I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to test-fit the Minidomore concealed hitch system on my week-old 2011 Clubman S this past weekend. We figured it would probably work, but the guys at Minidomore hadn't gotten their hands on a 2011 to verify...

The install went just fine. Anyone who is curious about what is involved with the hitch and how it works on a Clubman back end specifically, read on...

Yesterday, a week to the day of receipt of Longboy, my MINI Cooper S Clubman, we installed the Minidomore concealed hitch. We had put one in the last MINI, my 06 MCS, and wondered whether it would be easier or harder this time around, with a new car, different layout, etc etc. I'm happy to report it went well. VERY well.

The Minidomore is one of a few competing products serving a similar function: they add a receiver hitch to the MINI, not currently offered from the factory, the other most well known one being the Minifini Sportlink system. I prefer this one, because the Sportlink system is visible once installed, in the form of two quick release plugs in the surface of the bumper, whereas the Minidomore design is concealed from view when not in use. Both involve taking apart the bumper and drilling into your precious ride. The first hitch I used back in the day hid the receiver behind the fog/ bake light hole in the bumper, normally otherwise concealed by a black plastic plug. In the case of the Clubman, there is no such location, so the hitch hides directly behind the rear license plate. As Minidomore hadn't yet gotten their hands on a 2011 model, they only officially offered this through 2010. I volunteered to be the test-fit. Worst case scenario, it wouldn't fit due to some of the cosmetic changes in the body kit, and I'd have to pull it and return to stock empty-handed. Best-case: new hitch!

It was a dark and stormy day, but I have a large carport. Miraculously though, the clouds parted, and the weather was actually delightful the afternoon of the install. Fresh french press of Peet's, wifebot(tm)s pumpkin chocolate bars by the binful, tools arranged, and we were ready to go.


We started by attempting to get the car up on jack stands, like last time. This was a thorough fail, largely because we couldn't identify enough accessible jack points. I'm sure they're there, but other than the location occupied by the MINI stock hand jack, there wasn't anywhere we thought was reasonable for locating the stands themselves. As a result, we decided to go it without. As it happens, we really didn't need them. One could make the swipe that the Clubman's '4x4 ride height' in the wheel gap allowed this, but whatever. One false alarm, while Lung here was actually part way under (yes, unwise with a hand jack, but he was being cautious) was when my toddler, wee Z, started firing the door locks with my wifebot(tm)s keys she had stolen, upstairs. I've seen Lung move quickly, but usually because of the involvement of spides or cheeseburger meat. In this case, mortal terror.


The process is fairly simple, but can be daunting the first time. We enjoyed the benefit of having done this once before, and new the basics about how the car's plastic body panels fit together, how the tabs and screws tend to operate, their propensity for stretch, deformation and shear, and where and when to give it a little muscle, and when NOT to do same.

Armed with three screwdrivers, a 13mm socket, and a hole cutter, we got to it. The screws under the bumper and in the wheel wells came out easily enough (one is a two part fastener you have to watch for) and the worst was probably above: a concealed screw buried under the rear wheel arches, in such a way that the arch can suffer tab stretch while you're trying to get up in there with a shorty screwdriver. We used a stubby ratchet driver to get shorter, and were careful enough to avoid damage. The hardest aspect was working out how the tabs on the arch and bumper worked. Minidomore offers instructions with photos in color, but it's hard to effectively document what you can't see.


Next, the bumper cover was removed. You have to pull the lamps and wiring for the license plate, and give the whole thing some muscle, which is scary, but it comes off clean. So far, tab breakage: 0.


