GX470 Pintle Hitch with Factory Tow Package
02-01-13, 08:58 PM
#1
GX470 Pintle Hitch with Factory Tow Package
Today I installed my tow hitch kit from Sewell. Great folks, best prices I have found on OEM Lexus parts.
Since I have the factory tow package, and will not be towing anything in excess of 5000 pounds, the class IV Pintle hitch is more than adequate for my needs and looks the cleanest IMHO.
The PN are on the website, but here it is for reference:
5190935011PC Tube Sub
52169-60051-A0 Cover (Pearl)
You get 6 (17mm) new bolts as well, used those and saved old ones.
So, you start off by removing the old hitch plate/cover. There are two pull pins on the bottom, and 4 blue tabs that are quite tricky to get off behind the cover. I levered a screwdriver and popped it loose without any serious damage.
Here are your parts and tools laid out:
The circled wrench is the most critical tool and really not able to do the job without it, a 17mm ratchet wrench. You need it to get at the bolts behind the bumper cover. You really don't want to remove the entire bumper cover, do you?
The blue tabs are visible. A 17mm socket wrench, a 10mm socket wrench, screwdriver of the flat head variety.
Next, remove 4 x 10mm bolts from bottom of bumper cover. This allows you to pry back the flexible polymer bumper cover to access the 17mm bolts.
Remove the two lower 17mm bolts. Now slide the 17mm ratchet behind cover and loosen/remove the 4 remaining bolts holding the (whatever this useless piece of metal is called). You may need a breaker bar to break some bolts loose. They all had residue of red loctite. You can't see the top 2 bolt holes in the picture. You can get the bolts in and out by prying back the bumper cover, it is quite flexible.
I used the new bolts provided in kit and blue loctite (it was what I had on hand). Install 6 bolts onto bumper.
Reinstall 4 x 10mm bolts securing bumper cover. Add new factory fit hitch cover.
All in all, a couple of hours work for a first timer at this job. Could be done quicker in a shop for sure.
It is rather ridiculous that the pintle hitch is / was not included in the tow package you pay for from the dealer.
Since I have the factory tow package, and will not be towing anything in excess of 5000 pounds, the class IV Pintle hitch is more than adequate for my needs and looks the cleanest IMHO.
The PN are on the website, but here it is for reference:
5190935011PC Tube Sub
52169-60051-A0 Cover (Pearl)
You get 6 (17mm) new bolts as well, used those and saved old ones.
So, you start off by removing the old hitch plate/cover. There are two pull pins on the bottom, and 4 blue tabs that are quite tricky to get off behind the cover. I levered a screwdriver and popped it loose without any serious damage.
Here are your parts and tools laid out:
The circled wrench is the most critical tool and really not able to do the job without it, a 17mm ratchet wrench. You need it to get at the bolts behind the bumper cover. You really don't want to remove the entire bumper cover, do you?
The blue tabs are visible. A 17mm socket wrench, a 10mm socket wrench, screwdriver of the flat head variety.
Next, remove 4 x 10mm bolts from bottom of bumper cover. This allows you to pry back the flexible polymer bumper cover to access the 17mm bolts.
Remove the two lower 17mm bolts. Now slide the 17mm ratchet behind cover and loosen/remove the 4 remaining bolts holding the (whatever this useless piece of metal is called). You may need a breaker bar to break some bolts loose. They all had residue of red loctite. You can't see the top 2 bolt holes in the picture. You can get the bolts in and out by prying back the bumper cover, it is quite flexible.
I used the new bolts provided in kit and blue loctite (it was what I had on hand). Install 6 bolts onto bumper.
Reinstall 4 x 10mm bolts securing bumper cover. Add new factory fit hitch cover.
All in all, a couple of hours work for a first timer at this job. Could be done quicker in a shop for sure.
It is rather ridiculous that the pintle hitch is / was not included in the tow package you pay for from the dealer.
Last edited by Lumbergh; 01-20-15 at 08:02 AM.
02-02-13, 05:55 AM
#2
Thank you SO much..this is exactly what I plan to do for my new GX. I really like the simple clean, custom look and like you, the most I'll ever tow is about 2000 lbs. Great job on photos and write up.
