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THE 2011 HAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT REAR FASCIA THAN EARLIER MODELS. IT EXTENDS ALMOST FORWARD TO THE MUFFLER. IT EXTENDS SO FAR FORWARD THAT THE DEALER WOULD NOT/COULD NOT INSTALL THE FACTORY WIRING HARNESS THAT CAME AS PART OF THE TOW PACKAGE. THEY SAID (AND I AGREE) THAT IT COULD NOT BE INSTALLED WITHOUT REMOVING THE ENTIRE FASCIA (OR CUTTING BACK THE FASCIA AS PART OF THE HITCH INSTALL).
AN E-MAIL TO CURT ASKING ABOUT INSTALLING A HITCH ON A 2011 RESULTED IN THE REPLY: "WE HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2011 YET"
E TRIALER WAS VERY HELPFUL. THEY CALLED HIDDEN HITCH FOR ME. THE MESSAGE WAS THAT THE FASCIA WOULD NEED TO BE TRIMMED.
WAITING FOR A HICH TO BE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE 2011 WASN'T AN OPTION BECAUSE 1) I DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME 2) IT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN -- LOOKING AT HOW THOROUGHLY THE THE FASCIA COVERS THE AREA.
CONSIDERING ALL OF THE ABOVE, AND BASED ON THE POSITIVE COMMENTS I FOUND ON THIS FORUM REGARDING CURT PRODUCTS, I TOOK THE PLUNGE AND ORDERED A 2010 HITCH ON LINE FOR $123.98 USD (DELIVERED)
I WILL ATTEMPT TO ATTACH MY PICS OF THE SUCCESSFUL INSTALLATION.
1ST PICTURE IS OF THE "BEFORE SURGERY" REAR END FASCIA SUPPORTS. PLEASE NOTE THE FACTORY PAINTED BLACK MUFFLER. THE ENTIRE MUFFLER IS PAINTED TO THE TOP.
2ND PICTURE IS THE "CUT OFF". THERE IS A VISIBLE RIDGE TO FOLLOW. IT WAS FAIRLY EASY TO DO.
3RD PITURE IS THE "CUT OFF" WITH A RULER TO ILLUSTRATE HOW MUCH I CUT.
4TH PICTURE IS INTENDED TO SHOW (MORE CLEARLY) THE PLASTIC SUPPORTS THAT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER. I PURPOSELY AVOIDED CUTTING THEM TO SHOW THEIR SIZE AND PURPOSE. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY EASY TO CUT WITH THE INITIAL PASS (SABRE SAW, W/ SHORT VERY FINE BLADE). THESE SUPPORTS ARE SCREWED INTO THE UNDERBODY MORE TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE CAR. THEY ARE SECURED TO SECTION OF THE FASCIA THAT I CUT WITH FOUR PLASIC FASTENERS. PLEASE SEE THE FOUR HOLES IN THE "CUT OFF" SECTION. BE CAREFUL REMOVING THE PLASTIC FASTENERS AS YOU WILL BE RE-USING THEM. AFTER TAKING THE PICTURE, I CUT THE SUPPORTS FLUSH WITH THE REMAINING FASCIA. I THEN DIRLLED 5/16 HOLES THROUGH THE REMAINING FASCIA AND SUPPORTS AND REINSTALLED THE FOUR PLASTIC FASTENERS. IT WORKED BEAUTIFULLY.
5TH PICTURE IS THE FINISHED PRODUCT. I FOUND THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE AND ADDITIONAL 1" DEEP CUT, APPROXIMATELY 3" WIDE TO KEEP THE INSTALLED HITCH FROM DISTORTING THE REMAINING FASCIA. I THINK THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT I DID. A GENTLE RADIUS CURVE WOULD HAVE LOOKED GOOD ALSO. I HAD THE HITCH NEARLY INSTALLED WHEN I DISCOVERD THIS AND THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I WAS GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH THOSE BOLTS AGAIN, SO I MADE THE ADDITIONAL LITTLE CUT WITH THE HITCH HANGING THERE.
TIP: IF YOU ARE INSTALLING ANY WIRING, DO IT AFTER THE CUT, BEFORE INSTALLING THE HITCH.
I CUT OFF THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FASCIA. IT WAS A TOUGH FIT GETTING THE HITCH UP, IN AND AROUND THE TIGHT SPACES. THE HITCH HAD TO BE "CONVINCED" TO MAKE IT INTO THE "STRETCHED AND PULLED" REMAINING FASCIA. I EVENTUALLY WON.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE POOR QUALITY PHOTOS AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS "HOW TO" POST. I'M 62 AND STILL LEARNING.
