Is a hidden hitch really hidden?

HiddenHitch is a subsidiary of Cequent, which in turn is part of Trimas, a former Masco company. Cequent not only owns Hidden Hitch, but also owns the following brands:

1. Bargman
2. Bulldog
3. Draw-Tite
4. Fulton
5. Highland
6. Reese
7. Reese Towpower
8. Rola
9. Tekonsha
10. Wesbar

HiddenHitch was founded in Canada in 1968. It spent its early years serving the Canadian market. In the 1970s they began marketing in the US, but their success in the US only began in the mid-1980s when they introduced the first round tube style hitch. Until that moment all the hooks were made with square tubes.

In 1988 they expanded their market by adding the first hitch-mounted bike rack. Due to the growth of SUVs and pickup trucks at the time, typical trunk-mounted bike racks were ineffective. The idea of ​​adding a detachable bike rack to a hitch was a great success.

In 1991, Hidden Hitch introduced the first Class I hitch with a removable drawbar. This innovation saved a lot of pimples for people who had hitches in their passenger cars and were trying to get something out of the trunk. Perhaps this was HiddenHitch’s contribution to helping solve the healthcare crisis

Recognizing that drilling holes in a painted hitch for mounting an electrical connection was causing additional work for installers and also increasing the risk of rust, Hidden Hitch began in 1993 shipping its hitch with mounting points for electrical connections pre-cut.

Recognizing that a rusty hitch on the rear of a new or well-maintained vehicle is not good for the reputation of the hitch manufacturer or vehicle owner, Hidden Hitch set out to improve its paint system. In 1995, they were the first hitch manufacturer to pass a 500 hour salt spray test.

HiddenHitch, who got into the fifth wheel hitch business late, made up for lost time by designing the first puzzle lock fifth wheel hitch in 1999. This product hit the market just as the large truck and SUVs were in their prime. zenith. In 2002, they added a range of custom fifth wheel rail kits to make the installation of these products easier.

Much of its new product innovation has slowed since 2003. Its merger with Reese Hitch and Draw-Tite Hitch has been the center of attention. With this consolidation, Cequent has moved to make all three brands in the same factories and the designs almost fully interchangeable. Frankly, the Reese, Draw-Ttie, and Hidden Hitch products differ primarily by the name on the box and not particularly by the product on the box.

The initial question was why is a HiddenHitch called a hidden hitch? When they first came out with their hitches, they struggled to keep the hitch as close to the bumper as possible. When they added the round tube hitch, the cosmetic appearance of this utility device was greatly improved. The round shape of the hitch merged with the round design of the bumper fascia. Many people think that the hidden hitch cannot be seen when it is mounted on the vehicle. This is an incorrect impression, but the name has given Hidden Hitch a huge marketing edge in the sense that the perception of the product adds great value to the brand.