Draw-Tite Max-Frame Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"

As other reviews state, the hitch arrived damaged. Shipping box was not damaged. Clearly the hitch was shipped in this condition. Disappointing. See photos. etrailer must think they are the only ones that sell hitches to actually ship a product in this condition. Now I have to spend time and money to fix this "new" hitch.1596350

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Jenny N.

6/9/2023

Honestly when the hitches are shipped to us they are shipped in large pallets all together and it causes some paint chipping on the hitch. We do recommend using a rust resistant spray paint on the hitch before installing. I will have our Customer Service team contact you as we can send a can of the paint your way.

This is a perfect fit on a 2017 Toyota Sienna XLE AWD mini-van. I have never installed one of these before. The installation took me about 2-hours to complete. This would have been significantly easier (and faster) to install if I had someone to help me, but I did not. Doing the install myself, I drove the rear of the vehicle up onto ramps so that I had extra room to work. I used 4 jack-stands to help get the hitch assembly raised up into position. The hitch assembly is very heavy, so it is almost impossible to get it positioned correctly and bolted to the vehicle without two people or without 4 jack-stands or wood-blocks or something like that.

This hitch model is far superior to the other options for this vehicle because this one fits up and behind the bumper, which makes nothing but the hitch receiver visible and also it does not adversely impact ground clearance. The other hitch options for this vehicle leave the entire hitch assembly exposed below the vehicle which not only looks bad, but it also lowers your ground clearance significantly.

Note that there are two metal tabs with screws on them that must be bent down temporarily to get the hitch assembly up into the bumper area. They can be bent back into place once the hitch has been bolted on. I have attached a picture of these metal tabs. I did *not* have to remove the bumper to complete the installation.

I chose to reinstall the plastic panel on the bottom of the vehicle after I installed the hitch. The plastic panel cuts easily and mounts back up just fine.

You will need a torque wrench, 19mm socket, and some extensions to bolt the hitch on. Torque spec is [spec].

Removing the rear exhaust from the rubber hanger is a must. It comes off easily if you spray some WD40 into the rubber exhaust hanger, and this also helps when you try to slip it back on later.338429

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Jonathan R.

2/6/2018

The hitch has worked great! No issues or complaints after a year of usingit with our 2018 Sienna.

Good fitment. Packaging was suspect. Some paint was worn off when I un-packaged it, which surprised me for a powder coated part. I bought this item because I thought the coating was better from what I researched. I live in Michigan and any bare metal is susceptible to rust instantly. And, even though powder coating is tough any hint of rust will make its way under the paint and start bubbling the paint. I touched it up with etching primer. This isn't my first rodeo with hitches rusting. I try to prolong the life of them as much as possible because i keep my vehicles at least 10 years. I also spray oil into the hollow channel to prevent rust. Would have gotten an excellent if packaging wasn't so shoddy.1055125

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Greg

6/5/2022

Hitch and wiring are looking and performing well. No visible rusting on hitch. Note that most of the hitch is protected by the underside plastic splash pan which is great. The wiring I dont leave exposed. I wire it and store it behind the jack storage panel. Then pull it out to use it when needed. This saves it somewhat from the elements and salt in winter. Overall very satisfied with this purchase and would buy it again. Easy DIY install too. Note I used car ramps which helped.

by: Carl05/29/2024

This hitch is a bit more complicated to install but it looks so much better than the hitches that hang down way below the car. Like this very much.3146565

Overall great hitch, but some shipping issues. This hitch is well made and fit as described on my 2011 Toyota Sienna Limited. The recessed design is a nice tidy look and greatly helps ground clearance, which is about 11in once installed with no weight on the hitch. The hitch fits my Thule Hitching Post bike rack perfectly.
Installation was straightforward but a torque wrench was needed - less expensive ones are often not stocked in stores so plan ahead.
Trimming underbody fascia was easy but the cutout needs to be about 2 in deeper than the 5 in specified in the instructions. Also, take care to orient the piece properly before cutting, the paper instructions show it upside down.
The instructional video was very well done and helpful, with the exception of exhaust hanger removal. The installer starts to pry the hanger from the wrong direction, then the video fades out past that step to show it magically coming off. I have included a photo of the angle to attempt prying which worked for me, also using liberal soap and water. I removed the rubber hanger from the top two prongs on the frame instead of from the single exhaust prong. Multiple short tugs worked better than a long pull.
Some method of propping or tying up the hitch to align and install the bolts is also necessary. I used a bucket, which allowed me to maneuver the ends as needed. Overall I’d plan at least two hours for installation working alone.
Unfortunately, the product packaging was inadequate and likely allowed minor damage to the hitch during shipping. There appears to be a consistent history of this issue in other reviews. Some stiffer carboard spacers are needed at a minimum to keep the hitch from sliding around inside the box. And some corner reinforcements would help to prevent the part from penetrating and scraping the paint on outside objects, although this could also have been damaged in handling before being boxed. Pictures of paint damage attached. I addressed this with some spray paint/primer to inhibit rust before installing.
Another shipping issue occurred where this part was split from my original order of three items so it missed the promised arrival date. Even so, the shipping confirmation website showed the entire order had arrived on time. This caused some confusion with UPS over where this part was, until eventually they assigned a new tracking code and it arrived 2 days later. Be advised the etrailer tracking does not reflect split shipments accurately.
Overall a good purchase despite the damage and I would still recommend it. But these aspects of handling and shipping should really be fixed.3146915

