'02 LX Tow Receiver and 7 Way Install

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baggar11

10 Year 15 Year
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Jan 10, 2007
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60
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814
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Threw a Draw Tite receiver on the LX this weekend and wired in a Tekonsha P3. Pretty easy install overall. Used the Tekonsha harness that plugged into the factory 4 pin plug in the spare tire well. Then plugged into a Curt 4 to 7 way adapter.

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I had only seen other pics of the Draw Tite hitch and was worried that it was going to hang down super low, but it's really not that bad. Seems to me that there is maybe 2-3 inches at most from the bottom of the bumper to the top of the receiver. No issues with fit either.

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Opted to mount the P3 on the lower right side of the steering wheel dash area. Mine seemed a bit too big to squeeze into the ash tray opening and secure it from moving as others had done.

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I do have a question for you guys about where you mounted your circuit breakers for the controller power and trailer power pin? I mounted mine to the top of the smaller fuse box in the engine bay, but it doesn't seem ideal. Plus, if I ever have to open up that fuse panel, I'm going to have to be careful not to touch the tops of those breakers to the AC lines or side of the engine bay.

When I wired up the 80 for towing, I was able to mount the circuit breakers to the back of the battery box. Where have you mounted yours at?

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I don't have photos.... when I did the 7 way install in our 01 LX there was no factory trailer brake controller wiring - (even if there was I wouldn't use it as many have said there are concerns with Aux back feeding from the trailer causing problems in the 100 series).

When I installed ours.... I ran a 12V switched relay (mounted on the passenger side, with a fuse near the battery) that then fed a 12v out to the trailer brake controller and to another 12v switched relay. The first relay provides ignition power to the brake controller. The 2nd relay provides Aux power for the trailer (and also provides switched 12V for the third relay I installed near the driver tail light - that controls reverse output).

While above and beyond necessary, I did this to protect the trailers and vehicle with relays and fuses.

The 4 way in the back I just cut and rewired directly into the 7 way.... However I installed a 7 way that also has spots for a 4 or 5 way flat.
 
toyotaspeed90 said:
Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't know that your 7 way has trailer brake control with what you've provided as an install....?
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That was the only photo I snapped. I actually ran out of blue 10 gauge for the brake wire to run all the way back as well as a couple ring terminals. I'll finish up the 2 missing wires in a couple days.
 
toyotaspeed90 said:
I don't have photos.... when I did the 7 way install in our 01 LX there was no factory trailer brake controller wiring - (even if there was I wouldn't use it as many have said there are concerns with Aux back feeding from the trailer causing problems in the 100 series).

When I installed ours.... I ran a 12V switched relay (mounted on the passenger side, with a fuse near the battery) that then fed a 12v out to the trailer brake controller and to another 12v switched relay. The first relay provides ignition power to the brake controller. The 2nd relay provides Aux power for the trailer (and also provides switched 12V for the third relay I installed near the driver tail light - that controls reverse output).

While above and beyond necessary, I did this to protect the trailers and vehicle with relays and fuses.

The 4 way in the back I just cut and rewired directly into the 7 way.... However I installed a 7 way that also has spots for a 4 or 5 way flat.
Click to expand...

I can't imagine there being much feedback from the stock connector in the spare tire area. It's only outputting signals for brake, left/right turn and parking lights. The other wires for the 7 way are getting run directly to the battery or controller with proper circuit breaker protection.

I would love to see pics of where you mounted your circuit protection. There just wasn't anything other than those fuse tops that I saw to mount to. Unless I were to drill into the metal sides of the engine bay.
 
I wasn't sure, based on what you had posted, how you were (or attempting) running the trailer brake and aux signals. There's a year where Toyota added the ability to wire in a brake controller with factory wiring, and the Aux is where others have mentioned feedback.

In my 2001 LX there is/was (at least 1) an available 8mm bolt thread on the passenger fender well under the hood. While I'm not opposed to cutting into a vehicles metal I didn't have to for this. I ran the wiring by cutting a small slice in a rubber plug under the wiring on the passenger side (further to the side than the AHC).
 
