Tow Hitch

Yes, I put a tow kit on my Prius. Here is a well documented Hitch installation from someone else, but it is better than anything I could do.

http://www.evnut.com/prius_hitch.htm

Also, the light kit is really hard. This is one way to do it without anyting to boost the amps. If you use this kit alone, make sure your trailer is using very low amp LED lights.

http://www.evnut.com/prius_trailer_wiring.htm

Otherwise, use something to boost the amps to the trailer in conjunction with the above kit. The Curt Circuit Protected Powered Converter w/ SMT worked for me, and can be found at: http://www.etrailer.com/p-56146.html

There is more good info here:
http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-main-forum/37707-prius-towing-capability.html

I am currently trying to hook up a 7 pin RV hookup with an electric brake controler so I can pull a 1500 lb trailer. I am looking at a Serro Scotty Pup. It has a full size bed, AC, kitchen with fridge, and a john, what more could you want.

 

+1 on the Curt Hitch. That's what I have.

Tom

 

The "someone else" says, "You're welcome" too.

 

i love my curt hitch! i use it for a hitch bike rack. no wiring.

 

Please let me know how that goes. Our trailer doesn't have brakes but I'd like one that does, the current trailer builds into a canvas tent and is pretty light. What kind of brake controller are you going to try? I have an extra tekonsha prodigy I may wire up if I buy a wiring harness for it.

And that's a yakima loadwarrior on (old, used) thule bars on top.

I want the calcars.org rear spring replacement they do to hold more battery weight, you can see the rear of that car is weighted down.

 

There is an easier trailer wiring kit out now that includes "plug and play" passthroughs for the tail light connections (no need for wire cutting/splicing/tapping.) It also has the isolated/powered module appropriate for the Prius, so the amperage for the trailer lights is not pulled from the Prius tail light circuits. It's all neatly put together with wiring of the right length.

I just installed one on my 2006. It's pretty easy if you're comfortable getting at your spare tire, 12V battery and the back of the tail lights. The only complication I had was the ring terminal to connect to the 12V battery didn't quite fit, so I had to trim a bit of it off with tin snips. That may be because my 12V battery isn't stock--it's an Optima that I put in after the original battery wore out prematurely.

I put a similar kit on my old '93 Civic long ago. On the Prius it's easier because the 12V battery is right there so you don't have to route a 12V line to the front of the car to draw power for the trailer light module.

The Prius wiring kit is a Tow Ready T-One Connector number 118505. The package also has the logos of DrawTite, Hidden Hitch and Reese on it (but I'm confident it will work OK with my Curt hitch ).

Apparently it is not very widely distributed yet; for example, I didn't find it on etrailer.com when I looked there. I found mine at an outfit called Hitch Republic through eBay, $70.52 with shipping: listing here, if it's not expired yet when you read this.