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I am looking for a shop to install the Ecohitch for me. I live in the SF Bay Area. Any recommendations of a good shop?

[Edit] Additionally, what is the tradeoff between the OEM wiring harness vs some of the aftermarket ones? I am new to tow hitches. From this thread, it appears that the the OEM wiring harness is more expensive, but easier install b/c there is no need to run wiring from the battery. Are there other things I should be considering?
 
I am looking for a shop to install the Ecohitch for me. I live in the SF Bay Area. Any recommendations of a good shop?

[Edit] Additionally, what is the tradeoff between the OEM wiring harness vs some of the aftermarket ones? I am new to tow hitches. From this thread, it appears that the the OEM wiring harness is more expensive, but easier install b/c there is no need to run wiring from the battery. Are there other things I should be considering?
I ordered the one from etrailer that @PetTaxi referenced:

It was plug and play and required no splicing. I ordered the Sienna specific one for $60 on EBay but it was the same thing. I didn't see any reason to go with Toyota OEM one which was 3x to 4x the price.
 
Update:
I ordered my Ecohitch and received it yesterday after 10 days. Installed it today and I have to say thanks to all the helpful posts, pictures, and hints from everyone. It took me a couple of hours but after I finished, I couldn't stop looking at the van and admiring it. It truly completes the function and utility of these amazing vehicles. If anyone has any questions, feel free to post as everything is fresh in my memory. I literally have ZERO helpful pointers to share since everyone beat me to it. Thank you ALL.
 
Update:
I ordered my Ecohitch and received it yesterday after 10 days. Installed it today and I have to say thanks to all the helpful posts, pictures, and hints from everyone. It took me a couple of hours but after I finished, I couldn't stop looking at the van and admiring it. It truly completes the function and utility of these amazing vehicles. If anyone has any questions, feel free to post as everything is fresh in my memory. I literally have ZERO helpful pointers to share since everyone beat me to it. Thank you ALL.
Does anyone know a good installer in Nashville Tennessee?
 
Ecohitch installed!

Ended up having Tops and Trends in Fletcher, NC do it (they do a lot of after market work). Not sure how much the labor ended up being as we had them add heated seats and backup sensors at the same time (we have the LE and wife wanted them, but only way we could get AWD and 8-passenger), but it was not cheap. End result looks good I think though! Can’t wait to try towing the camper - will let you know how the mpg is affected.




View attachment 55956
View attachment 55957 View attachment 55956
Do you know if they made the trim piece for the cutout? I wonder if that’s something they sell or could sell me?
 
Do you know if they made the trim piece for the cutout? I wonder if that’s something they sell or could sell me?
It's just edge trim. Find some on Amazon that fits 1/16 to 1/8 edge thicknesses and cut it to length. Or if you're in central Massachusetts I'll give you enough to do it.
 
I just DIY installed the EcoHitch on my 2022 Sienna. I'm no gearhead but I do have experience working on cars (e.g. brake jobs, replace struts/shocks, installed hitch on Chevy Volt, etc). I also do quite a bit of work on the house so I own quite a few tools. Needless to say, I don't recommend DIY install of this unit for those who don't have experience doing hands-on work.

