I thought i would start a new thread advertising the sweet deal JOE at hitchsource is doing for us Z & G drivers.

Curt mfg makes two different hitches for the Z/G.

You really need to check your bumper support prior to ordering.

Verify from the illistrations on the pdf file installation instructions that your bumper beam on your Z or G looks like the one you plan on ordering from the picture on the installation instructions. you can see the bumper beams (extruded Aluminum) are different in the pictures i posted below - see the BLUE and RED circles.

you can see my thread where i found this out the hard way.
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-and-interior/347359-uhaul-hitch-249483-247483-a.html
Below is same as post 17:

************************************************************ ****************

*****************
www.hitchsource.com
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super sweet deal guys!

either hitch you need, if its for the Z or G etc. CURT MFG. G35 is P/N 11483 or 350z is P/N 11493 on sale from JOE at hitch source with a coupon code of 350z for an additional 15% off.

ALL ORDERS come with mounting hardware, ball mount and hitch pin are included in the order.

super sweet!

This guy JOE has been super awesome A+ customer service thus far on the phone and via email. see his reply below:

I have created a coupon for 15% off of both hitches 11493 (price with
coupon $117.28) and 11483 (price with coupon $118.42). Feel free to
post it on the forum. It is valid for one year. How it works is when you
get to the page that asks for your credit card information there is a
field at the bottom called gift voucher/coupon code simply type,
350z in that field and it will take 15% off of the hitch. As always, the
mounting hardware, ball mount and hitch pin are included in the order.
Tell everyone and Let me know if I can be of further assistance.
Thanks,

Joe
HitchSource.com
877-464-4824

- Jason

 

Another plus for hitchsource dot com....I ordered yesterday and received my hitch today! nice...

he also gave me some recognition on his site - see pic..

- j

 

I'm using the same curtis hitch on my Nismo,the bumper cover had to come off for the install and I had to shorten the pipes on my Bassani exhaust about an inch for the hitch to clear my mufflers.My rear valance had to be shortened to clear my exhaust and a small notch cut out to clear the hitch.I had a body shop do the install.

 

darn...do you have any pictures? or can you take some from under the car..etc..

- j

 

Can I see a picture of one of these installed on a Z? Is the actual square hitch receptacle recessed into the bumper? It would be sweet if you could cut the opening, and use the piece as a color matched plug to mount in the receptacle when you weren't pulling anything.

 

+1 on pics

 

These are two of the pictures ive collected by doing searches.....check back after the weekend. i will be taking pictures and updating this thread when i install p/n 11493 curt hitch on my Z Tomorrow Friday after work...

- j

 

^Ah. I see, thanks for the pics.

I guess you can ignore my color matched plug concept (unless you have some really low aftermarket bumper)

Maybe fashion an adapter to attach a trick 3rd exhaust tip!

 

OKAY...

Here is p/n CURT 11493 on my 2004 touring, actually a 2004.5 touring Z.

if anyone else can submit pics like this that would be great...

im really curious to find out if the 11483 does fit on any other Z's or if its only G's??? etc..

- Jason

 

The toughest part of the install is fishing the bolts through the aluminum bumper beam with the metal wire they send you with the bolts. I ended up using regular radio wire and feed that through the holes and tied it to the provided metal wire and pulled the bolts through.

I also used a wooden yard stick to help hold the bolts up while i threaded the nuts....lol....that worked great..

UPDATE:
TRAILER WIRING HARNESS:
ANY "HOPPY" - HOPKINS BRAND "TAIL LIGHT CONVERTER" WILL WORK - (AUTOZONE, ETC) WILL WORK - SO LONG AS IT IS FOR A CAR THAT HAS A SEPARATE** BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHT LIKE THE Z DOES. GET IT?? THE DIFFERENCE IN HOPPY BRANDS IS ONLY DUE TO THE CONFIGURATION OF THE END (END WHERE TRAILER WIRES CONNECT - I BOUGHT A SEPARATE END AND ATTACHED ONE WITH TESTING LEDS ON IT).

