Photos of Torklift Invisi Eco Hitch install

[MTN Ranger]

Why does the cut hole need to be that big?

I answered my own question. You need enough clearance for putting in the hitch pin.

[bjhorton2005]

Oh I love it. Thanks for sharing! Are you going to have to get an LED light for the license plate, a frame-like kind? It seems as though this pops it out quite a bit. I saw the detailed picture with the lights on. Was it well lit from the light housings on the bumper? I am ordering this for sure now. Side note, I ordered the flashback front LEDS. I also ordered LEDs for my license plate that ended up not fitting. Which ones did you go with? Thanks, -Brad

[artsci]

I stand corrected. The TorkLift hitch is rated for 200 lbs tongue weight and 200 lbs carrying weight, more than enough for a bike rack and a bunch of bikes.

I've seen reference to class 1 hitch tongue weight as 100lbs, but I more often see 200lbs as the tongue weight. I've been using my class 1 hitch for my scooter, which along with the carrier, comes in around 200lbs. No problem at all on a Hyundai Elantra. The Volt 6 bolt installation looks to me like an even stronger installation, so 200lbs. should be no problem.

[artsci]

The license plate frame does extend out about 2" but the plate still remains well lit with the existing light (upgraded to LEDs months ago). I installed the license plate LEDs recommended by Top_Speed1 in his helpful posts on the topic. Can't remember which # it was.

The flip up plate does, of course, block the view of the back-up camera when it's flipped up. The top of the plate when it's flipped down does touch the backup camera, but as the camera is rather loosely mounted, this actually keeps it more stable. It has no impact on the rear view from the camera.

Oh I love it. Thanks for sharing! Are you going to have to get an LED light for the license plate, a frame-like kind? It seems as though this pops it out quite a bit. I saw the detailed picture with the lights on. Was it well lit from the light housings on the bumper? I am ordering this for sure now. Side note, I ordered the flashback front LEDS. I also ordered LEDs for my license plate that ended up not fitting. Which ones did you go with? Thanks, -Brad

[2BeLivingGreen]

Artsci, Great job of collecting pics and adding comments. It is a great solution for a bike rack on the VOLT. I will definitely being thinking this way since I'd like to add a rack to mine at time.

[artsci]

That we ended up with this product is the result of incredible support from the Volt community; the assistance of a top-notch manufacturer, TorkLift Central; and the communication with other owners made possible by this web site and the Internet.

When I first bought my Volt in late October, as a serious cyclist I immediately started searching for a bike rack, to no avail. They didn't exist. But many owners had made comments on the various posts that led to important design considerations, the most important of which regarded the hope for a hitch that wouldn't have the receiver under the back up light, where it would scrape the ground on transitions into sloped driveways and the like.

When I started searching for a manufacturer that could design a custom hitch for the Volt that would meet our standards, another owner led me to TorkLift Central. As I'm on the East Coast and TorkLift in Washington, we needed volunteers to take their Volts to TorkLift for measurements and fitting. Here again this site made it possible to communicate with owners in the Seattle area.

TorkLift was a pleasure to deal with. It's a top-notch, high-quality outfit, with incredible experience doing this kind of thing. In about a month they went from the first measurements to development of a prototype, then final production and online sales.

So this was a community effort through and through, and it wouldn't have been possible otherwise.

[jimmyreno]

I like it! Thanks for taking this on, Artsci...

Watching the video of this installation on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJpTHIbdv9g, I noticed the bumper is reinstalled on top of the hitch mount, which must space the bumper out by the thickness of the mount (3/16"?). Seems the fasteners are long enough, but what does this additional thickness do to the bumper fascia once it's reassembled? Do you have any noticeable deformation of the fascia or bigger gaps around the perimeter? Or is there enough flexibility in the fascia that it conforms with no noticeable difference?

[dannyrusso]

artsci.... Did you get the 1 1/4" or the 2"? I'm going with the 1 1/4" since the only 2" carrier I have is to carry my larger scooter, which a class-1 can't handle anyway.
Also, how hard is it putting the hitch pin in? Did you try it yet? I'm still undecided whether to enlarge the access hole.

As far as Jimmy's previous post, I think Torklift designed it to perfectly fit under the existing bumper. I'd bet there was easily enough clearance to allow for the hitch plate, which is probably no thicker than 3/8".

BTW, I noticed it their video, although it may have been off camera, they didn't put any thread lock (Loctite) on the nuts before installing. I will definitely add that before I tighten those nuts. It won't be easy to get in there should they ever require tightening.

[dannyrusso]

Another question, and hopefully you will answer before I do the installation tomorrow.

Did you use the LED light that came with the hitch? I'd like to leave well enough alone, and use the existing plate light. Do you think it will illuminate the plate, considering the flip plate bracket puts it farther back?

[artsci]

No, didn't use it. I've found that the plate is lit just fine with the stock light.

Another question, and hopefully you will answer before I do the installation tomorrow.

Did you use the LED light that came with the hitch? I'd like to leave well enough alone, and use the existing plate light. Do you think it will illuminate the plate, considering the flip plate bracket puts it farther back?