Can 2013 Toyota Tacoma OEM Trailer Hitch Be Replaced with Aftermarket Trailer Hitch

Published 11/09/2023

Question:

I have a 2013 Toyota Tacoma 4.0L V6 DBL Cab Long Bed TRD Sport with towing package. The Tacoma is rated for 6400 lbs towing. Apparently it has a Class IV hitch factory installed. I am looking to replace the hitch because it is suffering from the effects of the Northeast Metal Worm aka RUST : All of the aftermarket hitches Ive seen for the 2ndGen Tacoma are listed as Class III with a 5000/500 tow/tongue capacity... I tow a car trailer which is all up around 4600 pounds and Im concerned a 5000 pound hitch capacity may be a bit too close for the load... the hitch descriptions also all say the hitch cannot be installed with a factory hitch... obviously I will remove the old hitch before installing the aftermarket hitch. But is there any reason the aftermarket hitch would be incompatible with a vehicle that had a factory hitch removed? Thanks in advance :

asked by: Tim

Expert Reply:

The 5,000 lb tow weight rating is definitely enough to safely tow a car trailer weighing in at 4,600 lbs total. The only time I would be nervous about the weight difference is if it was under 100 lbs in your situation.

According to my research the OEM hitch on your 2013 Toyota Tacoma installs using the bumper brackets so if you remove the OEM hitch you'll need to find replacement brackets for the bumper. Once that is done you can install an aftermarket hitch and for that I recommend the etrailer Trailer Hitch Receiver # e98850.

I really like this hitch because it's the only option with a matte black finish. This finish not only blends in better with your truck, but it also does a better job at hiding scratches from road debris than what we see with the glossy black finishes on the other hitch options for your Tacoma.

expert reply by: Jon G