3.7 - Towing hitches (All)
Description
This article is from the Toyota Tundra FAQ, by Steve Yee with numerous contributions by others.
3.7 - Towing hitches (All)
Towing hitches are available as both a dealer installed option, or as a
aftermarket option from vendors such as U-Haul and DrawTite.
There have been reported differences between Dealer Installed hitches, in which
it is unknown if the hitch is a Class III or Class IV hitch. In either case,
you cannot tow more than 5000 pounds without a load distributing harness with a
Tundra.
Some owners have stated that they are not able to purchase a Class IV hitch in
some areas with a Tundra Limited due to the Limited weighing more than the SR5.
The ironic thing is that most SR5 Tundras with the 4x4 and TRD packages will
end up weighing the same as an identical Limited due to the same options
installed, including the larger tire package. This doesn't make sense, but in
some areas, you can't get a Class IV if you buy a Limited because of the
supposed increase in curb weight.
For Model Year 2000 Tundras:
There have been reported problems with some varieties of trailer wiring
harnesses. In some earlier manufactured Model Year 2000 Tundras, there has
been reported blowouts of the fuse and wiring relays. This also can in many
cases blow out the third brake light or blow out the third brake light wired in
camper shells.
In some other cases, there have been reported recalls of wiring harnesses for
the towing packages in the southeastern United States, specifically Texas,
Oklahoma, Louisana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The defective wire harness was
produced by a company called "Tekonsha Engineering Company", in which they were
a wiring harness distributor to Gulf States Toyota. If you live in the listed
areas, and you have a wire harness that was dealer installed, you may want to
check with your dealer to make sure that your wire harness was not part of a
regional recall.
It is recommended that if you do decide to add to the existing lighting
package, you should get either a Toyota trailer wiring converter (said to be
$80 from dealers) or an aftermarket kit. This kit will plug into the existing
wire harness, and will be normally installed behind one of the brake lights. A
fuse block is also added to the front in the engine compartment.
Both DrawTite and www.bageco.com offer Tundra specific wire harness kits. The
Drawtite part number is 18367 for Model Year 2000 Tundras. For Model Year 2001
Tundras, the Drawtite part number is 18378.
For Model Year 2001 Tundras:
The Trailer Wiring harnesses are different from the harnesses available to the
Model Year 2000 Tundras. For Model Year 2001 Tundras, part numbers for the
fuse box is 08922-OC810, and 08921-0C810 for the Hitch Converter Kit
For all Model Year Tundras:
Some owners have reported problems with installing Electronic Brake Controllers
into Tundras as well. This is partially due to a lack of insight from Toyota
Engineering, in which they somehow have forgotten to provide connectors to
facilitate the installation of one inside the cab of the Tundra. Many owners
who have done their own installations have tapped into existing wiring sets to
provide proper power and signalling capabilities for the brake controller.
Continue to:
My Books
