I've been searching the forums getting great info and I was looking at a friends 2006 sport with the v8 and his tow hitch setup was completely different than mine?? I read they changed the setup in 04 but what were the changes? The reason I ask is I have two dirtbikes I'll be hanging off the rear on a bike hauler. He has done it without issues just wanted to make sure mine will be ok?

I have a 2003 limited V8 2wd.

Thanks

Do you mean on a platform hitched to your receiver? Or on a trailer?

The difference is probably what you saw. Yours is bolted to the center of the rear frame cross member and comes out through the plastic covering. His is probably a tube hitch receiver that hangs lower and is more visable under the plastic bumper covering the rear cross member and bolts to the side frame rails instead.

Your drivers manual should have all these parameters.

You are able to tow 5000lbs with tongue weight of 500lbs

With the other hitch receiver you can tow 6000lbs and 600 tongue weight

With load balance system you can tow 7000lbs and 700 tongue weight. This tongue weight needs to be verified...???

If loading the dirt bikes on a platform hitched to your truck you need to be within the 500lbs unless you install the other type of hitch then you can put 600lbs

If towing the bikes on a trailer, then it depends on your hitch, and 5000lbs should be plenty for 2 dirt bikes and a trailer.

That's more or less how it goes.

As a side note, my 2003 drivers manual states that I can tow 7000lbs with my hitch. And I started with the standard hitch, but have upgraded to the other model since I realized that in subsequent years the hitch changed, and the manual references having that hitch to tow 6000lbs and the need for a load balancing system to tow 7000lbs. Why the change? Was there really a problem? Are they trying to cover their behinds? Would there be a point to buying a sequoia if you could easily tow 7000lbs with a 4runner. Who knows.

The older hitch is only rated at 5/6K lbs. (from memory). The newer WD hitch (which is mounted to the main frame) is rated at 7K lbs (7300 lbs for 2wd).

Koz

Cano3, researched the hitches more and my owners manual says I can do 7300lbs and 730lbs tongue weight so I think I'm good, I have the v8. And yes you are correct he had the tubular system that hangs much lower. His definitely looks stronger but mine is connected to the frame as well? And if thr manual says its ok then I trust it...... Somewhat. Haha

How much was your hitch setup and how difficult?

7300 lbs. rating is for the V8 2wd (7K for V8 4wd). I'm not sure if you have a trans cooler but that rating is based on having a trans cooler. I highly recommend getting some air bags (and some type of sway and/or WD system) if you plan on towing near the max rating. The ideal setup is the OEM auto leveling rear air springs and/or a Hensley cub system.

http://hensleymfg.com/products/the-hensley-cub/

Koz

Koz, yes, I have fj coils, daystar 1.5 spacers in rear, bilsteins 5100 and airlift 1000s. And yes I have the v8 2wd, so 7300lbs towing. Hopefully I can get the hauler and bikes out this weekend and do some testing. I think I'll be ok given since the tongue weight is the same as the newer hitches.

Sorry, you did post 2wd. Be ready to move some weight on/off the tongue, start at approx 12%.

http://hildstrom.com/projects/tonguescale/index.html

Koz

Koz I wish I could move the weight off but I can't, it's a joe hauler that only attaches to the hitch see pics. Joe Hauler Motorcycle Carriers and Accessories

And before you ask, my jeep grand Cherokee with about the same tongue weight towed the two dirtbikes without issues for years. Also my friends pathfinder tows two as well.

I would check on which hitch receiver you actually have installed. As I recall, Toyota originally shipped many early '03 V8's with the lighter duty V6 hitch. There was a TSB (don't remember the exact number), which allowed the dealer to upgrade the hitch to the stronger, frame mounted model. This was not a recall, so it is possible that some vehicles didin't get the upgrade. If your vehicle didn't get the upgraded hitch, then the information in the owners manual doesn't apply to your hitch. You have to make sure you have the hitch that is DIRECTLY bolted to the two main side frame rails. If your hitch is bolted to the crossmember behind the bumper cover, then you have the V6 type hitch, which is not rated for more than 500 lb tongue weight and 5K total towed load.