I mounted the two Circuit Breakers on top of the inner fender liner:

Also used the Draw Tight hitch and the Tekonsha P3 with my 2002 LX.

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Good pic, thanks! Yeah, that's about the only location I could see that would suffice. I think I'll move mine over before finishing up the last 2 wire runs this week.
 
toyotaspeed90 said:
I wasn't sure, based on what you had posted, how you were (or attempting) running the trailer brake and aux signals. There's a year where Toyota added the ability to wire in a brake controller with factory wiring, and the Aux is where others have mentioned feedback.

In my 2001 LX there is/was (at least 1) an available 8mm bolt thread on the passenger fender well under the hood. While I'm not opposed to cutting into a vehicles metal I didn't have to for this. I ran the wiring by cutting a small slice in a rubber plug under the wiring on the passenger side (further to the side than the AHC).
Click to expand...

I think the '03+ had the wiring for a brake controller. But I'm pretty new to the 100 series, so I could be wrong there. My 02 only has the pigtail in the spare tire well for a basic 4 way connector. The blue brake controller wire is run directly from the controller to the 7 way. And the black power wire is run directly from the battery with a 30 amp circuit breaker to the 7 way. Any feedback will trip the breaker.
 
That's pretty slick! I'll have to keep that in mind.
 
Time flies! Finally got around to finishing up the tow harness wiring and did a test hook up to the travel trailer. Ended up moving the breakers off the fuse cover down to the fender.

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Took me about 2-3 hours to run the power and brake wires from front to back. I snaked them most of the way through the inside of the frame rail. They pop inside the frame rail around the driver seat and re-emerge near the spare tire to connect with the harness. Pretty clean.

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Decided to do a test hook up to see how the weight of the trailer would affect sag. Gotta say, the AHC system was pretty slick.

I approached the trailer in low until the ball and receiver were lined up, then changed it to neutral height while I manually dropped the trailer down onto the ball. After full weight was applied, the AHC compensated for the dropped height and seemed to level out.

We have our next trip in February. Looking forward to seeing how the LX tows.

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Nice write up, even nicer that you snaked those wires inside the frame hollow.

BTW, what RV are you towing and how much weight?
I use a weight distribution / sway control hitch with my 2002 LX.
 
2018 Coachmen Clipper 17BHS. Weighs about 3300lb dry. Tongue around 410lb. I still may end up grabbing a WDH for my TT.

What are you towing with your LX?
 
baggar11 said:
2018 Coachmen Clipper 17BHS. Weighs about 3300lb dry. Tongue around 410lb. I still may end up grabbing a WDH for my TT.

What are you towing with your LX?
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I tow a 2800 lb 2017 Rpod 180. Tows pretty effortlessly.
You should have no trouble, but I highly recommend WD/Sway hitch.
 
baggar11 said:
Time flies! Finally got around to finishing up the tow harness wiring and did a test hook up to the travel trailer. Ended up moving the breakers off the fuse cover down to the fender.

View attachment 1879107

Took me about 2-3 hours to run the power and brake wires from front to back. I snaked them most of the way through the inside of the frame rail. They pop inside the frame rail around the driver seat and re-emerge near the spare tire to connect with the harness. Pretty clean.

View attachment 1879110

Decided to do a test hook up to see how the weight of the trailer would affect sag. Gotta say, the AHC system was pretty slick.

I approached the trailer in low until the ball and receiver were lined up, then changed it to neutral height while I manually dropped the trailer down onto the ball. After full weight was applied, the AHC compensated for the dropped height and seemed to level out.

We have our next trip in February. Looking forward to seeing how the LX tows.

View attachment 1879113
Click to expand...
@baggar11 did you go through the firewall with the brake wire? How did you get it from the driver's area to the frame rail to run it back?
 
jdefriel said:
@baggar11 did you go through the firewall with the brake wire? How did you get it from the driver's area to the frame rail to run it back?
Click to expand...
It's been a while and have since sold the rig, but yeah pretty sure I went through the firewall. Then ran it down below the master cylinder until I could snake it into the frame rail all the way to the back of the rig.
 
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