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This custom-fit trailer hitch with a hidden cross tube installs behind your vehicle's rear bumper, leaving only the receiver visible beneath it. Aluminum and steel alloy construction is durable and eco-friendly. Powder coat finish resists rust.
Features:
Specs:
The EcoHitch Hidden trailer hitch is designed to be as inconspicuous as possible. The hitch's cross tube bolts onto your vehicle's frame, behind your rear bumper. No drilling or welding is required. Once the hitch is installed, only the receiver will be visible beneath your bumper. This means that your vehicle can maintain its stylish, from-the-factory look, and you won't have to do any major modifications to its body or frame.
With a combination of aerospace-grade aluminum, steel, and stainless steel, each EcoHitch is made of a strong metal alloy that will withstand the test of time. The lightweight alloy is composed of recycled materials. Traditional steel hitch manufacturing can use coal or oil, which can contribute to harmful gas emissions. The EcoHitch's recycled materials limit the carbon footprint during manufacturing, so you get a sturdy trailer hitch while also helping the environment.
This EcoHitch trailer hitch is tested for durability and sturdiness. Using Finite Elemental Analysis (FEA), individual points of stress on the hitch can be detected and remedied. Designers can accurately test the hitch to ensure that it will meet or exceed SAE J684 standards. The EcoHitch Hidden trailer hitch is carefully researched and strength tested for a durable, high-quality hitch that can resist damage while on the road.
At etrailer.com we're committed to the products we sell, and to our customers. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff are available via both phone and email to address your questions and concerns for the lifetime of your hitch. The technicians at etrailer perform hitch installations on a daily basis, making them a valuable resource for do-it-yourselfers. The one-on-one, personal service you'll receive comes straight from an expert in the towing and automotive field. We've installed it, we've wired it and we've towed with it, so whatever your question, we can answer it.
Average Customer Rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars (127 Customer Reviews)
This custom-fit trailer hitch with a hidden cross tube installs behind your vehicle's rear bumper, leaving only the receiver visible beneath it. Aluminum and steel alloy construction is durable and eco-friendly. Powder coat finish resists rust.The EcoHitch hits the sweet spot for price and design. Now that Toyota OEM hitches are running $475 the EcoHitch is cheaper while still providing clean aesthetics, good clearance and a much simpler installation procedure. I strapped the tongue of the hitch to my floor jack and was able to lift it into place with minimal repositioning. The tailgate kick sensor still works as well as before (not always great in the first place) without modification. The whole installation was about an 1.25 hours by myself. The fit is excellent. The only comment relative to the provided instructions is that the suggested cutout of the fascia panel was about .25" longer/higher than it really needed to be, but still looks clean and attractive. I chose to use a .375" spade bit to round the inside corners at the top of the notch to avoid future tearing of the fascia if the corners were left sharp.
The hitch itself is well built. Do I think it should be double the price of the others.. probably not. I went with this hitch to have more clearance from the ground. I also didn't cut the bumper and it still looks and fits nicely without doing that. I figured if I wanted to cut it out after I could. The ONLY problem is that some of the hitch coating was scratch and rubbed off from shipping.I took some rust protection and spayed it and called it good in thos spots. Here in AZ it should last forever. I did put it up by myself using even four limbs, help it recommend.
Overall shipping was fast and the hitch has quality. Should do the job and last as long as the rav4 does. If I had any downside is the price.
Solid hitch receiver, but it was packed without any padding or protective wrap in a single-ply cardboard box. The edges of the hitch receiver had pushed through the box and the paint is already chipped in some locations. It seems that this is a common issue, disappointing that the packing process hasn't been changed to at least wrap the edges to avoid paint chipping and damage.
Jenny N.
2/22/2024
It is disappointing to receive a scratched hitch. I will have our Customer Service team reach out to you. I recommend touching up the hitch with a rust resistant paint such as Rustoleum and we can send out a can of paint for you.
Excellent fit. Written instructions were adequate but the related video was very helpful. Passenger side work space is challenging but it works. Completed the installation without help or a lift. A floor jack was very helpful. Shipping was less than perfect. Holes in the box. Ripped the parts bag. Lost a washer. Other parts floating in the box
Ecohitch receiver arrived with no packaging on it, and parts kit shrink wrapped to it. Loses a star for ZERO protection during shipping. Receiver itself fit perfectly on a 2023 Rav4 Hybrid Woodland Edition. Used a dremel to cut the bumper fascia as directed in the instructions. Removed (3) Rearmost exhaust hangers and hung the exhaust from a ratchet strap. I’d recommend starting on the driver’s side when bolting up, as passenger side is tight.
The whole process took me about 2 hours working solo. A (recommended) second installer would make the job go a lot faster.
I have to go back and touch-up some paint, and the install is done.
Finished install looks good. No complaints.
