1. Welcome to 4Runners.com!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all 4Runner discussion topics
    • Transfer over your build thread from a different forum to this one
    • Communicate privately with other 4Runner owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Factory hitch receiver - flip?

Discussion in '5th Gen 4Runners (2010-2024)' started by BionicRandy, May 24, 2022.

  1. May 24, 2022 at 9:55 PM
    #1
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    I am eyeballing my factory receiver, thinking it would sure gain a lot of departure angle if that hitch was flipped. I have already moved up everything but the receiver and the exhaust, and the exhaust will be moved up and turned out the side very soon, leaving just that receiver to clearance. Has anyone done this, or moved it up some other way? Tyia!
     
  2. May 25, 2022 at 7:35 AM
    #2
    McSpazatron

    McSpazatron New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2021
    Member:
    #19810
    Messages:
    4,612
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2021 4runner OR
    Dobinson IMS Warn Bumper CaliRaised Sliders 285/70 K02s
    I think the receiver hole would be blocked by the rear bumper/crossmember…I think.
     
  3. May 25, 2022 at 7:45 AM
    #3
    MAXIM

    MAXIM New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 6, 2020
    Member:
    #12593
    Messages:
    394
    Gender:
    Male
    If you don't tow, just remove it completely:

    [​IMG]

    From this:

    [​IMG]
     
    BionicRandy[OP] likes this.
  4. May 25, 2022 at 7:56 AM
    #4
    Emmantik

    Emmantik New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 11, 2018
    Member:
    #8016
    Messages:
    375
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2015 Magnetic Grey SR5P
    What is the part number for this trim piece? I am looking to do the same as I rarely use the hitch receiver and it is starting to develop some surface rust. Thanks!
     
  5. May 25, 2022 at 8:36 AM
    #5
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2019
    Member:
    #9314
    Messages:
    12,412
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    James
    S/E Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRDORP, KDSS, MGM
    RSG sliders, Yakima offgrid basket, Pro-Comp wheels, SOS Streamline bumper and skids, Warn VR EVO10S winch + Ultimate Sidewinder, Bilstein 6112 + 5100 + rear lift coils, Rigid Dually SS ditch lights w/Caliraised brackets and OEM style dash switch
    I'm trying to imagine how it could be flipped? So that the opening is on top of the bumper?:notsure:

    Removing it would help as mentioned, but it sure makes a nice recovery point.
     
  6. May 25, 2022 at 8:42 AM
    #6
    MeefZah

    MeefZah ---

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2015
    Member:
    #1122
    Messages:
    2,544
    Gender:
    Male
    Lexington, Ohio
    I think the earlier 5th gens are lower (OP has a 2012).

    Dunno for sure but the plastic on the earlier ones is definitely lower and more extensive...
     
    Thatbassguy[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. May 25, 2022 at 9:32 AM
    #7
    BearBio

    BearBio New Member

    Joined:
    May 3, 2021
    Member:
    #21264
    Messages:
    1,056
    First Name:
    Greg
    Vehicle:
    2019, Dark Blue SR5
    Roof rack, side bars
    I have bad knees, so I put a step on mine to facilitate getting into the rear.
     
  8. May 25, 2022 at 12:25 PM
    #8
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    Just looking at it, it looks like there is enough room for it to fit on top of the crossmember and still be below the plastic bumper(barely). I know it will require some fabricating if I decide to do it. I can’t just remove it…I just finished my fancy swing out spare carrier. I just want to move it “up” a bit.
     
  9. Jun 1, 2022 at 5:13 PM
    #9
    skylinekin

    skylinekin New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2022
    Member:
    #25836
    Messages:
    14
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2019 4Runner TRD PRO
    There are two bolts which attach the hitch to the bottom of the rear cross member, those are threaded into captive nuts inside the frame crossmember which do not exist on the top. So you would have to just leave those off or figure out a solution for that.
    There is also a bumper support that runs along the top of the crossmember under the plastic bumper which may have some interference.
    I am also not sure if the crossmember is evenly spaced so that the bottom lip of the hitch would slip over the top of the crossmember properly if flipped and using the original bolt locations on the front face.
    Doesn't hurt to try though!
     
    BionicRandy[OP] likes this.
  10. Jun 1, 2022 at 7:12 PM
    #10
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    I appreciate that. I have not had time to pull the bumper off yet, but after looking at pics I will probably have to just cut and flip the whole center piece and fab it back in a couple inches lower. I’m not scared to cut and weld my frame. I’m never selling it anyway.
     
    skylinekin[QUOTED] likes this.
  11. Jun 22, 2022 at 11:55 AM
    #11
    SnakeDoc

    SnakeDoc New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2021
    Member:
    #22923
    Messages:
    852
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Eric
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Venture & 2010 tundra limited
    Why not just lift the runner a few inches?
     