Here Lung is test-fitting the Minidmore hitch assembly. It is essentially a bent tube of steel with flattened anchor points at either end, and welded to a receiver hitch in the center. The assembly is quite a bit different than the last one, as it needs to reach farther out, away from the anchor points, and to so without trussing. The wiring harness is attached to the bumper itself with a series of annoying plastic 'xmas tree' clips, which take some work with a screwdriver to get free. You definitely need two people: one to hold the bumper once you loosen the connections to the substructure, and one to work the wiring free. There's also a wire to the far left, I think for the reverse lamp, and then you're free. The hitch assembly, as you can see here, bolts between the bumper and the substructure, on the same anchor points: a pair of nuts and a pair of bolts, each side, 8 in total.


In some of my bike projects, I admit to being a little loosey-goosey, so to speak, with torque settings. Not here. We torqued to spec, like good boys. Also had some coffee.


Next, the fun, and I suppose daunting part: drilling the bumper cover to create the access hole. You work a certain distance down from the center of the rear license plate mount, and bore a hole through that and the bumper cover itself. We used a 2" hole cutter.


There ain't no goin' back!


Quick-snap, and the deed was done, It's always a little bit unnerving when you're making physical modifications. The eff-it-up factor is present. We measured twice. No, thrice.


Here, Lung demonstrates the hole we cut. Note we cleverly, though entirely accidentally, captured the '3' in the address applique. That's science, friends, but also destiny. I won't deny it.


As you can see, the hitch is visible behind the hole. It's a fine solution to the problem of access.


I LOVE the fact that this system is concealed when not in use. I haul bikes quite a bit, but more often, I'm riding them. I want the bike rack (or cargo tray) off and in the garage when not being used. With this system, you unscrew the license plate and mount it below or to the side when sing the hitch, and can replace it and hide the receiver when not hauling something.


Here's the stunner. From start to finish, this project took us...ONE HOUR. The first time, I think it was 3 or 4. We definitely benefited from the previous experience, both in knowledge and confidence level. The product fit well, the instructions are clear, and it's a solid design. The changes in 2011, if at all, were minimal enough to allow for easy completion of the project with only a few deviations from what we planned as we started. And just like that, it was done.

Thanks to Minidomore for the hitch, and to my man Lung who came out from the city to help me with another mod!

http://www.wrongrobot.com/2010/11/08...eceiver-hitch/

 

Great writeup, looks very professional and hidden.

Nice pictures, even the moving items.... Thought my eyes were going due to the coffee.

 

What great timing!! I'm installing one this weekend. Got mine from Moss. Looks to be the exact same hitch...actually made by Curtis Mfg. You cut a 2" hole and my instructions call for 2 1/2". I'd certainly rather have a 2" hole back there. Looks like yours lines up spot-on, so I think I'll go for it. Great write-up......and Thanks!

 

The 2" hole certainly provides enough clearance for the much smaller 1 1/4" hitch itself, but I would say a 2.25" hole would be even better. Gives a little more tolerance. Remember though, it's behind the plate when not in use, so it's no big deal either way. You just have to pull the panel off again if you need to redrill...

Yeah, it's a great system, though! Ping me if you have any questions...

 

Got 'er Done! My one suggestion would be to go ahead and remove the rear wheels (if possible) or jack the car up to get a bit more working clearance in the wheel well. My only problem was that I ended up destroying most of the cable clips that support the wiring beneath the aluminum bumper and had to substitute zip ties (cold weather and stiff plastic). Question - What is the sensor? located on the underside of the bumper cover,below the license plate and between the proximity sensors??

 

I've been wanting the MINI Do more hitch for a while (I have a 2009 Clubman) but have only recently really needed one. I have a couple questions though. I see you've said you put a bike rack on it and consequently, some bikes. How many lbs do you usually but on the hitch, rack and bikes combined. And when you do, how does the car handle, ride and what happens to your gas mileage? Thanks for the info, it's nice to know that this project won't be the end of the world!

 

I killed some tabs, both on the body panels and in the bumper itself, my first time in 06, but none this time. Indeed, zip ties work well. I also added several looping of black electrical tape in a few places just to be safe. Because everything is better with black electrical tape.