Thoughts on the design:
  • Initially worried about replacing stock aluminum bumper, as the original is designed to deform and absorb impact. The EcoHitch is unlikely to deform much and will instead transfer the load to the chassis of the car. That said, I don't think it's a safety issue. If anything, you might get some chassis damage if you get rear ended very hard.
  • The fit is very tight. The designed-in clearances are insufficient given manufacturing tolerances. Some amount of creativity may be required but YMMV.
  • Initially worried about having to cut off a part of the original wiring support bracket but it's a VERY tiny 2-wire run that really doesn't need that level of support to begin with.
  • I like that this unit uses the factory hitch mount points. There are several beefy threaded holes with plastic covers that were meant for exactly this use case. Torqued to 65 ft-lbs, which is similar to lug nut torque. BTW, the smaller gold bolts with nuts are only torqued to 45 ft-lbs so don't accidentally shear those off.
Tips:
  • Before you start, I recommend access to an angle grinder or something that can trim metal. Tin snips are great for cutting the thin wire support bracket and plastic bumper but it's not enough to remediate interference. The plastic can be cut with heavy shears.
  • A torque wrench is a must! I experienced some interference and I had to keep torquing as the part on the car slightly deformed to allow the unit to mate well with the chassis.
  • Don't overcut the plastic. It easily bends to conform to the hitch and it's easy enough to trim more if needed -- i.e. you cannot add back something you already cut.
  • Get a medium and small flat head screwdriver to help remove the plastic clips without breaking them. No big deal if you break them but it's just cleaner to release them the right way.
  • Don't tighten any nuts until the very end. You may spend a non-trivial amount of time just roughing the unit in.
  • Don't cut any of the plastic per EcoHitch instructions if you want a tight fit. I prefer minimal gaps between the unit and plastic sheathing. Just eyeball it and cut incrementally after the unit has been roughed in.
  • I was missing a total of 3 lock washers. I had to run out an buy them. I got some hardened steel ones that are zinc-plated. Perhaps stainless would have been better but it seems that the ones provided with the kit are NOT stainless.
When removing the bumper, it's handy to have a small flathead to remove the clips properly (Google search how to do it without breaking them). Instead of yanking the bumper off, just slip in the flat head and deflect the black plastic to release it without any force at all. If you pull hard enough at an odd angle, you can actually break them and it's part of a larger assembly so they can't be replaced like other standalone clips. Just do it the right way, as it's so much easier and gentle.
Tire Wheel Hood Automotive tire Tread


Nice beefy factory threaded mount points for the support brackets. These bolts get torqued to 65 ft-lbs. Nice!
Wood Audio equipment Rim Gas Tints and shades


After manhandling the unit for a good while, I eventually ground a notch in the pinch welded sheet metal (on the van) to remediate interference. If I hadn't done this, I doubt the bottom bolt (circled below) would have fit into the hole. And if I barely managed to get it in without grinding, I would have had to deform that piece while torquing down. An impact wrench alone would result in over-torquing or not mating the support bracket adequately to the chassis. If you do experience interference, just remove the tiny bit that is in the way and everything else will be MUCH easier. What's shown in the picture is before torquing down -- after torquing down to 45 ft-lbs, the support bracket nestled all the way into the notch that I cut with my angle grinder. It's too thick for snips.
Automotive lighting Automotive tire Motor vehicle Automotive design Bumper


Just keep snipping plastic until the clip holes line up again. Don't be afraid to cut less and deform the plastic for a tighter fit. I left a little flap on the bottom to cover the bottom of the bracket.
Luggage and bags Hood Bag Motor vehicle Grey


Here is a view of the finished cut. Notice the little flap I left -- if I could redo, I'd leave a bit more of a flap. Also, notice how I cut the plastic stiffening "fin" to allow it to clear the nut (left circle). I could have cut that off all the way but simply cutting it and pushing it down flat did the trick.
Sleeve Tool Grey Line Metalworking hand tool


The hitch is exactly 8cm wide. Conveniently, there are two holes that are 24cm apart, so one cut at 8cm and another at 16cm. The arrow points the the center line of the bumper. Again, before you cut too much, try to cut within 8cm and trim later as needed for the best fit, as the hitch will not be perfectly centered.
Ruler Rectangle Road surface Font Asphalt


Here is what it looked like after I cut around the hitch. Notice that I left the flap -- there's no need to cut it off as it will just fold up right against the hitch and help block dust/water. Also, notice that I cut beyond the 8cm width to remove interference with welds (see two circled areas). I didn't measure anything. I did the initial 8cm cut and pushed it in until some part of the unit interfered -- just cut incrementally to tailor fit. Lastly, I found that you can just cut all the way to the line created by a valley where the plastic angle changes. In other words, just cut the flat part of the plastic and not past the valley where it starts to angle up.
Automotive tire Road surface Asphalt Bumper Grey


No detail here. Just a zoomed out view halfway through install.
Tire Wheel Automotive tire Motor vehicle Hood


Finished install
Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Motor vehicle


Close up of gap between hitch and plastic. I could have done even better but I wasn't shooting for a perfect fit. I just wanted to minimize dust and water intrusion. I live in CA so this is good enough for now. I can always go back and add a soft material to conform perfectly.
Automotive tire Hood Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Trunk
 
I just DIY installed the EcoHitch on my 2022 Sienna. I'm no gearhead but I do have experience working on cars (e.g. brake jobs, replace struts/shocks, installed hitch on Chevy Volt, etc). I also do quite a bit of work on the house so I own quite a few tools. Needless to say, I don't recommend DIY install of this unit for those who don't have experience doing hands-on work.