03-23-13, 01:50 PM
#4
Driver School Candidate
I just ordered the same hitch. When you register with Sewell they ask for your sign on name that you use here. So when you sign on with them to complete your order they automatically adjust the price.
04-26-13, 02:41 PM
#6
Driver School Candidate
First off thank you. Love the pictures and post. Second, people keep saying the pintle hitch has a towing capacity of 5000. I can not find anything to support that. The pintle hitch receiver form Sewell is a class 4 hitch with 10,000lbs towing capacity which far exceeds the GX's towing of 6500.
Is there somthing I'm missing?
I personaly think the pintle looks better and install seems way easier not to mention it does not make you move your electrical to a funky spot.
Sewellparts.com----------------
Referred to as a Pintle hitch or Integral hitch. A bracket and bolts - that's all there is to adding a towing hitch to your GX470. It's a great alternative (originates from the Toyota Sequoia option) to the frame mounted tow hitch (Option 2).
Pintle Hitch includes:
•Pintle Hitch bracket
•6 mounting bolts
Bumper cover adapters available in specific colors.
Uses standard 2-inch ball mount, part no. PT22889445
If your color is not in the list below, you will be required to choose a different color and have it painted to your specific paint color.
Towing Class Ratings:
•Class IV - up to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg)
Info from etrailer .com---------------------------------
Class IV Trailer Hitch Receivers:
•Designed for trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles
•2" x 2" receiver hitch opening
•Rated up to 12,000 lbs GTW and 1,000 TW
•Allows for even more gear to be carried or towed
•Works with all Class III and IV accessories
◦Class I and Class II (1-1/4") hitch accessories can also be used with an adapter
•Ball mounts are sold separately.
•Will work with hitch ***** with 1" diameter shank
◦Class IV hitch ***** require a 1-1/4" diameter shank
Is there somthing I'm missing?
I personaly think the pintle looks better and install seems way easier not to mention it does not make you move your electrical to a funky spot.
Sewellparts.com----------------
Referred to as a Pintle hitch or Integral hitch. A bracket and bolts - that's all there is to adding a towing hitch to your GX470. It's a great alternative (originates from the Toyota Sequoia option) to the frame mounted tow hitch (Option 2).
Pintle Hitch includes:
•Pintle Hitch bracket
•6 mounting bolts
Bumper cover adapters available in specific colors.
Uses standard 2-inch ball mount, part no. PT22889445
If your color is not in the list below, you will be required to choose a different color and have it painted to your specific paint color.
Towing Class Ratings:
•Class IV - up to 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg)
Info from etrailer .com---------------------------------
Class IV Trailer Hitch Receivers:
•Designed for trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles
•2" x 2" receiver hitch opening
•Rated up to 12,000 lbs GTW and 1,000 TW
•Allows for even more gear to be carried or towed
•Works with all Class III and IV accessories
◦Class I and Class II (1-1/4") hitch accessories can also be used with an adapter
•Ball mounts are sold separately.
•Will work with hitch ***** with 1" diameter shank
◦Class IV hitch ***** require a 1-1/4" diameter shank
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05-16-14, 07:15 PM
#8
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I just put a new hitch on my recently acquired 2007 GX470. Thanks to Lumbergh, the original poster on this thread, for the very useful information! It was a great help in planning and execution.
I went with the pintle hitch mainly as I do drive offroad, and from past experience will certainly drag the hitch sooner or later so wanted it to be as high as possible. Parts came from Sewells and it's clear from their website that it is a class IV hitch. Looking at the frame of the bumper it seems stout enough to support that, it's clearly not an ordinary bumper. It's not clear to me though that it would be OK to use it with a weight distributing hitch, so if anyone has any data on that please comment. I don't have an immediate need but would prefer to have the option, but ground clearance was a priority for me.
