1996 Camry V6 Homebuilt Trailer Hitch - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

donbryce · 04-01-2009, 08:28 AM

Of limited interest I suppose, but here's the hitch I welded up after buying a light-duty fold-up trailer and refusing to pay nearly $200.00 for a hitch to tow it with. The trailer was $1000.00 plus tax, I got it brand new for $500.00. Apparantly some dork had put a 'damaged in shipping' sign on it for the sale price - but on the wrong trailer!

I copied a design from the web, which has a piece of bar stock over, rather than under, the muffler. It uses the tie-down hook bolts on each side for attaching to the frame rails. The main box tubing piece is about 32" long, 1 1/2" X 1 1/2" X 3/16" thick wall, plenty strong for a class I hitch. All welds were done with a MIG.

This pic shows the upside-down view of the 2" X 1/2" bar that goes over the muffler. I used a torch to heat it red-hot in 2 places to make the bends. The mounting bracket is a cut down piece of 1/4" angle iron.

Next is a view of the left (driver) side mount, a cut down piece of L-bracket 1/4" stock.

Finally, the finished hitch mounted on the car. The receiver tube is covered with a piece of plastic I had laying around, which grips the tube and pops off to insert the receiver.

I paid $25.00 for the receiver and 2" ball, new but second hand, and $10.00 for the long piece of box tubing. The angle iron, L-bracket, 2" bar stock, receiver tube (thin wall 1 1/2" tubing BTW) and smaller pieces I had in my scrap bin, as well as the spray paint.

Thanks to those who helped out on my previous post regarding wiring. I bought a $20.00 converter, and hard-wired it into the trunk harness. It has a 2' lead that hangs out of the trunk to plug into the trailer, and works perfectly.

eddie926 · 04-01-2009, 09:39 AM

Nice job!

I had thought occasionally about adding a hitch to my Camry so that I could use a hitch mount bike rack, but just what you said, the cost, and the potential look of a hitch on my car put me off.

Your custom job seems more subtle looking, at least in your pictures, than some of the off the shelf ones that I've seen.

Again, nice job.

***Eye8Pussies*** · 04-01-2009, 11:26 AM

^ I agree

and those look like some solid welds- great job! how big of a welder did you use for the 1/4" steel?

Kevin89AllTrac · 04-01-2009, 11:44 AM

Nice! I've been looking in junkyards for a hitch but haven't found one yet. With your post I'm tempted to make one myself, but I only have an oxy-acetylene set and I'd probably use up a whole tank of oxygen making it. And it wouldn't look nearly as nice as yours...maybe time to buy a re-con'd MIG from Harbor Freight.

Gibson99 · 04-01-2009, 12:27 PM

i like how it goes over rather than under the muffler. I had to shim my hitch down to clear the greddy evo on my 98.

i bought my hitch off craigslist for $50 then spent a few more bucks on longer bolts. i had some 1/4" plate steel laying around (and burned up a few blades and a drill bit making it work), but it was worth it for the same thigns you guys want - bike rack and small utility trailer. i thought about having my brother cut and re-weld the muffler section to flip it over so it goes OVER the muffler. looks like there's room for it there, so why not? it'd sure look better, and would probably be level after that. not that it matters for a ball-mount, and esp since my full susp mtn bike sits on the rack crooked anyway.... plus the trd kit covers some of the hitch on each side anyway.

donbryce · 04-02-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eye8Pussies

^ I agree
and those look like some solid welds- great job! how big of a welder did you use for the 1/4" steel?

Lincoln Mig Pac 10, amps at highest setting (D), wire feed at 4.5, using mig-mix argon/co2 gas. I also have a small power band saw that can be used either as a cut-off or bandsaw. The project ate up 2 4 1/2" cutting wheels on the grinder and the best part of 1 grinding wheel. The little saw cost me $275.00 about 15 years ago, and they are still available for around that price. BusyBee Tools mail order in Canada, and likely Harbour Freight in the U.S.A. Highly recommended for the home shop.

donbryce · 04-02-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin89AllTrac

Nice! I've been looking in junkyards for a hitch but haven't found one yet. With your post I'm tempted to make one myself, but I only have an oxy-acetylene set and I'd probably use up a whole tank of oxygen making it. And it wouldn't look nearly as nice as yours...maybe time to buy a re-con'd MIG from Harbor Freight.

You'll need the oxy-acetylene to heat and bend the bar stock going over the muffler, although that could be done by grinding slots 1/2 way through and Mig-welding them solid again. I certainly wouldn'd recommend brazing a hitch together, but a stick welder would work fine, just messy and slightly more clean-up effort needed.

rebar · 07-03-2011, 11:21 PM

Im looking for the same thing to pull a bike trailer. Does anyone sell the same design? over the muffler? I know how to weld but by the time I hunt down material and fabricate, $150 doesn't sound all that bad.

http://www.trailerdepotofsarasota.co...-finder-page-1

***Mister_Perkins*** · 07-04-2011, 06:48 AM

Good Job Man~!

donbryce · 07-04-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebar

Im looking for the same thing to pull a bike trailer. Does anyone sell the same design? over the muffler? I know how to weld but by the time I hunt down material and fabricate, $150 doesn't sound all that bad.

http://www.trailerdepotofsarasota.co...-finder-page-1

I have to agree that the Curt model 11225 at $151.00 is a good price. Since I finished mine, I've seen quite a few used on KiJiJi locally for around $50.00 - $75.00. Also, look around for odd ones (fit cars no one drives) at box stores with missing pieces. They also seem to sell for $50.00 or less, worth it for the hardware and tubing. The 'over the muffler' design is pretty standard for the Camry of the mid-nineties, and the same one fits Lexus about '92 - '96.

***eyeball96*** · 07-04-2011, 08:39 AM

Holely thread revival

rebar · 08-20-2011, 11:06 AM

Im eye balling my Curt #11225 now, and see the muffler hanger and heat shield are mounted where the hitch is supposed to mount. Funny how the directions say "loosen exhaust hanger if necessary"

Wish I had a lift.

rebar · 08-20-2011, 09:22 PM

It took me 3 tries and modifications to mount the Curt #11225. I could have built a hitch faster which didn't interfere. The passenger side bumped into both muffler hangers. The left rubber muffler hanger is pushed higher by the hitch flat stock. The right muffler hanger mount needed to to be trimmed, and a bit of the hitch need to be ground off to minimize twisting of the rubber hanger. All in all it was a PITA and installing a new muffler might require hitch removal.

donbryce.. Did you have any of the issues I had?

donbryce · 08-21-2011, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebar

It took me 3 tries and modifications to mount the Curt #11225. I could have built a hitch faster which didn't interfere. The passenger side bumped into both muffler hangers. The left rubber muffler hanger is pushed higher by the hitch flat stock. The right muffler hanger mount needed to to be trimmed, and a bit of the hitch need to be ground off to minimize twisting of the rubber hanger. All in all it was a PITA and installing a new muffler might require hitch removal.

donbryce.. Did you have any of the issues I had?

No, I didn't. I made the piece that goes over the tailpipes, and the entire bar, so it sits just behind the hanger rods/rubbers. The 11225 maybe puts the flat stock too far forward?

rebar · 08-21-2011, 10:25 PM

Your hitch looks very close to my curt. Except mine has six bolts holding it on.

I wonder if my 95 has a different muffler hanger system than your 96..

The only way mine would fit would be less of a rise for the bar stock over the tail pipes. Lower.. And a wider frame flange passenger side.

Im Tempted to contact curt.