Adding a tow hitch to your Toyota Highlander gives added functionality and versatility to your SUV. With one you can tow a small boat, a light car or just a moving box, depending on your needs. It used to be that adding a hitch to a vehicle was a complicated process, but the Highlander comes with pre-tapped bolt holes to make installation easier. In this case, the project vehicle is a 2006 Toyota Highlander.
Lift up the vehicle using the jack and place it on jack stands. Make sure the vehicle is secure before you crawl underneath it.
Locate the tow hook on the driver's side, just to the right of the exhaust, and unbolt it using the 3/8-inch ratchet, extension and sockets. Repeat this process on the passenger side as well. Then use the flathead screwdriver to pull out the rubber plugs farther back on the frame rail to expose the tapped bolt holes beneath them.
Hold the hitch underneath the bumper with the help of an assistant and loosely bolt it to the frame rails using the hardware that comes with the hitch kit. On the driver's side, one of the rear holes may have trouble lining up correctly. If so, use the 24-inch pry bar to push against the hitch, allowing you to thread a bolt in place.
Torque all of the bolts on the kit to 56 ft/lbs using the torque wrench, extension and sockets. Raise the vehicle off of the jack stands using the jack and place it back on the ground.
