Volvo V70 Receiver Hitch InstallationTips for choosing, purchasing, and installing a receiver hitch for the Volvo V70 wagon.
|
|
1. Choosing the proper hitch - My research revealed that you have two choices in the receiver hitch market for the Volvo V70. The first choice is an aftermarket 1-1/4" receiver, and the other is the OE Volvo 2" receiver.
After examining the 1-1/4" receivers, I concluded that they are inexpensive (about $130) and easy to install (15 minutes with no drilling or vehicle disassembly). Unfortunately, they are not very sturdy and they hang below the bumper like an afterthought (which they are). They might be a good choice for attaching/pulling very light loads, but for a real trailer or (in my case) a bike carrier, I decided I wanted a stronger/sturdier unit because of the vertical load of the bikes (pushing down towards the ground instead of pulling a towed load).
After much internet research, I was unable to find an aftermarket 2" receiver for the Volvo V70. I went to my local dealership and asked the parts guy for help. He found the 2" receiver in his parts catalog and quoted me a price of $285. I found the same part from an internet vendor (www.autowebaccessories.com) for $203.48. Sold!
http://vparts.autowebaccessories.com/store/volvo-xc70-v70-trailer-hitch-member-kit-prod126_1150.php
When it arrived, I was impressed with the weight and solid construction - I immediately knew I had made the right choice to go with the 2" factory accessory (If you've ever seen a 1-1/4" receiver on a car, you know what I mean). Now it was time to install it.
2. Installing the hitch - the instructions that come with the unit are clear and logical, so I won't go into detail here. Instead, I will point out a few issues I encountered.
First, consider that the procedure has slight differences depending on the specific model of V70 (V70, V70R, XC70). My experience is with a base V70 model. The instructions explain that the rear bumpers are slightly different for each model, and mudflaps will also add a step or two.
Secondly, the instructions showed steps for removal of the rear floor liner and battery. I followed the instructions to remove them, but further in the process, I realized I didn't need to - you only need to do this if your car is equipped with rear parking sensors (which must be disconnected prior to removing the bumper cover) or if you are installing wiring for trailer lighting (brake lights, blinkers, etc.). By the way, the lighting wiring harness is a separate accessory not included with the basic receiver hitch.
Also, the rivets that hold the bumper and wheel arch trim together are made of metal and need to be drilled out - not a big deal, but you do have to bear down on the drill to get through them. After you are done, the drill bit is garbage since the rivets leave metal rings attached to the bit, which I didn't want to bother prying off. Just toss the bit in the trash.
After the rivets are gone, tThe bumper cover is held onto the car by sturdy plastic clips inside the bumper, and by a tongue and groove affair right at the edge (at the wheel well). The clips run across the rear width of the bumper and are very snug. The center clips did pull out easily enough with some aggressive pulling, but the two corner clips (below the taillights) were to tight to pull out. If you can imagine the way the tab of a phone cord plug "locks" into the phone jack, then you can visualize how these clips hold the bumper in place. I reached in with a long screwdriver to press up on the tab and pull the bumper free. Then when pulling the bumper cover rearward, the tongue and groove attachment point on either side slide back and release the bumper.
After the cover is removed, you simply follow the instructions for cutting the slot out of the cover. I used a dremel to do the rough cut, and then made the edges smooth by trimming with an x-acto knife.
Install the receiver hitch by following the instructions. It's basically a wrench turning job, with removal of stock bolts and refitting with the bolts that come with the receiver hitch kit. One difficult part is temporarily lowering the muffler by removing the rubber hangar and removing a rivet that holds part of the heat shield. It's a little difficult to get leverage in there, but after a bit of effort, it will work out.
Once the receiver is bolted in place, tighten down all the bolts to the torque values specified in the instructions. Wait 10 minutes and recheck the torques before reinstalling the bumper cover (which is just the reverse of removing it, only easier).
That's it!
Oh, since I also did a lot of research on all the different bike racks on the market, here's a link to the one I finally chose - the Yakima BigHorn 4.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000674QDE/ref=nosim/?tag=dealtime-sg-ret-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B000674QDE&linkCode=asn
I chose it because it seems to me to have the most "bang-for-the-buck" of all the hitches I looked at in it's price range. I bought mine for from REI for $135 during one of their frequent 20% off sales. It comes with rubber straps to hold the bikes steady on the rack (side to side and front to back) without having to wrap the bikes around with bungees, it folds down while installed for access to the rear hatch, and it has very sturdy construction. I've used it twice now and am very pleased with it - solid as a rock on the road.
