Dr.Bear

I have some questions for anyone who has a draw-tite class 1 hitch for their 2002 type-s. Is it purely bolt-on or do I have to do some drilling. If so where do the holes go. Also, if anyone has any pics please post it so I can see how it appears behind the car.

And for those of you who think it's silly to put a hitch on the tl-s... blah, blah, blah... I'm not using it for towing trailers. It's solely for carrying mountain bikes.

Thanks all...

David Johnson

Dr. Bear, I installed a Draw-Tite hitch on my TL-Type S soon after I purchased the car. The model # for the hitch is 24676 and it cost about $90 dollars (class I /1.250 inches. I installed it myself and probably a good thing that I did it that way. All my cars in the past have had Draw-Tite hitches installed for the sole purpose of a bike rack and not for towing. I am also a mountain biker. I have a Rhode Gear rack that has already been modified from my last car. When I installed it the distance from the bumper to the hitch was extremely close so I was able to make a minor adjustment when I mounted it so it would clear.
The installation requires you to drill two holes in the bottom of the spare tire area. The actual support comes from mounting the hitch on the rear tow hook by a bolt and washers.
The only draw back was how far down the hitch sits. On my last car (Maxda 626) to see the hitch you had to bend down and look under the car. With the Acura its not that obtrusive however it sits about an even plane with the exhaust tips so you will be able to see it all the time without bending down.
I have been riding over 10 years and have over $4000 in a mountain bike and don't plan on giving it up any time soon, so I have got to live with it.

DJ

FLL Type-S

I haven't seen you post in awhile. What was the final outcome of you transmission issues? Did you get it replaced?

Dr.Bear

David, thanks for your informative reply. My only concern is having to drill 2 holes in the spare tire well. Does the kit come with templates to place the holes? Also, how hard was it to drill through the metal because I have no clue how thick it is. If you have a pic I'd really like to see how the hitch looks from the back of the car. My email is tumi_777@bellsouth.net. Thanks...

As for my tranny, i had it replaced by a remanufactured one at 5300miles. It has been running smoothly ever since. I have about 14,000miles now. No signs of vibrations or bumpiness from the tranny. I hope that's the last I have to deal with the tranny issues.