The BT plate ties the rear end of the car together better to reduce flex. It seems to me that a hitch would provide a similar function, though unintended. To anyone who has added both items, did the plate have a noticible effect when added after the hitch? (darelldd, I'm looking at you. )
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hawkjm73 @ Aug 6 2006, 08:48 PM) [snapback]298858[/snapback]</div> Hey. What are YOU looking at? Interesting thought. The problem is that I really didn't notice much difference with the plate (installed before the hitch) and I noticed about the same difference when I installed the hitch. So the total score for me is pretty close to zero for both parts, I'm afraid. Maybe others will have more valid input. I'm somewhat of the ugly duckling for the plate handling improvement, I'm afraid. The good news is that the stiffening plate at least didn't melt my rear bumper!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Aug 6 2006, 11:58 PM) [snapback]298860[/snapback]</div> Why, my EV hero, of course! I kind of figured your answer would be about like that, but you were the only one I remembered mentioning having both hitch and plate. Being pregnant at the moment, I don't fit under my car right now to look. Do you remember about where the plate is in relation to the hitch? Bet that exhaust mod for the coastal hitch dosn't look so bad in hindsite. Though I will say the bike rack is rather bouncy on the long recever of the costal hitch. Did you ever get the hitch manufaturer to admit fault?
We got the 2" Coastal hitch and cargo basket for the '05 and it did nothing for stability. We also don't care for its flex, and the hitch seems to ride about 3/4" lower than we'd like. I took the '05 in to a hitch place (Mann's Hitch in Bellevue WA) to modify so it would not ride low under the rear skirt. The guy there said he'd replace it instead of fixing it. We gave him the '06 prius instead. It's solid alright and up tight to the rear skirt, but does not use the stock bolt-down spots at all. No effect on frame rigidity from his hitch assembly, but the only way to move the cargo basket on the '06 is to bounce the whole car up & down. We'll have the BT plate on the '06 in a week or so. Then I'll be able to tell you the hitch does nothing and the plate does everything, for improving stability. Cheers, Bob
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hawkjm73 @ Aug 6 2006, 08:48 PM) [snapback]298858[/snapback]</div> I've got the Coastal smaller hitch installed (1 1/2"?) as well as the BT brace. I didn't notice any difference in the drive with the hitch only (it is very far back on the car, after all) but did notice a slight improvement after the BT install. I've got the feeling that I've never experienced much of the sway reported with the original Toyota brace so I don't see a great improvement with the BT. I just decided to add the BT after one particularly uncomfortable semi high-speed turn in a short distance. I've never experienced that feeling after adding the BT brace.
interesting thought but i dont see how a hitch which is mounted to a singularly stable platform would change its stability. imagine a "U". attaching something across the top of the U would make it stronger. however in the hitch case, you would be attaching something to the bottom of the U. maybe im way off on this,(dont have a hitch) but the hitch would attach to the rear frame. the BT plate attaches and connects two different sides of the frame.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hawkjm73 @ Aug 8 2006, 02:31 PM) [snapback]299807[/snapback]</div> Nah. Not really. I'm glad to have what I now have. Sure wish I didn't have to first go through what I went through though! Yes, Curt has finally admitted fault, but only after some serious time on my part to find a guy in the company who seemed to care. It seems that they're finally willing to pay my expenses for my damage (minus any value that my design ideas (now being incorporated, my time and aggrivation might have had, naturally).
