Hitch / Towing Install

Hey guys, new to the forum, I am looking for a little advice. I have a 2003 Double cab Prerunner TRD, two wheel drive, 6 cylinder, automatic. Great truck, but I have a question. I have to move a daughter from law school and am considering installing an after market tow package (hitch, etc.) so I can tow the trailer. Has anyone done this to their trucks? Is it a pretty simple installation? Should I go for the transmission cooler too? Is that tough to install?

One more thing, does anyone's truck "squeek" when driving. I notice it when driving on rough city streets with my window down. I haven't greased this thing since I bought it, thought the oil change guys would. I am assuming that's all it would take to fix this. Thanks.

 

Thanks for the link and the info. Does a good cleaning (power wash at the car wash) on the leaf springs eliminate that potential source of squeek, or is it more than that.

 

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It really is easy if you can work a wrench and have a spare hand for the hitch. check out the info he listed for the towing. If you plan to tow often a trans cooler is in your future but if it's only an rare occasion you can get away without one, just don't smash the pedal expecting results. Wiring harness is too easy with vehicle specific ones, they just clip in.

for reference I towed 2 motorcycles w/ trailer to Florida and back in October (~2k lbs) and did not have a trans cooler. I cruised at 65-70 mph and was fine, took my time going up hills and let it coast going down as much as I could.


Have fun moving

 

Could be something stuck or even the bushing for the leaf if you determined that's where the noise is coming from.

Also I would buy a grease gun and good recommended grease and hit all the zerks under the truck, should be about 6-7 for your 2wd. check out the maintenance posts in the 1st gen forum.

 

My leafs sound like an opera when they flex. The bushings will dry out. It doesn't hurt anything really. Just annoying. And the only way you can really get rid of it is to pull all the mounting bolts out and grease them up