THAT'S SALT ON MY PATRIOT. I LIVE IN MICHIGAN.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS LITTLE PATRIOT.
AN E-MAIL TO CURT ASKING ABOUT INSTALLING A HITCH ON A 2011 RESULTED IN THE REPLY: "WE HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THE 2011 YET"
E TRIALER WAS VERY HELPFUL. THEY CALLED HIDDEN HITCH FOR ME. THE MESSAGE WAS THAT THE FASCIA WOULD NEED TO BE TRIMMED.
WAITING FOR A HICH TO BE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE 2011 WASN'T AN OPTION BECAUSE 1) I DIDN'T HAVE THE TIME 2) IT AIN'T GOING TO HAPPEN -- LOOKING AT HOW THOROUGHLY THE THE FASCIA COVERS THE AREA.
CONSIDERING ALL OF THE ABOVE, AND BASED ON THE POSITIVE COMMENTS I FOUND ON THIS FORUM REGARDING CURT PRODUCTS, I TOOK THE PLUNGE AND ORDERED A 2010 HITCH ON LINE FOR $123.98 USD (DELIVERED)
I WILL ATTEMPT TO ATTACH MY PICS OF THE SUCCESSFUL INSTALLATION.
1ST PICTURE IS OF THE "BEFORE SURGERY" REAR END FASCIA SUPPORTS. PLEASE NOTE THE FACTORY PAINTED BLACK MUFFLER. THE ENTIRE MUFFLER IS PAINTED TO THE TOP.
2ND PICTURE IS THE "CUT OFF". THERE IS A VISIBLE RIDGE TO FOLLOW. IT WAS FAIRLY EASY TO DO.
3RD PITURE IS THE "CUT OFF" WITH A RULER TO ILLUSTRATE HOW MUCH I CUT.
4TH PICTURE IS INTENDED TO SHOW (MORE CLEARLY) THE PLASTIC SUPPORTS THAT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER. I PURPOSELY AVOIDED CUTTING THEM TO SHOW THEIR SIZE AND PURPOSE. THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY EASY TO CUT WITH THE INITIAL PASS (SABRE SAW, W/ SHORT VERY FINE BLADE). THESE SUPPORTS ARE SCREWED INTO THE UNDERBODY MORE TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE CAR. THEY ARE SECURED TO SECTION OF THE FASCIA THAT I CUT WITH FOUR PLASIC FASTENERS. PLEASE SEE THE FOUR HOLES IN THE "CUT OFF" SECTION. BE CAREFUL REMOVING THE PLASTIC FASTENERS AS YOU WILL BE RE-USING THEM. AFTER TAKING THE PICTURE, I CUT THE SUPPORTS FLUSH WITH THE REMAINING FASCIA. I THEN DIRLLED 5/16 HOLES THROUGH THE REMAINING FASCIA AND SUPPORTS AND REINSTALLED THE FOUR PLASTIC FASTENERS. IT WORKED BEAUTIFULLY.
5TH PICTURE IS THE FINISHED PRODUCT. I FOUND THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE AND ADDITIONAL 1" DEEP CUT, APPROXIMATELY 3" WIDE TO KEEP THE INSTALLED HITCH FROM DISTORTING THE REMAINING FASCIA. I THINK THAT YOU CAN SEE WHAT I DID. A GENTLE RADIUS CURVE WOULD HAVE LOOKED GOOD ALSO. I HAD THE HITCH NEARLY INSTALLED WHEN I DISCOVERD THIS AND THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I WAS GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH THOSE BOLTS AGAIN, SO I MADE THE ADDITIONAL LITTLE CUT WITH THE HITCH HANGING THERE.
TIP: IF YOU ARE INSTALLING ANY WIRING, DO IT AFTER THE CUT, BEFORE INSTALLING THE HITCH.
I CUT OFF THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FASCIA. IT WAS A TOUGH FIT GETTING THE HITCH UP, IN AND AROUND THE TIGHT SPACES. THE HITCH HAD TO BE "CONVINCED" TO MAKE IT INTO THE "STRETCHED AND PULLED" REMAINING FASCIA. I EVENTUALLY WON.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE POOR QUALITY PHOTOS AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS "HOW TO" POST. I'M 62 AND STILL LEARNING.
THAT'S SALT ON MY PATRIOT. I LIVE IN MICHIGAN.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS LITTLE PATRIOT.
... Merry Christmas! lol
