Today we are going to do a hitch install on a 2008 Toyota Highlander we are going to be using the Valley part number of V81312. First thing we need to do is take off a few plastic components and the tow hooks, this cover here will be taken off, this tow hook will be taken off, and there are the same things on the driver side. Joe uses a screw driver and a socket wrench to remove existing bolts that hold the plastic shields in place Now I have access to take off the bracket, and we will do one on this side and one on the other side. Next what we have to do is lower the exhaust here a little bit, we will take off this rubber hanger and that way we get more flexibility and room to fit the hitch in. With this model here, they actually have these protectors to protect the treads, rather handy when you install a hitch.
These three plugs here will have to come out. We will only use two, but lets take out the third one out, in the middle, just to have working room for the hitch. Next up is to go ahead and lift the hitch up into position and put some bolts in there to temporarily hold it in place, this will require an extra hand. What we are going to show you here is a problem that sometimes shows up. What happens is you can get one hitch hole lined up here with this bolt and the other two wont line up. This is a weird instance where the back hole lines up but the front ones dont. What you can do basically, we are only missing it by an eighth of an inch, you can actually push the hitch over, as needed, provided that all the other hardware is loose
Using a two by four wedged between the hitch and the spare tire What you can do is pry against this, push it over, and then if you have to use a screw driver in one of the other holes to help line things up. Then run your bolt in and work your way backwards, again this will probably take an extra hand or two. Well push against this, and it will bring the hitch over, and then we will use a screwdriver to line up, very gently we dont want to mess up the treads, just wiggle it just a little bit and line it up. It doesnt take much effort, and run your bolts in. Now you can let off, and now this bolt should line up this right here to run your last bolt in. Next thing to do is get the two bolts on the side of the frame here. Now that we have our bolts snugged in tight well go ahead and torque the bolts to the manufactures specifications. We have to reinstall the exhaust to the rubber hanger bracket, and on the passenger side one of the cases that we took off will go back on. The one on the driver side, the plastic cover there, will stay off while the hitch is in place. That will conclude our install on this hitch
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