Inner plastic hitch cover, how to remove? (1 Viewer)

[Docboy]

Installed my first tow hitch bike rack today on my 2009 LX570. Upon removing the plastic hitch cover I encountered a very annoying inner plastic piece with a yellow caution sticker. If you look at the picture below I took, this stupid plastic piece is not allowing me to attach an end piece with a lock to the pin.

If this plastic piece was gone, I believe I would have the necessary space to easily attach and remove the end piece to my pin. I can "unlock" the bottom part of the plastic by pulling on it, but the top part will not give. Any ideas on how to remove this inner plastic piece? Not sure why Lexus put this plastic part on the truck; it's useless and plainly in the way.

Thanks.

 

[Chocolate]

Lexus got rid of that cover piece in the 2013 and up refresh. It just has a cover that mounts from the bottom. There are some slots in the bumper behind that piece so you may be able to pull it off, unless the 2008-2011 bumpers are different.

I agree that you don't need it. Toyota put a few pieces of useless plastic on the LC and LX like the aero flaps under the front end and the excessively long mudguards.

 

[John E Davies]

That is the same as a 200. There are two blue arrow shaped retainer pins in front of the bumper cover, that keep you from being able to just pull the cover straight back. What an insanely stupid design. You have to remove the bumper cover OR....

I used a 1 inch step drill to make two large access holes directly under the upper pins, in the two upper corners, and was able to pull out (and break) the pins, allowing removal. I trimmed the excess material, the two flat “flaps” and renistalled using a little 3m VHB tape at the top, followed by a neat bead of black silicon adhesive sealant apund the entire perimeter.

It looks fine and is much easier to use than before, but not as easy as with it completely removed, which is pretty ugly.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[tominboise]

That is the same as a 200. There are two blue arrow shaped retainer pins in front of the bumper cover, that keep you from being able to just pull the cover straight back. What an insanely stupid design. You have to remove the bumper cover OR....

I used a 1 inch step drill to make two large access holes directly under the upper pins, in the two upper corners, and was able to pull out (and break) the pins, allowing removal. I trimmed the excess material, the two flat “flaps” and renistalled using a little 3m VHB tape at the top, followed by a neat bead of black silicon adhesive sealant apund the entire perimeter.

It looks fine and is much easier to use than before, but not as easy as with it completely removed, which is pretty ugly.

John Davies
Spokane WA

Got a picture we could take a look at?

 

[luke27617]

Just use pin with lock. Made attaching easy for me. Just got the haul anti rattle one for $20.

 

[John E Davies]

Pics, sorry for the poor quality, it is dark outside....

After rough cutting using tin snips, I used a standard 4x36 inch tabletop belt sander to make the curves, it melts the plastic and you can peel off the strips. While the cover was off I cleaned up the receiver and painted it with Duplicolor ceramic brake caliper paint, good stuff....

The two big access holes are not visible unless you are looking up from the ground.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[linuxgod]

Yes it's annoying. I have a master lock hitch pin and while I could get the pin through I couldn't get the fatter locking end to attach.

I used a dremel to cut the plastic away.

Trimming bumper plastic around hitch

• linuxgod
• May 12, 2016

Trimming the plastic required to allow my master lock locking hitch pin to fit-

 

[studawg]

Lexus got rid of that cover piece in the 2013 and up refresh. It just has a cover that mounts from the bottom. There are some slots in the bumper behind that piece so you may be able to pull it off, unless the 2008-2011 bumpers are different.

I agree that you don't need it. Toyota put a few pieces of useless plastic on the LC and LX like the aero flaps under the front end and the excessively long mudguards.

So the rear bumper cover itself is different on the 13 LX? Could the LC be modified to be like the LX?

I just went through this on my 13 LC. Went through it last summer with my 08 LC. This year, I removed the black plastic piece that the hitch cover attaches to, thinking this would make it easer to slide the retainer pin through the hitch pin, but it didnt. Was a waste of time, then when we got to the beach, and I removed the hitch-n-haul, I had to look at all the ugly holes in the bumper for a week.

I think it all depends on which hitch pin you are trying to use. The one I was trying to use was too short, and the hole for the retainer pin in the hitch pin, is kinda stuck behind the receiver.

 

[GordJ]

So the rear bumper cover itself is different on the 13 LX? Could the LC be modified to be like the LX?

I just went through this on my 13 LC. Went through it last summer with my 08 LC. This year, I removed the black plastic piece that the hitch cover attaches to, thinking this would make it easer to slide the retainer pin through the hitch pin, but it didnt. Was a waste of time, then when we got to the beach, and I removed the hitch-n-haul, I had to look at all the ugly holes in the bumper for a week.

I think it all depends on which hitch pin you are trying to use. The one I was trying to use was too short, and the hole for the retainer pin in the hitch pin, is kinda stuck behind the receiver.

After a couple of failures I removed the plastic by the yellow placard with a zip cutter only to find the short pin issue arose. Twenty minutes on Amazon I found this https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001AVSIOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which solved my problem. The long pin is necessary for Tundras too apparently.

 

[studawg]

After a couple of failures I removed the plastic by the yellow placard with a zip cutter only to find the short pin issue arose. Twenty minutes on Amazon I found this https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001AVSIOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Which solved my problem. The long pin is necessary for Tundras too apparently.

Or this?

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-Stainless-Receivers-1465DAT/dp/B000COX0MY

 

[pjm10626]

new to the 200 series, only had mine a week. went to plug in the receiver hitch and the pin i have
( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000AXY62/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) goes in, but the lock doesn't clear. To even get it in i had to trim the plastic tabs as mentioned above. what locking pin does everyone use successfully? will the 3.5" version fit ( https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001AVSIOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=i0bc2-20 )?

 

[gaijin]

will the 3.5" version fit ( https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001AVSIOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=i0bc2-20 )?

Yes. I have been using the 3.5" version for awhile now on my 2013LC200 with no problems - no trimming of anything necessary:

HTH

 

[pjm10626]

Will order the longer one and hope it works.

 

[Sinister]

Yes. I have been using the 3.5" version for awhile now on my 2013LC200 with no problems - no trimming of anything necessary:

View attachment 1884940

HTH

I am ordering this also, what is the little silver cable holding the screw in pin?

 

[gaijin]

I am ordering this also, what is the little silver cable holding the screw in pin?

It's a small stainless steel "aircraft cable" keychain cable. Not sure which one I ordered - I have a bunch I use for various things - but it's probably on this page at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stainles...e=UTF8&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_10cja5wdb6_e

Similar products are available from various sources.

HTH

 

[Sinister]

It's a small stainless steel "aircraft cable" keychain cable. Not sure which one I ordered - I have a bunch I use for various things - but it's probably on this page at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=stainless+steel+wire+cable+keychain&hvadid=237380377323&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9029954&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6570963481393075694&hvtargid=aud-589036435099:kwd-455319370717&ie=UTF8&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_10cja5wdb6_e

Similar products are available from various sources.

HTH

Thank you, ordered.

 

[gaijin]

Will order the longer one and hope it works.

Thank you, ordered.

So... how did it work out for you guys?

 

[Sinister]

So... how did it work out for you guys?

 

[gaijin]

That's what I like to hear!

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[pjm10626]

mine worked great. I had already cut some of the black plastic so it worked even better haha.