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I used a small jack and 2x4 to get the bolt holes lined up...those hitches are heavy!to position the hitch correctly
My question would be more concerned with getting that 3,000lb boat and trailer up the launch ramp!!!
Any experiences in this area?? AWD vs FWD??? What troubles do the FWD folks have??
If you call Valley Spring (see the above posting) ask them for someone in your area that could install them. Bill at Valley Spring recommended a couple of shops that sell his companies springs, also Big O Tire. I went with the spring shop, it was cheaper by a couple hundred dollars. Total cost of the springs and install, $430.00. I was pleased with the result.
Is there a part number for those springs? Also with a 1 1/4" rear ride height increase does the Santa Fe look funny "jacked up" and do the headlights throw the same distance?
Keep up the great info :-)
Valley Springs was recommended by a trailer supply company and I talked to the recommended installer prior to ordering. The installer said that he has been very happy with the coils that Valley Springs makes. On the day of installation, I told the installer who I was and where I had gotten the springs. He didn't even need to see them. He said if Valley Springs made them they would work. And they did.
Thanks for any help...
Although I haven't seen them, you can probably buy or have made up a hitch that is designed for weight distribution. It would have more widely spaced attachment points on the chassis to spread out the stress over a larger area. Have you talked to a hitch specialty shop that can make custom hitches?
2007 Santa Fe AWD Limited with Touring and Premium packages
Dark Cherry Red with beige leather interior
Build Date - 8/1/06, Purchase Date - 10/06 11,600 miles
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
I found that on here, but where is it at Hyudai. If dealers are selling it as an option, why is it not listed as an option? I found one place where it listed "tow prep" as part of the touring option, but didn't say what was included. Ford and Toyota include (if I remember right) beefier alternator, cooling fans, transmission cooler, hitch and wiring. Is there no official Hyundai site that explains the available options?
Regardless of what the exact equipment differences are, vehicles with Touring have a higher GVWR and higher rated towing capacities. My data plate, for example, shows a GVWR of 5,556 pounds. Without Touring, GVWR is 5,291 pounds.
On page 2-29 of my owner's manual, there is a chart listing towing specifications. It says that with the 3.3L engine (SE and Limited models), the maximum towable weight is 3,500 pounds, and the maximum tongue weight is 350 pounds. Just below the chart are the following statements:
- Without Trailer Package: Towable Weight is 2,000 lbs(907.4kg)
- Boat Trailer Weight: Maximum towable weight + 1,000 lbs(453.7kg)
So it may not be on a website anywhere, but the owner's manual clearly states that the SE and Limited are limited to 2,000 pounds without the trailer package (tow prep), and 3,500 pounds with the trailer package. Those numbers go up 1,000 pounds for boat trailers.
the Trailer Prep Package that includes a transmission cooler, upgraded radiator, upgraded fans and trailer pre-wiring, allowing the vehicle to tow up to 3,500 pounds
2008 Santa Fe
I've been reading towing posts and wondered if it is better to go with the plug-n-play Hyundai wiring or use whatever wiring kits the hitch installation guys recommend???
The small round hole in the bumper is NOT for wiring -- it's for a tow/recovery hook. The hook is in the jack storage compartment in the back of your Santa Fe, if you ever need it.
There are several ways you can do the wiring. If you use a universal harness, it will connect to one of your taillights, and the pigtail will be inside the cargo area. When you need to use it, just pull it out and close the hatch on it.
If you use the Hyundai factory harness, as I did, the pigtail will be underneath the vehicle. I bought this mounting bracket from e-trailer for $3.10: http://www.etrailer.com/pc-BRACKET~18144.htm
It attaches (with supplied bolts) to the hitch, and the 4-pin flat connector snaps into it. It's a very neat, clean installation that keeps your trailer connecter right where you need it, and it's not dangling or anything.
If you order from e-trailer, you get free shipping on orders of $150 or more. Since the hitch only costs $120-130, and shipping would easily be $25+, buying some accessories like the mounting bracket, receiver cover, ballmount and balls from e-trailer makes sense.
I recommend the Hyundai factory harness, by the way. It's a little pricy at $81 retail, but installation couldn't be quicker or easier -- just plug it in. Any other harness will require splicing, or accessing a taillight. The Hyundai harness also has the advantage of being covered by the Hyundai warranty, and it won't void your factory warranty on other electrical system parts.
I went ahead and drilled a hole, using a bi-metal hole saw bit to drill through the plastic bumper in that beveled oval area that does not have any metal behind it
I then carefully drilled 4 holes around the big hole and just put the screws through into some nuts with washers(this part was for meticulous hands and fingers). I think it looks relatively clean. I'm sure by now if I put it under the hitch bar it would have been ripped off by now.
I put a link below to some photos which are about 1/2 way down on the page. (post 107)
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.eea4b85?displayRecent
gwilly, "Hyundai Santa Fe Owners: Photo Gallery" #107, 22 Mar 2007 9:04 am
Nice pics. :shades:
Last night, I got home and parked the car in the garage at about 6:00 p.m. At 8:00, I went to put some boxes in the garage and noticed that my Santa Fe's parking lights were on. That was strange, as I knew I hadn't left them on. I then noticed the smell of burning plastic. I walked around to the driver side just in time to see white smoke start pouring out from the left rear wheel well. I ran and got my keys so I could get it out of the garage. As I was getting into it, I heard a loud POP. Everything seemed to work fine, and I backed it out of the garage. The smoke stopped, but it continued to smell awful.
This morning I took it to the dealership. They found that the black box housing the trailer circuitry (the aforementioned $82 part) had gotten water into it, shorting it out and starting a fire. The pop I heard was the box exploding. No damage was done to the vehicle, thankfully, other than the smell. The dealer replaced the part and coated it with silicone to help keep it from happening again.
So -- anyone who has the Hyundai trailer wiring harness installed -- you might want to check and make sure it is well sealed against water intrusion.
http://www.carspace.com/gogrego
Also I'll add the AWD on this vehicle is excellent. I pull a small trailer with a ATV quad on pismo beach. Never get stuck. Last weekend took its first trip to snow to Sierra Summit skiing. Handles great in snow.
I couldn't be more pleased with this car. 16,500 miles and counting.
My question is where do I find a harness for a brake controller?
Would appreciate any information. Thanks RJR2565
I have a pop-up camper with electric brakes. The controller I know I need, it was the wiring I was wondering about.
Cheers
Personally, I would recommend a professional to do the job, unless you like getting dirty and strained neck muscles. It was definitely a project.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.eea4b85/106
The harness is installed inside the vehicle and requires that I hang the trailer connector out of the tailgate.
Does anyone know if there is a way to pass the cable from the inside to the outside of the vehicle?
The harness is installed inside the vehicle and requires that I hang the trailer connector out of the tailgate."
Your dealer gave you the wrong harness. The one you got plugs into the taillight wiring, which leaves the harness in the cargo area. The newer one became available in May of 2007, but a lot of dealers apparently still have the old one in stock, or don't know about the new one. The new one plugs into the prewiring pigtails that are mounted to the inside of the body just behind the driver's side rear wheel. The harness stays outside the vehicle, and the 4-pin flat trailer connector attaches to a bracket on the hitch.
I've been waiting six weeks. I would appreciate any feed back from other 08 owners if you are also having this kind of trouble. Thanks, rjr2565