ChuckB
SILVER Star
Towing with your LX470 or LC with AHC (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter shaggyFJ
- Start date
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Pro series uses chains to adjust height. Very simple to move the chain up or down a link. Fastway requires you unbolt the L bracket to make the same adjustment.
Pro series uses a simple pipe-like 'lever' to snap the chain adjuster into place. Easily replaced if lost by any similar piece of pipe or anything with the appropriate sized hole that can provide leverage. The Fastway uses a 'snap up' lever of particular design. Lose it...and good luck getting the torsion bars in place.
Pro series has single ADJUSTABLE sway bar. (another can be added if necessary). Fastway uses metal on metal friction of the torsion bars against the L bracket and Pin (tension NOT adjustable). 'L' pins on Fastway hitch are commonly lost/misplaced....so buy extras. Pro series anti-sway bar can be removed (or just not used at all) by removing two quick pins (takes about 10 seconds). Fastway...you have no choice, you've got metal rubbing on metal all the time.
Pro series come with EVERYTHING you need to install and use the hitch. Fastway does NOT come with the hitch ball (2-5/16"). And when you do buy the hitch ball....make sure you also get a THIN WALL SOCKET to install it, because the fastway yoke it too narrow for a 1"-7/8 socket to fit into to tighten the nut on the hitch ball.
Lastly, we have sent back quite a few Fastway hitches for grossly inaccurate fitting of welded parts. Have NEVER sent back a Pro-Series.
So I’m towing with my 2004 lx470 , trailer is 3400lbs with an eliminator weight distribution hitch and 2 14.5” kayaks (100lbs each) on top of the lx from Los Angeles to bass lake (near Yosemite)
The lx handled it like a champ! So smooth and easy. The climb over the grapevine was slow and steady but an ease. I got about 9.8 miles per gallon!!
The lx handled it like a champ! So smooth and easy. The climb over the grapevine was slow and steady but an ease. I got about 9.8 miles per gallon!!
Nice.
I got an average 8.5mpg pulling a 3,940 lbs dry trailer, loaded probably 4,400 lbs, 2 adults, 2 dogs and OD Off all the way.
No Kayaks, no bicycles.
I got an average 8.5mpg pulling a 3,940 lbs dry trailer, loaded probably 4,400 lbs, 2 adults, 2 dogs and OD Off all the way.
No Kayaks, no bicycles.
I was loaded in the trailer with gear, food, 4 bikes and fun for 8 days with my 2 kids 10/7. Trailer was at about 4K and I seriously believe the kayaks helped increase mpg. Every other time I towed my trailer I got about that same 8.5mpg but this time the only difference was the kayaks
I have an 05 LX470 and I'll be towing a 1963 21' Avion with it. Weighed the trailer last year and it was about 3500lbs loaded with all our gear. My LX only has the integrated hitch on the rear crossmember in the bumper. My manual says to use a weight carrying hitch rather than a weight distribution hitch. I'm curious as to why this is? Does anybody have any experience towing with the integrated hitch like mine has? I'm up in the air on whether or not I should get an under-bumper frame mounted hitch installed. Any thoughts?
Wondering if someone can explain to me how you go about connecting and disconnecting a trailer with AHC. I was reading through the steps in the manual and it seems a bit confusing, particularly the "disconnecting" part. It says to raise the hitch about 4" and then turn the AHC back on and it will automatically lower from the hitch, but if the hitch is still connected won't it just pull the hitch back down? And if its pulling up on the back of the vehicle, and I suddenly disconnect the coupler, won't it just "drop" the ball out of the coupler? I'll be hooking my camper up fairly soon and I'd like to have the proper steps down. I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking it. I ordered an Anderson anti sway/weight distribution hitch (the kind with the chains instead of the spring bars).
It seems to me I should be able to hook it up at either "low" or "normal" and the car will level itself out (hopefully) when I turn AHC back on. Then when I disconnect I should just be able to turn the car off, disconnect the camper, leaving plenty of room in between the ball and the coupler so that when I turn the vehicle back on and it raises up to level out I won't bump the coupler. Does this make sense?
It seems to me I should be able to hook it up at either "low" or "normal" and the car will level itself out (hopefully) when I turn AHC back on. Then when I disconnect I should just be able to turn the car off, disconnect the camper, leaving plenty of room in between the ball and the coupler so that when I turn the vehicle back on and it raises up to level out I won't bump the coupler. Does this make sense?
The owners manual is for the lowest common denominator type person so likely the reason it says don't use WD hitch is because people screw it up more easily.
As for AHC I never looked in the manual. I put it into low and back up perfectly under the trailer hitch using my backup camera and then put the truck up into H and unwind my trailer jack with no resistance. To drop the trailer I put it into H and wind down the trailer jack, unlock the coupler, put it into L and watch it unhook while I get the chains etc and then drive away.
As for AHC I never looked in the manual. I put it into low and back up perfectly under the trailer hitch using my backup camera and then put the truck up into H and unwind my trailer jack with no resistance. To drop the trailer I put it into H and wind down the trailer jack, unlock the coupler, put it into L and watch it unhook while I get the chains etc and then drive away.
One more tip ... the AHC will not adjust if any of the doors are open. Ditto for the cargo hatch.
