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This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Matte black, powder coated steel is durable and corrosion resistant and creates a rugged look.
Features:
Specs:
The sturdy steel construction is protected with a matte black finish for added durability. This unique powder coating gives etrailer hitches a carbide-like appearance and a rugged look that sets them apart from traditional glossy hitches. In addition to being rust and corrosion resistant, the tough matte coating hides dirt, scuffs, and dings better than a glossy finish.
At etrailer we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
Average Customer Rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars (425 Customer Reviews)
This fully welded trailer hitch receiver bolts onto your vehicle's frame with no welding required. Matte black, powder coated steel is durable and corrosion resistant and creates a rugged look.Fits and looks great. I did have to grind one hole about a paper thickness bigger as the bolts didn’t exactly line up. Maybe just a slight bend on the hitch. I tried for hours different ways and finally just ground one hole on the drivers side ever so slightly… fit great. Should have done that first. But very pleased.
Fits perfectly in threaded holes already in frame provided by Toyota. Snugs exactly under bumper and looks great. Easy install I would recommend putting an extra plastic connector to hold passenger side rear cover underneath since the removal of the metal bracket leaves the cover loose. I did this easily. But your directions should recommend it at least as an option and include one plastic connector - not necessary but makes the cover not wiggle. I've included a photo where I put two plastic connectors in, but need only one. This photo I included is the cover on passenger side underneath showing the two extra connectors (you do need to drill the holes) also that is the Hitch bolt nearest the rear.
Ralph
9/6/2024
Perfect. Solid and strong. Hitch has been just right for my 3-ball mount. Wiring also from etrailer working great. Remember the wiring was simple since Toyota has a connector under the 2023 Highlander dirver side rear trim panel. Just pop the trim away not off and connect the connector first part. The scond part of the 2nd connector harness goes under the rear bumper also to a Toyota pre-installed connector under the rear bumper.
This is an AMAZING product! Super easy install and it looks amazing. I order it and it shipped within hours! Once I ordered it, I thought I ordered the wrong one. Customer service was SUPER fast on getting back to me and ensured me that I order the correct one!!! Super happy and I will would highly recommend this hitch. Shipping was super fast too. Received it within days.
Gwendolyn Y.
12/5/2024
Hey Andrew. The hitch looks great! Love hearing that our customer service team hit it out of the park for ya!
A year after my installation I am quite happy with my etrailer hitch receiver. I was especially pleased with the installation. It is very well built, so that makes it pretty heavy. I wasn't sure I could get it mounted by myself. But by throwing together some supports with some old 2X4's and the car jack, I managed it quite well without putting my vehicle on a lift. Every hole matched perfectly and I know it will be there forever. My primary use is to support a bicycle rack. But if I should need to use a trailer, though, I am confident it will do just fine.
We mounted this on our Toyota Highlander to put a tray on it for sandy beach equipment. I had to cut minimal amounts of the plastic undercarriage of the car to install it. It would have been easier to install if I had a car lift, but I was able to install it by myself lying on the ground. I used some 4x4s and 2x2s to prop up the hitch so It was close to the car bottom to get the bolts started. The Highlander already had pre threaded holes for the hitch bolts to attach.
Very good quality hitch. Fast shipping. Installed in less than one hour by myself, and was installed with no lift. Great instructions!
Joe
11/14/2023
The hitch has been used heavily for one year and after going through winters salt and sand it still looks brand new. Quality hitch!
Online videos very convincing, but end up missing some key elements. Purchase, tracking and shipping, amazing. Showing step by step process, very impressive, arrived a day early. Installation was pretty straight forward, however the video skipped the most difficult parts, and I had to use a hydraulic bottle jack and 2x4 to spread the mounts apart to get the two most forward bolts to align with the preexisting frame nuts. They say a novice could install in an hour, I'm not a novice, it took me about three hours to install it by myself, using a couple hydraulic bottle jacks to hoist the hitch into place. Ultimately a great looking hitch, and very pleased and impressed with the research, ordering and shipping process. I would recommend etrailer.com to others
Victoria H.
10/28/2024
Rick and Cyndi, based on what you are describing it seems like your hitch receiver may have been flexed. This can sometimes happen during shipping due to the size and shape of the part. If this is the case, it can definitely add some time to the installation process. I'm glad you were able to get this resolved and installed successfully.
One of the bolts didn’t line up. It would not go in no matter how you wiggled it. Second time etrailer sends me a defective item. The first time with my previous vehicle they sent me a hitch with lock pin holes that didn’t line up as well. They sent me another one and it worked fine. I changed cars and need a hitch again so I tried giving etrailer a second chance. Here I am again with a defective item.
I found this hitch fairly easy to mount, I like the way it looks. You only see the receiver. A word of advice, if you don't already have a large torque wrench, you should consider getting one. The frame bolts are set at a high torque. The one I had was not capable of going that high. They run around 30 dollars. Well worth it considering the savings of installing it myself.
I would have given the trailer hitch receiver 5 stars, but for one fact: one of the bolt holes (slots) didn't line up with the threaded holes in my Highlander's body rails (see attached photo). Others have reported this same problem. In my case, it was the forward-most hole on the passenger side. To complete the installation I had to spend more than an hour carefully grinding away with a Dremel, widening the existing hole/slot, so I could attach the final bolt. Aside from that misaligment problem, I'm very happy with the receiver.
