Trailer Hitches

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01-23-2011, 06:46 PM

#11

TiggersHHR

Senior Member

Join Date: 02-15-2008

Location: Stockwell, Indiana (Lafayette Area)

Posts: 339

Ron S: It's Sunburst Orange and my nickname is Tigger - thus the handle TiggersHHR.

American & Proud: I've had a hitch on my HHR since a week after I bought it and it has the 5-speed tranny. No one at the dealership has ever said anything to me about it. The notice that Chevy puts in the owners manual about towing with a 5-speed is just a disclaimer for the Drivetrain Warranty. Besides, all of the parts that would need replaced are "wear" parts and are not covered under the Drivetrain Warranty anyways. I have towed with mine many times and have over 62,000 miles on it. If someone has experience driving a manual transmission and towing, then they will not have an issue with their HHR.

01-23-2011, 06:50 PM

#12

IgottaWoody

Senior Member

Join Date: 01-13-2008

Location: Washington State, where it rains

Posts: 4,708

dont know why some are afraid of this......common sense is all thats needed

01-23-2011, 10:40 PM

#13

sleeper

Platinum Member

Join Date: 01-09-2007

Location: SE USA

Posts: 15,975

Gasman-
You just need to raise the rear of your SS about 4 - 5 inches so you don't have to drill the bumper valance..

01-24-2011, 06:27 AM

#14

Gas Man

Senior Member

Join Date: 01-04-2010

Location: Imported from Detroit

Posts: 1,584

Quote:

Originally Posted by IgottaWoody

dont know why some are afraid of this......common sense is all thats needed

Because of drivetrain warranty. Trust me there isn't much I'm afraid of... more like concern of loosing such warranty

Quote:

Originally Posted by sleeper

Gasman-
You just need to raise the rear of your SS about 4 - 5 inches so you don't have to drill the bumper valance..

Yeah, old school hot rod it...

Or I could just remove the bumper everytime I want to tow.

01-25-2011, 01:06 AM

#15

IgottaWoody

Senior Member

Join Date: 01-13-2008

Location: Washington State, where it rains

Posts: 4,708

Well statistically speaking....no one has run into that problem yet..and no one has had any problems towing either...but hey, in the end its up to the owner.....

01-26-2011, 12:06 AM

#16

goetylsd

Senior Member

Join Date: 02-15-2010

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Posts: 1,706

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas Man

I don't understand the logic but it's there in the manual. I wonder what they would say if I did anyway. I know "by the book" they would cancel my drivetrain warranty. However, what if I was just using my storage rack?

I don't see how they could prove otherwise. I would probably add some lights to it, so I could have wiring and they couldn't say "Well then why do you have wiring?".

biggest problem is the rear bumper. I'm not about to drill a hole thru the center of the bumper.

Oh, I did not know that. I know that you're not supposed to tow with a Manual SS, but I thought you could tow with an Automatic SS? You can't tow with any SS? That's funny, you would think an SS might actually be better for towing because of the added horsepower/torque, and added braking power of the rear disc brakes that SS's have. I can not understand why they say you're not supposed to. Anyone know? I have a Draw-tite hitch on my HHR LT and have towed with it many times before. I think my trailer weighs about 500-600 lbs, plus any cargo you add on it. I'm thinking I've probably towed about 800-900 lbs before. The HHR is good enough for towing a small-medium trailer, and that's all I ever really need to tow anyway.

01-28-2011, 06:32 AM

#17

Gas Man

Senior Member

Join Date: 01-04-2010

Location: Imported from Detroit

Posts: 1,584

IDK man... it's stupid. My TBSS was AWESOME at towing. It's only down fall was towing wide enclosed trailers... it really needed side mirror extenders.