Hitches are sturdy devices made of metal material mounted on the rear side of the bumper. However, Toyota Camry does not come up with a tow package, and you have to install the hitches as an aftermarket addition.
Can You Put a Hitch on a Toyota Camry? You can put a hitch on a Toyota Camry by removing the floor mat and spare wheels from the trunk area. Detach the rubber hangers of the exhaust system, park your vehicle, and detach the push pins. Remove the metal brackets from the driver side, position the hitch, and secure the bolts by drilling half-inch holes on the bottom side of the trunk pan.
Attachment of a trailer hitch with these vehicles is beneficial to increase the cargo area. Moreover, you can haul equipment with these to make your trips enjoyable.
How do you put a hitch on a Toyota Camry?
You can select the hitches according to the towing capacity of these cars. Here are steps to add a hitch to your Camry.
Remove the floor mat and spare wheels
Open the trunk of your car, and you can see the floor mat there. Removal of these mats is necessary so they do not obstruct the procedure.
I prefer to wear safety glasses and rubber gloves to ensure safety while installing a hitch on my car. Detach the floor covering from the sides and take these out.
You can see a screw after removing the floor covering. Rotate and loosen the screw to remove the wooden board and spare wheels from the trunk area.
Detach the bolts, remove the spare tires from there, and put these on the side. Store the tire in the safe place to protect these from sharp objects that can eventually cause a puncture.
Detach rubber hangers
You have to clear the undercarriage from the rear side bumper of your sedan. Clearance of the bottom side creates more space for the installation of hitches.
You can see rubber hangers on the exhaust pipes and mufflers. You can detach these rubber hangers by pulling them with your hands.
However, I prefer to spray these with soapy water for easy removal. You can also spray other lubricating fluid for these rubber hangers.
Use the removing tool to detach these rubber hangers from the exhaust system. Use the straps to lower the muffler for better clearance on the rear side.
Prepare your vehicle
You have to prepare your Toyota Camry for the installation of a hitch on the rear side. Park your sedans on the leveled ground surface and engage parking brakes to avoid their back-and-forth movement.
You can also add wheel chockers on the rear side tires to avoid unnecessary movement. You have to raise the vehicle’s rear end for better ground clearance.
Use the jacks and install these on the designated points so they cannot damage the exterior frame of your car.
Unfasten the push pins
You can see the push pins on the inner side of the rear bumper. These are the mounting points for the installation of hitches.
These are plastic rivets installed on the rear bumper’s bottom side. You can remove these pivots by unscrewing the bolts mounted on these structures.
You have to use the 14mm socket to remove these screws. Insert the sockets in the bolt and rotate the socket counterclockwise.
Remove the bracket from driver’s side
You can see metal brackets on the frames that are attached with screws. These brackets are present on the driver’s side, and you have to remove them.
Insert the 14mm socket into their screws and loosen these by rotating the socket in the anti-clockwise direction.
Slightly loosen the screws with sockets and then remove these with your hands. You can remove the bumper bracket by unfastening these screws.
Position the hitch
You have to position the Class I hitch on the rear side of your car after preparing its various components. Carefully adjust it on the lower side by slightly raising the lower bumper.
You have to fasten these parts from the sides. Attach the plate with the left and right sides of your car’s frame by using screws.
Mount the side plates in the area from where you removed the rear bumper brackets. You need a bolt and conical washers to secure their side plates.
Add the conical washers in the bolts to secure the side plates. Insert the bolts on the holes of the side plate in a manner that their teeth are facing toward the side plate holes.
Tighten the bolts by moving them in a clockwise direction with your hand. Moreover, you have to repeat the same procedure on the passenger side.
Drill holes on bottom of trunk pan
You have to secure the hitch plates by drilling holes in the bottom side of the trunk pan. Use drill machines to drill holes of about half inches.
Drill these holes on both sides of the plate and spacers between these plates and the car’s exterior body.
Move inside the trunk and pry off the rubber material with the help of a screwdriver to install bolts. Pry off the rubber material from where you drilled the holes in a hitch.
Install the bolts with large spaces in these holes and tighten them. Reinstall the exhaust pipe hangers at their place after completing the installation procedure.
Put the floor mat and spare tire back in the trunk.
Can a Toyota Camry pull a trailer?
Many people pull the trailer with their Toyota Camry when they plan a trip with their families and friends. You can add several amenities to these trailers during the trip.
In addition, it becomes your home on the road because of the presence of accessories inside trailers.
However, it is essential to check the towing capacity of your sedan while hauling any vehicle. Moreover, you should also check the size and weight of the trailer before mounting it with cars or pickups.
You can tow trailers that are less than 1200 pounds with these sedans.
What type of trailer hitches are suitable for Toyota Camry?
Hitches are of different types depending on their hauling capacity and receiver size. These are classified into several categories according to their weight-carrying capacity.
There are different classes of hitches, including class I and II. However, Class I hitches are better for Toyota Camry because their towing capacity is less than 1200 pounds.
Class I hitches can tow approximately 2000 pounds, which works best with your sedans. Moreover, these are also compatible with several Toyota models.
The size of the receiver hitch is about 1-1/4 inches.
What is the towing capacity of the Toyota Camry?
Toyota Camry’s towing capacity ranges from 900 to 1100 pounds depending on their several models. However, several new models of these cars can also haul up to 2000 pounds of weight.
Their engine’s power is about 268 horsepower, producing high torque for hauling specific vehicles. You can check their towing capacity by reading the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Avoid towing any vehicle over 2000 pounds because it can affect the transmission and suspension parts. I always prefer to check the model of my car before towing any vehicle to ensure its safety.
Why would you install a hitch in a Toyota Camry?
You can attach a hitch on the rear side of your car for several purposes. These are helpful to tow trailers that weigh less than 2000 pounds when fully loaded.
In addition, you can also use these devices to attach campers, boats, and cargo carriers with these according to the car’s towing capacity.
These are also helpful to increase the storage capacity of your vehicles. You can add cargo carriers on the backside when taking various accessories while traveling.
Many people want to take jet skis and bikes while traveling for recreational activities. These are beneficial in emergencies so you can haul generators and other power sources to your home when needed.
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