  12. Jun 22, 2022 at 6:05 PM
    #12
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    It already has 898s. I can’t lift it any more than it already is. :angrygirl:
     
  13. Jun 23, 2022 at 2:36 PM
    #13
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    I have clearanced everything but the tow hook, exhaust and hitch so far. My vision is a 1.75” DOM tube hugging the plastic bumper all the way around to the wheel wells, gusseted & attached to the frame in the rear and sides. It will be like a rear bumper rock slider, to which I can weld steps and recovery points. The hitch needs to be a couple inches above the top of that tube so my swing out spare tire carrier isn’t the first thing contacting a rock.

    EB3B07C0-29BB-460C-A86F-F2DC0709F260.jpg
    6DFD3DB9-51F9-4FB7-A2A4-8A20378F0E90.jpg
     
    2Toys likes this.
  14. Jun 23, 2022 at 3:13 PM
    #14
    SnakeDoc

    SnakeDoc New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2021
    Member:
    #22923
    Messages:
    852
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Eric
    Vehicle:
    2020 4Runner Venture & 2010 tundra limited
    20210821_090310.jpg
    I just went and looked at mine and measured 21" floor to the bottom of hitch receiver, I've done quite a bit of off road and never had that problem even with the bever tail on or my tire carrier. How much clearance do you have? I put the TRD exhaust on for that reason. It turns out to the right side. Now you got me wondering.
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2022
  15. Jun 23, 2022 at 4:39 PM
    #15
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    The bottom of my hitch is 20.5”. I have a sleeping platform with drawers, tools, kitchen in there all the time. I guess I could unload the truck when I go rock climbing. A friend and I went to Hidden Falls a few weeks ago and I was dragging the hitch, spare carrier, broke a mudflap, and beat up everything else, thus all this effort.;) I need to get 1 more piece to shorten the exhaust to frame level and run it out the side through a hole behind the wheel well.
     
    SnakeDoc likes this.
  16. Jun 23, 2022 at 4:40 PM
    #16
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    …and I need a 2nd set of wheels with 35s on them.
     
  17. Jun 30, 2022 at 7:57 PM
    #17
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
  18. Jun 30, 2022 at 8:07 PM
    #18
    Trail Runnah

    Trail Runnah New Member

    Joined:
    May 8, 2020
    Member:
    #14189
    Messages:
    2,619
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2013 T4R Trail Edition
    Stock
    Yeah I don't think moving the hitch two or three inches upwards is going to prevent that, haha.

    The driver mod would have probably been more effective in that case.
     
  19. Jun 30, 2022 at 8:14 PM
    #19
    2Toys

    2Toys Imperial Star Cruiser

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2020
    Member:
    #15337
    Messages:
    1,080
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Gordon
    NorCal
    Vehicle:
    2019 4Runner TRDORP
    a few goodies
    Nice cat! :D
     
    4runGirl88 and BionicRandy[OP] like this.
  20. Jun 30, 2022 at 9:19 PM
    #20
    Altitude4x4

    Altitude4x4 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2021
    Member:
    #19940
    Messages:
    375
    Gender:
    Male
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2019 Voodoo Blue TRD Pro
    If you don't offroad, remove it. It's a clutch rear recovery point if you do though.
     
  21. Jul 1, 2022 at 5:29 AM
    #21
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    I didn’t do all that cutting to jump curbs at Home Depot. :oldglory:
     
    SnakeDoc and 2Toys like this.
  22. Jul 1, 2022 at 4:39 PM
    #22
    Altitude4x4

    Altitude4x4 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2021
    Member:
    #19940
    Messages:
    375
    Gender:
    Male
    Colorado
    Vehicle:
    2019 Voodoo Blue TRD Pro
    Many do, that's why I mentioned it.
     
  23. Jul 1, 2022 at 10:37 PM
    #23
    Thatbassguy

    Thatbassguy New member? Really??

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2019
    Member:
    #9314
    Messages:
    12,412
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    James
    S/E Wisconsin
    Vehicle:
    2019 TRDORP, KDSS, MGM
    RSG sliders, Yakima offgrid basket, Pro-Comp wheels, SOS Streamline bumper and skids, Warn VR EVO10S winch + Ultimate Sidewinder, Bilstein 6112 + 5100 + rear lift coils, Rigid Dually SS ditch lights w/Caliraised brackets and OEM style dash switch
    For the amount of effort described here, why not just get a high clearance rear bumper with a swingout?
     
  24. Jul 2, 2022 at 7:28 AM
    #24
    BionicRandy

    BionicRandy [OP] New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2021
    Member:
    #24510
    Messages:
    831
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Randy
    TX Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Black SR5 aka the Batmobile
    Lots of goodies
    I already have more clearance than anything available except that stinking receiver lol. The method to the madness: I was given a swing out motorized wheelchair carrier by a friend, so it was minimal effort to turn it into a really nice, super heavy duty (650 lbs) swing out spare carrier. Right now I have about $38 invested in it and I will stand it beside a $1600 Rigd anyday. It ain’t as pretty, but it will carry more and last longer at a $1500 savings. Gotta go with it!
     
    Thatbassguy[QUOTED] likes this.

Products Discussed in

To Top