Bad Toyota Design or Check Your Hitch
 

So I looked inside the hitch, and found the inside damp and about a pound of loose rust floating inside. It appears water seeps in through the 2 holes on each side and never has the chance to evaporate. Looking inside with a flashlight I personally would not tow up to maximum recommended anymore :alert:

It's drying out with a heat gun right now, and both holes will definitely be plugged up with some silicone and plastic plugs.

Picture speaks for itself.

Thanks for the info. I am taking mine out to be painted because of the rust. I will definitely poke inside.

That pile is huge!

That is a monster pile! Won't sealing the ends only make it worse though? The actual slot where the hitch goes is open and unable to seal, at least it is if you have a hitch in it or plastic cover with no gasket on it, so if water got in there it would have even less chance to evaporate which would make that even worse.

The cross-bar, to which the receiver is welded, is a solid piece of square tubing. It is vented only on the sides, through 2 holes, one of which is in the picture. I'd imagine that drying it out real good, then sealing it would be better than having almost standing water in there.

Funny thing is, I was even approached by a stranger once who asked where I got the hitch, because it doesn't have a spec of rust on the outside and most aftermarket rust through in no time.

Yikes! Looks like I'll be checking mine tomorrow.

Although, since Toyota is such a great company, wouldn't we expect them to pick up the tab for damaged trailer/cargo should the hitch break? Or, would they deny any claim since I've added a wire for the trailer brakes?

I just looked at my reciever hitch, and it doesn't look like yours, or else I am not looking at the same place as your photo.

My square cross beam is fully welded and sealed to the two arms which bolt to the frame. It does not bolt to the arms, it is welded to them. I see no holes whatsever in that square beam. Where exactly are you looking?

ICBW, but I believe my hitch is OEM.

I doubt the hitch qualifies for the rust warranty. I'm more concerned about the situation when it can happen, such as hauling something very very heavy. It can easily end up in a wreck and loss of more than just some personal property.

It'd be interesting what you guys find out, as I don't live in a rainy climate, rarely hose it down, and generally keep it inside a dry garage.

Unhappy99, mine is OEM also. It is made of 3 pieces, the cross-bar, and 2 brackets which bolt to the frame and to the cross-bar. It came of a 1997 and was in good shape when I put it on about 2 years ago.

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/..._hitch_gap.jpg

Here's a picture which is exactly like mine, a 3 piece. The bolts are visible.

wow i'm glad i got the aftermarket reese hitch. I think its rated heavier but also the ends of that main shaft have 1/4" plate steel welded over the ends. With no way for any moisture to get in.

So as long as you get it really dry (like dry it out then let it sit in the A/C inside the house for a few days) then seal it up you shouldnt have a problem.

are you sure the hitch is designed by Toyota? Because I thought for 3rd Gen runners, there was no oem designed hitch. All aftermarket stuff.

They changed the design in 99. It was a single piece instead of a bolt together 3 piece.

Must have found back in 98 what you did.

Instead of changing the design to a 1 piece they should of just not drilled those 2 holes.

Can't make that cool mod and invert the 1 piece for better departure angle. :P

Sounds like mine is similar to yours. I had it off last fall to repaint it since it had some surface rust and the two holes in the endplates were still sealed just fine.

I just took mine off and sprayed bed liner material on it. Haven't had a problem with rust or scratches yet.

Mine's coming off this coming week...would getting it rhino lined make it hard to get the hitches in? They have "some" play in them as it is...

Mine doesn't have all that stuff in it, all it had was the lizard thats been living in my garage for 4 and a half years...its a big 'ole thing!

Fink:devil:

i would not line the inside of the hitch. Tape it off first.

Yeah thats what I was just thinkin, I'll have to do somethin to it to keep it from rustin...

Fink:devil:

if you like to go mudding, you should check the inside of your frame rails. After a few years of mudding in my taco, there was probably 1.5-2 inches of dried mud in each rail. I drilled a 1 inch hole near the rear spring mount parked on a slope and hosed the crap out of it...

Needless to say, i don't go mudding anymore.......