donaldak

For those of you, like me, who did not order the factory hitch pending the release of the class III/IV hitch, I have some news. Lexus Customer Care told me this morning that the 6500lb hitches that were supposedly available in "...early 2003...(from the GX470 sales brochure)" will be released to their parts network on 8-1-03. Frustrating, but at least I now have a date, I just hope that they do arrive as promised. Draw-tite, Hiddenhitch, U-haul are not able to give a release date on their products at the moment.

gzorn

This new note has appeared on the Lexus Web site as a footnote:

http://www.lexus.com/showroom/model/...ceoptions.html

6) Some GX 470s are made with an optional tow hitch that is installed before the vehicle is delivered to the dealer. Through the first half of 2003, this optional hitch is a 5,000-lb weight-carrying hitch that should not be used with weight-distributing hitch hardware. Starting approximately the second half of 2003, the optional hitch will change to a 6,500-lb weight-distributing hitch. Availability of these optional hitches is limited by the U.S. EPA to 33 percent of production. As a result of this limitation, these hitches will not be available as a dealer-installed option and hitch availability will end before the end of the model year. Please see your dealer for availability and details. Maximum tow ratings calculated using base vehicle, except for options required to achieve the rating, plus five occupants. Additional optional equipment/passengers/cargo will reduce the amount you can tow. Do not exceed any weight ratings. Before towing, confirm your vehicle and trailer are compatible, hooked up properly and you have all necessary additional equipment. Review all instructions/cautions from your trailer-hitch manufacturer and Lexus Owner's Manual.

Note the 4th sentence on about EPA rules. I have still not heard about the optional hitch becoming available. Does not look good and time for the 3rd party hitch makers to step up to the plate

John H

I just posted similar information in a different thread, but I would like TOWER'S opinions on it.

I have to haul my car to the racetrack. 3400# car + 2000# trailer = 5400. With the upcoming 6500# hitch this would work perfectly EXCEPT with the rear station wagon door, I can NOT haul a trailer AND access the rear compartment. The swing door will hit the crank on the trailer. The trailer stays chained to the rear for the weekend and access to the rear for the spare wheels, jack etc needs to be through the rear.

Is it possible to tow anything at all with the rear swing door (while keeping rear area access)? If not, I don't see the bother with the 6500# hitch. I know you can sort of access the rear from the rear side doors, but I can't get a wheel out of there or access my tool box. I'm not b#tching per say, just asking if my thinking is correct because this determines my purchase of the GX or not.

John H

Kbach

iTrader: (1)

I towed a 6x12 UHaul this weekend and was pretty carefully opening the door for the first time to see if the door would hit anything. Luckily the door cleared everything and had room to open, although the trailer did not have a tongue jack. I think this trailer has a pretty standard length tongue. You could move your jack further back on the tongue so the door will open.

Squiggy

maybe you can remove that "crank on the trailer", and add a folding crank/wheel.
I'm thinking about doing that to my 5x8 utility trailer, which has the same problem.

Lot's of boat trailers have folding cranks that can be made parallel to the ground, which should move it out of the way of the swinging door. I'm sure www.overtons.com probably has one.

BTW, a 5x8 utility trailer is a great option to a GX-470, if you have the yard space to store it.
Keeps you from looking like an idiot at Home Depot as you try to keep from scratching up the GX's cargo bay while loading 2x4's and landscape timbers, etc. I use mine at least once a week, and my Cargo space still looks like new.

John H

Sorry, I meant "tongue jack". I checked out that boating website and didn't find anything. I'll post a pic of a similar trailer to show you what I'm refering to and how it is directly in the path of the rear GX door. My bass boat trailer would have the same problem. A hatch with a little tailgate and power rear window (like the Volvo XC90) would be awesome.



John H

Squiggy

Here's what I was talking about.

http://www.overtons.com/cgi-bin/over...arge.cgi?22368

The jack is hinged on the square plate and you ride with it in the horizontal position.

The 6500lb hitch will be lower than the bumper, so there should be 4 to 6 inches
between the trailer tongue and the bottom of the door.

donaldak

Like Kbach I pulled a U-Haul 6x12 trailer this weekend. the attached picture shows the "rig" with the rear door open. As you can see there is plenty of room, but the U-Hauls do not have the jockey wheel jack. I ended up finding a HiddenHitch setup for ours(they released them about two weeks ago). It is good for 5000lbs or 7000lbs with a weight distribution setup. It pulls really well.

