Just want to know what kind of hitch everybody uses. I have a 2019 RT limited. BRP says you have to use theirs to keep warranty intact. But of course theirs is the most expensive. I see a lot of aftermarket hitches but not sure if I want to have warranty problems if I use one. What are your thoughts?
-
There were many reasons for the change of the site software, the biggest was security. The age of the old software also meant no server updates for certain programs. There are many benefits to the new software, one of the biggest is the mobile functionality. Ill fix up some stuff in the coming days, we'll also try to get some of the old addons back or the data imported back into the site like the garage. To create a thread or to reply with a post is basically the same as it was in the prior software. The default style of the site is light colored, but i temporarily added a darker colored style, to change you can find a link at the bottom of the site.
Trailer hitch
- Thread starter Jklundry
- Start date
I have an older RTL and just installed a BRP hitch. I got it used for 160 its like new. The BRP hitch I think is very well made and looks better than the after market hitches. If they (BRP & BRP Dealer) are saying it will void your warranty to use after market hitch I would not use one than. My OP.
IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
The use of a non-BRP hitch will NOT void your warranty. BRP can deny a warranty claim IF they can prove the use of an after market part was the direct cause of the failure being claimed. Pretty hard to blame a hitch for nearly any kind of failure. BRP's use of the phrase "maintain your warranty" is weasel wording to say everything OEM about your bike, plus the hitch, is covered by the BRP warranty. Don't be afraid to look at an after market hitch. In fact some of the after market ones use heavier metal than the BRP one.
pegasus1300
Well-known member
I have an older Spyder so there was no warranty question, However I do agree Idaho on his assessment of the warranty question. I use a canamspyder accessories hitch and their wiring. Looks good and works great. Easy to mount and remove, don't have to mess with the rear wheel, just slip it on.
Best to stay with BRP hitch and wiring. Can't find it now but there's a post somewhere here with photos of an aftermarket hitch failure. The welds broke loose because of vibration and it was about to come apart. The hitch mounts to the axle and not the frame so every bump in the road is going to transfer through the hitch to whatever is hooked to it. Wiring maybe not so critical but the hitch is, and I believe the BRP hitch comes with particular spacers (washers). When welds are power coated over it is difficult to see a faulty weld. I've never seen or heard of a properly installed BRP hitch failure. Can't say it hasn't happened, but I've never heard of one. BRP has a max load capacity for their hitch. Don't exceed that max load number.
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
:agree: with IMS & Pegasus1300 ….. your protection on the warranty thing is ( in the USA ) the Moss Magnussen act and for the reasons stated ….. Mike
hyea:
IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
I've no idea what brand my hitch is but the only weld on it is the ball mount welded to stay in place on top of the hitch bar. It looks like this one: https://theusatrailerstore.com/can-...HOyIJdYvpguJP537rvou6wVc66nA0U5BoCx-kQAvD_BwE The hitch bar is 1/2" steel bar connected to the swing arm with steel channels held onto the swing arm via the axle. The hitch bar is bolted to the channels. It ain't gonna come apart, ever! It seems to me like there was a post here once about a BRP hitch breaking a weld but maybe it was the after market one you're referring to. Both the after market and BRP hitches subject the trailer to road vibrations through the swing arm, so from that standpoint the BRP hitch offers no advantage. The BRP hitch is a made using a rectangular steel tube, not a solid bar like most, if not all, the after market ones. IMO the BRP hitch doesn't offer $300 to $400 value over the Show Chrome or Spyder Accessories one. One downside to the one that Pierre sells, https://www.canamspyderaccessories.com/rt-trailer-hitch-harness-fits-2010-2017/, is that the harness has a converter but not an isolator in the turn signal wiring.
Here's an example of a damaged hitch. It isn't the one I remember seeing before so there at least 2 posts regarding aftermarket hitches failing. I found this one on just a quick search, but I'm sure there's more.
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?92174-Broken-trailer-hitch&highlight=broken+hitch
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?92174-Broken-trailer-hitch&highlight=broken+hitch
IdahoMtnSpyder
Active member
Looking at the pics I'm inclined to think it wasn't so much the welds that broke, but rather the thin metal channel at the welds. The metal was probably greatly weakened by the welds. I don't think there are any on the market now made that cheaply.