Thoughts on the design:
  • Initially worried about replacing stock aluminum bumper, as the original is designed to deform and absorb impact. The EcoHitch is unlikely to deform much and will instead transfer the load to the chassis of the car. That said, I don't think it's a safety issue. If anything, you might get some chassis damage if you get rear ended very hard.
  • The fit is very tight. The designed-in clearances are insufficient given manufacturing tolerances. Some amount of creativity may be required but YMMV.
  • Initially worried about having to cut off a part of the original wiring support bracket but it's a VERY tiny 2-wire run that really doesn't need that level of support to begin with.
  • I like that this unit uses the factory hitch mount points. There are several beefy threaded holes with plastic covers that were meant for exactly this use case. Torqued to 65 ft-lbs, which is similar to lug nut torque.
Tips:
  • Before you start, I recommend access to an angle grinder or something that can trim metal. Tin snips are great for cutting the thin wire support bracket and plastic bumper but it's not enough to remediate interference. The plastic can be cut with heavy shears.
  • A torque wrench is a must! I experienced some interference and I had to keep torquing as the part on the car slightly deformed to allow the unit to mate well with the chassis.
  • Don't overcut plastic, as it will deform and it's easy enough to trim more as needed -- i.e. you cannot add back something you already cut.
  • Get a medium and small flat head screwdriver to help remove the plastic clips without breaking them. No big deal if you break them but it's just cleaner to release them the right way.
  • Don't tighten any nuts until the very end. You may spend a non-trivial amount of time just roughing the unit in.
  • Don't cut any of the plastic per EcoHitch instructions if you want a tight fit. I prefer minimal gaps between the unit and plastic sheathing. Just eyeball it and cut incrementally after the unit has been roughed in.
  • I was missing a total of 3 lock washers. I had to run out an buy them. I got some hardened steel ones that are zinc-plated. Perhaps stainless would have been better but it seems that the ones provided with the kit are NOT stainless.
When removing the bumper, it's handy to have a small flathead to remove the clips properly (Google search how to do it without breaking them). Instead of yanking the bumper off, just slip in the flat head and deflect the black plastic to release it without any force at all. If you pull hard enough at an odd angle, you can actually break them and it's part of a larger assembly so they can't be replaced like other standalone clips. Just do it the right way, as it's so much easier and gentle.


Nice beefy factory threaded mount points for the support brackets. These bolts get torqued to 65 ft-lbs. Nice!


I had to grind down a part of the pinch welded sheet metal on the van to remove interference. If I didn't do this, I don't think I would have gotten the bottom bolt in. And if I barely managed to get it in without grinding, I would have had to deform that piece while torquing down. An impact wrench alone would result in over-torquing or not mating the support bracket adequately to the chassis. Trust me, just remove the tiny bit that is interfering and everything else will be MUCH easier. What's shown in the picture is before torquing down -- after torquing down, the support bracket nestled all the way into the notch that I cut with my angle grinder. It's too thick for snips.


Just keep snipping plastic until the clip holes line up again. Don't be afraid to cut less and deform the plastic for a tighter fit. I left a little flap on the bottom to cover the bottom of the bracket.


Here is a view of the finished cut. Notice the little flap I left -- if I could redo, I'd leave a bit more of a flap. Also, notice how I cut the plastic stiffening "fin" to allow it to clear the nut (left circle). I could have cut that off all the way but simply cutting it and pushing it down flat did the trick.

The hitch is exactly 8cm wide. Conveniently, there are two holes that are 24cm apart, so one cut at 8cm and another at 16cm. The arrow points the the center line of the bumper. Again, before you cut too much, try to cut within 8cm and trim later as needed for the best fit, as the hitch will not be perfectly centered.


Here is what it looked like after I cut around the hitch. Notice that I left the flap -- there's no need to cut it off as it will just fold up right against the hitch and help block dust/water. Also, notice that I cut beyond the 8cm width to remove interference with welds (see two circled areas). I didn't measure anything. I did the initial 8cm cut and pushed it in until some part of the unit interfered -- just cut incrementally to tailor fit. Lastly, I found that you can just cut all the way to the line created by a valley where the plastic angle changes. In other words, just cut the flat part of the plastic and not past the valley where it starts to angle up.


