Trailer Hitch on LS430
 

Hello all,
Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations on a trailer hitch for a 2001 LS430?

Buy a RX300/RX330/350/400
Buy a GX470
Buy a LX470

in other words, don't put one on your LS. (IMHO).

If that doesn't work for you, check these out:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...howtopic=38386

http://www.trailerhitches.com/traile...iew&key=CTM197

Yes - don't do it. The LS430 was not built to tow. :egads:

Jonny

: )

What car is really, trully build to tow. Any car/truck is going to take a lot of abuse from dragging and braking with extra weight on the back. Buy a semi. :D

DX3, what are you planning on towing? The suspension on the LS is not going to support much weight.

:uh: I'm not planning on towing anything - I told the OP not to tow...

Jonny

Who cares if it wasn't "made" to tow. The car has plenty of power, and he needs to tow something small. I don't see what the problem is with making a LS a bit more useful.

well it will put ALOT more stress on the engine and the tranny, but other than that, I dont see an issue with it as well. The same issue transpires with a truck when its towing extra weight.

I installed a "Curt #12231" hitch on my 2002 UL this evening. Gotta have it to pull a utility trailer and my 14' sailboat. It hangs beneath the bumper. Not sure just how unsightly it will be in daylight. Anyway - here are a few pictures. It's a simple installation - 6 bolts into existing holes. The hitch is heavy, and I'm not real happy about lugging the clunky thing everywhere I go. It was about $140 on amazon. The first hitch I got from them was bent (damaged in shipping?) but Amazon shipped a replacement OVERNIGHT! Amazing. They sent the second one - without waiting to receive the bent one.

Loose installed hitch. The muffler hangar bracket must go on top of this flange.
Attachment 454262

Installed, the hitch hangs beneath the bumper. Pretty ugly.
Attachment 454263

First of all the car is rated to tow 2000 lbs. I put a Curt hitch on my ls 430 about two and a half years ago. I tow a utility trailer that weighs about 380 lbs with a 700 lb motorcycle on it. So far it has made three round trips to Pa from Florida. The car tows it so well that I have to look in the mirror sometimes to make sure its still there. Gas mileage drops about 25%. By the way with the bigger engine in the 460 no one makes a trailer hitch for it.

Curt hitch installed. Pretty ugly. It hangs down below the bumper.

Attachment 454264

I finished the trailer-light wiring yesterday. Not sure how many folks will need this information, but here's how I managed. My car is 2002 UL. The module I used was "Hopkins #46255". It does not draw current from the car lighting system, but draws from a separate 12V source. I was worried about finding a 12V power source to power the trailer lights - until I pulled the trunk apart. There is a big fuse panel in the LH fenderwell that powers the rear A/C and accessories. It has a big fat stud with hot wired to it ready to use. (Black/White wire). I mounted the module right next to the trunk latch, and tucked inside the box beam with the latch. I tapped into the wiring harness right by the latch (center of the car). No I don't use those terrible crimp and cut-all-your-wire connectors. Strip, solder and heat shrink for every connection. I had to add a short section to lengthen each wire I cut in the harness. Running lights (violet) , stop light (red/white), and RH turn (Green/Yellow) are all available at the center of the car. LH turn (Green/Black) and 12V power for the module all had to come from the left side of the car, so I threaded those wires through existing conduit. Watch that you don’t tap into the wrong color! Light Green is not the same as regular green. I got into a light-green/black by mistake. When I finished, I plugged it into my trailer for a test. No lights at all! Checked fuses and power. THEN realized, I had all the lights on the car turned off. Geesh. It was late and I was getting stupid.
Fuse Box for rear accessories:
Attachment 454265

Red hot-wire added:
Attachment 454266

Added trailer hot-wire and fuse:
Attachment 454267

Splicing into the harness:
Attachment 454268

Module got tucked into the cross beam, next to the trunk latch:
Attachment 454269

Finished wiring - you can barely see the gray module sitting inside the beam:
Attachment 454270

Nice write up with pix. This needs to go to the FAQ. I've been looking for a hitch myself for a while to carry my bikes. I think it may blend better on my Black car but probable still be ugly with installed.

I need to check my trunk also for the fuse box. Need to see if that's enough juice to power an amp so I don't have to run it from the battery.

Wow, when you clean out a trunk you really clean it out :)

My local trailer hitch store where I bought my hitch installed and wired the whole thing for $400. I thought that was a good price for a CURT hitch and the complete wiring done. And of course they stand behind it. If I sell the car they will remove it for $40.

Be careful that installers don't use the "crimp and pinch" connectors (the blue connector in the pic). They are very quick to install, but horrible for the car. You just pinch them with pliers and they do all the magic. They cut half of the conductors in your wiring harness, and make an electrical connection to your new trailer wires. They leave your car's wiring harness copper strands open to corrosion and moisture. Solder and heat shrink makes a much better joint.

Attachment 454271

Cyclehead - The hitch is not attractive hanging below the bumper but it certainly looks like it will do the job. Thanks for the very detailed writeup, tips and excellent pictures. Looks like a high quality install job.