How to: Trailer Hitch for 987
 

Attached you will find seven (7) labeled pictures and dimensions of my 987 trailer hitch. I think the pictures show most of the dimensions that you will need. This was fabricated last spring and used last DE season to pull my HF tire trailer.

The long back plate is 1/4" steel, the L-shape tongue 5/16" and the license plate holders 1/8". The construction requires significant welding. For safety, the tongue is both welded and bolted through to the bumper. The main hitch bolt was fabricated from scratch using the tow hook in the tool set as a model. The spacers (1/8" thick pipe) have steel washers welded to the tops so that they can be inserted into the 3 holes and will not fall through before the hitch is put in place. The hitch will NOT work without them and will damage your bumper cover.

The only modification to the car are the two extra holes in the bumper cover then drilled through to the actual bumper and tapped to fit thread. These two bolts (do not over tighten--these are steel bolts in an aluminum bumper) only stabilize the mount and prevent it from turning on the main bolt which carries all the load. I put Loctite blue on all three bolts during assembly to the car. Have used on 5 trips up to 300 miles and at speeds up to 85 mph without the hitch ever being loose at the end. I do check it and the trailer periodically during the trip. This hitch is way more work to install and use than the Will Hitch, but having used both, this is clearly more stable.

This was for the most part built at a local independent Porsche shop. It took 4 hours to make, not including the welding of the main bar. We had to figure this out as we went along. With a design and measurements already created, it should take less time and money $$$.

Of course this design is only a suggestion that has worked for me. I do not guarantee the device or warranty it's performance or dependability in any way.

Mark-NY

can you show us a picture of it on your car?

added pictures of hitch installed and location of bumper cover holes, see above :)

Mark!!!

Very nicely designed, engineered, executed, AND presented!!! Excellent!!! :cheers:

These little jewels (Porsches, collectively speaking) can tow a hell of a load when asked. I'm really pleased to see folks who are willing to push aside the "prima donna" reputation that Porsches seem to have acquired. Based on his early work, I'd imagine the good "Herr Professor Docktor" would be proud. :D

Jim 1987 944S :typing:

Any chance at all of selling these???? I'd like one, plus the full instructions on how you installed it. Do you take it off every time you go to the track, or do you leave the unit on and move the license plate down to the top holes of the plate, which would, it seems, obscure all but the hitch ball, which is removeable? Looks pretty ingenious to me, and I'd love to buy one.

I talked to the mechanic that fabricated this one at my local indie Porsche shop--he said he could make more, but there did not seem to be any demand for them yet (Spring 2005). Based on the time spent building this one, I imagine that he would want $400-600 to build another--probably less if there was a group buy.

Group buy?? Anyone else interested?

I might be interested.

Not to be a jerk here, but why would you want to tow anything with a Boxster? Seems like the wrong tool for the job...kind of like getting a custom convertible roof on an SUV...I cant imagine it has much of a tow rating. Is it enough for even a small trailer with track wheels??

:icon107:

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a large question mark over his head.

From an engineering/design perspective, wow that must have been a challenge ... but from a practicality standpoint?? How much tongue weight can one really expect to have before s/he gets out of control? And what about braking? These cars simply were not designed for towing. Heck, some of them were designed to BE TOWED ;-)

Typical tounge weight is less than 40lbs, often times, less than 20. Braking? Seriously? Porsches have a substantial safety factor when it comes to braking. I towed a shifter kart with my 2000 boxster. Trailer weighed in at about 375lbs with the kart. Never had the slightest problem. Really, how is it different than having a couple bags of mulch in the trunks, and a big passenger along for the ride.

https://www.pbase.com/pb12/image/55719732/large.jpg

Michael

What is that on the trailer? A Snowmobile?
Where in Vermont are you? I grew up in Shelburne.

That would be a kart on the trailer (look at the rear bumper peeking out from under the cover)

Has anyone contacted this supplier:
http://www.willwoodsystem.com/products.htm

Yes, as I said in my post, it is a shifter kart. I no longer own the car or kart, and I am moving to Oregon. But I am for the moment, and that photo was taken in, Montpelier.

Michael