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The hitch itself is top quality materials, construction, and design... fit perfectly on our 2019 Toyota Sienna. Would defintely buy again and / or recommend to friends.

Area for improvement: paint was scratched in several areas and needed some touch-up prior to installation. I realize this probably happened during the shipping process due to the hitch weight and size. Not a big issue, but thought you'd like to know.

Question: Have you experienced previous issues or concerns with the clearence between the tailpipe and hitch mounting plate? Have not driven the vehicle on a road trip yet, but it looks like it could potentially rattle?? Ref attached picture.... approx 1/8 " clearence.

Overall an excellent product! The ordering / tracking process was simple and easy to follow ..... keep up the good work.1049006

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Sierra K.

6/4/2021

Thank you for your review. You can try bending the hanger bracket that holds your muffler to get more clearance away from the hitch. Here are some other suggestions in the attached help article:

Helpful Links

faq-fixing-exhaust-rattle.aspx

Great fit. Hidden crossbar is worth the extra expense. Paint was chipped up. Should be prepped(bead blasted) and powder coated.1642733

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Easy to install 1223480

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Johnny

12/14/2022

Solid and secure.

Every time I get a new van, I get this hitch from etrailer. Fits perfectly and works great.1732519

It went in without a hitch. No but seriously, the hitch fit perfect. The video took all the guess work out of he install. Great product and services offered by a great store. Thank you etrailer378038

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Meric V.

5/8/2018

The receiver is still in perfect condition. The hardware still looks great and I’ve pulled pretty close to the 3500lb limit. Now to install some airbags.

Rachael H.

5/9/2018

Thanks for the follow up Meric. I have included a link to our fit guide that lists the air bag, as well as other suspension options for your 2011 Toyota Sienna.

Helpful Links

susp-2011_Toyota_Sienna.htm

I would definitely recommend etrailer.com to everybody. Very smooth transaction. There was a little quality issue with the first shipment, but they quickly shipped me a replacement unit and the return process was impressively simple and painless. Thanks again to Shery T. for her above and beyond customer service. I had technical difficulty sending email to state my complaints of the subquality item and i didn't know all they get is a blank email from me. And waited few days in frustration and no responds, i sent email again. This time Shery T. replied and asked if i needed help because all she got was just a blank email. I really appreciate her reaching out and took care if the problem. The hitch reciver turn out to be a perfect fit and looks really good. I am very happy with it. I don't normally write review after purchase, this is one of the few that i would take the time to share my experiences with everybody. Thank you.432919

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Installation went well on 2012 Toyota Sienna and very similar to your nice installation video. As I had to install it myself, I put the back end of the van up on ramps and used 16" tall cement foundation blocks to hold the hitch near position so that it was easy to position each side after that. I narrowed the plastic cutout in the bottom shield to 3.25" wide vs. 4" (on the video) for a cleaner look. All was well until I viewed the finish product from the rear end and noticed the 2" x 2" hitch channel was welded on crooked at the factory, so the Draw-Tite folks definitely need to inspect their weld fixtures to lock in alignment better. The angled hitch will definitely have an amplified look if I ever mount a flat hitch rack to it. 401815

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I had been reluctant to try an install on my own but the etrailer videos were fantastic and with a little help from a friend, this was a relatively easy install on my 2016 Sienna. Start to finish was probably 1.5 hrs. Like others, I was a little bummed to have to deal with a paint chip right out of the box (see photo) but after a quick prime and paint with a rust inhibitor, it was good to go. A couple of tools really helped speed things up--plastic fastener removal tool and exhaust hanger removal pliers. Short money and worth it. The rubber isolator is a pain to deal with (on and off) but the exhaust hanger removal pliers (along with WD 40) are the way to go. The hitch looks great and will get a work out on an upcoming 220 mile trip. I can't say enough about the etrailer videos--everything worked pretty much exactly as detailed in those videos. Lastly, I had to cut the plastic appearance panel a little deeper than the 5" noted in the instructions. I probably went 6 or 6.5" deep and 3.5" wide. It was pretty obvious when I tried to reinstall the panel how much deeper I had to cut.547867