I went with the method of using a ratcheting box end wrench, and leaving the bumper cover on. Net, I'm not sure how much of a time or effort savings it is. One factor was figuring out the retaining clips for the hitch cover, which would be obvious if you pulled the entire cover and were able to see it from the back. Another factor is that the bolts are long, and with the pieces in place you can't get very long throws, so there's a lot of bouncing the wrench back and forth. There was also a moderate amount of difficulty manipulating everything under the cover, having to hold it out for clearance while threading bolts, etc. Of course I didn't pull the cover, so that probably has complications as well, so it's hard to know. In any event it worked well enough.
One thing I did differently was to use a router to trim the existing hitch cover. I couldn't find a source for a Savannah (color code 4R4) cover, and there was some minor damage to mine, so it was worth trying. After installing the hitch, I marked the cover giving about half an inch of clearance around the receiver tube, and used a .5" round router bit (on a router table) to cut the plastic. This left nicely radiused corners and straight cuts that came out really well. The initial cut left a bit of fuzz, but scraping with a utility knife took it right off. I doubt anyone would notice it's not from the factory without prior knowledge or a really close look. One problem I did have, though, is that I didn't tape the painted face as I ran it across the router table. The paint is evidently very soft on this part, so I'll need to touch up a couple of spots on it where the raised edge ran along the face of the table. (Does anyone have any advice on spray on touchup paint? I have some of the pen, but I don't think it'd apply well here.)
One point to clarify, it took a bit of poking to figure the blue retainer clips out, and I couldn't find a good description or picture on the web. So, for the benefit of future readers, these are the blue clips that hold the hitch cover on. The hitch cover has 8 tabs that insert through the slots in the bumper cover. (you can see this in Lumbergh's third picture, showing the hitch with the cover removed.) There are 8 slots. 4 of the tabs have rectangular holes in them in which the retainer clips are placed. The smaller ones have tabs without retainer clips, presumably to help align the cover. Each blue retainer is a separate piece that clips through the tabs on the hitch cover. The tabs have a push-down lock that holds them in place; when installed, the larger flat blue face of the retainer is on one side of the tab, and at a right angle to that face, a flat section with the push-down lock. To remove them, use a tool to reach on the other side of the tab and push down the lock, allowing you to slide the retainer out. Once the first one is removed, it all becomes obvious, but still a struggle to reach under the cover and manipulate things. Once all four are removed, the hitch cover is easily removed, it basically will fall right off.
I haven't yet pulled a trailer, or tested the lights, but mine seems to have all the necessary bits, including a harness to connect to a brake controller to plug it into the harness under the steering column. This was packaged new in a plastic bag stashed in the compartment with the satellite radio. I have the relays, the transmission cooler, and 7 pin plug by the spare tire.
So, thanks everyone for the helpful posts! Next step is to figure out which ipod interface to get. (ML & nav system, if someone has useful suggestions! I've seen several brands, and some discussion here, but no clear comparisons on how the interfaces work, etc.) It's a great truck, I'm really looking forward to using it!
I went with the pintle hitch mainly as I do drive offroad, and from past experience will certainly drag the hitch sooner or later so wanted it to be as high as possible. Parts came from Sewells and it's clear from their website that it is a class IV hitch. Looking at the frame of the bumper it seems stout enough to support that, it's clearly not an ordinary bumper. It's not clear to me though that it would be OK to use it with a weight distributing hitch, so if anyone has any data on that please comment. I don't have an immediate need but would prefer to have the option, but ground clearance was a priority for me.
I went with the method of using a ratcheting box end wrench, and leaving the bumper cover on. Net, I'm not sure how much of a time or effort savings it is. One factor was figuring out the retaining clips for the hitch cover, which would be obvious if you pulled the entire cover and were able to see it from the back. Another factor is that the bolts are long, and with the pieces in place you can't get very long throws, so there's a lot of bouncing the wrench back and forth. There was also a moderate amount of difficulty manipulating everything under the cover, having to hold it out for clearance while threading bolts, etc. Of course I didn't pull the cover, so that probably has complications as well, so it's hard to know. In any event it worked well enough.
