Adding a trailer hitch to 2004 Santa fe

Thanks. Yes, I do not want to do it myself.

I'm looking in the Yellow Pages now under "trailer hitches" and see U-Haul places as well as places that only sell and service trailers. I guess a trailer-only place is what I want. In the ads, I see something called a Draw-Tite trailer hitch advertised which I am hoping means a hitch that doesn't stick out far from the back of the vehicle.

And, yes, I will be doing some backup practice. I only had to back the trailer up one time so far (using a different vehicle) and it was amazing how complicated it seemed. But, I'm sure I'll learn it and figure it out.

Draw-Tite is a brand. It won't stick out much if you pull the hitch out of the receiver when you're not using it.

It's a snap. Just remember that you do everything backwards with a two wheel trailer. Start out right from the beginning, and practice backing up using your mirrors. Learn to do that from the start and you'll never regret it. Set out some plastic cones or some other obstruction that you don't have to worry about damaging (or damaging your trailer or your vehicle), and go at it. You'll quickly learn how to set up your turn by the way you pull past the place you want to back into, how to back up to your blind side, etc. It's just a practice makes perfect thing. It's more intuitive than you might first think, so just get out there and try it.

Good luck.

Ditto on the hitches.

Backing up - saw a neat video I don't hace hte link for but here goes. I'm assuming you don't have a stack of plastic cones around. There is one part I don't remember so you will have to work it out but that is easy and you will remember it better.

1. go find a big empty parking lot that is striped for parking. Schools are usually good on weekends.

1. Adjust your mirrors so you can just see the ground by the rear or wheel in the trailer.

2. pull forward next to a long straight line like a centerline on the driveway or the division line between rows of cars.

1. Line up the wheel on the line.

2. Put your hand on the top of your steering wheel and watch the mirrors. Slowly back up. As the trailer starts to swing it will get bigger in one mirror and smaller in the other. (here is the part that I was going to work out my self.) As you move your hand to correct the swing you will either push the trailer into one mirror or out of the other with your hand on top of the wheel. Figure out which one and then you will know. ;-)

Small corrections make big differences so take it slow.

If you get too far off pull forward to straighten out.

it helps a lot if you take somebody else along to watch for other folks getting in the way, etc.

The basic trick is to always put your hand at the same place and watch the mirror. hand might be top or bottom. Mirror might be push in one or out of other. I was watching a thing from Britain so it was right hand drive and is probably backward from the rest of the world but once you work it out you will always have the skill. I need a trailer to practice with but I don't have one right now. ;-) If I did I would give you better directions.

nothermark

I was taught to "break, then follow". Meaning you have to steer in the opposite direction that you would in backing a single vehicle, then once the trailer is pointed in the right direction you steer to follow it making corrections as needed.

I still recall my first effort at backing an empty boat trailer. Nothing I did seemed to work so I finally got out and lifted the trailer and moved it over by hand a foot at a time. Aside from embarrassment, it gave me determination to learn how to do it right. With practice I could drive a trailer backward across country if need be.

As stated by northermark, put you hand on top of the wheel and go slow.

Thanks all for the info.

About the trailer hitch:

After going to a lot of places, I found that the boating/marine stores know almost nothing and just refer their customers to a trailer or trailer hitch company in their area. I didn't go to a dealership. One company that only sells and services trailers will do the complete trailer hitch installation (including parts, labor, electrical connections) for $228. One boating/marine store referred me to a company that only does trailer hitches and their charge was about $320. U-Haul seemed the most clueless and wanted around $350 when all of the "extras" (like the electrical hookup) were added in.

I haven't done the backup practice yet, but I'm sure it will be fun. I did see somewhere where someone suggested holding the bottom of the steering wheel instead of the top while backing up, so I'll see what that's about while doing the practice backups.