OEM Hitch - Finally - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

PatrickB-379 · 05-11-2011, 10:30 PM

Got the call from my dealer that they finally had the OEM hitch/ball mount/wire harness in. It's expensive compared to the other options but it does look nice.

Part numbers are:
PT791-08100 - Ball Mount - List price $105
PT791-08101 - Tow Hitch - List price $400
PT791-08102 - Wire Harness - List price $200

I paid $82.50, $302.50 and $154 at the dealer.

Hitch is 1 1/4", ball mount is solid, wire harness requires running a connection to both tail lights and the battery.

I'll document my install the best I can.

PatrickB-379 · 05-11-2011, 11:07 PM

Pics (sorry for the quality, they're from my phone)...

POPP · 05-11-2011, 11:53 PM

that hitch is sooo cute compared to a real class 3 hitch.......haha, just kidding, wait, what?

PatrickB-379 · 05-13-2011, 08:38 AM

Spent 6 hours last night installing the wire harness. Didn't have my camera, but everything was very clear in the instructions. Had to remove the front driver side wheel, wheel well plastic, kick plate and sill, sliding door sill, entire back side panel, lower rear panel and fold back the carpet, both taillights, and a few more random pieces.

Hitch goes on next week!

boricua_aoc · 05-21-2011, 12:27 AM

Sorry to inform you Patrick that you overpaid for this set-up. About 4 months ago I got the Curt set-up for about $230 total. BTW its a class 3 hitch. That harness is no different than the Curt one. You could have got a better hitch for about half of what you paid.

Curt class 3 hitch $140
Wiring harness $50
Ball mount & ball $40

PatrickB-379 · 05-23-2011, 11:58 PM

I'm well aware of the Curt setup as well as the other aftermarket hitches and harnesses. There are several reasons why I always choose the OEM setup. The harness being a Toyota accessory is covered under my warranty which I extended to 80k. I have seen so many issues with aftermarket harnesses that I'll take an OEM one anytime. It has a built in grommet and goes in an existing body hole to get outside right at the hitch (not sure if the aftermarket ones have that). The hitch in my opinion is the best option as well. There is no reason to have a class 3 hitch on something with only a 3500 lb tow limit. The smaller receiver gives me more ground clearance. It also sits further back under the bumper giving me even more angle clearance. Finally the finish is much better. I live in a salt state and aftermarket hitches rust in just a few years. My 7 year old one is stll holding up.

Overall it is a more expensive option but nothing wasted in my opinion.

POPP · 05-24-2011, 03:59 PM

patrick patrick patrick.........

1: the OEM harness is made by Curt and is 100% identical....... we install them daily and cover full toyota warranty.

2: the OEM class 2 hitch is also made by curt or drawtite (which also covers hidden hitch and reese, same company and factory)

3: Toyota doesn't make ANY accessories for themselves. All accessories are outsourced through aftermarket companies and then they slap the toyota sticker on it. (for example, the TRD exhausts are made by Borla and the TRD air filters are made by K&N) Your OEM hitch was made and painted side by side the aftermarket hitch you seem to think is inferior....... if you see a hitch on the road that is rusting, it's because the owner doesn't maintain it or its older then yours..........

motoxxx · 05-25-2011, 12:14 AM

I just purchased the Curt hitch on Amazon for 127 bucks...what a deal.

PatrickB-379 · 05-25-2011, 01:32 PM

I don't disagree that Toyota does not make their own accessories, in fact as I understand it they don't manufacture a lot of their parts. But I was under the assumption that they provided those companies with their specifications and they were made for them. I believe even the Borla/TRD exhaust systems were slightly different.

That being said, I have never seen the Curt harness or class II hitch in person, only pictures. I see differences in both but maybe it's just the pictures.

Does the curt hitch have the mounting bracket for the wire harness? Is the cross bar about twice as deep as it is tall? From the pics it looks like it sticks out a lot further then mine does.
Does the wire harness have the built-in grommet where it goes through the floor to outside the van? What about all the black flexible split tubing, foam tape, etc?

I have always been under the assumption that the Toyota warranty only covers items that have an actual Toyota part number. What are the exceptions?

Here is the clearance I have with the receiver installed...

grandpapa · 05-25-2011, 03:15 PM

Wow, that's a much better ground clearance over the 2nd Gen. It seem if you don't hookup the tow ball/bar, you probably won't see the hitch from the outside?

One problem with Hitch is I see how it bottom out with going over bumps when loaded with people. I even had trouble going up to the garage from the driveway. I don't know how the hitch will work on 2011.

Can you provide a "better" ground clearnace shot from the rear/side. I really want to know how it looks on OEM. thanks thanks.

PatrickB-379 · 05-25-2011, 08:49 PM

It's raining today and I can't seem to get a good pic in the garage. There is 9" of clearance from the lowest point and the end of the reciever is 3 1/2" in from the bumper. I have an SE so i believe it sits a bit lower. I checked the sides and a board placed at the tire and angled up touching the hitch is just over an inch from the bumper so you'd have to be an inch away from scraping the bumper before it would drag. Can't really tell but the receiver portion may a bit lower at that point.

I have not attempted to reinstall the big black plastic cover. The instructions say to trim most of it but I'm going to try to salvage as much as I can. Just not sure if it will fit as the hitch is very close to the threaded studs sticking down to attach it to.

motoxxx · 05-25-2011, 10:45 PM

I like the hitch you installed, it looks good. I purchased a class 3 hitch "Curt" for 127 bucks, so my hope is the hitch is sort of tucked under the bumper a little too.

boricua_aoc · 05-26-2011, 06:13 PM

Here is the clearance on mine. The Curt one does sits quite in from the bumper. I used a 6in drop (or 5in raise) from Harbor Freight (ITEM # 94898) and a Reese ball from WalMart. I found this ball munt perfect because I did not wanted for it to sit too close to the bumper.

grandpapa · 05-27-2011, 11:30 AM

from all the pictures I see so far, still worry about bottom out on bump or deep driveway (especially when loaded with 7/8 people)

I have seen a few 2011 on freeway (without hitch) riding so low kind of like sagging rear. At one point my wife was like OMG, it's going to hit the road.

akphs · 05-30-2011, 08:13 PM

OK, I am only an egg at this -- I used to own a full-size van that had a permanent hitch when I bought it, so I'm ignorant in the extreme here.

I think I need:
- Hitch receiver (

Amazon

, $127.86)
- Wiring harness (

Amazon

, $55.93)
- Some sort of ball to attach to the receiver (and I'm not sure how to choose among

these

)
- In$tallation (under $100?)

Is that it? Will the installation have to do anything nasty, or is there somewhere easy to attach the harness to near the back?

This is for a 2011 Sienna Limited 2WD, PT, CX, AT packages.