One thing I did differently was to use a router to trim the existing hitch cover. I couldn't find a source for a Savannah (color code 4R4) cover, and there was some minor damage to mine, so it was worth trying. After installing the hitch, I marked the cover giving about half an inch of clearance around the receiver tube, and used a .5" round router bit (on a router table) to cut the plastic. This left nicely radiused corners and straight cuts that came out really well. The initial cut left a bit of fuzz, but scraping with a utility knife took it right off. I doubt anyone would notice it's not from the factory without prior knowledge or a really close look. One problem I did have, though, is that I didn't tape the painted face as I ran it across the router table. The paint is evidently very soft on this part, so I'll need to touch up a couple of spots on it where the raised edge ran along the face of the table. (Does anyone have any advice on spray on touchup paint? I have some of the pen, but I don't think it'd apply well here.)
One point to clarify, it took a bit of poking to figure the blue retainer clips out, and I couldn't find a good description or picture on the web. So, for the benefit of future readers, these are the blue clips that hold the hitch cover on. The hitch cover has 8 tabs that insert through the slots in the bumper cover. (you can see this in Lumbergh's third picture, showing the hitch with the cover removed.) There are 8 slots. 4 of the tabs have rectangular holes in them in which the retainer clips are placed. The smaller ones have tabs without retainer clips, presumably to help align the cover. Each blue retainer is a separate piece that clips through the tabs on the hitch cover. The tabs have a push-down lock that holds them in place; when installed, the larger flat blue face of the retainer is on one side of the tab, and at a right angle to that face, a flat section with the push-down lock. To remove them, use a tool to reach on the other side of the tab and push down the lock, allowing you to slide the retainer out. Once the first one is removed, it all becomes obvious, but still a struggle to reach under the cover and manipulate things. Once all four are removed, the hitch cover is easily removed, it basically will fall right off.
I haven't yet pulled a trailer, or tested the lights, but mine seems to have all the necessary bits, including a harness to connect to a brake controller to plug it into the harness under the steering column. This was packaged new in a plastic bag stashed in the compartment with the satellite radio. I have the relays, the transmission cooler, and 7 pin plug by the spare tire.
So, thanks everyone for the helpful posts! Next step is to figure out which ipod interface to get. (ML & nav system, if someone has useful suggestions! I've seen several brands, and some discussion here, but no clear comparisons on how the interfaces work, etc.) It's a great truck, I'm really looking forward to using it!
05-16-14, 08:18 PM
#9
Pole Position
(Does anyone have any advice on spray on touchup paint?
05-21-14, 08:34 AM
#10
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I found this forum today looking for information on the pintle hitch. Lumbergh, thanks for such a detailed post. It was just what I was looking for to give me the confidence to install myself.
06-07-14, 08:20 PM
#11
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Did you get an answer to your question?
Second, people keep saying the pintle hitch has a towing capacity of 5000. I can not find anything to support that. The pintle hitch receiver form Sewell is a class 4 hitch with 10,000lbs towing capacity which far exceeds the GX's towing of 6500.
Is there somthing I'm missing?
Is there somthing I'm missing?
Hi. Did you get an answer to your question? I agree that the Sewell site indicates the Pintle can handle 10,000 lbs. Thanks.
06-09-14, 08:10 AM
#13
Lexus Champion
If you're going to be towing heavy stuff; large trailers, boats, cars etc. get a frame mounted hitch.
06-09-14, 08:19 AM
#14
Pole Position
I agree. The 10,000 pound rating seems like a misprint.
The frame-mounted hitch is attached to the vehicle at three points - each frame rail and the cross-member.
The pintle hitch is attached to the vehicle at just one point - the cross-member. So all the force is concentrated there rather than being spread out.
Chip H.
The frame-mounted hitch is attached to the vehicle at three points - each frame rail and the cross-member.
The pintle hitch is attached to the vehicle at just one point - the cross-member. So all the force is concentrated there rather than being spread out.
Chip H.
06-16-14, 09:59 AM
#15
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frame mounted hitch
Thanks for the reply folks. I decided to get the Lexus frame mounted hitch from Sewell ($237 after CL discount; although shipping was extra). I installed it yesterday. It was pretty easy, and gives the full 6500lb towing capacity. Thumbs up!
Mark
Mark