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I chose this hitch because of it's hidden profile which it does well (2015 Sienna). It was simple enough to install as most hitches are. Most will need some sort of mild prying or adjustment during installation! On this hitch you only need to cut a small area out of the lower shield where the receiver is (simple). For the muffler, shove it over by hand and block it over using a wooden block (2X4 etc.) this will allow you to access the bolts. The bolts are not nickel plated so it is wise to add corrosion to them. The hitch itself is well made and has a durable coating, it was shipped in a box and arrived without damage of any type. Very happy with my purchase! 455953

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Very easy to install since no drilling. Video is very helpful. It took me about 40 minutes to install the hitch. Hitch looks clean and hidden on my 2017 Toyota Sienna XLE. 470770

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Sn92703

1/28/2019

Its been a year, the installed hitch still work great, no issue, and still new. The AirLift 1000 AL60732 was also installed right after hitch installation. Theyre right combination. I use the hitch at least once a week to carry bike rack and towing small trailer box. I had several Sienna owners came up to compliment and asked info where I got the hitch. I told them I got it from etrailer.com and installation is easy.

Sn92703

1/28/2019

Its been a year, the installed hitch still work great, no issue, and still new. The AirLift 1000 AL60732 was also installed right after hitch installation. Theyre right combination. I use the hitch at least once a week to carry bike rack and towing small trailer box. I had several Sienna owners came up to compliment and asked info where I got the hitch. I told them I got it from etrailer.com and installation is easy.

Well built hitch, though arrived with the paint scratched off in several spots - a quick repaint and no worries. Mounting went without a hitch (sorry) - the hitch's 6 mounting holes lined up precisely with the frame weldnuts. I didn't remove the bumper cover so I had to yank a little bit on the bottom edge of the cover to get the hitch up into it's cavity. Two metal tabs used by the underpan cover have to be temporarily bent down for the hitch to clear and then bent upwards to their original orientation. Mounting took a little over an hour with a friend to help support the weight of the hitch (it's heavy). The hitch tucks nicely into the space provided by Toyota though the tailpipe wound up pressed against the side of the passenger-side hitch support plate - this is apparently a common issue so I plan to adjust the tailpipe hanger to resolve it when I get a chance. 545729

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Just opened it today after a month because I’m so busy. But the product etrailer sent me have so many cosmetics damage that the metal is already showing up and very prone to rusting. Looks like it was mis handled at the warehouse because the delivery box is in good condition but the product was damaged. Poor handling by etrailer. This will delay my installation because I need to repair first the damages. Not a satisfied customer. Now I have to spend more coz I have to buy paint.1123233

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Absolutely amazing trailer hitch! The insulation was very easy even for someone that has never done it before. I have a lower clearance van so any other hitch would have dragged and this one sits up right at the bumper and I have had zero issues. We also purchased the wiring which was also very easy to install. 498199

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Delivery came in 3 days after ordering from eTrailer. Installation on a 2015 Toyota Sienna took 2 hours. The eTrailer installation video was a huge help. It was probably a little trickier than normal for me because I didn't have the vehicle raised on anything, so clearance underneath was a bit tight. The hardest parts were 1. prying the exhaust isolator free, and 2. lifting the hitch up under the vehicle and getting the initial bolts hand-tightened (my wife helped with this to hold the hitch in place while I hand tightened the bolts). The hitch looks great once installed - with only the hitch receiver visible below the bumper. I'll use the hitch just for a bike rack, no towing, so did not have to do any installation for electrical connections. Very happy with this product, and the service + delivery from eTrailer! 394573

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Could not have asked for an easier install. After reading the instructions and watching the videos on the etrailer website I felt like a pro while installing the hitch. It took all of about an hour and half, had to run back out and get an extension for the back bolt, for the torque wrench. After that I cut the plastic cover go to the molded line which is about 5.5 inches instead of the 5 inches in the instructions. What a clean and simple install would recommend etrailer and their products to everyone. Shipping was quick and the pricing was less than all other websites and businesses. 430064

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I ordered the receiver on a Tuesday, it shipped on Wednesday and arrived on Saturday (yesterday as I write this). I know other reviews had mentioned chips in the finish but mine was immaculate. I was very impressed with the boxing/packaging. It was both minimalist (to reduce the amount I needed to fit in my recycling bin) and protective at the same time.

There've been plenty of other comments on the full install so I'm focusing on what went well for me, and what I would've liked to do.

My driveway is sloped downward toward my garage. Combined with the slope to the street, this leave me a nice peak to place my rear wheels on, and leaves me plenty of space for my wheeled creeper to roll around beneath. Even on an SE, which rides lower to the ground. I installed mine solo and in the dark of night (the sacrifices needed when you're parenting a 20-month-old toddler). All-in-all, I think it took me just under 2 hours to install, with a bunch of repeated trips into my garage to look for various tools.

