F54 Hitch options.
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Joined: Apr 2025
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Hitch options.
Just got a 2019 Clubman S 4All. Now I'm shopping hitches to haul a bike or two plus a baby/toddler bike trailer.
It seems there's 3 options, all require heatshield modification, some more than others. I have some questions from any users too... Please share your hitch setups and thoughts if you have them. Bike mounting is a separate thread, but do share if you love what you got!
$ - OutMotoring/Minimania - puts the hitch receiver through the bumper, but imo, absolutely unacceptable zip-tie installation of comfort access sensor wires (probably works long term, but such a hack job for a marketed product).
$$ - curt/u-haul/standard hitch - puts the receiver very low, unknown how you have to modify comfort access sensors. Heatshield will be mangled on install.
$$$ - stealth hitch brand - invisible when not in use, minor modification to comfort access & heat shield.
I was going to do the OutMotoring, I think it looks best for the $, and saves me a few hundred to spend on the bike rack. But the kludgy zip tie comfort access disaster makes me concerned that it will affect function. I use the foot kick it all the time, probably 75% of openings.
Does anyone have experience with how it changes foot operation. Any better solutions than haphazard zips? I was going to design and 3D print OE looking adapter brackets.
As for curt/uhaul/standard - ugly & functional, but whats the ground clearance? Cant find any definitives... I saw a pic from the countryman and it was ~4.5", the clubman sits like 2" lower so I feel like this would be a disaster. Especially in my sloped driveway going backwards with everything loaded up.
Stealth: very expensive, and you need to buy their whole system to attach things. Would easily be in for over $1000 after accessories and rack are installed, that doesn't count the wire harness needed for a future tiny trailer. I really don't think this is worth it... Anyone beg to differ?
Roof bike mounting isn't an option, it would be easy for me at 6'2" with a carbon race bike... But my wife's a foot shorter with a heavy bike.
It seems there's 3 options, all require heatshield modification, some more than others. I have some questions from any users too... Please share your hitch setups and thoughts if you have them. Bike mounting is a separate thread, but do share if you love what you got!
$ - OutMotoring/Minimania - puts the hitch receiver through the bumper, but imo, absolutely unacceptable zip-tie installation of comfort access sensor wires (probably works long term, but such a hack job for a marketed product).
$$ - curt/u-haul/standard hitch - puts the receiver very low, unknown how you have to modify comfort access sensors. Heatshield will be mangled on install.
$$$ - stealth hitch brand - invisible when not in use, minor modification to comfort access & heat shield.
I was going to do the OutMotoring, I think it looks best for the $, and saves me a few hundred to spend on the bike rack. But the kludgy zip tie comfort access disaster makes me concerned that it will affect function. I use the foot kick it all the time, probably 75% of openings.
Does anyone have experience with how it changes foot operation. Any better solutions than haphazard zips? I was going to design and 3D print OE looking adapter brackets.
As for curt/uhaul/standard - ugly & functional, but whats the ground clearance? Cant find any definitives... I saw a pic from the countryman and it was ~4.5", the clubman sits like 2" lower so I feel like this would be a disaster. Especially in my sloped driveway going backwards with everything loaded up.
Stealth: very expensive, and you need to buy their whole system to attach things. Would easily be in for over $1000 after accessories and rack are installed, that doesn't count the wire harness needed for a future tiny trailer. I really don't think this is worth it... Anyone beg to differ?
Roof bike mounting isn't an option, it would be easy for me at 6'2" with a carbon race bike... But my wife's a foot shorter with a heavy bike.
Hello,
Here is a curt install to give you an idea. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-curt-tra...tch/11524~crt/ Looks like about 2.5" below that under bumper lip/spoiler based of what i can see.
Here is a curt install to give you an idea. https://www.ecstuning.com/b-curt-tra...tch/11524~crt/ Looks like about 2.5" below that under bumper lip/spoiler based of what i can see.
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2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 141
Likes: 58
From: Des Moines, Iowa
I installed a MNI Do More hitch on mine, i guess this is the one Outmotoring markets. This is the hidden(ish) hitch that requires hacking up the comfort access plastic mounting bracket. I kinda wish I had gone with the curt/uhaul, mostly because hacking up the comfort access foot wavey thing was a pain and required a lot of fiddling to get it working again.
Do note that no matter which hitch you go with, the wiring looms are a bit funny -- at least one of the parking sensor connectors will plug into the comfort access detector (ask me how I know ;-)).
I do think a downside to the Curt is durability. The hitch sticking down so far means things like bicycles can put a lot more leverage on the hitch, and the welding might fail at some point from that. The MNI Do More is a little better in that regard, the receiver was welded right onto the bar with no long metal tabs to flex. Maybe I'm overthinking things.
If you do go with the more hidden style, there is no way to attach a safety chain, so use the rear tow hitch. Probably a good idea no matter which system you go with -- this way at least if the hitch fails, your bicycles and stuff will hopefully stay attached to the vehicle.
Do note that no matter which hitch you go with, the wiring looms are a bit funny -- at least one of the parking sensor connectors will plug into the comfort access detector (ask me how I know ;-)).
I do think a downside to the Curt is durability. The hitch sticking down so far means things like bicycles can put a lot more leverage on the hitch, and the welding might fail at some point from that. The MNI Do More is a little better in that regard, the receiver was welded right onto the bar with no long metal tabs to flex. Maybe I'm overthinking things.
