Notes re Etrailer, Curt Hitches, US JACKS, SafeJack, Topar Welding

I just signed up in TW a couple weeks ago when I started driving and setting up a 2009 Tacoma 4x4 5 speed manual single cab. Amazing amount of valuable information and cool ideas herein. Thanks all. In case these comments are useful to someone considering the gear I just shopped for:

I had a smooth experience getting a trailer light kit from etrailer. Good video, no problems, works fine so far. Bought a Curt receiver from etrailer - way out of straight and a crooked inch away from fitting the truck frame. The install video is helpful. I understand the side plates can take some flexing to fit. This one needed serious twisting down at the angle iron and a compound differential bend above the angles. They declined to send another or to accept return of the twisted one. During several days of sending pix and msgs they continued sending auto emails saying they hoped I was enjoying my latest order. Forget about their 'satisfaction guaranteed, no questions asked returns' policy.

Got the Safe Jack starter kit to help make the road jack safer. These adapters are way cool, raising the height of a bottle jack and are shaped to spread out weight and keep things from slipping. Excellent response and parts.

But the Safe Jack parts require a different jack than the Tacoma original. I bought a 5 ton US Jack from USA Tool Supply. Both companies are real helpful, fast, and the jack seems first rate. With the adapter collar the extensions fit the jack well.

For a pulling/recovery point I got Topar Welding, Trinidad, Colo, to make a D ring mount for the receiver. It took two days and cost less money than the Chinese junk parts I have to choose from locally. Topar is a really good mechanics, welding, trailer, fabricating outfit to know about around here.

I've never had any luck with crummy push/light/bumper bars. I yanked off the Westin bull bar and improved the appearance, clearance, and access to the tow loop.

As a result of checking out the threads around here I think I have a pretty adequate trailer connection, recovery point, and a much better jack.

I'm still hunting down a just-enough size storage box for odds and ends. Pretty fun.

 

My install of a Curt hitch wasn't nearly that bad. When we first lifted it against the frame rails, it appeared to be about 3/8" too narrow, and we couldn't get it started. I spent about 10 minutes on hold with Curt tech support but gave up on that and tried again. We tilted the hitch so the receiver end was aiming down a bit and that allowed us to get the ears started. Once the ends were well along the frame, we rotated the hitch level and then used a floorjack to assist. It actually didn't require too much force, but it allowed us to focus on getting the holes aligned without struggling to keep the hitch in place.

Sounds like yours was far more off than mine... mine at least was square, just a tad narrow for an easy fit. Maybe Curt needs to inspect their welding jigs to ensure they haven't gotten knocked out of shape.

The Curt wiring harness was pretty simple, and one of the cleanest I've used... didn't require any wiretaps but instead provided OEM wiring sockets and plugs to put inline with the left and right taillights.

 

That's when you should be putting in a dispute with your credit card company.

 

You're right, I was back and forth deciding to cancel the payment vs fighting the fit. I spread the hitch open with a bumper jack enough at the horizontal plates, which opened the top of the hitch out a few inches too wide. Stuck a board inside the hitch cut to the length of the width of the truck frame and pulled the plates back to the right size. It took some twisting of the plates but clamping it around a 10 inch board with almost all the force in my two hi lifts it lined up. I really expected etrailer to dispatch another hitch right away. It's working alright for my 1000 pound trailer and couple kayaks. But should have been easier.