LexusPia

Since I'm in the process of buying a new RX350AWD and the fact that I'll need to rent a U-Haul trailer a few times later this year to help a few people move, I want to order the hitch accessory to have the dealer install it. The problem is I don't know anything on hitch and tow equipment requirement and what I need to order. Can any of you let me know what I need? See below for dealer installed options:

The dealer says all their RX350AWD come with the Towing Prep Pkg which includes heavy duty cooling, alternator, ....... However, they offer 4 dealer installed accessories: 1) tow hitch receiver with ball mount, 2) towing equipment - ball mount, 3) towing equipment - trailer ball, 4) towing equipment - tow-hitch receiver. Which of the above options do I need? Also, I don't see anything about wiring harness listed anywhere. Is that part of another option not listed? Please advise. Thanks.

ecount00

For starters, you either need the tow hitch with ball mount (option 1) or tow hitch receiver only(option4), depending on what coupling gear you already have. Options 2 and 3 are coupling hardware only I believe- i.e. you already have a hitch on the car but need the other gear. Lexus isn't the only choice for any of this but figure you can get #2 and #3 at a lot of places including UHaul. Here are some pictures for what at least 1 version of option 4 looks like

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ht=PT228-48045

I think the pics are for an 04 but doesnt look any different that i can tell from the one we just got for our new car.

On our RX we got the tow hitch receiver opiton (your #4). I asked several times if it included the wiring harness. you could tell nobody from sales was sure tho they finally mumbled 'i'm sure it does'. I fully expected to have to bicker about the wiring harness when we picked up the car expecting it to not be there but it was. I don't know if it really was part of the deal or they actually did follow up with service/parts after we left to make sure it got done once they promised. Regardless, we got the wiring harness as part of #4. You can see the wire/harness is part of the kit in these pictures. I don't know if there are hitch receiver kits that come without the wiring harness.

Hope this helps.

JasDmw

I bought my hitch through Carson. I only bought the hitch, no ball or other "accessories", as I only want this for holding a bike rack. Had a local mechanic shop install it; very easy to do, only a series of bolts to install. Took all of 15 minutes once it was on a hoist. Easy job for a slightly inclined do it yourselfer.

Hitch does come with the harness, but that is the challenge. I didn't install mine as again, I'm not towing anything. However, you can download detailed instructions. Search here someplace, I think they were posted a while ago. Installation requires accessing a connector burried below the floor in the cargo area. That requires a lot of un-installation of interior bits, something I haven't bothered with yet.

LexusPia

Thanks for the info on hitch. I called the dealer parts dept and got a quote of $265 for the "full hitch". This price sounds low to me especially for a Lexus OEM brand. The parts guy said it's a bolt-on unit with a receiver and with the ball mount as well as wiring harness. I then called the service dept and they said this "full hitch" the parts guy was describing only comes with the bracket assembly with the square receiver which has the black Lexus plastic cap at the end but no ball. The service dept went on to say the ball mount is a separate piece with one end that fits into the square receiver and the other end has the ball and it's sold separately. They said the standard labor to install the hitch with the receiver is about $150.

Can you guys confirm what the service dept is telling me the truth? I'm confused. Thanks.

ecount00

I don't know if the hitch included the ball or not but the bigger deal is the wiring harness which everybody agrees is included. the ball mount is just a short piece of pipe. one end fits in the hitch channel the other end sticks out a few inches so you can couple a trailer. even if it isn't included, it ought to be cheap, can get them anywhere. no installation. you just slide it in and out as you need it.

Gibster

I bought the Lexus hitch for my 05 and it did not include any ball mounts or other hitch adaptors. It came with the hitch, wiring, and Lexus logo rubber cover for the hitch receiver.

I suggest passing on the ball mount until you are sure what you need for the U-Haul trailer. The Lexus hitch uses a standard 2" receiver so you can find ***** and other trailer specific mounts at any auto parts or home improvement store. U-Haul would also have what you need.

biff44

I was wondering if anyone has actually rented a tow trailer from UHaul, and if so what was the biggest size they were willing to rent for an RX350? I was on the uhaul website and it was not clear if the RX350 was big enough with enough towing capacity to use their larger trailers.

Kostyan

$265 for a Lexus OEM hitch and 150 for installation is an incredible deal. Sounds nearly too good to be true. Make sure that is an OEM hitch though, and not aftermarket one with a Lexus end cap on it. My local dealer quoted me 480 for a hitch and about the same to install, totalling at nearly $950!


Can you talk to that dealer and start a group buy on OEM hitch?

