Been wanting to install a hitch on the wife's 2004 Toyota RAV4, so we can haul the Jeep trailers, especially the one set up for camping. The RAV4 gets 3x the gas mileage my FJ40 does. The FJ40 will be reserved for trail conditions we don't want to put the RAV4 through. We'd like to go back to Yellowstone, but that's a major gas bill with the FJ40. There and back alone is 1100 miles; add in side trips and it will likely be about 1500 miles. That's 150 gallons of fuel minimum for the FJ40. It's only (ideally) 53 gallons for the RAV4, though that will drop a bit pulling a trailer. That's a substantial savings, approaching $400, and that's just one trip. I saw nothing in Yellowstone other than the old rail line trail out of Mammoth Hot Springs that the RAV4 couldn't handle.
Anyway, been watching for a decent buy on a Class III hitch. Been doing weekly searches for a while. Found a Curt Manufacturing hitch on Amazon Warehouse for $105 shipped, in "mint" condition. Probably a return because someone ordered the wrong part. That's a smokin' deal, because most of these hitches are in the $180 range with at least $25 shipping.
The hitch bolted up in 10 minutes, and that included slightly tweaking a side plate with a sledgehammer and a block of wood (UPS dropped the package).
While checking the Curt website, I found a wiring kit that required no splicing. It T's into the existing wiring harness between existing connectors. It also has a built-in self-resetting circuit breaker module. Got one locally for $39. The only hard part was partially removing the side panels and completely removing the floor strip by the back door seal. I did not run the connector through the body to the hitch. We won't use it much, so it's coiled up inside the side stowage compartment. I notched out the plastic panels to pass it though. We'll just run it between the door gasket and the door when needed. Total time 30 minutes. (Ironically the website says 30 for the hitch and 10 for the harness, we were just the opposite.)
The only drawback to this is the stinger will prevent the rear door from opening, so if we have to get into the back we'll need to unhook the trailer and remove the stinger. So obviously nothing needed daily will go in the rear of the RAV4.
Also, this wiring harness does not have a brake circuit. That limits trailer use. Toyota has a ridiculously low limit on trailers without brakes; 600 lbs. If I find this is an issue after road testing it, I'll install surge brakes but I doubt that will be an issue.
No pictures. If someone is really curious it's on their website. When the stinger is installed and the jeep trailer is connected I'll take some photos then. A ball hitch is easy, but the jeep trailer has a lunette, so I'm scratching my head over how I want to set up a pintle. I may need to make an auxiliary receiver point on the trail so a 2" x 2" gooseneck can run forward over the existing lunette. This would be less of an issue if I hadn't done a springover on the trailer to match my FJ40 ride height.
Trailer Hitches, Heavy Duty Hitch, & Towing Accessories Made in America by CURT Manufacturing.
Anyway, been watching for a decent buy on a Class III hitch. Been doing weekly searches for a while. Found a Curt Manufacturing hitch on Amazon Warehouse for $105 shipped, in "mint" condition. Probably a return because someone ordered the wrong part. That's a smokin' deal, because most of these hitches are in the $180 range with at least $25 shipping.
The hitch bolted up in 10 minutes, and that included slightly tweaking a side plate with a sledgehammer and a block of wood (UPS dropped the package).
While checking the Curt website, I found a wiring kit that required no splicing. It T's into the existing wiring harness between existing connectors. It also has a built-in self-resetting circuit breaker module. Got one locally for $39. The only hard part was partially removing the side panels and completely removing the floor strip by the back door seal. I did not run the connector through the body to the hitch. We won't use it much, so it's coiled up inside the side stowage compartment. I notched out the plastic panels to pass it though. We'll just run it between the door gasket and the door when needed. Total time 30 minutes. (Ironically the website says 30 for the hitch and 10 for the harness, we were just the opposite.)
The only drawback to this is the stinger will prevent the rear door from opening, so if we have to get into the back we'll need to unhook the trailer and remove the stinger. So obviously nothing needed daily will go in the rear of the RAV4.
Also, this wiring harness does not have a brake circuit. That limits trailer use. Toyota has a ridiculously low limit on trailers without brakes; 600 lbs. If I find this is an issue after road testing it, I'll install surge brakes but I doubt that will be an issue.
No pictures. If someone is really curious it's on their website. When the stinger is installed and the jeep trailer is connected I'll take some photos then. A ball hitch is easy, but the jeep trailer has a lunette, so I'm scratching my head over how I want to set up a pintle. I may need to make an auxiliary receiver point on the trail so a 2" x 2" gooseneck can run forward over the existing lunette. This would be less of an issue if I hadn't done a springover on the trailer to match my FJ40 ride height.
Trailer Hitches, Heavy Duty Hitch, & Towing Accessories Made in America by CURT Manufacturing.