I used a wiring light tester and verified all my colored wires did the exact function i was looking for. I labeled in the attached pics the wiring colors for my 04 Touring Z but i dont know if the colored wires are the same for all Z's so i recommend buying a simple wire tester and double checking.

I don't have any pictures but i hot soildered all my connections and then used the ghetto electrical tape.

*edit:
UPDATE:
Okay, like mentioned - any hopkins brand "Tail Light Converter" will work with the Z - you just need one thats designed for separate blinkers and tail lights.

"STANDARD CONVERTERS"
See here: http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.co...ht_converters/

So any hopkins model:
46115 - Has 4 wire flat connected to the brain - but has 4-Wire flat extension to mount the brain wherever you want. Kit with everything you need for someone that doesnt have a tester, 3 splice connectors, etc...
48925 - Has 4 wire flat at the end of 74 inches of wire
48935 - Same as 46115, but not a kit ---
48915 - Has 4 wire flat on the brain, has long azz wires to connect far away...

Installation is super easy!!!!
CONVERTER WIRING IDENTIFICATION
WHITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GROUND
RED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BRAKE
GREEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .RIGHT TURN
YELLOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .LEFT TURN
BROWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PARK / TAIL

Instructions here: http://www.hopkinstowingsolutions.com/doc/48925.pdf






- J

 

I ordered a site from the said link and they were super fast!! Thanks for the tip.

Now as to mounting the hitch. I personally would never run the hitch on my car without reinforceing the crash bar mounts. I mounted the hitch up and I could stand on it and just watch the crash bar mounts flex.

I personally feel that the hitch is unsafe without reinforcing the crash bar mounts!!!

I boxed mine in with sheet metal on the outside. Its was very easy to do and turned out working really good, the hitch is now super stiff and doesnt flex at all.

Some shots from this weekend:
Hauling 300zx transmissions to be shipped


Hauling my scooter:


Ived towed my bike for around 500 miles so far and it ahs worked flawlessly, 350 doesnt even know its back there. Been getting about 20mpg doing 75 on the interstate with the trailor.

 

The older Z's had issues with the bumper mounts, the newer ones don't last I heard.

 

Well i have seen the welding issue. This was not the case on mine it was simply not designed strong enough for an application such as this... if you look at it you will see. On mine the metal was flexing. Perhaps somebody could post some pictures of the new mount.

 

any updates. Just wanted to see if anyone else got a hitch put on yet. will these hitches work on an 03?

 

THESE ARE THE BRACKETS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED WELDED. THE ONES TWIISTEDSIX MENTIONS ON POST #11 OF THIS THREAD.

Here are pics of where to weld.

When you have the bumper off look on both the driver and passenger side......you can see these steel brackets attaching the Aluminum bumper beam on each side. See the 1st picture for location of brackets.





-J

 

Some updated pics:

-J

update again, more pics:
https://my350z.com/forum/8343204-post2.html
-J

 

Just ordered #11493 for my 03 touring. Let you know how things go

 

awesome, did you get it from Joe at Hitchsource??? keep us posted...dont forget the pics...

-j

 

Yeah, I got it from Joe with the discount. I checked under the car today and it does have that plate. Did you do the extra welds on the bumper support, if so, is it aluminum or steel, that is the part that needs welded. Just want to find someone who can do it. I'll post pics, probably a few weeks. Went today and picked out the trailer, toolbox, and air tank. The trailer wont be in for a few days.

 

The parts that need to be welded are in POST 15. look close at the pictures and you can see the added welds...they are STEEL.

I would remove them from the car just like shown in the pics and have a buddy drive you to a local exhaust shop and they shouldn't charge you but 15 bucks max to weld those up, especially removed and on a work table like that for as small as they are...

What kind of trailer you picking up? air tank? im guessing for autoX?

I would just make sure they are using a decent sized mig welder..

-j