This was an extremely install! All holes lines up and plastic trimming was minimal. I definitely recommend the Ecohitch for the Rav 4. Yes it costs a little more, but it is easy to put on and looks like the factory did it. etrailer videos are concise, thourough and to the point.
Arrived looking good with only minor damage to the box and none to the hitch. Hardware was securely taped to the hitch, so would not have been lost if the box had opened up. Installed easily—took two of us about a half hour. Didn't need to lower the exhaust—could jimmy the hitch in, front end first as described in previous reviews. (I put some tape on the exhaust tips to prevent scratches.) Didn't trim fascia as the hitch only caused about a quarter inch deflection. Liftgate kick-to-open still works fine.
Wow, this was so easy to install on our 2024 RAV4 Hybrid. The included installation instructions and the Etrailer video made this a piece of cake. I put the car up on ramps and then I completed the install in 20 minutes all by myself.
The hardest part was lifting the receiver up solo, but that only took one try and a couple minutes. My trick: first I ran the bolts into the threaded frame to make sure the threads were good. Then I laid on a creeper with the receiver on top of me. I positioned myself across the rear of the car just in from the rear bumper. Lifted one side with my arms and the other on my knees, then got the first bolt in place.
Best looking easiest job I’ve done. Great installation videos. Thanks Etrailer for making me look like I know what I’m doing! My only suggestion is it fits without cutting the bumper, and looks more professional. Extremely happy. Did experience the bad box packaging issue but it’s awesome!
Glenn B.
5/17/2024
Great hitch, easy 2 person install, tucks up under so well it’s better than factory, and unlike competitors hitches starts with a U… No rust! Which is very uncommon in upstate NY! Works well looks great very happy
The hitch arrived promptly. There was damage to the packaging and some scrapes and scratches to the hitch. Some welds looked a bit sketchy. Nothing to interfere with the use of the hitch. Installed using your video. Thanks!
I installed this a year ago on my 2023 RAV4 Prime. I picked eTrailer instead of Torklift because they provided awesome instructions. Thank goodness, too, because it shipped directly from Torklift with next to no packaging and half of the hardware fell out. eTrailer took excellent care of me, ordered the parts bag for me, and I finished the last bolt a couple of hours before taking off on a camping trip. The hitch has taken bikes and gear on a platform all over the place since then and has performed great. Yeah, there is a little slop, but it hasn’t been an issue with a bike rack and cargo platform. Plus I didn’t even have to cut the bumper, it’s *right* under but doesn’t deform the plastic. I “saved” my kick sensor but it never worked well even before, so I just shut it off. Maybe someday I’ll mess with it again.
High quality product, well designed. The supporting install videos by etrailer were outstanding.
2022 Rav4 Hybrid Limited.Hitch works great. It fits and mounts up like it is suppose to . I had a hard time mentally!--- cutting the bumper wrap plastic on a brand new car but I wanted a hitch that would tuck under the car nice and tight. I used a Dremel tool with a metal cutting friction blade. The cut doesn't show..so not a big deal. I raised the rear of the car by driving up on some wooden 3x6 ramps. I also used a floor jack in the middle of the hitch to make things easier.
The product seems very good. The packaging was very bad. I almost didn't order because of the other reviews talking about the scratches exposing the metal, and mine had the same problem. I had to use rustoleum to paint the scratched corners. I thought etrailer would have heard all other complaints and fixed they packaging method. An extra dollar on some bubble wrap for an expensive product won't put pressure on your business. The installation is easy. Tips for DIYers: 1-You can skip the part of cutting the bumper if you dont want to permanently modify your car. 2-Raising the back of the car a little will help a lot. As little as 5in. An easy way is to drive the back wheels over 2 stable pavement blocks on a slightly sloped drive way, and of course use wheel chocks for safety. 3-Use cardboard on the ground to not scratch the hitch and yourself. 4-You don't need to lower the muffler. 5-You can use the muffler as a leverage to raise the hitch in place from the ground. The sides of the hitch that are screwed to the car, fit exactly in between the 2 exhaust tips. This is possible if you don't raise the back too much. 6-The screws on the passenger side are a PITA because of the narrow space to get them started, and you will need a extension for the torque wrench. A good extension is not easy to find. If you don't have one you can tight it to a certain point with a common wrench and drive to a mechanic and ask them just to torque it to the right number showed in the manual. The driver side is easy to work. 7-To raise the hitch and put all screws in place you can use a piece of wood like a 2x4 or a fence plank, and use the ground as a leverage point. Very easy for someone to raise it this way while you put the screws in place.
Very well designed. Took a touch over an hour to install. I raised the back of the car on ramps. Needed a second person to hold one side of the hitch receiver while I was getting the bolts in on the other side. It was pretty tight and took some banging with my palm to get the other side to move up on the frame and align the bolt hole. Clearance on the passenger side is tight. I don’t have a dog bone torque extender but I have crow foot wrenches which worked with some difficulty - clearing was especially tight to get the torque wrench to fit.