Farther down in the thread are pics that show it definitely was metal failure, not weld failure. Welding was probably the root cause, though. The hitch, though not really designed for Spyder abuse, did last 7 years.
Last edited:
Flamewinger
New member
FYI - The '18 and newer bikes require a different hitch to the earlier RT's.
Bfromla
Well-known member
:shocked: & here are pics of damaged BRP hitch from a unfortunate encounter
FYI car was hit hard enough to spin around & clip the hitch before T-bone into car in lane nxt to me 
(the police report illustrating is incorrect veh#3 was 1 lane over to R straight lane) the hitch did act as a crumple bumper taking the brunt of force & saved the saddle bag & frame. Fender was crushed to the tire:sour: found used replacement working great:thumbup: pic of original 
not mangled just too bent to be used, planning on salvaging the mudflap for a spare or bud. Additionally FYI the wire harness survived for maybe 6months or so then possibly a diode failed causing not only trailer blinker issue but On bike as well. Swapped to aftermarket module working ok so far.
PMK
Active member
Not praising or condemning any if the available hitches. Many times, as posts are written, the writer bases the strength of the hitch on the tow bar portion and negates discussing how the ball mounting structure is designed.
I beleive a few years ago, Doc Humphries had a hitch failure come into his shop. Granted it may have been on account of the hitch mounted basket, or simply from pulling a trailer. I do not recall.
The point being, the hitch ball itself is loaded in such a way, that it sees constant loads in a front to rear / rear to front stress or loadpath. The hitch ball has a short but measurable height above the mounting plate. This height acts as a lever. The loaded trailer, induces for es into the ball and because of the balls height, can flex the metal mounting plate. Over time fatigue will happen if the design is not adequate for the loads.
When I see hitches with an angle steel type ball mount plate, and no gussets to spread loads and minimize the bending flex, My experience as an aircraft structures guy makes me wonder why. Possibly the design is overbuilt and does not need the gussets, or possibly, the design seemed good and went into production with no testing until failure.
We have a BRP hitch. Is it stronger than aftermarket, is the design adequate for long life? I do not have those answers. My one basis reverts to Joe and Ann of Squared Away, dragging that loaded trailer to all parts of the USA. Possibly they have had hitch replacements, but never recall them having a hitch failure. Pretty certain they have the BRP hitch assembly, but am willing to be corrected if wrong.
I beleive a few years ago, Doc Humphries had a hitch failure come into his shop. Granted it may have been on account of the hitch mounted basket, or simply from pulling a trailer. I do not recall.
The point being, the hitch ball itself is loaded in such a way, that it sees constant loads in a front to rear / rear to front stress or loadpath. The hitch ball has a short but measurable height above the mounting plate. This height acts as a lever. The loaded trailer, induces for es into the ball and because of the balls height, can flex the metal mounting plate. Over time fatigue will happen if the design is not adequate for the loads.
When I see hitches with an angle steel type ball mount plate, and no gussets to spread loads and minimize the bending flex, My experience as an aircraft structures guy makes me wonder why. Possibly the design is overbuilt and does not need the gussets, or possibly, the design seemed good and went into production with no testing until failure.
We have a BRP hitch. Is it stronger than aftermarket, is the design adequate for long life? I do not have those answers. My one basis reverts to Joe and Ann of Squared Away, dragging that loaded trailer to all parts of the USA. Possibly they have had hitch replacements, but never recall them having a hitch failure. Pretty certain they have the BRP hitch assembly, but am willing to be corrected if wrong.
The first failure of an aftermarket hitch I recall seeing on this site was the ball plate separating from the hitch frame. The welds on the underside came loose. Once a hitch of any brand is installed how many times does it's underside get (inspected) seen other than when the rear tire gets changed. Possibly more than any other location on the spyder, the bottom of that hitch gets hit with anything the tire picks up. After a little research I opted for the OEM BRP hitch because of it's construction and fit. Yea, maybe Ann or Joe will chime in here if they're listening (reading).
