[Griswald]

I installed a hitch on my Launch Edition today. It was very easy. The hitch is a Curt 13329. It has a 2" square receiver. The instructions are clear and easy to follow with one exception. They include a spring and wire for installing bolts into the frame rails. You wind the spring onto the bolt and fish it into a hole in the frame rail with a block to keep it from turning when you tighten the bolt. What they don't tell you is that the wire causes a problem when aligning the hitch. Take the wire off first and its much easier.
Other than that, its easy. The instructions state installation time of 45 minutes for a DIY installation and that is about right.

 

[Neuron]

How much was the Curt 13329 hitch?

 

[Griswald]

About $125,the electrical hook up was another $40,but that didn't make it to me on time, delivery is Monday.

 

[jjplace1]

Do you have any more information on installing a hitch on a 2017 Niro EX? Any information would be helpful

 

[Griswald]

It was easy. Take off a plastic cover, take the exhaust loose from its hangers, fish some bolts into existing holes, line up hitch and tighten the bolts. Put exhaust back, cut some of the plastic cover away and put it back.

An hour, tops even with cleanup.

Electrical was harder because you need to take a lot of plastic panels loose inside the hatch area in order to get to the rear light bulb sockets. Buy the kit and buy a add-a-circuit for the fuse box.

The instructions that came with both pieces, hitch and wiring, we're very detailed and very helpful.

 

[jjplace1]

I went to the web site, with model number and in the instructions it said...

"Exhaust shield will be permanently removed for hitch installation. No drilling required for installation , Exhaust must be temporarily lowered for installation , Underbody trimming required (not fascia)".

Is this a problem and do you need this shield? Does Kia have any comments on removing this shield?

 

[Griswald]

That guard keeps anything from contacting the muffler from behind the vehicle. The hitch fills the exact same space with its crossbar, effectively doing the same job as the removed guard. It is so insignificant that I forgot about it. I don't care what KIA says about it. They don't even allow towing, so the hitch itself is wrong in their eyes.

 

[DeNiro]

Kia doesn't suggest towing with the NIro, but it can be done and some members here have tried but I can't guarantee it won't affect your warranty.

 

[zoomie]

The kit I got had two sets of bolts. You can force the bolts in the original large bag of parts to fit (don't ask me how I know). However, use the small bag containing only 4 bolts to install the hitch.
The wire loop for the big bolts and rectangular piece of metal was very useful. You attach it to the big bolt (loosely) thread it through the rectangular piece of metal. Then stick both into the large hole where you removed the plug. Feed the wire through the center bolt hole of the hitch. Lift hitch into position, pull on the wire to straighten the bolt into the proper orientation to place the nut on. Take the wire off when orientated before putting the nut on. My biggest problem was putting the wire on the bolt too tightly, so it was difficult pulling the wire off while hold the hitch up with one hand before putting on the bolt.
I found the cutting instructions for the plastic trim was incorrect. I only trimmed a small corner off and it fit nicely. After installing the hitch, hold the plastic piece up and decide where you need to cut.

 

[Griswald]

The kit I got had two sets of bolts. You can force the bolts in the original large bag of parts to fit (don't ask me how I know). However, use the small bag containing only 4 bolts to install the hitch.
The wire loop for the big bolts and rectangular piece of metal was very useful. You attach it to the big bolt (loosely) thread it through the rectangular piece of metal. Then stick both into the large hole where you removed the plug. Feed the wire through the center bolt hole of the hitch. Lift hitch into position, pull on the wire to straighten the bolt into the proper orientation to place the nut on. Take the wire off when orientated before putting the nut on. My biggest problem was putting the wire on the bolt too tightly, so it was difficult pulling the wire off while hold the hitch up with one hand before putting on the bolt.
I found the cutting instructions for the plastic trim was incorrect. I only trimmed a small corner off and it fit nicely. After installing the hitch, hold the plastic piece up and decide where you need to cut.

Did you add a wiring kit yet? That takes a long time, lots of stuff to disassemble/reassemble.

 

[zoomie]

No just the hitch bar.