After examining the 1-1/4" receivers, I concluded that they are inexpensive (about $130) and easy to install (15 minutes with no drilling or vehicle disassembly). Unfortunately, they are not very sturdy and they hang below the bumper like an afterthought (which they are). They might be a good choice for attaching/pulling very light loads, but for a real trailer or (in my case) a bike carrier, I decided I wanted a stronger/sturdier unit because of the vertical load of the bikes (pushing down towards the ground instead of pulling a towed load).
After much internet research, I was unable to find an aftermarket 2" receiver for the Volvo V70. I went to my local dealership and asked the parts guy for help. He found the 2" receiver in his parts catalog and quoted me a price of $285. I found the same part from an internet vendor (www.autowebaccessories.com) for $203.48. Sold!
http://vparts.autowebaccessories.com/store/volvo-xc70-v70-trailer-hitch-member-kit-prod126_1150.php
When it arrived, I was impressed with the weight and solid construction - I immediately knew I had made the right choice to go with the 2" factory accessory (If you've ever seen a 1-1/4" receiver on a car, you know what I mean). Now it was time to install it.
2. Installing the hitch - the instructions that come with the unit are clear and logical, so I won't go into detail here. Instead, I will point out a few issues I encountered.
First, consider that the procedure has slight differences depending on the specific model of V70 (V70, V70R, XC70). My experience is with a base V70 model. The instructions explain that the rear bumpers are slightly different for each model, and mudflaps will also add a step or two.
Secondly, the instructions showed steps for removal of the rear floor liner and battery. I followed the instructions to remove them, but further in the process, I realized I didn't need to - you only need to do this if your car is equipped with rear parking sensors (which must be disconnected prior to removing the bumper cover) or if you are installing wiring for trailer lighting (brake lights, blinkers, etc.). By the way, the lighting wiring harness is a separate accessory not included with the basic receiver hitch.
Also, the rivets that hold the bumper and wheel arch trim together are made of metal and need to be drilled out - not a big deal, but you do have to bear down on the drill to get through them. After you are done, the drill bit is garbage since the rivets leave metal rings attached to the bit, which I didn't want to bother prying off. Just toss the bit in the trash.
After the rivets are gone, tThe bumper cover is held onto the car by sturdy plastic clips inside the bumper, and by a tongue and groove affair right at the edge (at the wheel well). The clips run across the rear width of the bumper and are very snug. The center clips did pull out easily enough with some aggressive pulling, but the two corner clips (below the taillights) were to tight to pull out. If you can imagine the way the tab of a phone cord plug "locks" into the phone jack, then you can visualize how these clips hold the bumper in place. I reached in with a long screwdriver to press up on the tab and pull the bumper free. Then when pulling the bumper cover rearward, the tongue and groove attachment point on either side slide back and release the bumper.
After the cover is removed, you simply follow the instructions for cutting the slot out of the cover. I used a dremel to do the rough cut, and then made the edges smooth by trimming with an x-acto knife.
Install the receiver hitch by following the instructions. It's basically a wrench turning job, with removal of stock bolts and refitting with the bolts that come with the receiver hitch kit. One difficult part is temporarily lowering the muffler by removing the rubber hangar and removing a rivet that holds part of the heat shield. It's a little difficult to get leverage in there, but after a bit of effort, it will work out.
Once the receiver is bolted in place, tighten down all the bolts to the torque values specified in the instructions. Wait 10 minutes and recheck the torques before reinstalling the bumper cover (which is just the reverse of removing it, only easier).
That's it!
Oh, since I also did a lot of research on all the different bike racks on the market, here's a link to the one I finally chose - the Yakima BigHorn 4.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000674QDE/ref=nosim/?tag=dealtime-sg-ret-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B000674QDE&linkCode=asn
I chose it because it seems to me to have the most "bang-for-the-buck" of all the hitches I looked at in it's price range. I bought mine for from REI for $135 during one of their frequent 20% off sales. It comes with rubber straps to hold the bikes steady on the rack (side to side and front to back) without having to wrap the bikes around with bungees, it folds down while installed for access to the rear hatch, and it has very sturdy construction. I've used it twice now and am very pleased with it - solid as a rock on the road.
To post a comment about this guide you must be signed-in
Recent Comments (2 total):
| driveinalong - Oct 8, 2007 4:20 am | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Sylvia - Sep 13, 2007 10:12 am | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