As to the sensor, I don't know! I didn't see one on mine, which leads me to believe it is related to one of your options. I would have guessed proximity, but if not... You mint ask the service dept of your local dealership or check the online spec sheets.

 

I have to be honest, I don't have a mileage change estimate for you. I'd say it's a few mugs lower just from drag and weight but it was never an issue for me because it wasn't like I wasn't going to transport bikes when I needed to. I needed the capability. I believe its less than a roof rack, however. That's a subjective estimAte.

As to weight, I refer you to the minidomore site for their maximum tongue weight allowance per spec. However, in my case, it's been a 40lb rack or so and two to three bikes in the sub 18 pound range (carbon road bikes, fixed track bikes, etc) so I was nowhere near the max capacity. You can tow a small trailer or use a cargo box back there.

Just to be clear, I'm not affiliated with minidomore... I'm just a happy customer and in this case a test fitter.

 

I wasn't so much concerned about the max load rate, I'm sure our bikes would be below that too. More specifically, I was wondering if your clubman road nose up with the rack and bikes on it. We have a friend with a jeep and when it has 3 bikes on the back, it rides with its nose in the air. If this happened with the clubman it would be a bigger issue since it's front wheel drive. Do you notice that happening at all? My husband is trying to talk me into a roof rack but I really don't want something always visible. Which is why I've always liked the MINI do more racks. But if you don't notice a issue with handling or a drastic drop in gas mileage than I don't see a reason to not get a hitch and hitch rack.

One last thing, what kind of rack do you have? Do you have to bolt it in? because I imagine it would be hard to reach under the bumper to tighten or loosen a bolt every time you use your rack.

 

I'm looking for a rack, actually. I've had the clubman for 2 weeks, and had an Element before that for a year, then my 06mcs for 3 years before that. I unfortunately sold my rack fro the MINI when I got the Element because the E had a 2" hitch receiver and the MINI stuff is 1 1/4". So now I have a bunch of 2" stuff to sell off, and go back to the former again. Ha. I've been waiting to see how the end of the month sales look. The vast majority of my cycling occurs from the doorstep, living in Marin here in the SF Bay Area, so there wasn't an immediate urgency on replacing the rack. As soon as I put one on, I'll load it up and drive around and let you know about uplift at the front, but I really doubt it. Certainly never had it on the 06 coupe, and while there's a bit more behind the wheels on the clubman (what 5"?) I don't think you're going to see a change in handling.

I'm an absolute advocate of hitches vs roof racks. Even with the low MINI roof, my wife, at 5'1" couldn't get a bike up and down without destroying the roof, and frankly, the rear is so much easier to use in action. Plus, removal when not needed and allowing for a stealth look otherwise is great. I have more than a few friends who have torn their racks off the roof at parking garages, despite swearing they'd NEVER be those people. It's a risk.. I mean, the rear has risks, too: wheels are wider than the car when bikes are on there, and it's something to account for when parking, but overall I prefer it as a solution.

 

I should also mention I prefer the racks where the bike rests in a tray wheel to wheel, and an arm braces it, over the more common and efficient hanging type, where the bike's top tune is hanging from a T-section. Less sway on bouncy roads, that could lead to a bike swinging back and hitting the car. Also, I have two custom bikes that don't have top tubes.

 

Thanks for all the great info! This is really helpful. For your rack purchase, might I suggest the Kuate Sherpa: http://www.kuatinnovations.com/index.php?page=sherpa it's light, and you could get it to match your car!

 

I installed the hitch for towing my sailboat earlier this fall! Works great and easy installation. We ride a tandem so we are still stuck with the roof rack though... Lots of overhang if you put a tandem on the back of a mini!

 

hahahaha
I saw someone once transporting one on a cargo tray on the back of the MINI (Using the Minifini Sportlink system) and it was propped up and over the back of the boot like a piece of lumber. They had blanketed the car and cinched the bike down, but still... it looked one low-hanging overpass away from doom...