Dip Don

I searched for hitches and found the OEM hitch here http://www.factorylexusparts.com/servlet/StoreFront for $250.00 plus shipping, no sales tax. I called my salesman and he got me a price of $265.00 + tax at dealership. Essentially it cost me about $10.00 more to buy from dealer and if I had to return it, it would be a lot easier.

I initially bought the U-Haul hitch, brought it home and realized it was huge and looked bodacious. I also have the 18" wheels and spare and the hitch blocked the spare by about 1.5". I'm sure I could have lowered the spare and pushed it a couple of inches forward, but the hitch was just too big.

Kostyan

I had tried to see how much would it cost for a shipped part, and estimated shipping turned out to be $69.00, this is just a rip-off...someone please start a Group deal on these

ecount00

We've already gone the dealer install route but

Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=211117

DakotaRX

Back in July 2005 when I bought my new RX330 Thundercloud at Lexus of Wayzata it had the tow package but I didn't realize at the time that did not include the receiver hitch and all of that. When I went back in Sept. for the 5K check I had them install the receiver and all. The original quote was $550. for everything installed. I got them down to $400 installed. The "package" they installed was the receiver hitch with wire harness, and the ball mount. It all came in one package and the only thing it did not include was the ball itself. The ball mount was in it's own seperate box and they just set it back in the rear cargo area when they finished the installation.

Now as for towing. I rented the 6 X 12 U-Haul trailer from the local U-Haul dealer in Jamestown who said the RX330 was rated acceptable to pull this trailer. The trailer itself is the largest one U-Haul has and is rated at 1800 lbs dry and 4500 lbs max. So first thing would be to determine what load you will be putting in the trailer. In my case I had estimated my load to be about 1200/1300 lbs making it around 3000/3100 lbs total. I pulled this trailer from ND to Tacoma, WA with absolutely no problems. I ran at 70 to 75 mph thru ND, Montana and Idaho and 70 in WA because their speed limit on interstate highways is only 70. In the mountainous areas of Montana, ID and WA I had no problem maintaining at least 55 up the bigger grades (5% & 6%). Also no problems on the down grades either. In the Butte area the pass there is at about 6875 ft. and you drop about 3000 ft in about 4 miles and all I did was shift down to 3rd when I crested the pass and let the engine/transmission do the majority of braking. I ran about 40/45 mph down the mountain. Again thru the Missoula area and Snoqualmie Pass no problems. Handling a trailer of that size with the RX is no problem provided you have had a least some experience with towing and you remember that you don't drive the vehicle the same as you would without a trailer. Stopping distances are almost doubled. You're not in a drag race from stop signs. On the road take the corners easy and when passing pull out easy and make sure you have gotten well past before pulling back in. Leave yourself plenty of room for pulling out in traffic and stopping.

2005 RX330 Thundercloud, Thundercloud Mist, Gray/Black interior with black birdseye maple, NAV, ML, HID with AFS, Rainsensing wipers, headlight washers, Tow Package with OEM hitch, 18 inch Thundercloud rims with Bridgestone Alenza tires.
1998 GS 300 (previous & first Lexus)

biff44

That is good to know. Thanks. I was confused, as I had found the following on the web regarding RX350 towing capbility:

Weights: gross vehicle weight rating (lbs) 5,269, curb weight (lbs) 3,870, gross trailer weight braked (lbs) 2,000 and max payload (lbs) 1,399

Since the uhaul trailers are not "braked", it seemed like the rx would only haul their smallest ones.

DakotaRX

According to the owner's manual for the RX330 it towing capacity is 3500 lbs. and I believe the tongue weight is 300. The largest U-Haul trailer is the 6 X 12 which has tandem axles and surge brakes. The trailer handles fairly well behind the RX but a lot of that also depends on how you load it. It's very important to distribute the weight correctly in the trailer. Too much front load can put a lot of strain on the hitch and your rear suppension. At the same time putting too much of the load over the axles or behind the axles of the trailer will make the trailer unstable. If you've ever gone down the road and noticed a trailer that seems to be weaving behind the tow vehicle but yet the tow vehicle is not then you've seen a trailer with too much weight behind the axles. Also makes for more difficult driving. I believe the ratio is about 60/40. Also I know the inside of the trailers (at least the larger ones) are usually marked with the load centerline and usually have some decals and stickers giving loading directions.

2005 RX330 Thundercloud, Thundercloud Mist, Gray/Black interior with black birdseye maple, NAV, ML, HID with AFS, Rain Sensing wipers, Headlight washers, Tow Package with OEM Hitch, 18 inch Thundercloud rims with Bridgestone Dueler Alenzas.
1998 GS300 (Previous and first Lexus)

biff44

Those specs I found on the internet must be wrong! Thanks

BTW, were the stock outside mirrors adequate for the 6 x 12 rig, or did you bolt on mirror extenders?