It would've been nice to have an extra hand, but with COVID, I wasn't going to call any friends over. So muscling the hitch up while laying on my back was one of the harder things to do. As others have mentioned, there is actually enough clearance to slip the hitch up between the exhaust pipe and the frame without yanking it off the hanger. But, it would have been MUCH easier to tighten it up without the pipe in the way. If you're doing this solo, on the ground, and without pulling the exhaust off the hanger, I'd recommend putting up the exhaust side first, as that leaves free movement to lift it into place. I hand started the bolt closest to the front of the van first, just to get it into place (just tightening 5 or 6 turns will hold it up. Then I did one more bolt before moving to the driver side, where I put all 3 bolts in place. With the hitch frame up and the bolts still somewhat loose, I was able to get the last passenger side bolt in place.

There's enough clearance above the exhaust pipe to squeeze in a regular socket wrench to snug up the bolts. But getting a long torque wrench under there was near impossible as-is. So I took a piece of 4 foot 2x4 and wedged it under the hitch (it's shaped slightly triangular giving you a nice point to use for leverage). With the wood forcing the exhaust pipe lower, I was just barely able to get a socket on a 2-inch extension onto the bolts. I have a cheaper Husky torque wrench so I was tightening it up 3-4 clicks at a time. It was a lot of effort getting it to click at 75 pounds while lying on my back and holding the socket up against the bolt with my left hand. But once that was done, moving on to the driver side was a piece of cake. In hindsight, I would've preferred to yank the exhaust pipe off the hanger. But I've done that for other projects on other cars and removing it always felt 100 times easier than hanging it back up, even lubricated.

When the 6th, and last, bolt clicked on my torque wrench, the final bit was fairly easy. I think I read in another review somewhere that you need to cut the underbody cover a little deeper than the instructions recommend (5 inches), and I have to agree. I didn't measure it out, but I cut closer to 6 inches and still needed a little more room. I couldn't quite get the screws by the bumper cover to align, so I took my knife and cut 1-inch slits, which let me fold the cover up a bit and pull the bumper cover closer to screw them in.

If you can get a hand to help hold the receiver in place, I highly recommend doing so. But if you don't have extra help available, try not to lift the rear of your car too high as that just means more height that you'd have to hoist up the receiver, which is a beast to maneuver if you're lying on your back. I laid out perpendicular to the car and was able to use my legs to lift the middle of the crossbar and help get the bolt holes lined up. I also used a bit of blue thread locker as I don't ever want to have to go under there to tighten bolts again.

Etrailer's installation video was incredibly helpful to visualize the install process. I watched it 3 or 4 times before the hitch receiver arrived and didn't need to refer back to the instructions to get the basic installation done.

Lastly, no comments about how dirty my van is. I know it needs a wash.851254

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I was able to install in my driveway by backing up on two 2x6 blocks and extra clearance with the driveway curb.

The hardest part of installation was dropping the exhaust, as it took me many attempts using different tools and a lot of lube to get the rubber hanger off the bolt. I was eventually able to use a large/long flat head screwdriver shaft to pry it off the bolt: I slowly worked the screw driver from the back of the rubber (back side the van) through to the front nipple (frontal direction of the van), and levering off the front of the nipple. The same general approach worked, in reverse, to get the rubber hanger back on the bolt.

Everything else was super easy. About two hours total time.1143155

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Hitch arrived quick and well packed, but it still had few paint chips on, which was a bit of a let down. Installation was easier than my other hitch instalations on a Subaru Outback. What took the longest was to actually take the underbody cover off since there is plenty of fastners holding it in place. I have a 2015 Sienna SE and I did NOT have to bent the two metal tabs that install video talks about. I simply had my wife gently pull the bumper cover away from the car (really, just an inch or so, it's very flexible) and I was easily able to slide the hitch in place. Then, just installed the bolts. Trimmed the underbody panel per the instructions and I was done. 543792

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I love this hitch. I just got it installed with the help of my 12 year old son and a few ratcheting jackstands. I modified the shield under the car a little with a pair of aviation snips (I probably could have used tin-snips or some strong scissors) and it went back into place as well. (I just cut a notch out for the receiver, no other cuts needed) The hitch is hidden under the rear bumper facia and the only thing sticking out is the receiver!519873

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This is the third Toyota Sienna I've had. This Draw-Tite Class III Max Frame Receiver Hitch was harder to install than the Curt hitch I had before but it looks 20 times better. This is because it tucks up behind the bumper valance. (This is what made it harder to install.)

Haven't towed anything with it yet, but I presume it will work the same. 434805

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