blueridge

Merry Christmas all!

Hey, I'm going to get this ordered sometime in 2011 prior to deer season. Yes, I plan on hauling my shot deer back to the house in my Lexus.

Anyone on here using something like this?
http://www.rolaproducts.com/shop/details.asp?ProdID=59502&cat=2015

I will also need to get a hitch installed, searching the treads here it looks like the factory Lexus hitch is a bolt on and wiring may be plug and play? Any feedback is appreciated.

RX300TC

I've had a Class 3 Hidden Hitch for years and wouldn't use anything else (used mostly for carrying 2 to 3 mountain bikes on a rack). While a Class 3 hitch may be overkill for a RX300, the quality and strength will never be in question.

http://www.hiddenhitch.com/content/p...040&part=70777

blueridge

Nice, that may be overkill for towing with the RX because you don't want to tow THAT much anyway. But most hitches have a 300 lb tongue weight limit. The one you linked me to has 500. The carrier I'm looking at is 60 pounds to I'm down to 240 lbs already TW with most hitches.

I assume you DIY with this? Any problems bolting on?

RX300TC

Absolutely none. You use the existing holes for where the rear tow hooks are. No drilling required. The only hard part is finding a cardboard box (or something) to hold up one end while you bolt in the other. Super easy, here are the instructions and judge for yourself:
http://www.hiddenhitch.com/content/d...ion/N70777.pdf

bob2200

You might want to look up the tongue weight limit of the RX300, it isn't all that much as I recall. I don't know what the potential impact is either.

Leines

I also have a hidden hitch on my rx... i dont know what class it is.. but i assume 2 or 3 since its a 2" receiver.... I plan to maybe haul a smaller camping trailer at the most..... or couple of snowmobiles/atvs.... i sure hope it can pull that.. i was told that the rx should pull about 2500lbs with no problems....is that correct?

bob2200

The rated limits were 3,500 lbs with towing package and 1,500 lbs. without, as I recall.

blueridge

Good catch here! I checked my book and the tongue weight limit is 350 pounds. I'm not sure if there is an issue due to the integrity of the bolt onto frame, the frame itself, or if it's because the factory Lexus towing hitch has a 350 pound limit.

RX300TC

The HiddenHitch bolts directly into the frame where the tie down hooks are (I mistakenly called them tow hooks before). I seriously doubt 350 lbs would cause an issue here, there has to be much greater forces at work here during normal driving. I suspect the factory OEM hitch is not as strong as the Class III hitch from HiddenHitch, most factory hitches are only 1 1/2" square tube Class 1 or 2 hitches.

Also, for those that are towing trailers, the Lexus tow package added a transmission cooler which allows the heavier payloads.