Is towing on bumper ok on 2004TRD Taco?

I've never towed before. Is the step tow bumper on the TRD package functional? I'm asking because if you get a 3rd party hitch, it would sit much lower than the bumper. In addition, isn't the TRD higher than stock height? I'm not towing on the streets, just a 16 foot boat from the storage on a dirt road no more than 10 mph then into the water. Thanks in advance. I haven't gotten a 3rd party hitch installed because when I back up into my driveway, it would scrape the sideway because of the angle of the steet to the driveway.

 

You can tow from the bumper but nothing heavy or you'll bend it. I would imagine a 16' boat would be more than I'd want to tow from the bumper personally. As far as an aftermarket receiver, they do provide a lower tow point which is, in many cases, better as it allows the trailer to tow level.

How steep is your driveway?!?! I've never come anywhere near close to scraping my receiver on any public road.

 

I wouldn't say "much" lower than the bumper. I had a Reese, tucked up right underneath and actually bolted to the bumper.



Never had it scrape on anything while I owned it and even took it off-roading.

The bumper should be stamped right near the ball hole on how much weight it can take. I recall it is 350 lb but been awhile since I had a stock bumper.

 

Are you talking about the receiver or the ball mount? If the ball mount scraps, you can get one with less drop or even a rise. If your receiver is scraping, then wholly hell you have a steep driveway!

 

Some Reese ball mounts that can be flipped if you want rise instead of drop:

http://www.autoanything.com/towing/...ngid=274x484&gclid=COfQq63GubkCFe9aMgodOwsAxA

 

I think he means he would be scraping the ball if he had an aftermarket tow package. The reciever on mine would be very hard to hit, although I've managed to do it offroad just messing around. But I'd recommend an aftermarket tow package anyway. It's a nice thing to have. Especially if you have to tow something farther than expected.

 

why not just get a high clearance rear bumper with a integrated hitch?

 

it is a combination of things 1) There was a about a two inch or so hole/trench where the concrete driveway meets with the asphalt. The asphalt just kept chipping away 2) My street is heavily bowed and the middle of the street is higher so the water runs to the sides of the street, then down the hill.
Some neighbors had different approaches to solve this issues. 1) They extended the driveway further into the street with concrete, they redo it every few years as the concrete chips away. Another neighbor redid the sideway with a grade because his car would scrape. There is some plastic that scrapes on the bottom my SC430 but I'm not going to redo my sideway because of it.

After all this, they've repaved the street and I'm noway close to hitting. It turns out the reason the my friends old F150 was close to scraping was 1) it was stock and lower than my car and 2) The distance from the rear wheels to the hitch was further 3) it was a receiver where the ball was dropped just a little.

Thanks for the input, I just got away and used the bumping hitch.

Also I didn't want to put a receiver because this was the first time in the 10 years since I've owned the truck that I've needed to tow something. I'd probably have a new truck by the next time I need to tow something.