Need light-duty hitch on WRX STi...

Assuming you take the same hitch as the regular Impreza check here:

I purchased mine for my 02 Outback and was very pleased.

-Kurt

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Looking at the bolt-on installation instructions and pictures of the fender situations of the supported Impreza WRX Sedan and Wagon (which look identical) I am going to give it a try:

I'll report back if it doesn't work. Thanks.

The Draw-Tite 24710 worked like a charm. Bolted on to my 2005 WRX STI in minutes and supported my Thule 1.25" 4-bike carrier no problem. Its nice that it's tucked under the bumper nicely and hardly shows except for the central hitch mount itself. Can't figure out why Subaru America didn't want to sell me their hitch, but at $80 bucks from e-trailer.com, who cares (would have run into $500 plus for getting the Subaru parts installed no doubt...)

Subaru probably thinks you'll *gasp* TOW SOMETHING.

The Legacy GT accepts the same hitch as any other Legacy, including Outbacks. Subaru doesn't condone towing with a GT, but allows it on Outbacks and standard Legacy wagons.

My guess is that low profile tires, like those on my FIL's GT and your WRX, make crappy towing tires, and are the Achilles heel. I put a hitch on the GT (the same hitch I put on an Outback) so my FIL can tow 300-500 pounds, including the trailer and load, for short distances.

Subaru has little control over what you will do, so they won't install a hitch.

Barry

Get a roof rack-- Much quicker to load/unload and bikes dont get as dusty / muddy as they do on a hitch rack.

#1.) Do you have a garage with a remote opener?

#2.) What if he dosen't want the rack on the roof all the time? They do make a decent amount of wind noise at highway speeds.

#3.) Have you ever put a wet, muddy mountain bike on the roof?

#4.) Have you ever put a 50+ pound downhill or kid's bike on the roof?

#5.) Have you ever had the headset of a high-end bike brinnelled, or had the grease blown out of it by 70 MPH rain, while on a fork mount roof rack?

#6.) Have you ever damaged a high-end tube in a "quick load" upright roof rack.

#7.) Can you tell I sell racks?

There are plusses and minuses to both setups, depending on the user's needs and bikes. Newer, good quality, hitch racks are extremely fast and easy to load. You may be thinking of department store quality hitch racks.

Barry

make a decent amount of wind noise at highway speeds. #6.) Have you ever damaged a high-end tube in a "quick load" upright roof rack.

It is to the owners of the 5-10 broken frames we replace a year. Both serious cyclists in my neighborhood have dents above garage doors from seatposts.

Take it off and see the difference. If it's OEM - Yakima, chances are you didn't drive the car much without it. On my OBW, my roof rack cost me about 2 MPG. When I sold the car, I sold the rack separately. I was shocked at how much quieter the car was without the rack, as I had been used to it after four years.

Since the OP has a WRX, he needs towers. Towers raise the rack system higher into the airflow over the roof than rails attached to the Subaru crossbars.

If the OP rides downhill, freeride, BMX, or urban assault, why would he care what you think of it?

How does sealing a headset prevent brinnelling? How do you maintain a sealed headset?

Do you know what brinnelling is?

'Nuff said! It's all about the uniform... Although I'm not sure what a "professional" rack is. I'm paid by a bike shop, and own both types. Wouldn't that make both of my rack systems "professional"?

No reason to mention that I'm factory trained to configure, install, and sell Yakima and Thule... We usually investigate the user's needs before we pick or pan one style or the other. Note that I never said one was better than the other in all applications.

The better hitch racks don't allow bikes to sway, Wal-Mart versions do.

Barry

you didn't drive the car much without it. On my OBW, my roof rack cost

me about 2 MPG. When I sold the car, I sold the rack separately. I was shocked at how much quieter the car was without the rack, as I had been

used to it after four years.

Since the OP has a WRX, he needs towers. Towers raise the rack system higher into the airflow over the roof than rails attached to the Subaru

crossbars>If the OP rides downhill, freeride, BMX, or urban assault, why would he care what you think of it?

I have an 02 RS. I've got an aftermarket Yakima Rack. The rack comes off the SECOND I'm not using it. It makes so much noise at highway speed it's mind boggling. We're talking turn the stereo up by about double the volume. Under 35-40mph it's livable.

When I put the cartop box on, the noise goes way down. I'm hoping a wind deflector would help some.

See my experience. Especially if he has the WRX sedan. NOISY!

And as such, it doesn't require a bike? Hmmm.

A hitch mount will allow you to put your cargo box on the roof too...

Barry speaks wisely, I bought a roof rack for my recumbent, and even though its fairly light with the seat off, I HATE roof racking it. I worruy about dropping the forks onto the roof, stuff wobbling back and forth, low branches, etc. Sure, the rail I got on ebay was about - oh -

1/4-1/6 a good hitch rack, but I can't wait to get a hitch rack. Even a J.C.Whitney or something would be better.

If you go to the roof, get int he habit of moving the garage door opener to a bike bag or into the gloce box or something, as an xtra reminder not to scrape the bikes off with your house!

I'll be looking at draftmaster or sportworks probably.

Carl

B a r r y wrote:

As you've noticed, the Sportworks racks CAN'T sway, as they cradle the wheels.

Here in CT, buses are equipped with Sportworks racks, as the rider can quickly drop ANY bike into it and quickly board the bus.

Barry

Yeah, but getting one for a longer wheelbase recumbent....

Anyway, I've read they have them, just figuring how to order one appropriate for a BikeE might be tricky.

Carl

B a r r y wrote:

True. Most racks are for wedgie bikes.

Somebody used to make a rack for tandems on the back, but it's escaping me at the moment.

Barry