OEM Bumper Towing capacity.

My manual states 1650 lbs. is the rear bumpers towing capacity weight.
(Including trailer weight?) probably.
All I plan on towing are Speed/John Boats or Kayaks.
My First concern was the Ball hitch height from the ground.

With a 1" height under the ball to clearly swivel the trailer tongue over the mounted eye bolts
I'm at a top of ball ground height of 24"s now.

They say the average trailers keeping them level in tow that they need the ball at a height of 20"s.

Do I manufacture a drop down bracket to support the ball then mount it to the bumper?
That would also keep the trailer swing from crushing the bumper plate lamp lights too.

Will this vehicles electronics handle the extra current for the trailer lamps or will there be an adaptor needed?

I'm making this hitch from readily available 304 Stainless hardware eye bolts I have at home.
I'll just need the the bracket made or ~$20.00 for a new 2" ball with a 1" shaft, 5"s long.

These OEM Bumpers can't tow much weight. That's for sure.
Now I know why they recommend moving into the aftermarket kits.
In 1990 I wish-boned my first Tacoma's bumper by pulling out stumps from the ground. :.(
My wish came true though I got another. :.) LOL

 

Can you swing $150ish to buy a hitch that bolts to the frame like the factory installed hitch? Another $50 gets you a plug and play trailer light harness so you don't have to splice/tap into any wiring for a trouble-free installation. Doing both would solve most of the concerns you have but cost a little more money.

 

Someone in your area might have one they took off too.

 

Yes I can afford the extra cash. But I'm adding more steel that way to carry around as I play around town without towing something. I am very interested in the plug an play electrical harness you mentioned though. That's the next project with this this goal I have in mind.
Also found out reading the Owners manual more. That 3000 lbs. is the acceptable GTW to use on it. After all things to be considered, you don't buy a 4cyl. if your looking to pull more weight than this, at the rate of maybe 10-12 times a year. I'm going with a direct hole mount 2" ball costing about $20.00-30.00 with a 5" long 1" wide thread. The "L" shaped bracket offset would have to be custom made and need another 1" thick bolt for offsetting it to that pristine 20" height most trailers have. The slight taper up I'll have isn't good for the normal load transports but it should be helpful in the unloading and reloading of any craft off the shore line or boat ramp. Be careful, those slimy boat ramps have hurt a lot of newbie's going fishing.

 

Buy a real hitch instead of futzing around.

My 2.7 5 lug does fine with low weights.

I have a Curt hitch I bolted on myself, a 2" ball mount with a 2" drop and 2" ball, a 1.5" ball just in case, a Curt wiring harness, a Curt dust cover for the 4 pin plug and a Toyota hitch plug.

Even running a bed extender for something like a kayak requires a real hitch.

 

If I upgrade to a 14' Kayak or get younger yes. My 12 foot Hobie works fine this way. Just have to break it down on the return. Too old for lifting it myself anymore without doing that.