You will be fine. I have one of those for my street bike. You will need the air bags!


Koz

Tech wrench you are spot on, removed my spare and got under the vehicle, it IS just bolted on with two bolts!!!! Totally don't trust it until its welded to thr frame. Great call!!! Is this something the dealer does with the service bulletin or should I have a welder fix it up?

If, as I suspect, you have the V6 hitch, it is actually bolted to the rear crossmember with 6 bolts. Four from the rear through the face of the hitch, and two on top. The four rear facing bolts are difficult to see with the bumper cover in place (and even harder to get to, I know). Just welding this type of hitch receiver to the crossmember will not solve your problem. The 6 bolts mount the hitch very securely to the crossmember. The issue is with the crossmember itself. The crossmember tube itself is the reason for the reduced load ratings. Look at it this way. The original factory ratings for the V6 hitch (500 lbs tongue weight) are based on using the factory ball mount.
When you put a 500 lbs weight directly on the ball mount, it exerts a rotational twisting force on this crossmember. As you increase the amount of downward pressure on the ball mount, this twisting force increases, and will eventually be more than that crossmember was designed to handle. This could result in the crossmember twisting out of shape, and resulting in the hitch receiver pointing downward. If you install any type of hitch mounted device that extends further out than the original ball mount, the extra length will increase the amount of 'leverage' any load placed on it will exert on this crossmember. So, a 500 lb weight placed 3 feet away from the hitch will exert more pressure on the crossmember than the same 500 lbs placed directly on a tow ball mounted on the factory ball mount. If you add the effect of this weight bouncing on the hitch mounted accessory carrier as you go over bumps, damage to the crossmember could be caused by a lesser amount of weight than the 'rated' amount.

This is why the V6 hitch receiver isn't rated for any type of weight distribution towing system. Because the V8 hitch is a separate assembly, mounted directly to the two main frame rails. and its 'crossmember' is designed to handle the additional twisting forces, it is rated higher than the V6 model, and can be used with weight distribution hitch systems. When the hitch mounted carrier claims it is rated for a specific amount (lets say 650lbs for instance), that means the carrier itself is rated for that amount. It doesn't mean that the hitch receiver it is mounted to is capable of the same rating.

All this being said, you may be alright with the load you want to carry. But, you should be aware of all the possible issues, before you make the decision to go with it.

Techwrench I've done a bunch of researching and I do in fact have the V6 tow itch which totally pisses me off, I could see someone reading thr owners manual and where it states the v8 has 7300lb tow capacity and 730 tongue weight. Well, i have the v8 and they have a v6 tow hitch from factory!!!! I would have overloaded the tongue weight if I didn't have all of you guys advice from the forum.

Ok, now I'm looking at hitches online and it seems the hidden hitch 70411 is the best but it's now discontinued, what else is a good option? Most say 5000lb 500lb so what the heck is the advantage of that?

Thanks for the help.

There is a Hidden Hitch, #70779, which will fit your vehicle, available that is rated for 6k/600 and 7300/730 (with weight distribution hitch). I found two sites that carry it:

Page Title | Hitches Online!

Toyota 4Runner Trailer Hitch - 2003 | etrailer.com

It looks like the first site has the best price at the moment. Be aware that installing this hitch requires you removing the original V6 hitch, and you will need an adapter to mount the light harness socket to it since the original mounting point has to be moved.

As for the load ratings listed in your manual, be aware that the 7300/730 figure is only if you have a weight distribution system added to the package. Otherwise, without it, the ratings drop to 600/600. And, a weight distribution system is only applicable when towing a trailer, it will not help you with any hitch mounted carriers. That being said, installing the Hidden Hitch, will certainly help with the load you would like to carry.

Just to clarify some discrepancies. Yes, now we say that the V8 needs one of these upgraded hitch receivers along with a weight distrubuting system to safely tow 7000lbs as a result of reading newer drivers manuals. But in the early drivers manuals for 2003s it didn't say that.