 

Was going to build my own hitch and was looking around, researching what's out there and came across this thread. Wanted to comment on mpg. My experience only relates to a Subaru Forester, but I didn't notice any appreciable drop in mileage when going to a roof rack. I first had 3 fork mount systems up top from Rocky Mount. Then traded those for some Thule tire wrap style mounts which were much beefier. I tracked mileage avidly for a long time, before finally realizing that there were too many factors to really come up with a preferred brand of gas and everything else that goes along with getting better mileage. So, I traded it in for a mini. And now I just ordered a hitch because I'm lazy, but I will be building a folding base to put my Thule stuff on. If I put my bike on a roof rack, it would look like I should be pedaling the bike to make the car go

 

excellent! Build that base! I love it. I'm trying to adapt a Saris Thelma rack to be usable with one of the bikes in my stable, a cargo carrier that i use to take my toddler around town in... ending with a preposition... it has a Mixte frame (no top tube) and fenders, so the Saris has nothing to attach to, so I'm building a shim for the front...

 

"We started by attempting to get the car up on jack stands, like last time. This was a thorough fail, largely because we couldn't identify enough accessible jack points. I'm sure they're there, but other than the location occupied by the MINI stock hand jack, there wasn't anywhere we thought was reasonable for locating the stands themselves."

For those with long travel jacks ( like a floor jack) -
The front OEM jack pads can be used to lift the entire side if the car, thus allowing the rear pads to available to support Jack Stands.

 

Here's a follow-up to the Minidomore install, a DIY license plate hanger mod:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...led-hitch.html

 

Install completed!

Thanks thirdraildesignlab for a great write up/photos. It was flawless.
I decided to go with swing away design for the license plate and it looks good at the moment but needs a few tweaks.
I tried my bike/spare wheel carrier and looks cool.
I got the cheapest one (used on Kijiji ) and made mods to accommodate full spare wheel on it ( for those North Ontario rallies we do up here...) or it can hold couple of bikes.
Again, this was great.
NAM rocks!

Picture to follow once we get a bit of real summer weather here...

Tata

 

excellent! I'm glad to hear it.
And as an aside, I've been jonesing to do the black A-panels forever. Trying to loosen up some funding!

 

I did my A panels for $100 (both)... The same company did the headlight rings last year (and I kept them on the new car)...

 

As promised:

 

That's awesome!
Was that swing-away plate system a manufactured design or something you rigged up. I'd love to know more. My biggest gripe is that my rack tongue can be inserted farther than needed so you have to do a lot of wiggling to line it all up for the holes for the retainer bolt. I marked the rack with black electrical tape for approximate stop point but it's still requiring a little finesse, and from under the car that's quite a cantilever to wiggle one handed from beneath. Sounds like I work in the pr0n industry. Anyway, that's always been a side effect of rear hitch mount and if that's the biggest gripe, we've got it good. Or I do anyway.

I need to go update my SARIS Thelma rack review with an update as well...

 

Hey Tata Steve, i'd also like to know how you set up your license plate frame. I'm pretty sure i have the same swing away frame ( looks like its made for a jeep), but i havent had time to mess with it.

How did you get it to tilt so that it hangs perfectly vertical when rackinstalled?

Thanks in advance!

 

Thanks!
Well, from the photo you can see that I flipped the metal swing away frame and attached it to black bumper backing with 2 screws with new holes. I removed the springs from the frame as they were too strong for plastic bumper base. At this moment the license plate hangs "freely" in upright position and does not swing when speeding (confirmed!). The license frame is attached to swing away frame by a pair of small metal hinges (home depot find), which allows the plate to "swing away" from the swing away frame and "get in to" upright position...


I am still working (in my head) how to solve the issue of holding the frame close to bike rack base. At this moment (on the photo) it is strapped with rubber band but it looks clumsy. I will probably go with a nylon strap and lock and it will be attached by the screws that hold the plate.

It still work in progress...