I would like Mazda to have a some way to put a trailer hitch on.

I Moutain bike ride and I do not want to put bike racks on the paint.

If not that... a factory roof rack...

Roachman

Ya, I hope so too.
By the way, these are the best bike racks if you haven't seen them already:

http://www.sportworks.com/stindex.asp

Why not get the ones that hinge inside your roof with rubber clamps? They don't damage paint and work well...

Originally posted by WankelWannabe
Ya, I hope so too.
By the way, these are the best bike racks if you haven't seen them already:

http://www.sportworks.com/stindex.asp


I like SARIS personally. but I am worried that the rotary red light or reflector I see where a hitch would be?

Roachman

Having a rotary engine makes the 8 quite a bad vehicle for towindg because it has little low down torque but as long as nothing heavy is being towed I think its a great idea!

Ya, I definitely wouldn't tow anything with it. But it's a good way to haul your bikes around...I've seen hitches mounted to Miatas, so maybe it'll be possible with the RX-8.

rx-8 is not a car for towing, or any sports for that matter. u really shouldnt get a rx-8 if u want to tow stuff

Please for the love of god. NOOOO to the trailer hitch, that is completely wrong. Take your bike a part, that is why there are the quick release front and rear tabs on your wheels. I think the trunk should fit the frame. You can also pull the seat post. and that would make it even more compact.

Unless you completely disassemble the bike there is no way in hell any part of it is going to fit in the trunk.

My bikes both have 20mm thru-axle front hubs (non-quick release) which means it's a pain in the ass to remove the front wheel.

Right now I have rack that sits on the rear bumper and has straps that hook onto the edge of the trunk lid...ok for my Corolla but I don't think I want to use it on my RX-8.

Personally, I think the best option is to get the new Honda Element as a second car. You can strap a bike in it upright without removing the front wheel. Too bad it is so damn ugly!!!

Originally posted by WankelWannabe
Unless you completely disassemble the bike there is no way in hell any part of it is going to fit in the trunk.

My bikes both have 20mm thru-axle front hubs (non-quick release) which means it's a pain in the ass to remove the front wheel.

Right now I have rack that sits on the rear bumper and has straps that hook onto the edge of the trunk lid...ok for my Corolla but I don't think I want to use it on my RX-8.

Personally, I think the best option is to get the new Honda Element as a second car. You can strap a bike in it upright without removing the front wheel. Too bad it is so damn ugly!!! Don't you mean Honda Excrement? :)

Don't know till you try it. With the pass through center or rearranging things I can get my bike to fit in the trunk and a couple wheels behind the front seats. Damn the trunk had two golf bags in it..

I don't think the frame and fork(still assembled) would fit in the trunk...unless you somehow manged to stick the fork through the pass-thru. LOL.

If you put a towbar put on the Rx-8 you have to get one of the detachable ones!

I will not tow a boat or anything....

1.But it is very nice to put a small trailer behind to go to Lowes or Home Depot to not get the truck dirty or such.

2. I already have the two car set up, Boxster and Land Rover. I would like to have ONE CAR!

3. For my Boxster I did find a cool after market customer trailer hitch a guy made. Perfect for a bike rake of small trailer.


I am getting the RX-8 (first deposit at my dealership). So, I will probably end up taking it somewhere and getting a custom trailer hitch so I can move to ONE FUN car and still ride moutain bikes and get multch at the hardware store :o)

Thanks for all the comments.
The little red rotor at the back will make the custom hitch tuff.

Roachman

Originally posted by fritts
Please for the love of god. NOOOO to the trailer hitch, that is completely wrong. Take your bike a part, that is why there are the quick release front and rear tabs on your wheels. I think the trunk should fit the frame. You can also pull the seat post. and that would make it even more compact.

I am not sure where you ride. But my MTB gets really muddy in the winter. Not something I will put in my SWEET RX-8

Roachman

Sports cars can tow look at the pics.

Originally posted by Spining Ncnratr
Sports cars can tow look at the pics. And look how disturbing it looks :)

Anyone got photo chop take and put a RX in its place??

I live in Indiana so to say the least the trails are not that great but I'm usually a mess when I get back to the car... That's what the trunk is for. I am just being hopeful that I can fit my bike in as I don't want to rely on my friends to haul it around for me. My friend can get his frame in his RS2.5's trunk. Hopefully I can do the same.

Guys, real sports cars can tow. How else do you get your racing tires to the track? Even Miatas can tow. I have towed all over the place with my MR2. Check out my website where I developed some custom hitches for sportscars:

http://www.racehitch.com/

The trick is to make the hitch easy on and off.

Originally posted by randyc
Guys, real sports cars can tow. How else do you get your racing tires to the track? Even Miatas can tow. I have towed all over the place with my MR2. Check out my website where I developed some custom hitches for sportscars:

http://www.racehitch.com/

The trick is to make the hitch easy on and off.


Will you make one for the RX-8?

If you do, consider me your first customer !!:D

The one I bought for my Boxster was a custom job to.

Thanks,
Roachman

WOW Matching paint job and rims on the trailer.:confused:
http://www.rx8forum.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=16577

I have towed with all three previous gen RX-7s. I have towed with Two Miatas. I towed my 82ITS RX-7 with my 89 Convertible. The RX-8 Has a longer wheel base than all the RX-7s and a lot of SUVs. The brakes are larger as well. This car will have no problems towing small trailers. If I wanted a truck I would have bought a truck. I do not put anything in any of my cars like lumber or DIY stuff. I take a small trailer to Home Depot and enjoy the drive there. The RX-8 has more torque than a Miata. I used to tow my 13" boat with my Miata. BTW I sold that 89 Convertible with 167000 miles on it with the origonall clutch, engine and drivetrain.

