A
few months ago I went looking for info on how to get a trailer hooked up to the family RAV4. It looked like it was going to be a problem because I thought we didn't have the towing prep package, which has some extra hardware for beefing up the radiator and alternator. From some additional forum reading, I found out that RAV4s made in Canada all have the towing prep package, and it turns out that ours is Canadian. There's
another way to check by looking at the fuses in the engine compartment on the driver's side: if there's a 140A one instead of a 120A one, then it's the towing prep package. This is mentioned in the owner's manual (for the '09 model, pp.394-395), but it's buried in there.
John Davies' site is very useful for figuring out how to install the towing stuff DIY. I haven't done it yet, but looking at the howto, I figure that I can manage. He's also got a
page for installing a
brake controller, which links to a
howto on installing the factory
wiring harness, and also has a PDF of the wiring harness.
Several sites sell Toyota OEM parts.
One site lists the receiver hitch as about $400, and the wiring harness is another $100. Plus the trailer.
Apparently, if the trailer plus load is over 600 lbs,
trailer brakes are necessary, which means adding on a
brake controller. That might as well be done at the same time as the wiring harness. (eTrailer.com has a
FAQ on the trailer wiring connector types.)
On the forums, there's also mention of a "
weight-distributing hitch" that helps stability when the tongue weight is on the high end.
Northern Tool+Equipment has a funky
steel trailer that's supposedly made in the USA. There are a couple downsides, namely that it's only seven feet long and the capacity's only 1500 lbs. Oh, and it costs $1800! Still, other than landscaping rock, I'm not sure what I'd haul that's that heavy, and sheet goods (4x8 plywood, drywall, etc.) could probably be left to hang out the back end as long as it's tied down.
The last thing that I need to know about is maximum speed while towing specific trailers. The RAV4 owner's manual indicates that you shouldn't drive over 45 mph while towing, but obviously people do that all the time: contractors hauling stuff and people hauling boats, etc. Presumably part of that is whether one has trailer brakes or not, but I assume axle construction and tire ratings are part of that. I definitely want a trailer that I can take up to highway speeds, so further study is necessary.
