Yes you can, despite there being no standard premade hitches available - checked at least 6 mfrs (Reese, Drawtite, Hidde Hitch etc etc). Got a local (Ontario) hitch installer to make one up at reasonable cost. Leave a message if you want any details. Pulling a 6 x 6' utility trailer but loaded with firewood, gets pretty heavy! Pulls ok - the limitation when fully loaded is not the car, its the trailer wheels heating up! Drive carefully though as stopping on wet pavement can be tricky.
Where to get a custom trailer hitch for an Esteem Wagon
I have had no luck with standard hitches (U-Haul, Reese, Hidden-Hitch, etc...) so I'm looking to see if a custom made hitch can be made. I would welcome information on such Manufacturers (I'm in the Toronto area) Also would welcome feedback from other Esteem wagon with trailer users as to concerns, issues, etc... Thanks
Good thing I never got a printed manual! Last two cars i had said the same thing but i did anyway (ford Escort and Toyota Tercel wagons). Just a small utility trailer and yes you have to be careful as stopping distance can become extended if the load is heavy (ie firewood). One dark and stormy night i sailed right through a stoplight across all 4 lanes as if i were on ice. Well, if there was traffic, i suppose i would have been, so to speak. So far so good though and its done a lot of work for me - Ya gotta do what ya gotta do - but if i suddenly stop posting, you may want to draw some conclusions ;-)
Can you please post the brand name of the hitch and/or the dealer who put your package together for you? I'm in Northern Canada and will have to give the local shop as much information as possible in order to get this installed.
I am installing the trailer hitch from a 1996 Ford Escort Wagon onto our Esteem wagon. Why? How? Well, it fits almost perfectly, that's why. The how is obvious.
It's a 98 and shares the exact same frame as all the esteem wagons. The only mod you will have to do is to the rear right hanger. It is facing the wrong direction. Here is what i am doing: Cutting off the hanger, changing the position of the muffler hanger (from the bottom of the frame to the side) and then once i have the hitch mounted i need to provide a hanger support to the right rear of the frame. Tada!
Hey thats quite a story -- wish I'd known / thought a biit harder! Well, when the Escort dies in a year or two, I'll post hitch available here. In the meantime, I've no clue what hitch model/ details I'm using but it works. Am still trying to get camera working so I can post pic someday.
Did your shop get it done David? Many shops just refuse any non standard work for liability reasons but hopefully you were able to persuade them to go ahead.
Trailer hitch for Esteem wagon
Linear Mode
