I'm a new member. This is not my first post or my first thread. The information in this site has helped me with my son-in-law's 4Runner. So, I decided to create this thread to give something back.
My son-in-law recently purchased a 1997 SR5 4WD 4Runner with the 3.4L V6. It has 198k miles and it is in very good condition. It also had a blown head gasket which was reflected in the purchase price. The 4Runner was 600 miles from home. I was expecting to be in that area in the following week visiting our son, so I picked up the 4Runner and brought it home.
To bring it home, I flat towed it using an inexpensive Reese-style tow bar. To securely connect the tow bar to the 4Runner, I mounted a Draw-Tite 65041 tow bar to it. Before mounting the front receiver, I drilled four 1/2" through holes for the tow bar brackets. I made backing plates for the brackets from 2" x 1/4" flat bar using the brackets as a template. The backing plates are to distribute the clamping force over a large area of the receiver cross bar.
I used this method (and the same tow bar) to flat tow a 1998 4 door 4WD Jeep Cherokee nearly 20 years ago. It worked perfectly for the Jeep. So, I decided it would work for the 4Runner.
I could not find a documented installation of a Draw-Tite 65041 front receiver on a 3rd gen 4Runner. I did read a single post somewhere stating that it had been done with no photos and no details. According to etrailer.com, the 65041 only fits the 2001-2004 Tacoma. I did read a review that stated it was installed on a 1999 Tacoma. I decided to roll the dice and I purchased one.
The receiver "almost" fits a 1997 4Runner. It attaches perfectly to the recovery hook mounting points with the supplied hardware. However, the ears that bolt to the sides of the frame are not a perfect match. Apparently, the Tacoma frame is ~1/2" wider than the 4Runner frame. In other words, there was 1/4" gap between the receiver "ears" and the outside of the frame. I brought extra 2" x 1/4" flat bar and that worked perfectly as spacers. The length of the spacers spans the height of the frame to distribute the clamping force over a large area.
I attached an image of the Draw-Tite 65041 installation instructions and yellow highlighted the steps that I deviated from. I will attempt to describe them.
So here's the disclaimer.
There is a label on the Draw-Tite receiver that states: "DO NOT DRILL OR WELD". Well.....I drilled 4 through holes for a total of 8 holes (front and back of the cross bar.
Draw-Tite states the 65041 receiver fits the 2001-2004 Tacoma; not a 3rd gen 4Runner.
Do this at your own risk. Do this at your own risk.
So.....how did it work? It worked fine. I would not use this method to tow a 4Runner behind an RV, but it worked fine for the 600-mile trip home.
Photos to follow.
My son-in-law recently purchased a 1997 SR5 4WD 4Runner with the 3.4L V6. It has 198k miles and it is in very good condition. It also had a blown head gasket which was reflected in the purchase price. The 4Runner was 600 miles from home. I was expecting to be in that area in the following week visiting our son, so I picked up the 4Runner and brought it home.
To bring it home, I flat towed it using an inexpensive Reese-style tow bar. To securely connect the tow bar to the 4Runner, I mounted a Draw-Tite 65041 tow bar to it. Before mounting the front receiver, I drilled four 1/2" through holes for the tow bar brackets. I made backing plates for the brackets from 2" x 1/4" flat bar using the brackets as a template. The backing plates are to distribute the clamping force over a large area of the receiver cross bar.
I used this method (and the same tow bar) to flat tow a 1998 4 door 4WD Jeep Cherokee nearly 20 years ago. It worked perfectly for the Jeep. So, I decided it would work for the 4Runner.
I could not find a documented installation of a Draw-Tite 65041 front receiver on a 3rd gen 4Runner. I did read a single post somewhere stating that it had been done with no photos and no details. According to etrailer.com, the 65041 only fits the 2001-2004 Tacoma. I did read a review that stated it was installed on a 1999 Tacoma. I decided to roll the dice and I purchased one.
The receiver "almost" fits a 1997 4Runner. It attaches perfectly to the recovery hook mounting points with the supplied hardware. However, the ears that bolt to the sides of the frame are not a perfect match. Apparently, the Tacoma frame is ~1/2" wider than the 4Runner frame. In other words, there was 1/4" gap between the receiver "ears" and the outside of the frame. I brought extra 2" x 1/4" flat bar and that worked perfectly as spacers. The length of the spacers spans the height of the frame to distribute the clamping force over a large area.
I attached an image of the Draw-Tite 65041 installation instructions and yellow highlighted the steps that I deviated from. I will attempt to describe them.
- Hardware - you will need a longer 1/2"-13 x 1-3/4" hex bolt because of the 1/4" thick spacer. I could only find 1/2"-13 x 2" hex bolts at the Tractor Supply. In my case, the unthreaded section of shank wasn't too long. Note these are grade 5 bolts.
- Step 2 states to enlarge existing holes in the Tacoma frame for the rivet nuts. The holes in the 4Runner frame do not line up with slots in the receiver. You will have to drill new holes.
- Step 3 states to hold hitch tight against frame while tightening the rivet nut bolt. I held the rivet nut in place by C-clamping the flat bar spacer against the frame. That worked great.
So here's the disclaimer.
There is a label on the Draw-Tite receiver that states: "DO NOT DRILL OR WELD". Well.....I drilled 4 through holes for a total of 8 holes (front and back of the cross bar.
Draw-Tite states the 65041 receiver fits the 2001-2004 Tacoma; not a 3rd gen 4Runner.
Do this at your own risk. Do this at your own risk.
So.....how did it work? It worked fine. I would not use this method to tow a 4Runner behind an RV, but it worked fine for the 600-mile trip home.
Photos to follow.
Attachments
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1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_1.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_2.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_3.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_4.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_5.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_6.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_7.jpg -
1997 4Runner draw-tite 65041 front receiver_8.jpg
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