I didn’t cut the bumper as the hitch just pushes it up.
Packaging could have been better.
I like the ecohitch for its nearly hidden installation on my 2019 RAV4 Adventure. It tucks up nicely behind the bumper and the Adventure edition has an additional inch of clearance anyway so there is plenty of clearance without having to remove the bumper in the case of the OEM hitch from Toyota. I decided to skip cutting the bumper slightly and it was no issue. The product seems well built and the included instructions were clear. I’m very pleased with the purchase.
The videos provided by etrailer.com made installation more clear and helped me prepare for any common issues.
The delivery was rescheduled multiple times and did not arrive promptly - I had to reach out and escalate a claim both with UPS & etrailer.com. Once finally delivered I understood why - the package wasn’t properly sealed, was mishandled and had opened during transit. Needless to say the entire item was scratched, dented and did not include a single piece of installation hardware. In good faith I would not recommend this experience to anyone.
Installed on a 2023 Rav4 Prime. Overall I like the hitch quite a bit. Compared to the oem hitch, it sits about 2 or 3 inches lower (inline with exhaust) but is much easier/less involved to install and $[XX] cheaper. I had to uninstall the shipping tie down that was on the frame first.
I docked a star because the item’s coating was damaged in multiple places upon arrival. To prevent it from rusting prematurely i applied a rust encapsulator on those areas, which seemed to work well. Not worth returning since these areas are all non-visible once installed. The packaging pipeline needs more care and attention to detail to prevent this type of damage from happening. Other reviews did mention this problem so a bit disappointed that this issue has not been resolved yet. At a bare minimum the packaging should have foam blocks on the edges of this hitch to prevent damage during transport, which it did not.
I'm excited about the product, but it arrived with scrapes/chipped paint, which may cause rust issues down the line. Based on the location of the scraps, it doesn't appear to have happened during shipping, which means etrailer didn't do a very good job of checking that it was customer ready.
Katrina B.
5/10/2023
I am sorry that your hitch arrived with scratches on it. We recommend covering up any scratches or scuffs with a rust-oleum type of paint. There is a link below for your reference. I have sent your information over to our customer service department for them to look into getting you a paint credit.
Helpful Links
This hitch is well made, my problem is with the poor instructions. You have to cut your bumper plastic to install this hitch and the instructions provide the measurements, but with this item basically twice the cost of other hitches it should have a precise template to tape to the bumper for that cut.
I misinterpreted their 2 5/8 wide by 4 3/4 tall description of how to measure that height and ended up cutting a fair bit more out of the bumper than was necessary. A single piece of paper with a template would have been a much better way to go.
Quality, service and ease of installati on
After one year of ownership, this hitch receiver has held up well. It was easy to install, is very sturdy, and has survived cross-country trips with the bikes in stow. It adds minimal ground clearance and my RAV4 has survived several off-road trips with it attached. Highly recommend.
Received the hitch which was sticking out of the box which rubbed a bunch of the paint off. Now, if I install it in this condition it will rust. You need to improve your packing methods. We’ll see how it installs.
Nice hitch. A bit overpriced compared to the other offerings that are similar in size/amount of material. However I wanted the extra 2" of ground clearance so I bit the bullet and payed the extra amount.
However I wanted the clean look and clearance so went ahead and cut it.
One suggestion: After getting it laid out correctly according to the instructions using removable painter's tape, I first drilled 3/8" holes in the top corners to make a rounded more finished look. Also I was a bit afraid about cutting so the corners were "sharp" and the possibility that due to vibration and fatigue over times the corners could start tearing.
After drilling the corners I used a utility knife and steel straight edge to cut the rest of it and then sanded to finish. Turned out well.
I haven't mounted it yet as I have some vertebral compression fractures from rock climbing so can't lift it up into place underneath the car. I'm scheduled to have U-haul install it in a couple days. They install Curt hitches all the time which are virtually the same 4 bolts and same process. They only charge $[XX] to install the Curt hitches on a Rav4 so I'm hoping it will be similarly - especially since I went to the trouble of cutting the fascia myself.
This unit is very well built and tucked in nicely without pulling panels off like the OEM hitch. The installation was and a breeze. I would recommend to family and friends.
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Big J.
8/14/2023
The hitch is good. No rust. Probably bc I live in Arizona. I did end up taking the bumper off and cutting the slot in the bumper so the hits sits flush with the bumper. Looks factory. I use it all the time for a 4x8 trailer and I may of used it for a car dolly for 35 miles. Nothing I can say bad about the hitch besides the price still. I think they would sale more if they would just lower the price a tad .