John

Originally posted by roachman
If you do, consider me your first customer !!:D
Thanks,
Roachman

I'll be your second customer...........

Third.

Vince

Count me in too!

ditto. anyone find something for this? the weather is getting nice, and I want to get out on my roadie again soon

Bump. Any progress?

Bump. Any progress?
Holy thread resurection, Batman! Mods, can threads older than, say, 9 months be automatically locked?

Per the other thread (http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=30917&highlight=HITCH), I have one on order from hitch-web.com for my g/f's RX-8. Having a hitch to haul stuff around is what's still keeping me interested in an RX-8 for myself. Coming from a GTI (with a hatch and folding rear seats) I can't stomach the thought of buying something that I can't even fit my duffle bag in. I swore I'd never own another sedan, but....

see: http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/201691.aspx

(I still think a small hitch would be better than a trunk rack. And much less annoying.)

Wow nice bump

BUMP, I'm looking for a trailer hitch also. I've seen the other threads on these but not a whole lot of options yet? Anyone else have this one:

http://www.hitch-web.com/proDescrip.asp?ProductCode=372815&OID=8#

or even the custom job?

I've heard that the Dalan hitch was taken off the market because it had a tendency to tear holes in the trunk.

I wish I could get a custom hitch like this one:
http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/201691.aspx
But while he was willing to do it himself on his own car, I heard that he swore never to do such a thing again. (...after a buch of swearing at the car, bumper, hitch, etc... ;-)

I've given up on this idea; I'm using a trunk mounted rack for my bicycle. Curse.
- jeff

I see no problem with it, and it shouldnt be much of an issue. I personally wouldnt do it, but I am not personally paying for you car.....
If it makes life easier for ya, it would be something worth doing. If I did it, I would make a bracket that was hidden when off and didnt look like a trailer hitch reciever. Then fab it into the bike mount, but this would require welding and cutting.

I have been thinking of doing this too and found the CURT DALAN hitch.
http://www.etrailer.com/pc-H~11472.htm?vehicleid=20086167

Yet, in the describtion it states "All frame attachment
Simple bolt-on installation, no welding required" but I have heard of cracked trunks

Having the hitch pass through rotary symbol in bumper would be ideal (as was done for the custom hitch at http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/201691.aspx ). Passing under the bumper is more conventional, but keep in mind that the bottom of the bumper is already pretty low, so a hitch that goes under it and back is likely to hit the ground from time to time. (Ick!)

Do you guys believe that I could tow an ATV or a snowmobile with the 8?

I understand that it's definitely not a car that's made for towing, that it's very weak on torque etc...

But could it be done without doing any damage to the engine or chassis?

gtommy.

I wouldn't recommend it...

Reports of trouble with the Dalan hitch tearing out the trunk floor happened just towing a small tire trailer.

There is an OEM hitch available in the UK (google), but again I wouldn't pull anything with this car.

(maybe a bike rack, though)

gtommy.

I wouldn't recommend it...

Reports of trouble with the Dalan hitch tearing out the trunk floor happened just towing a small tire trailer.

There is an OEM hitch available in the UK (google), but again I wouldn't pull anything with this car.

(maybe a bike rack, though)

Alright I get the message.
What about a kart?
I guess I'll buy a RotorMax kart instead, gotta weight around 170lbs?

The problem might be the trailer, though it's pretty small.

what do you think?

YES i would also not reccommend towing but if you search around there is somebody (outside of US i believe) that has a hitch mounted on the 8 inside the rear rotor shaped piece...and i'm sure he could explain how it was installed

YES i would also not reccommend towing but if you search around there is somebody (outside of US i believe) that has a hitch mounted on the 8 inside the rear rotor shaped piece...and i'm sure he could explain how it was installed

Yes; I think we're talking about the one-off custom job described here on this thread:

http://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php?p=2354391&postcount=30

see: http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/201691.aspx

(I still think a small hitch would be better than a trunk rack. And much less annoying.)

(I got a trunk rack for my bicycle, and it works OK. )-:

Do you guys believe that I could tow an ATV or a snowmobile with the 8?

I understand that it's definitely not a car that's made for towing, that it's very weak on torque etc...

But could it be done without doing any damage to the engine or chassis?

Wouldn't recommend using the 8 to tow a snow mobile or ATV.




You could probably tow the 8 with a snow mobile or ATV just fine though. :lol:

You could probably tow the 8 with a snow mobile or ATV just fine though. :lol:

I feel you...

All,

Well, it has been a long time since I've posted with work and all. I'll be putting a lot of information over the next few weeks on all the custom work I've just had completed to my 04 RX-8. No sense buying a new car when I can just upgrade this one.

Custom Paint
Hidden Trailer Hitch
Car Computer
Neon Lights

Anyway, as to the topic of this thread, my guy can now install a custom (and hidden) trailer hitch for anyone that is interested. His price is $260.00 and he is located in Houston, TX. The hitch is hidden behind the license plate and is welded into the rear inner bumper, which connects it right up to the frame. I still wouldn't tow anything too heavy with this. For me, I'll be using it for towing a tire trailer or my motorcycle to the track.

I'll get the pics up as soon as I get them (I'm helping him with his website too) for anyone interested.

http://bestcollisioncenter.net/home (Best Collision Center)

this could be good for us track folks!!
olddragger

Here are the pics for the Hidden Trailer hitch that I had installed. With the license plate on, poof, hidden. Btw, before everyone starts replying, yes, the hole is not in the center. It is longer on the right so you can get your hand in there and insert the pin for the tongue.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/1581/trailerhitch1.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2234/trailerhitch2.jpg
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/2828/trailerhitch3.jpg

Talk to Steve at Best Collision Center for information. I'll get another thread on the finished custom paint. They did a great job for me and I would recommend them to anyone.
http://www.bestcollisioncenter.net

David