bike carrier from REI (a local
camping/outdoors/bike store). It shaped like a big "L" with one end of the
"L" slipping horizontally into the receiver hitch, and the vertical part
of the "L" containing horizontal bike hooks to holding the bikes.
This particular carrier had a plastic sleeve that could adapt it to
a 2" hitch. About 1/2" needs to be cut from the horizontal part of
the end of the bike carrier, in order for the hole in the bike carrier
to line up properly with the hole in the receiver hitch. It took a
few minutes for me to cut it with a hack-saw. The bike carrier was about $90.

  The bike carrier/trailer hitch is a great (but expensive) solution to
carrying my bike. It's very stable and easily removable. The trailer hitch
is well recessed under the car, so it's impossible to hit it with
your shin, when the bike carrier is removed.

  One caveat about installation of the trailer hitch. No matter how hard
I tried, I couldn't get the last of the 4 mounting bolts to line up with the
corresponding hole of the chassis of my car. But since I wasn't going to be
towing anything but my bike, and since it was rock-stable with the 3 bolt
attachment, I was happy, and let it go.

  My thanks goes out to Jim Jamieson (Jim_Jamieson@QuickMail.Yale.edu) whom
I corresponded with via e-mail, for his help in selecting this particular
trailer hitch/bike carrier combo.


- jaime villacorte       jaimev@panix.com