Trailer Hitch Installation, Honda Odyssey - etrailer.com

http://www.etrailer.com/tv-hitch_install_2006_honda_odyssey.aspx

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installation instructions and specs for complete information.
First thing we'll do is lower the exhaust to give us a little more working room. As you can see we use a tie down to pull the exhaust out of the way even more so. That's totally optional it just depends on your circumstances.

What we're going to do is clean out the bolt holes on our frame. Sometimes you won't have to do this, particularly if the vehicle is brand new. Some older vehicles, especially fewer years down the line, you run into problems with rust and corrosion getting in the threads. We're going to use a wire brush that comes off a battery terminal cleaner and we're going to spray it down with WD-40 and work out the rust. It's not so bad in this model but we'll go through the steps anyway so it's easy to see what you need to do before you put the hitch on if you have an older vehicle. The next step would be to use the actual bolt and run it in there a few times in and out to clean it out just to make sure.

Now we have the holes cleaned out and ready to go, the next step is to lift the hitch into position. This something where you really want a second set of hands to carry one side, but if you're doing it by yourself a good trick is to let one side on the exhaust if you noticed we put the exhaust back to its original position. Then we'll lift the other side up and start our one bolt and then go back to the exhaust side to take the weight off of it as soon as possible.

Now that you have the hitch safely mounted on the first two bolts, now you go ahead and add the last four. You can move the hitch around as you need to give you wiggle room to get the bolts in. Now that we have our bolts in the drivers side, we'll skip to the passengers side and we'll pull our exhaust out of the way again to give us work room and install the bolts. Now that you have all bolts snugged down, we can do our final torquing.

Last but no least, don't forget to put on the exhaust bracket and then you are done with your install. That concludes the install of our hitch, the only thing I can reiterate is that what made the install easy is taking time to clean out all the holes in the frame. Rust, corrosion you name it and it's in there and it will definitely slow you down. That will go a long way in installing the hitch if you do that first.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• trailer
• hitch
• installation
• install
• draw-tite
• hidden
• reese
• honda
• odyssey
• etrailer.com

[eddie12208]

my washers have little points on one side that *could* grip the metal, i guess. is that what they are for? if so, i would guess the grippy side of the washers should point up, right?

[etrailertv]

@eddie12208 The teeth on the washer should bit into the mounting flange on the htich. When you compress the teeth, it puts tension on the bolt head to keep it from backing out. It's the same principle as a split lock washer, only it provides more even pressure.

[toyota7591]

you help me a lot. where can I buy a nice & cheap receiver?

[etrailertv]

@toyota7591 We sell this hitch on our site for the best price, and if you can find it cheaper elsewhere, we have a lowest price gaurantee, which ensure you get the lowest price out there. If you go to etrailers site and put in your Odyssey's year make and model, it will show you all the custom fit hitches available for your vehicle.

[koolzero007]

I can't tell if there is enough clearance to install this without lifting the vehicle, can anyone confirm whether they installed it with out jacking up the vehicle?

[etrailertv]

@koolzero007 They did lift the vehicle. Ideally, you should use two jacks for the rear of they Odyssey. I would not recommend trying to do it without jacking it up. It would be awfully tight. At minimum, you could jack up one side, get the hitch started, then the otherside.

[deadpoetnj]

While this video is helpful it makes it look a lot easier than it is. You'll need plenty of WD40 sprayed onto the exhuast gasket. Don't be afraid to use force. Even after you remove the gasket the exhaust will pretty much stay in place, it won't drop. Once you remove the gasket pull the exhaust to the driver side, not the passenger side like it shows in this video. Pulling it towards the passenger side will move the exhuaust into your working area and make the job harder.

[Erated78]

Amazing video guys.

I'm about to install a class III on my 06' Odyssey so this really helps me out. I'll follow all the tips regarding cleaning out the holes. What about the wiring harness? any tips on that?

[laeditor]

Okay. My bad. Forget my last question. Now I got it.

[laeditor]

Thanks for the video! Was that an OEM Honda hitch, and if not, what brand was it? Thanks.