If you do go with the more hidden style, there is no way to attach a safety chain, so use the rear tow hitch. Probably a good idea no matter which system you go with -- this way at least if the hitch fails, your bicycles and stuff will hopefully stay attached to the vehicle.
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 16
Likes: 10
I put a Stealth hitch on my 2024 S All4. I only use it to haul bicycles, and I like it a lot. You have to buy their receiver and obviously the hitch part, but I use a rocky mounts bike rack with it. It required more heat shield modifications that I found ideal, and I did my changes slightly differently than the instructions said. I had a bunch of instruction suggestions that I mailed them after I put it on, don't know if that took my criticism well or not. BTW, I did not buy the light kit portion, just the mechanical hitch.
https://stealthhitches.com/products/...jXpLdiKr5Eo_mJ
BTW, here are my comments from the install:
https://stealthhitches.com/products/...jXpLdiKr5Eo_mJ
BTW, here are my comments from the install:
First of all the overall quality and finish of the unit is very nice. It’s clear that you are using high quality materials and finishing. I like the rubber covers over the bulk of the mechanism, I live in New England and I’m hoping this lasts as long as I have the car. All in all, it’s a great hitch snuck into a tough existing design. Well done!
I would consider a hole in the main rubber plug on the bottom to tether it. I doubt that I’ll ever lose it, but I would be nice to have the ability to prevent that entirely if the user so desired.
For my specific car, the instructions could be more detailed. Getting the rear bumper off the clips on the side was an ordeal and there are two fasteners that I could barely see that I thought I had to remove. A lot of Mini forum searching wasn’t overly helpful either. Patience, and a lot of light and an inspection mirror helped me understand how the bumper cover came off on the sides. loosening the most accessible pair of those screws allowed some more room for inspection and unhooking the snaps that hold the bumper in place. This was BY FAR the hardest and most frustrating part of the install. More detail here and some reassurance in the instructions would be helpful for the next guy
In step 11, you say to attach the latch block, but way later in step 31 you are describing trimming and folding the heat shield. I found it much easier to cut and trim and more importantly shape the heat shield with the mount block held in place either by hand or with the bolts. After I had the heat shield shaped properly, THEN i did the final install of the mount block. The mini heat shield is aluminum (3003 I think) and is dimpled heavily to give it some rigidity. I used that to my advantage and pushed repeatedly in the area behind the release lever (with the end of a box end wrench) to form it and produce an indent for the lever and my fingers to reside. That let the heat shield in other areas be slightly less bent than it would otherwise have to be.
The two bolts that attach the mount block are about 0.75” too long, it’s not a big deal, but I didn’t want to have the bolts in my way scraping my fingers while I was fumbling with the lock key and lock cover. So I shortened the bolts and chased the threads with a thread file. Works great and less in my way when I’m working the mechanism blind. I’d consider welding a nut to the left vertical plate as a reasonable alternative as well.
Speaking of welding, this hitch eliminates the towing eyelet boss that was on the original bumper core that was removed. It would be easy to weld on a boss that would replace that lost functionality for this car, and I’d pay more for that feature. I’m going to fabricate one that is held to the same two right mount points and sandwiches in front of the hitch, it would be a clever accessory you could sell as well
I would consider a hole in the main rubber plug on the bottom to tether it. I doubt that I’ll ever lose it, but I would be nice to have the ability to prevent that entirely if the user so desired.
For my specific car, the instructions could be more detailed. Getting the rear bumper off the clips on the side was an ordeal and there are two fasteners that I could barely see that I thought I had to remove. A lot of Mini forum searching wasn’t overly helpful either. Patience, and a lot of light and an inspection mirror helped me understand how the bumper cover came off on the sides. loosening the most accessible pair of those screws allowed some more room for inspection and unhooking the snaps that hold the bumper in place. This was BY FAR the hardest and most frustrating part of the install. More detail here and some reassurance in the instructions would be helpful for the next guy
In step 11, you say to attach the latch block, but way later in step 31 you are describing trimming and folding the heat shield. I found it much easier to cut and trim and more importantly shape the heat shield with the mount block held in place either by hand or with the bolts. After I had the heat shield shaped properly, THEN i did the final install of the mount block. The mini heat shield is aluminum (3003 I think) and is dimpled heavily to give it some rigidity. I used that to my advantage and pushed repeatedly in the area behind the release lever (with the end of a box end wrench) to form it and produce an indent for the lever and my fingers to reside. That let the heat shield in other areas be slightly less bent than it would otherwise have to be.
The two bolts that attach the mount block are about 0.75” too long, it’s not a big deal, but I didn’t want to have the bolts in my way scraping my fingers while I was fumbling with the lock key and lock cover. So I shortened the bolts and chased the threads with a thread file. Works great and less in my way when I’m working the mechanism blind. I’d consider welding a nut to the left vertical plate as a reasonable alternative as well.
Speaking of welding, this hitch eliminates the towing eyelet boss that was on the original bumper core that was removed. It would be easy to weld on a boss that would replace that lost functionality for this car, and I’d pay more for that feature. I’m going to fabricate one that is held to the same two right mount points and sandwiches in front of the hitch, it would be a clever accessory you could sell as well
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