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Old 04-04-2021, 03:36 PM #1
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Tow hitch rehab job

Hey Folks! I've been lurking here for about 6 months reading up on the different things that need to get done to my 4runner. I've found a wealth of good info and used it to get my hitch removed. It's quite a process!

The main reason we got our V8 last fall is to pull our little camper. It's only about half of what the vehicle is rated to tow so I'm looking forward to easy pulling. But before I pull the camper a mile, I wanted to get the hitch taken off, cleaned up, and installed with fresh bolts. The simple hitch that connects to the rear cross-member was in fairly good shape but the wings that connect to the frame were terrible. They were missing a couple bolts altogether and I went ahead and twisted a head off trying to get it out,

With the MN weather finally nice enough to work on vehicles outside, I went ahead and removed the hitch. There was lots of flame and penetrating oil and at least one of every problem that I've read about others having: another broken bolt head, the internal nut breaking loose, etc...

So here's where things stand:
The hitch is totally removed. I went ahead and cut the bolt whose nut had broken loose inside the frame. In addition to the two bolt heads that I snapped, there was another, but at least they all have some threads poking out. Lots of heat and oil should hopefully coax them out.

There are some plates/shims that were sandwiched between the wings of the hitch and the frame. They are totally destroyed. There are also two plates on the cross-memeber section that are still in good shape.

My two main questions at this point are about the two plates/shims between the hitch wings and frame. As you can see from the pics, they are totally destroyed. Is this a dealership thing or could I find them aftermarket? I don't even know what they're technically called. Second big question is about all the bolts. I will be replacing most all of them but don't know where exactly to find the specs.

Thanks in advance for any help and I'll be sure to update my progress with some pics as the week goes on.
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Tow hitch rehab job-20210404_131643_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210404_131651_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210404_131701_50-jpg 
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Old 04-04-2021, 03:50 PM #2
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You can find a local fabricator to make you those plates that have been destroyed by corrosion and as for the hardware you can take the old bots to any hardware store to find the thread pitch.


I doubt those plates are an OEM stocked part. These rigs are pushing at least 11 years old and were first introduced 18 years ago.


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Old 04-04-2021, 09:29 PM #3
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Thanks for your input royal. While I'm sure I can get the plates made locally, I'm afraid they are too destroyed to get any specs from. I'm not sure how thick they are supposed to be and exactly what their shape is. Unfourtanely they are not a simple rectangle. I'm also not even sure what purpose they are supposed to serve. Has anyone else delt with these corroded plates? What's their deal?

I do have at least one of each different bolt, except for one. The hitch wings have 4 bolts on each side, 2 larger ones near the rear and two smaller ones towards the front. Referring to the larger bolts, the driver's side was missing one and the other one snapped off, and the passenger side was missing one and the other one had the nut break free inside the tube frame. This is where I could really use some specs.
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Old 04-05-2021, 02:48 PM #4
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So far I've spent a few hours with the angle grinder and wire wheel. The hitch is looking good and so is the rear cross-member. It was significantly more rusted than the surrounding frame pieces for some reason. I still have 3 broken bolts to remove but I have little faith they will come with vice grips. I'm really considering pounding them from the outside in hopes of breaking the internal nut free. Then I can put new hardware on.

I called a local dealership about the destroyed plates and, as usual, they were clueless. I've called either of our 2 local Toyota dealerships about towing and hitch-related stuff over the last year and they are clueless. I usually have to school them on the details and they still can't give me answers about parts, etc.

I'm really thinking about reattaching the hitch without the plates. Here's an idea that popped into my head just this moment. The part number I found on the hitch comes up as a Lexus part. What if the same bumper is for both the 4runner and the Lexus gx460 and the plates are to make it fit the 4runner. The same hitch on the GX wouldn't use the plates. Maybe I'll try calling a Lexus dealer. Unfourtanely I don't think it's the brand of dealership that is the problem, I'm pretty sure it's the dealership part that is the problem...
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Tow hitch rehab job-20210405_160409_001_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210405_160420_50-jpg 

Last edited by mr_skittle; 04-05-2021 at 06:58 PM. Reason: add images
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Old 04-05-2021, 09:35 PM #5
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A call to a Lexus dealer proved to be informative but still didn't get me anywhere. They can find the hitch assembly in the parts list but it doesn't come with the spacer plates. While it is possible evidence for my theory that the hitch is specific to the Lexus vehicle but adapts to the 4runner with these spacers.

