etrailer | How to Install: EcoHitch Hidden Trailer Hitch Receiver on your 2024 Toyota RAV4

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Full transcript: https://www.etrailer.com/tv-install-e...
Hello neighbors, it's Brad here at etrailer and today we're taking a look and installing the EcoHitch trailer hitch receiver on a 2024 Toyota RAV4. The great part is it's a hidden cross tube, meaning the only thing that you're really gonna see once it's installed is gonna be the two inch by two inch receiver tube opening and the safety chain loops, whereas the structural part of the hitch is hidden behind the fascia. So a nice clean look with all the usability of your hitch. And when loading accessories in the two inch by two inch receiver tube opening, it's gonna require a five eighths pin and clip. Now this is not included with the hitch, but a lot of times when you pick up accessories they'll have one included. And if you plan on leaving your accessories on your vehicle, you might wanna take a look at a locking pin and clip.

That way you can lock it in place and know that no one's gonna walk away with it. Now if you plan on pulling a trailer, we have a plate style safety chain loop here that's nice and open for a standard S hook or even a larger clevis style. But if you're planning on pulling that trailer or even just loading up accessories, you're gonna want to adhere to the weight capacities on this. This is one of the heavier duty hitches available for the RAV4 and the gross trailer weight rating comes in at 5,000 pounds. You also have a tongue weight rating, which is gonna be the downward pressure on the inside of the receiver tube opening, which is 750, which is also higher than a lot of the offerings.

And the tongue weight rating is gonna be for your bike racks and cargo carriers or anything that's gonna be an extended add-on, something that's self-supported. And with 750 you can load that up with a four bike bike rack no problem. A cargo carrier loaded up on vacation won't be an issue. But with that 5,000 pound gross trailer weight rating, that's pretty substantial, but you do need to make sure that the vehicle is actually capable of that as well as the components that you're using, so your ball and your ball mount. So check the vehicle's owner's manual, see what the vehicle's rated for, compare that with all of your components.

Take the lowest number so you stay safe. If you are getting a bike rack or cargo carrier that stows in a vertical position, something that you're gonna want to keep in mind is making sure that you have the clearance to be able to do that. And so measuring from the center of our hitch pin hold to the furthest point of our fascia, it's coming in right at about four inches. I really don't worry too much, it'll make contact with a fascia, but if you have that stowed up, just know you're not gonna be able to open your hatch unless you fold that down. So just keep that in mind.

Don't try to open it up 'cause that can cause damage obviously. Now when choosing a ball mount, you're gonna wanna know the riser drop necessary for your trailer. So from the top of the receiver tube opening to the ground, this one's coming in at 13 and a half inches, which is a higher ground clearance. That's partially the reason that this does require a little bit of trimming compared to some of the other hitches. But that's gonna be nice because you get a little bit more ground clearance and you can take that measurement, measure the coupler of your trailer and then determine that difference necessary. And then you can pick up a riser drop ball mount to get that nice and level. Something else that's unique. We don't have it installed right now because it didn't really fit what we we inchesre doing with this vehicle, but it does come with the bracket that bolts up to the hitch for a seven pole. So that way if you're doing, you know, a brake controller or anything on here or a trailer that has seven pole wiring, it's really nice that you already have a bracket. You don't have to pick up a separate one. So nice little added benefit from the EcoHitch. Now we get a lot of questions of whether or not a hitch causes issue with the kick sensor or the hands-free lift gate. And I'm here to tell you it does work. This is not my vehicle, so I may not be as smooth as opening, but you can see I have the key fob here and as I put my foot under here, I should be able to get it to open up. It beeped at me so it knows that I'm there, but I was able to get this to open. So it does work. You