[Bluehihy]

Hello,

Can someone post a pix of the OEM ball mount?

I'm looking for the dimension from the center of the pin to the center of the ball.

OEM has no drop and I need about a 3-4" drop. I want to get something that is close to matching the OEM ball mount pin to ball length.

Thanks

 

[areamike]

I have the factory hitch, but I just went out and bought a Reese ball mount with 2" rise for mine from Wal Mart.

I did not know Toyota had a ball mount. I thought you had to buy those 3rd party.

Is this what you need a pic of??

 

[Bluehihy]

Thanks for the quick reply. But Toyota does sell one...

http://toyotapartspeople.com/search...8182695&year=10&productdesc=Towing+Ball+Mount

 

[areamike]

Thanks for the quick reply. But Toyota does sell one...

http://toyotapartspeople.com/search...8182695&year=10&productdesc=Towing+Ball+Mount

That looks like the same exact size of my Reese ball mount. Hang on, I'll take a pic of it on the hitch...

 

[areamike]

 

[bobert1634]

Just reverse the mount. Put it in upside down.

 

[areamike]

Just reverse the mount. Put it in upside down.

Ditto: Ball mounts can be reversed up or down.

 

[Bluehihy]

I understand. The Toyota parts guy I called out of state indicated the distance on the factory ball to pin was 4 3/4". Quite a difference from the standard 8 1/2". I was just looking for confirmation of 4 3/4" as that seems kinda short. I don't want toyota pointing to something like that to void a warranty issue some how related to towing.

 

[areamike]

I understand. The Toyota parts guy I called out of state indicated the distance on the factory ball to pin was 4 3/4". Quite a difference from the standard 8 1/2". I was just looking for confirmation of 4 3/4" as that seems kinda short. I don't want toyota pointing to something like that to void a warranty issue some how related to towing.

WHOA! 4 3/4 inches? I wouldn't trust that length. Even with my 8 1/2 inch ball mount on mine it still looks like my boat is gonna come through my back window.

Just getcha a standard Reese or similar ball mount and call it a day.

 

[becks]

This is the same hitch I use with my toyo OEM hitch bar...except it is reversed..with the drop going down. I have been towing a combined weight of 4,000lbs with it for 2 summers now.

 

[areamike]

Speaking of towing weight. I tow a boat that has a dry weight of about 2600lbs. I'm not sure what the tongue weight would be on that, but I do notice that when I have the boat hooked up to my HL, there is quite a bit drop in the back end of the vehicle. Don't these HL's have some kind of leveling shocks or something. I know in our old mini van if I loaded up a bunch of cargo in the back area, some pneumatic air would kick in and raise the rear end of the vehicle until it was back to level again.

 

[rupert08]

Speaking of towing weight. I tow a boat that has a dry weight of about 2600lbs. I'm not sure what the tongue weight would be on that, but I do notice that when I have the boat hooked up to my HL, there is quite a bit drop in the back end of the vehicle. Don't these HL's have some kind of leveling shocks or something. I know in our old mini van if I loaded up a bunch of cargo in the back area, some pneumatic air would kick in and raise the rear end of the vehicle until it was back to level again.

I agree, the rear springs are too soft for towing. My snowmobile trailer has a tongue weight of about 200lbs, plus all your gear in the rear, makes it sag more than ideal. Not that it causes any significant problems other than your headlights are aimed too high if towing at night. I have the Sport which is supposed to have a stiffer suspension but I bet this is just a shock configuration vs. stiffer springs.

You can get air bags installed aftermarket like your old van had but I have no idea with this costs. Weight distribution hitches are an option but should this really be necessary for only 200lbs. Besides, there is debate whether or not one can be used for a unibody vehicle.

I’m considering a boat which will weigh 3,500lbs dry which I’m guessing will have a 350lb tongue weight and I’m concerned about sag.

 

[areamike]

^^ The curious thing is I did not notice as much sag when we had our 2009 HL.

 

[Dman1]

I agree, the rear springs are too soft for towing. My snowmobile trailer has a tongue weight of about 200lbs, plus all your gear in the rear, makes it sag more than ideal. Not that it causes any significant problems other than your headlights are aimed too high if towing at night. I have the Sport which is supposed to have a stiffer suspension but I bet this is just a shock configuration vs. stiffer springs.

You can get air bags installed aftermarket like your old van had but I have no idea with this costs. Weight distribution hitches are an option but should this really be necessary for only 200lbs. Besides, there is debate whether or not one can be used for a unibody vehicle.

I’m considering a boat which will weigh 3,500lbs dry which I’m guessing will have a 350lb tongue weight and I’m concerned about sag.

