CONSIDERING EVERY ANGLE
A Genuine Lexus tow hitch is a highly engineered structural component that – when properly integrated with a Lexus vehicle – allows the Guests hassle-free use of their vehicle’s towing capacity. At the same time, Lexus considers the hitch only one component of a complete towing system. That’s because Lexus ensures all components of each vehicle are optimized for towing, from the engine to the transmission, to the oil-cooling to the electrical systems.

Functionality dominates the engineering process, with Lexus’s engineers taking into account every aspect of the towing system as it will function in different towing situations. For example, establishing the departure angle of the hitch and ball mount is critical, because if the angle and distance to the back tires and the ball mount are too far apart, the ball mount may scrape the ground while towing on an incline.

PUT TO THE (GENUINE LEXUS) TEST
Any tow hitch can be designed to withstand the force required to tow thousands of pounds. However, actual towing capability requires significantly more than a rating on any given hitch label, which is why buying “Genuine Lexus” is so important to safe, successful towing. Lexus understands the comprehensive towing requirements necessary for its vehicles and will only provide a tow hitch that matches the exact capacity of each vehicle in its entirety. To ensure this promise, Lexus carries out an uncompromising design, testing and manufacturing process for each essential part of the Genuine Lexus Towing system including the tow hitch, as well as the trailer ball, ball mount and wire harness.

Thorough testing of every tow hitch and ball mount design is conducted both on and off each specific Lexus model. Precise computer simulations are used for each hitch to analyze stress points, assess impact forces and examine design efficiency. Once the initial design passes the simulation testing, steel prototypes are created and sent to certified labs within Lexus and to our certified suppliers for real-world testing.

Stringent Lexus-required tests then ensure the quality and effectiveness of the design for the life of the vehicle. This is achieved through lab tests that, in a matter of days or weeks, can simulate—and predict—the effects of the elements and ongoing usage a hitch is subjected to throughout its lifetime. Environmental chambers test the harshness of water, salt, UV, and temperature on the hitch. Hydraulic repetition machines test the long-term mechanical durability of the hitch via extensive fatigue testing. The final step is on-road testing with each vehicle model and its corresponding hitch.

NORTH AMERICAN BUILT
All Lexus hitches are manufactured in North America by expert welders, press operators and painters. Each hitch is stamped, machined and welded, which is followed by painting of the completed hitch. All Lexus hitches are painted with two distinct coating materials, double that of most aftermarket hitches. For starters, the hitch is dipped into a black protective coating called electro-deposition coating or “e-coat,” which provides corrosion protection in each and every nook and cranny. This material protects the steel hitch from the harsh effects of the environment, namely all forms of salt and water.

The second coating is a “powder top coat,” which is a hard protective coating that keeps the hitch from becoming chalky and prevents peeling that can be caused by exposure to the sun’s ultra-violet rays, while also protecting against chips and scratches. The completed Lexus Towing Systems are then shipped to Lexus Dealerships in a self-contained recyclable box that protects the parts from damage, ensuring their essential integrity and quality.

MAINTAINING VEHICLE INTEGRITY
Each Genuine Lexus tow hitch is custom designed to fit one specific model, because each vehicle’s frame and structure is different. An advanced (no-drill) hitch installation process and wire harness attachment make this system non-invasive to the frame of the vehicle—in contrast to drilling into the body, which is required by some aftermarket towing systems. This can compromise the vehicle by removing protective coatings on the steel frame, causing rust and weakening the vehicle. The Genuine Lexus Towing System comes with a custom wiring harness—critical to ensuring seamless taillight and turn signal operations—that includes high-quality, plug-in connectors that fit each specific Lexus model. On the contrary, splicing into the wiring harness of the sophisticated electronic system on a Lexus could cause a short in the system and void the warranty.

A Genuine Lexus Hitch is also designed to transfer the force of towing across the vehicle. By displacing the pressure and weight of towing over a wider area on the vehicle, the Genuine Lexus Hitch minimizes the stress across the connection points between the hitch and frame, preserving the integrity of the body structure. When purchased after delivery, Genuine Lexus Hitches are backed by Lexus’s 12 month/20,000 km warranty or the balance of the new vehicle basic warranty (4 year/80,000km), whichever is greater. When purchased at time of delivery, the 4 year/80,000km basic warranty applies, and if purchased over-the-counter, the 12 month/unlimited km warranty applies on parts only.