The next call was to the other Toyota dealership. While this guy could have given me the same line as the other's, he didn't. He did some Googling and dove in. We found what is called a "spacer set". There were no pictures, no descriptions, and no indications of how many parts were included in the set. It sounded promising but the parts guy recommended I call a trailer/hitch shop and run it by them. Thy guy from the hitch shop stopped me right away and said, "if you took spacers out then you have to put them back in." He said they're pretty common on hitches and to either replace them or get a new hitch.

At this point I called the Toyota dealership back and pursued the "spacer set". Turns out there are only 3 available in Toyota stock across the country. By the end of the week I hope to be the proud owners of some seriously rare Genuine Toyota parts. And the best part is that it only cost me $25. I do feel pretty good about it but I technically don't even know if there are the right parts.

Since I will have to drive it some during the week, I tried to tie up the loose ends for now. I gave the broken bolts another try with vice grips but they weren't budging. At that point I decided my best option would be to just pound them back into the frame busting off the internal nut in the process. I'll have to cut a little hole in the end of the frame to get access inside with new nuts and washers.

I'm still really dying to know about these damn spacer plates. I've read all the thread here about the towing hitch and I've not seen any mention of these parts.

The pictures show how rusted the last two bolts were that I pounded out. It's safe to say that those bolts were never coming loose. The other pics are of some of the rust pitting left on the cross-member after I cleaned it up wit the wire wheel.
Attached Images
Tow hitch rehab job-20210405_161130_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210405_160512_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210405_160442_50-jpg 
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Old 04-05-2021, 10:23 PM #6
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I would recommend since you're now going to have new nuts on the inside of the frame to go with locking nuts, you don't want the bolts coming loose, especially while towing.
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Old 04-06-2021, 10:05 AM #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AuSeeker View Post
I would recommend since you're now going to have new nuts on the inside of the frame to go with locking nuts, you don't want the bolts coming loose, especially while towing.
This is a very good point. I read in another thread that the person used nylon locking nuts and big fender washers. My other detail is to make sure the replacement hardware is of the proper strength. Not all bolts are made equal and when it comes to towing, I'll make sure I have the proper stuff. I don't exactly know what the rating scale means, I do know I need #8 rated bolts.

It rained a bit last night so now I'll have to take the wire wheel to everything I did yesterday to remove the flash rust, but I'm hoping it's calm and warm enough to get stuff painted.

In case anyone was wondering, I haven't found out anything else about the spacer plates but I'm still dying to know if anyone else has come across these when dealing with the towing hitch.

Here's a pic of the rust that showed up overnight due to some rain. It came right off though.
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Tow hitch rehab job-20210406_113445_50-jpg 

Last edited by mr_skittle; 04-06-2021 at 08:08 PM.
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Old 04-06-2021, 05:22 PM #8
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I just went and looked at my tow hitch, it’s on a 2004 V8 Limited, I do indeed have a single spacer plate on each side where it attaches to the main frame rails.

I tried to upload photos of each side from my phone but it failed, but the spacer is approximately 1/16” thick and only one on each side.
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Old 04-06-2021, 06:42 PM #9
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My guess is the spacer is so it will fit just right with the bumper setup on these trucks, they probably use the same hitch on multiple trucks As for the bolts, use the thickest grade 8 nut/bolt you can find that fits the holes. SAE will be easier to find I bet. I also would pass on the locknut as then you have to deal with holding the part inside the frame which may prove tough. You could use locktight instead. Another thought is to use a magnetic tool to drop a bolt through the frame from the inside and then put the nut on the outside, could even double nut it. The good part with this thought is the bolt will most likely not spin on the inside once it tightens up so no need for a tool in there.

Use a couple jacks to hold the hitch in place.
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Old 04-06-2021, 07:39 PM #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AuSeeker View Post
I just went and looked at my tow hitch, it’s on a 2004 V8 Limited, I do indeed have a single spacer plate on each side where it attaches to the main frame rails.
Horray! I'm not alone with my spacer plates.


Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeinNH67 View Post
My guess is the spacer is so it will fit just right with the bumper setup on these trucks, they probably use the same hitch on multiple trucks As for the bolts, use the thickest grade 8 nut/bolt you can find that fits the holes. SAE will be easier to find I bet. I also would pass on the locknut as then you have to deal with holding the part inside the frame which may prove tough. You could use locktight instead. Another thought is to use a magnetic tool to drop a bolt through the frame from the inside and then put the nut on the outside, could even double nut it. The good part with this thought is the bolt will most likely not spin on the inside once it tightens up so no need for a tool in there.

Use a couple jacks to hold the hitch in place.
I'm still pretty confused about what's going on with this hitch. I at least know it goes to the Lexus as well as the 4runner. Does it fit on a Tacoma too? I feel like I should know this being on a 4runner forum but, does it share a frame with the Tacoma? And then the Sequoia and Tundra are on the same frame? But I digress...

I haven't decided exactly how I'm going to install the new bolts. I suppose it doesn't matter if I put the nuts on the inside or outside of the frame. I'll fart around and try a few things to figure out what'll be the easiest.
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Old 04-06-2021, 09:41 PM #11
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It was a productive day. It's amazing what I can get done when the kids aren't home. The hitch and cross-member both got two coats of paint. The cross piece is done since it'll never see the light of day again. I think the hitch will get a scuff and one last coat.

The so-called "V6 hitch" that bolts to the frame cross-member has some tight spots and isn't conducive to cleaning up with the wire wheel. That means I finally get to try electrolysis to remove rust. I've wanted to try it for a while on some old hand planes but this job came up first. If your not familiar, check it out. All you need is a battery charger, some wire, and a sacrificial piece of steel. Through the miracle of chemistry, the rust is removed from the selected piece.

Finally, I wanted to snap a pic of the sticker on the hitch before I painted over it. Although its faded, I can make out the text. Maybe someone here can help determine the difference between "weight carrying hitch" and "weight distribution hitch" as it is labeled here. The numbers for the 'carrying hitch' are what I'd expect with the tongue weight being 10% of the total towing capacity. I'm not sure what the 'weight distribution' info is for. Does using an external weight distribution hitch, with the bars and chains, increase the possible tongue weight by 300lbs? I might have to post this question over on the RV forum I'm on.
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Tow hitch rehab job-20210406_095452_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210406_112340_50-jpg  Tow hitch rehab job-20210406_113503_50-jpg 

Last edited by mr_skittle; 04-06-2021 at 09:46 PM.
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Old 04-07-2021, 12:11 AM #12
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Good timing with this thread. Last month I picked up a used v8 hitch to install onto my v6 although the 2 center plates are missing. It did come with the two side plates. I can measure these for your reference if you like?

I also attached the tow hitch installation instructions from Toyota for your reference. This has been helpful as my used one came with missing bolts and I’ll be able to get some replacement bolts.
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File Type: pdf pt22889460.pdf (288.7 KB, 248 views)
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Old 04-07-2021, 09:54 AM #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Beater View Post
Good timing with this thread. Last month I picked up a used v8 hitch to install onto my v6 although the 2 center plates are missing. It did come with the two side plates. I can measure these for your reference if you like?

I also attached the tow hitch installation instructions from Toyota for your reference. This has been helpful as my used one came with missing bolts and I’ll be able to get some replacement bolts.
Thank you so much for this install manual. I think I'm even going to share it with my local dealerships so they won't be so clueless next time. What gets me though is there aren't any part numbers listed for the spacer plates. Since I ordered a 'spacer kit' perhaps it will include the small square ones too. If it does I'd be happy to part with them.

As I expected, my question about the two weight ratings for the hitch was quickly and definitively answered over at the RV forum. Here's a link to an exhaustive article if anyone is interested.
How Towing Weight Distribution Systems Work | HowStuffWorks

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Old 04-07-2021, 01:30 PM #14
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OP, I bought a V8 hitch last year before the plandemic and it showed up without the plates. I haven't had a chance to install it yet but my plan is to install the hitch without the plates on the sides and the rear. I might also make it sunk further into the frame for more ground clearance....although I haven't looked at it enough to see if this will work.

Try to see if it works without the plates first. It might save you some money.
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Old 04-07-2021, 03:02 PM #15
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I just picked up my "spacer kit" and no dice. It's the two smaller plates that go on the bumper hitch attachment. I've already started calling around to fabrication shops. Sooo, Beater, it looks like your lucky day. A topical thread for you and your missing parts. Look for a PM.
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