I was going to recommend a weight distribution hitch. I have one to tow my approximately 4200lb loaded hybrid that likely has a tongue weight of around 500lbs and it is as level as it is with nothing hitched to it. In fact, the rear end sagged lower when I towed my 1800-2000lb hardtop (likely around 200lb tongue weight) without a WDH.

Ah yes, the old weight distribution hitch (WDH) debate. There are plenty of us on here that are using them. Most of us have come to the conclusion that it is simply a Toyota 'cover your ass' clause. I've seen lots of minivans use WDH for years with no issues. Towing an (up to) 5000lb trailer without a WDH with sway control, in my opinion, is like skydiving without a parachute. The tail will wag the dog, so to speak, whenever you drive past another high sided vehicle. The fact that Toyota have been marketing the HL as having a 5000lb towing capacity (properly equipped), but do not recommend using a WDH is pretty stupid in itself. One recommendation that I have read that makes sense is if your trailer weighs more than 50% of your towing vehicle (in my HL Limited's case, 4321lbs x 0.5 = 2160lbs.....maybe a little higher when you factor in cargo and people, but even based on the GVWR, based on this assumption, you shouldn't tow anything above 3000lbs without a WDH.

Anyways, that's my $0.02. If after a few years, my use of a WDH twists the frame of my HL or rips it apart, I will be on here to recommend against using a WDH with the HL, but at this point, I am not concerned.

 

[sweeneyp]

well I don't know much about towing with the highlander since we use our 1999 Lexus LX470 for that, but I can say when the back of my 08 Highlander limited is fully loaded the back end sinks significantly. It sank so much I feared driving at night since my headlights were pointed up straight at oncoming traffic. The soft limited trim springs don't like 300-400lbs of weight over the back axle otherwise it dips. so a weight distribution hitch would make sense to try and get some of the dead weight off the rear axle.

 

[areamike]

^^ We noticed the same thing with ours when we took a trip to Madison WI recently. WE had the back loaded with two coolers, sleeping gear, suitcases and such and there was still, what I would call, significant droop in the rear end. I'm going to call our dealer about it and complain.
You don't equip an SUV with a 5000LB tow package that sags in the rear, that's for sure.

EDIT: I just called my dealer's service department. They have had no one else complain about this but he did confirm that if you put anything over 250lb's on the back axle, the vehicle is going to sag down. I told him that if I tow at night or am loaded with items in the back that I get flashed from oncoming drivers that think I have my brights on all the time. I said "So is my only solution not to drive at night with a full load or not tow at night?" He said no. But he will check into it to see if there are any other complaints and if there is a viable solution.

 

[sweeneyp]

^^ We noticed the same thing with ours when we took a trip to Madison WI recently. WE had the back loaded with two coolers, sleeping gear, suitcases and such and there was still, what I would call, significant droop in the rear end. I'm going to call our dealer about it and complain.
You don't equip an SUV with a 5000LB tow package that sags in the rear, that's for sure.

EDIT: I just called my dealer's service department. They have had no one else complain about this but he did confirm that if you put anything over 250lb's on the back axle, the vehicle is going to sag down. I told him that if I tow at night or am loaded with items in the back that I get flashed from oncoming drivers that think I have my brights on all the time. I said "So is my only solution not to drive at night with a full load or not tow at night?" He said no. But he will check into it to see if there are any other complaints and if there is a viable solution.

i mean i understand trying to use soft springs to make the ride comfortable, but only 250lbs over the rear axle to make it compress seems somewhat low compared to over vehicles....

 

[rupert08]

I agree 250lbs seems pretty light but it does allow for a nice soft ride. In comparision, my little Jeep Liberty can handle a lot more weight without sag but it has a considerably worse ride.

During snowmobile season, I always travel at night and my headlights were always aimed too high with a 2 place trailer. Other cars would flash me and there was significant reflection from the road signs. I concidered adjusting the headlights while I was towing. It just seems like too much of a hassle to adjust them for a couple nights of towing and then adjust them back for non-towing again.

 

[areamike]

Well to add to the headlights too high discussion(maybe another topic). I have often been flashed even with out towing. I think this HL's headlights point upwards more than other vehicles in general.

 

[ChrisHeldman]

Towing with HL Sport 2008

I pull a 2 horse trailer with one horse in it. Probably 3500 lbs but it is a dual axle so that probably reduces tongue weight. I use a Tekonsha brake controller for the trailers electric brakes. I use an adjustable height Reese hitch and once I got the height right towing is a breeze. The back doesn't drop that much and I have had big loads in the back when towing as well. I think that the Sport does have stiffer springs. I have always been impressed with the handling for such a big vehicle. I wouldn't dream of towing this weight without the brake controller and trailer brakes but with this setup it tows great.