Using MaxxTow # MT70355 Adapter with Draw-Tite Class II Hitch # 36336 on 2003 Toyota Camry

Question:

I am looking to use the hitch along with MT70355 adapter with rise for greater ground clearance while using a cargo carrier. Would this hitch give enough clearance between the back of the bumper and the vertical face of the rise stated as 3 inches?

asked by: Jake

Expert Reply:

Your best bet would be to use a cargo carrier designed for a 1-1/4 inch hitch that has an angled shank to provide the additional ground clearance you're looking for. I'd recommend the Curt # C18110, which is compatible with the Class II hitch you're interested in and features an angled shank that would provide over a 3 inch rise for improved ground clearance.

When we installed the Draw-Tite Class II hitch, part # 36336 on a 2006 Camry, we found that the hitch would be recessed under the vehicle so that the hitch pin hole in the receiver tube is 4-1/2 away from the furthest rearward part of the bumper. Since your 2003 and the 2006 model are of the same generation, there's no reason to believe that that distance wouldn't be the same on your vehicle.

This means that the MT70355 adapter wouldn't work. The upright portion of the adapter would contact the bumper before you'd be able to insert the shank far enough into the receiver tube to secure it with a hitch pin. I've checked our other adapters, and nothing we offer would have enough clearance.

There are straight adapters like # HTAD that provide some extension for you and would allow you to use a cargo carrier with a 2 inch shank, but it wouldn't provide the ground clearance you're looking for. Also, when an adapter like these is used, it reduces the tongue weight capacity of the hitch by 50 percent. The Draw-Tite # 36336 has a tongue weight capacity of 300 lbs, so using an adapter would reduce that by half. This means that the weight of your carrier, plus what's loaded on it couldn't exceed 150 lbs. Also, adding an adapter puts another 'link in the chain' between the hitch receiver and the shank of the hitch accessory. This leads to a looser fit which means the cargo carrier would bounce around quite a bit.