JohnH - even with your jockey wheel, based on the photo you submitted, you will still be able to open the door far enough to get your tires/jack out without any problem, although you will need a trusted assistant to make sure that the door does not make contact. You could also pack with the trailer in a right turn position and that will give you a bit more space. The ball mount that was provided with our hitch is quite a bit longer than I am used to on our old '00 Land Cruiser. It protrudes about 10 inches from the reciever hitch. Unfortunaley my wife blocks most of the view of the hitch arrangment, but you can just about see it.

gzorn

I just asked Hidden Hitch about support for the GX470 and they said not yet and no timeframe. Did you get a hitch from them or just the wheel jack? If a full hitch setup how about the part numbers?

Still no word from the dealer on the dealer installed version, asked again this morning

TIA

Squiggy

Outside the US. These aussies have one ...

http://www.haymanreese.com.au/index.htm

Now if we can just get a guineau pig to try one on for size
and report back to the forum.

Maybe 0260n5.7 (in Panama?) knows for sure if they would fit or not.

donaldak

Kzorn,

Mine was suppied by a company called Master Hitch in Houston, TX ((713)974-4440). The attached photo shows the Hidden Hitch label, it looks like the model number is 70411. You will see it was made on 5/23/03. They told me the same story, but I think they are suppling their dealers first and then will supply the public/web retail customers. Master Hitch received 10 on 6/5/03 and everyone of them was sold to waiting customers (fortunatley I was first in line!). I am not sure when their next batch will be in.

A

donaldak

Whoops here is the picture

Squiggy

I guess the implication is that you can use a 2004 4 Runner hitch on a GX 470.
Hidden Hitch won't quote you availability of a hitch for the GX 470, but some
hitch dealers will go ahead and install a 4 Runner hitch.

BTW... Anybody had any news on the Lexus 6500lb hitch, it is now officially the
second half of the year.

Cessna172

Well, the news seems to be at this time that Lexus is not going to make a class III/IV hitch for the GX.
Here is how I know...

I ordered my GX with the tow hitch, however it came in without one. My sales guy said not to worry that the class III/IV hitch would be out soon, so I accepted the deal. Well soon has come and pass so, I called my dealer last week wondering when the hitch would be available and was told that Lexus would not be making one. Well needless to say I was a little upset. I bought this vehicle specifically to tow with and now they are saying I paid 50K and can't tow, I don't think so.

However my faith in Lexus doing the right thing has not been dissapointed (and this is how I know there will not be a Lexus aftermarket hitch for the GX). They are buying back my GX and taking a loss on depreciation and giving me a new one with a factory hitch, I don't think they would do that if they planned on a hitch coming out. I mean that is almost a 10K hit after you factor in depreciation, tax and DMV fees.

Anyway just thought I would update you all on the latest information that I have received

bear1

I was in the same boat as a number of you. Purchased a GX470 in April with the promise a dealer installable Lexus tow package would be available. It's been a circus ever since. All I wanted to be able to do was to enjoy the toys of summer; riding me Jet Ski and towing my motorcycle around to me favorite riding places. Little did I know the hassles getting a tow hitch would be.

Over the course of the last few months, I basically had enough of the promises and the denial that a tow package would be available. I asked Lexus Customer Service to arrange for the dealer to repurchase my vehicle and provide me an identical unit with a factory tow hitch installed. I didn't want my money back, I didn't want a different Lexus vehicle. I just wanted a GX I could use for one of the purposes I purchased it for. Needless to say, no one was excited about providing me a new vehicle. I also want to give low marks to Lexus customer service on how they handled this entire issue. I cannot count how many times I spoke with a Lexus rep only to hear that they had no answers for me. It was very frustrating to own such an expensive vehicle and still get the run around I got concerning this tow package issue.

To make a long story short, Lexus appears to have finally caved in and is making a dealer installable tow package available for those of us who were promised a tow package when we purchased the vehicle. The package will be the new 6500 weight distributing tow hitch now being installed on the GX and is supposed to be here around the first of August. My understanding is that the availability of this package is very limited to those customers who purchased the vehicle given the assurances a dealer installable tow package would be available. I was told that Lexus is only making 150 of the packages available and that the package will still not be available to anyone who purchases a car now without a tow package factory installed. Don't hold me responsible for the number of packages available, this was just the number I heard. Hoepfully the delivery date is accurate and I can get this issue laid to rest in a few weeks!