The hitch appears to be high quality and installation went smoothly. I did it myself using some jack stands to hold it in place until I could get a couple of bolts threaded.
I like how the design keeps everything hidden except the receiver tube.
At first I thought that the kick to open feature no longer worked after installing the hitch, but quite by accident I found that actually touching the hitch with my foot opens and closes the rear hatch every time. Strange, but I'll take it.
Aside from all that, my biggest concern is that the receiver tube is not centered on the car. I never thought to measure the hitch before I put it on, but after installation I immediately noticed that the receiver tube was off center towards the passenger side of the car. While the bolts were still loose I tried shifting it towards the drivers side with a sledge hammer and a block of wood, but it didn't move, so I torqued the bolts down as it is.
I got underneath the car with a tape measure, and sure enough, the receiver tube is not welded in the center of the hitch.
I've attached a picture to show what I'm talking about.
I would have given 5 stars, but I'm really troubled that the hitch is not centered.
Jenny N.
5/7/2024
I would love to take a look at that for you. Would you be able to send the picture over again. I apologize as it did not come through.
I have a Toyota Highlander platinum hybrid 2024, the hitch fitted perfectly, however I do recommend a 3rd helper, this is not a one man job. It’s very easy to install but very heavy. I really like that the hitch hides. Thank you etrailer
Yes it’s fits a Highlander platinum hybrid in case your wondering like me.
This is a high quality trailer hitch that utilizes factoring mounting points and is low profile. It is incredible we’ll made, entirely powder coated to prevent rust/corrosion and in total took me less than an hour to install by myself! Just for curiousity I called the dealership to see what they would quote me to install a factory trailer hitch on our vehicle; it was $1600 plus tax! I saved over $1400 by doing this myself and it was one of the easier car projects I’ve ever done. Watch the video they have on [online] if you have any issues, but anyone with basic mechanical skills can complete this job and save you a ton of money. Very impressed with this hitch and this company/product, thank you!
The mounting holes did not line up so I had to drill a hole in the hitch
Katrina D.
8/15/2024
So, this hitch is a confirmed fit for your 2022 Toyota Highlander. What tends to happen is that hitches will bend during shipping, causing the holes not to line up completely. When this happens, all you need to do is bend the hitch straight again using a vise grip and a step. I have a link below with more information on this.
Helpful Links
Works as advertised. Finish is durable. Installation was straight forward. The hitch was slightly bent when received and would not initially line up with holes. Customer service provided some instruction and was able to install.
I had purchased a new Toyota Highlander last year for which I was looking for a reliable, durable AND inexpensive trailer hitch for this vehicle. It has been one year now since I own both and I am quite pleased with this product. I have used it lightly to tow trash cans on the back as well as some camping gear, bicycles, etc. on. This hitch was a great fit! It may be overkill for the light loads that I am carrying on it but it is well-worth the money.
The install was fairly easy, just required some trimming of the protective plastic on the underside but overall, it was pretty smooth.
Again, this is a great product for a great price and shipped in a reasonable amount of time! You will not be disappointed.
The instructional video and installation went as expected. Fairly simple. I had to cut some of the pastic splash shields, but that has to be done with any hitch installation.
I found it really easy. Definitely need a second set of hands. The dealership trys to BS you and charge ridiculous amout of money selling you a tow package (V6 XLE highlanders come stock with tow package. All you need is a hitch and cable.
Easy installation. Can be done without help, but easier with help. Only issue I had in comparison to video is I had to remove the last exhaust bracket to squeeze the hitch between it and the bumper.
Just as shown on pics. It's always a great satisfaction to find out that the item you requested fits perfectly.
Thank you etrailer
Been an etrailer customer for many years. This hitch unit is well made and heavy duty. It was very easy to install - took less than 1 hour doing it by myself using ramps and a floor jack. The unit fit perfectly to the Toyota body structure. A minor trimming modification was needed to the plastic drivers side underbody panel. Very satisfied with hitch assembly and the easy installation.
Stephen
11/11/2022
High quality heavy duty product still performing without any negative issues.
I only gave this 4 out of 5 stars because my first attempt at mounting it was unsuccessful due to one hitch arm being bent ~3/4" sometime between manufacture and delivery. I reached out to customer service and they noted this is a common problem and had some help documents available outlining ways to straighten it out using items you may have around your home.
I was able to straighten it out and. once straight, was able to mount it in about 20 min. I will say that the instructions have the installer cut off a lot more material off the plastic piece on the driver's side than needed. I took a bit off at a time to be able to maintain all the fastener mounting holes on the plastic cover.
Installed this on my daughters 2020 Highlander. Instructions were easy to follow and the installation went smoothly.
Item was very easy to install and the evideo covered everything perfectly.
Only issue is some of the paint was already scratched for a product that will see a lot of salt and water spray over its lifetime.
Jenny N.
5/29/2023
Sometimes this happens as the hitches are shipped to us in large pallets which can result in scratches. I recommend touching up the hitch with a rust resistant spray paint like Rustoleum. I will have our Customer Service team reach out to you.
Adam
5/25/2024
Product is working great. Etrailer provided paint for the scratch
Jerred H.
5/29/2024
Excellent Hitch. Extremely secure. Definitely need torque wrench. One or two holes needed some muscle to match up with screw holes. Good directions. Using for bike rack. Would recommend highly.
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Bernard
7/29/2024
It’s been a year, and my hitch has been performing great when needed