New Trailer Hitch Frustration!!

M

myp1974

New member
I'm hoping someone has some advice that can help me find the hitch I need.
On Hidden Hitch website, after going through the 'hitch selection' process, I am told that the hitch my 2005 V8 4Runner requires is the 70779. It goes on to state that the hitch is capable of 6000lbs weight carrying and 7300lbs weight distirbuting.
The footnote says that only hitched produced after July 31, 2007 can carry this weight. Hitches produced prior to July 31, 2007 are only capable of carrying 3500lbs & 5000lbs.
I have called 6 or 7 Hidden Hitch dealers in NY and they all claim only the hitch with the lower specs is available. They say only the lower capacity hitch is available.
Why would hidden hitch advertise a hitch that cannot be had? I figure there must be a way to get one. Anyone have this experience? Any ideas?
I've sent an email to Hidden Hitch and am waiting for a response. I'd call but I cannot find their number.
Thanks for any help I can get.
:rant:
 
Register to hide this ad
I have the higher capacity one. Hmmmm... When you called the dealers were they reading literature or reading the label off of an actual hitch? I might be inclined to visit a dealer and look at the hitch with my own eyes. Just a thought...

:cheers:
 
Chris,
They were reading from their literature. I was looking at the website while I was speaking with them. WORD FOR WORD and they ALL kept telling me they were only able to get the lower capacity hitch.
Still no response from Hidden Hitch as of yet.
 
If the places were close-by I'd go look at the hitch with my own eyes. I am hearing that the new spec part is ahead of the website and paper catalogs.

Considering July of '07 was a while ago I'd suspect most of the old stock has been sold and they have post 07/07 hitches in stock.

:cheers:
 
It's my understanding that all 2004+ V8 models came with the 7,300lb weight distributing hitch from the factory. Technically, It's 7,300 for 2WD V8s and something like 7,100 for the 4WD V8s due to extra GVWR of the 4WD drivetrain.

Some of the late late late 2003 V8s also had this hitch.

Unfortunately, I have a 2003 V8 with the "weight carrying" style hitch... good for the V6 weight rating of 5,000.

Check your owners manual for specs or double check with a dealer.
 
davefisher is correct. With a late 2003, or 2004+ V8, the factory installed hitch is good for 7000lbs, a little higher if it's 2WD.

CJ3Flyr has the same HiddenHitch as mine, 70779. However, his is a different revision of the same hitch and has a higher capacity as well as a provision to mount the factory plug harness. There's a thread posted here with pics of his version and mine are shown.
 
I just found and ordered a Hidden Hitch model # 70779 which has WC of 6000lbs & WD of 7300lbs.
I will have it the beginning of next week and will be installing it on the weekend!
Chris, do you have any tips on how to remove the old hitch or the plastic bumper cover? Also, was it easy to remount the plug? Did you have to splice the wires or is there and addaptor available to extends its reach in order to mount up to the Hidden Hitch?

Thanks.
 
Do you not have a factory hitch on your vehicle? I'm curious why you are getting the Hidden Hitch good for the same weight as you have from the factory. :confused:
 
myp1974 said:
I just found and ordered a Hidden Hitch model # 70779 which has WC of 6000lbs & WD of 7300lbs.
I will have it the beginning of next week and will be installing it on the weekend!
Chris, do you have any tips on how to remove the old hitch or the plastic bumper cover? Also, was it easy to remount the plug? Did you have to splice the wires or is there and addaptor available to extends its reach in order to mount up to the Hidden Hitch?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I didn't have a hitch to begin with so I can't help you much with removal beyand to say drop the spare and leave the bumper alone. That's my guess...

The light plug should reach with no modding. I had to cut 1 or 2 zip-ties that held the extra wire tucked up to the frame. I was able to just give a quick snip, unplug the trailer connector to snake it through the hole on the hitch, plug it back in and I was done:biggrin2:
:cheers:
 
Dave,
I'm up in Canada and for whatever reason the V8 4Runner comes with the same hitch set up as the V6.
Luckily I live less than 60 miles from the border and I'm in the US frequently on business so I had the Hidden Hitch mailed to a customer of mine in NY and will pick it up next week when I'm down there.
 
I think the HH 70779 replaced the HH 70411 that I and a bunch of other people here have. It also had the higher ratings. I think about two years ago I started a thread after I installed. It was very straightforward. I'm sure if you search '70411' someone had a detailed installation thread.
 
myp1974 said:
Dave,
I'm up in Canada and for whatever reason the V8 4Runner comes with the same hitch set up as the V6.
Luckily I live less than 60 miles from the border and I'm in the US frequently on business so I had the Hidden Hitch mailed to a customer of mine in NY and will pick it up next week when I'm down there.
Click to expand...

Hey myp1974, I didn't know that. The things you learn. Interesting to know that your vehicle, despite the V8, has the V6 setup. :)

Good luck on the install this weekend!
 
sbbamafan said:
I think the HH 70779 replaced the HH 70411 that I and a bunch of other people here have. It also had the higher ratings. I think about two years ago I started a thread after I installed. It was very straightforward. I'm sure if you search '70411' someone had a detailed installation thread.
Click to expand...

Correct.

IIRC, the 70411 was discontinued in mid-2006. My order was originally for a 70411, but a 70779 was (dropped) shipped to me. The vendor said it was Cequent who changed it. Some members were still able to find the 70411 after I got mine, which at that point, I think retailers who still had the 70411 in stock raised the prices to $170 or so. Most likely because they were getting the 70779 which had the lower capacity than the 70411. I got my 70779 for $120 or so shipped.
 
Hitch

I have tried to install both hitches. The 70411 is by far the better hitch not only because of the additional capacity. The 70779 would not fit around the rear bumper fascia brackets without modification on my 2006 and the electrical connector sits right behind the wheel so it will catch anything the wheel kicks up. I couldn't make the holes in the frame line up with the hitch in the rear and never got the nut plates installed. Maybe you can if you take off the rear bumper fascia. For the 70411 you definitely have to take off the rear bumper fascia to install the bolts in the center. Since my 2006 didn't come with a hitch I had to cut the fascia about 1/2 inch in the center for the drawbar and grind off a little of the connector mount which is welded to the hitch. I got mine in late 2006 from a warehouse in Chicago and it was hard to find then so I imagine there is no stock left. Maybe one would be available on e-bay.
Hopefully they have changed the design of the 70779 to make it fit since it is the only one available now.
 
On my 70779, I think they literally "dropped" shipped it. It seemed like the two brackets that attach to the frame was pinched in and it didn't line up to the holes on the frame. I took my floor jack sat it on top of one side and a 2x4 piece of wood and pushed it out, so both are parallel.

The drop nuts that go into the rear cross member (I forget which side) on side was really tough to get in. But I did manage to get all eight bolts installed. The one on the right above the exhaust muffler/canister was a pain as well.

For the bumper fascia, I removed the two metal brackets that hold the bumper fascia to the rear cross member. I left the tabs on the fascia in place, but Hidden Hitch's instructions says to cut them off. The bumper is a little bit compressed when the hitch fully meets the frame after all bolts are tighted.

The early design that relocates the wiring harness plug is re****ed. I no longer have the tie down loop on the back. :mad:
 
Has anybody ever tried a Factory Toyota hitch ?

Any pro's or con's ?

was thinking of replacing my V-6 hitch with the factory V-8 unit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 412 (members: 4, guests: 408)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,309
Messages
3,554,075
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top