Tow Hitch Rating and Recoveries

[Wh1t3nukle]

Thanks for the pics MOguy. The cross bar for the attachable receiver will be sized and attached to the vehicle to meet it's cited rating. It is load bearing to 4700 lbs, more specifically only in the direction of the vehicle axis.

It will work for recovery to that situations circumstances, especially if it's all you have, dumped nose first into a ditch, rain pouring, kids crying, wife/gf white eyed, etc. etc. lol

 

[MOguy]

Thanks for the pics MOguy. The cross bar for the attachable receiver will be sized and attached to the vehicle to meet it's cited rating. It is load bearing to 4700 lbs, more specifically only in the direction of the vehicle axis.

It will work for recovery to that situations circumstances, especially if it's all you have, dumped nose first into a ditch, rain pouring, kids crying, wife/gf white eyed, etc. etc. lol

Many don't understand this. Also it is tested for rolling weight, no dragging or lifting. For a serious recovery point for off roading I would not recommend any hitch. It may be fine but just not the correct equipment for that type of use.

 

[comptiger5000]

I'd agree that pulls with significant vertical loading shouldn't be done with a hitch. It'll tolerate some, as it has to hold the tongue weight of a trailer (plus shock loads over bumps and such), but it's nowhere near as strong vertically as it is on a straight forwards pull.

Keep in mind, for a well mounted hitch that braces to a significant part of the unibody or both frame rails, you're not going to get much stronger for a recovery point, short of a big, heavy bumper with at least as much attachment area.

 

[Dalko43]

Many don't understand this. Also it is tested for rolling weight, no dragging or lifting. For a serious recovery point for off roading I would not recommend any hitch. It may be fine but just not the correct equipment for that type of use.

I think I understand what you mean by rolling weight vs dragging weight.

But imagine towing a 5,000lb trailer load up a steep rocky, rough track, or even up a steep paved road. The combination of load, rough terrrain and/or upward movement is exerting an overall force that is larger than what the hitch would experience from simply towing 5,000lbs over a flat surface. Isn't it likely that Toyota designed the hitch with some margin of safety in mind?

I get what you are saying about the 5th gen's hitch design versus the 4th gen's (V8 version). I think the 5th gen's hitch receiver setup is a suitable recovery point (for the vehicle that is recovering or being recovered) for most mild snatch-type recoveries. After all, it's not as if the stock tow hooks on the 5th gen 4runner offer much better, if any, weight distribution over the hitch receiver for snatch recoveries (which is what the tow hooks were designed for). If we are dealing with a vehicle that is absolutely bogged down in the mud, I'd probably look at a winch recovery or digging before I considered any type of snatch recovery simply because it seems there is a greater chance of something snapping or breaking. Otherwise the trailer hitch seems as good a place as any (outside of looping recover straps around the frame rails themselves) for a snatch recovery.

My 2 cents anyways.

 

[MOguy]

I think I understand what you mean by rolling weight vs dragging weight.

But imagine towing a 5,000lb trailer load up a steep rocky, rough track, or even up a steep paved road. The combination of load, rough terrrain and/or upward movement is exerting an overall force that is larger than what the hitch would experience from simply towing 5,000lbs over a flat surface. Isn't it likely that Toyota designed the hitch with some margin of safety in mind?

I get what you are saying about the 5th gen's hitch design versus the 4th gen's (V8 version). I think the 5th gen's hitch receiver setup is a suitable recovery point (for the vehicle that is recovering or being recovered) for most mild snatch-type recoveries. After all, it's not as if the stock tow hooks on the 5th gen 4runner offer much better, if any, weight distribution over the hitch receiver for snatch recoveries (which is what the tow hooks were designed for). If we are dealing with a vehicle that is absolutely bogged down in the mud, I'd probably look at a winch recovery or digging before I considered any type of snatch recovery simply because it seems there is a greater chance of something snapping or breaking. Otherwise the trailer hitch seems as good a place as any (outside of looping recover straps around the frame rails themselves) for a snatch recovery.

My 2 cents anyways.

It might be ok. there might be better options

 

[Dalko43]

It might be ok. there might be better options

Seems like a reasonable caveat to me. For any kind of recovery, I would go with the option that gets the job done with the least amount of stress on the rig's frame and chassis. A winch or a recovery strap are both handy tools for getting a vehicle unstuck, but I'd just as soon use a shovel and some maxtracks to attain the same end result, if such methods are feasible, and use the more "kinetic" tools only as a last resort.

 

[MOguy]

Seems like a reasonable caveat to me. For any kind of recovery, I would go with the option that gets the job done with the least amount of stress on the rig's frame and chassis. A winch or a recovery strap are both handy tools for getting a vehicle unstuck, but I'd just as soon use a shovel and some maxtracks to attain the same end result, if such methods are feasible, and use the more "kinetic" tools only as a last resort.

if that's you plan go for it. I would rather pull some cable or get a tug then bust out a shovel or use some mats.

 

[Ducky's Dad]

use some mats.

Depending on the stuck, mats are a whole lot faster and easier than pulling cable. And no moving parts to fail.

 

[MOguy]

Depending on the stuck, mats are a whole lot faster and easier than pulling cable. And no moving parts to fail.

mats could be great, I don't have any but I have a winch therefore pulling cable is much easier for me .

 

[Ducky's Dad]

mats could be great, I don't have any but I have a winch therefore pulling cable is much easier for me .

In the desert there are no trees to winch from. Mats often eliminate the necessity of dragging out a Pull-Pal or burying your spare to create a winch anchor. I also have a winch, but it's a major pain to use where I occasionally get stuck.

 

[MOguy]

In the desert there are no trees to winch from. Mats often eliminate the necessity of dragging out a Pull-Pal or burying your spare to create a winch anchor. I also have a winch, but it's a major pain to use where I occasionally get stuck.

Where I am at there are plenty of anchor points. It is something to consider before you attempt to go someplace you could get stuck. I usually go out with at least one other person so I will have an anchor point. If did wheel in a place where finding an anchor was difficult then I suppose mats may be something I would have to look into.

 

[Brewtus]

A bit late to the discussion, but I thought I might also add that there are specified testing procedures including minimum factors of safety and test loads for hitches both vertical and horizontal. These are found in the Society of Automotive Engineers standard J684. This particular standard is for the Class rating of hitches i.e. (I, II, III, IV, V). If memory serves, at least for my class IV hitch, the hitch pin is actually the weak point so that it will shear at or about 40k lbs. Whereas the maximum allowable gross trailer weight for a Class IV hitch is 10k lbs. I know the OP's hitch doesn't appear to be built to these standards, but I thought I might share the reference for your research and or enjoyment.

 

[MOguy]

A bit late to the discussion, but I thought I might also add that there are specified testing procedures including minimum factors of safety and test loads for hitches both vertical and horizontal. These are found in the Society of Automotive Engineers standard J684. This particular standard is for the Class rating of hitches i.e. (I, II, III, IV, V). If memory serves, at least for my class IV hitch, the hitch pin is actually the weak point so that it will shear at or about 40k lbs. Whereas the maximum allowable gross trailer weight for a Class IV hitch is 10k lbs. I know the OP's hitch doesn't appear to be built to these standards, but I thought I might share the reference for your research and or enjoyment.

It is the cross section on the 4runner frame I would be concerned about, not the hitch.