No detail here. Just a zoomed out view halfway through install.


Finished install


Close up of gap between hitch and plastic. I could have done even better but I wasn't shooting for a perfect fit. I just wanted to minimize dust and water intrusion. I live in CA so this is good enough for now. I can always go back and add a soft material to conform perfectly.
Great detailed post with suggestions for better install.
 
I have no pictures, unfortunately, but be forewarned if you have a Platinum that the chrome strip on the bumper cover is held in with crazy-deep clips, making is so that you can't put the bumper cover back on. There are 4 of them and I just trimmed each down (they are plastic). After literally an hour of fighting, I finally realized that was my problem.

Edit: No clue how I missed it, but see post #73 in this thread for pictures and someone who realized this long before me.
 
One more word of warning (cost me a Home Depot trip): Only the 6 big bolts to the chassis are 65 lb-ft. The 6 nuts from the old bumper and the 6 smaller bolts are 45 lb-ft. It's in the instructions, but I had 65 in my mind from the forums. All of the fasteners pictured below are 45. I broke one of the gold-colored ones when I had the torque wrench at 65. Thanks to @amandahugginkiss4 for the pic that I stole to illustrate.

Automotive lighting Hood Automotive tire Motor vehicle Grey
 
One more word of warning (cost me a Home Depot trip): Only the 6 big bolts to the chassis are 65 lb-ft. The 6 nuts from the old bumper and the 6 smaller bolts are 45 lb-ft. It's in the instructions, but I had 65 in my mind from the forums. All of the fasteners pictured below are 45. I broke one of the gold-colored ones when I had the torque wrench at 65.
Sorry for the trouble! I updated my post to make sure it's not misleading. Those bolts are a bit trickier to torque because you need to wrangle two wrenches. I torqued every nut/bolt several times, as the support brackets don't mate up perfectly right away. This is actually common practice for lug nuts on wheels. You typically torque the lugs in a star pattern, drive around a bit, and then re-torque again. If you're a perfectionist, you might want to put some real load on the hitch (e.g. drive around with a decent amount of tongue weight) and then re-torque. I didn't go that far. :)

IMO, the EcoHitch instructions aren't great. They don't tell you where to put the flat/lock washers and in what order. The pictures in the instructions look like they were taken with a potato and xeroxed ten times. :)
 
Has anyone found a location for installation around the Seattle/Tacoma area? I contacted Torklift Central in Kent and they quoted roughly $1,100 for the hitch, wire harness, and installation labor.
I can't help you with Seattle, but can tell you that that is within about $100 of what I was quoted in the St. Louis area. In their defense, having now done it to this van vs a non-hidden one, it really is much more involved than a typical hitch installation. Sure, if I was doing a second one I could do it in probably half the time, but still.
 
What have people been doing with the bumper (not the bumper cover - the actual silver bumper) after the EcoHitch installation? Seems a shame to throw it away, but I can't imagine a future use case either. I don't see a market for them on eBay (yet).
 
What have people been doing with the bumper (not the bumper cover - the actual silver bumper) after the EcoHitch installation? Seems a shame to throw it away, but I can't imagine a future use case either. I don't see a market for them on eBay (yet).
I doubt they'll ever be in short supply. Say, if a quarter of totaled Siennas are front, left side, right side, and rear impact each, then there should be a surplus of these things. Recycling will get you something like $20 max. I've used mine to try out TIG welding -- the only thing I learned is that I have no business doing it. :LOL:
 
I am planning to get the ecohitch but I don't think I will ever use wiring but if I have it installed without the wiring, do you think it would be easy to install the wiring later or would it be very difficult to install the wiring at some time later after installing the hitch?

I got this one from etrailer:
CodeProductQuantityTotal
TK69FRT-One Vehicle Wiring Harness with 4-Pole Flat Trailer Connector
1$66.37


It plugged right in to the only available open connector in the spare tire area.

View attachment 50135

Slice and punch the rubber plug.

View attachment 50136

First use of the inverter....NICE!

View attachment 50137

Rubber grommet back in place

View attachment 50138
 
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