Yes, the GX can tow 6,500 lbs. Both the GX470 and the GX460 are rated for it, and the GX550 goes further, up to 9,096 lbs on the Overtrail trim. The rating is not the hard part. The hard part is the payload. A family of four, a full tank, gear in the back, and a 650 lb tongue weight will eat a GX460’s payload fast. This guide walks through the real numbers, the hitch and brake controller setup owners use, and the one thing you must never do: flat tow a GX behind a motorhome.

Tow ratings and combined limits by generation

Model	Max trailer weight	Combined limit	Tongue weight
GX470 2003	5,000 lb [12]	Check your owner’s manual	10 percent of trailer weight, max 500 lb [12]
GX470 2004-2009	6,500 lb [1]	12,000 lb (vehicle plus trailer plus people plus cargo) [1]	10 percent of trailer weight, max 650 lb [1]
GX460 2010-2023	6,500 lb [6]	13,100 lb GCWR [6]	10 percent, per owner’s manual tongue weight section [6]
GX550 2024+	9,063 lb (Premium, Premium+, Overtrail+); 9,096 lb (Overtrail); 7,600 to 7,800 lb (Luxury, Luxury+) [8]	Not verified in this guide’s research	Check your owner’s manual

Two notes on the GX470. First, the 2003 model year is reported by owners at 5,000 lb with a 500 lb tongue weight limit ^[12]. 2004 and later step up to 6,500 lb with a Class IV receiver. Second, the 2006 owner’s manual states the rating “for vehicle with equipped,” meaning the factory towing equipment. If your used GX470 never had a hitch installed, owners report the wiring and transmission cooler are often already there from the factory, with only the receiver missing ^[13].

The GX460 is the straightforward one. All years rate 6,500 lb with a 13,100 lb GCWR, and the ratings meet the SAE J2807 tow vehicle standard ^[6]. Towing over 2,000 lb requires a sway control device, and towing over 5,000 lb requires a weight distributing hitch ^[6].

The receiver hitch is part of the rating

Two receiver designs exist for the GX470, and the hitch bolted to your truck sets a hard ceiling no matter what the owner’s manual says.

Part number	Fits	Class	Rating
PT228-60440	2003-2004 GX470	Class IV	6,500 lb
PT228-60540 (also written PT22860540)	2004-2009 GX470	Class IV	6,500 lb
SI-70108014 (aftermarket SI brand)	2003-2009 GX470, 2003-2024 4Runner	Class III	3,500 lb

The factory Class IV units are full-width receivers that bolt to the rear frame crossmember with six bolts ^[14]. The smaller Class III receiver is an aftermarket part (SI brand) rated at 3,500 lb. Bolt one of those to a GX470 and your real limit is 3,500 lb, not the truck’s 6,500 lb rating. The hitch is the limiter.

One more check before you trust the rating: many aftermarket hitches bolt only to the side frame rails instead of the rear crossmember, and most are not rated for weight distribution. If you tow heavy or use a weight distributing hitch, check the hitch’s own weight rating plate and its WDH compatibility before trusting the truck’s rating.

Payload is the real limit, not the tow rating

Tow rating sells trucks. Payload decides whether your trip is legal. Payload is the number on the driver’s door jamb tire and loading sticker. Everything you add inside or on the truck comes out of it: passengers, cargo, roof rack gear, and the trailer’s tongue weight.

Some verified reference points. The GX470’s total load capacity is 1,200 lb with third row seats (1,000 lb without) ^[1]. The GX460’s GVWR is 6,600 lb with payload around 1,280 to 1,315 lb depending on trim ^[7]. A GX550 Overtrail owner’s door sticker shows 1,508 lb of payload against a 7,165 lb GVWR ^[9]. Options eat into those numbers, so read your own sticker. A loaded Overtrail+ owner reported roughly 1,500 lb ^[9], while another GX550 Overtrail report put it near 1,235 lb ^[9]. Trim and options matter more than the brochure.

Do the math before buying the trailer. Example for a GX460: 1,315 lb payload. Two adults and two kids at 600 lb, 200 lb of cargo and coolers, and a 650 lb tongue weight from a 6,500 lb trailer. That is 1,450 lb. You are 135 lb over the payload rating before you added a roof box or a full cooler. The trailer is within its tow rating and you are still overweight. Owners on RV forums call payload the hidden limiter for exactly this reason ^[9]. The safe move is a CAT scale run with the truck loaded for the trip, before you sign for the trailer.

Tongue weight and weight distribution hitches

The GX470 owner’s manual says to load the trailer so the tongue load is 10 percent of the total trailer weight, never exceeding 650 lb, and to put about 60 percent of the trailer load in the front half ^[1]. This matches the general 9 to 15 percent rule. Too little tongue weight and the trailer sways. Too much and you overload the rear axle and unload the front, which hurts steering.

A weight distributing hitch uses spring bars to lever some of that tongue load forward onto the truck’s front axle and back onto the trailer axles. On the GX460, the owner’s manual requires a weight distributing hitch with sufficient capacity once the trailer exceeds 5,000 lb ^[6]. On the GX470, Lexus recommends sway control above 2,000 lb and shows a weight distributing hitch receiver in the towing section, but check your manual for the exact wording on your year ^[1]. Set the hitch up so the truck sits level. Then check the tongue weight with a scale. A weight distribution hitch does not increase your payload or your tow rating. It only changes where the load lands.

Shadetree note: if you only tow occasionally with a light utility trailer, a simple ball mount and a tongue weight scale will get you set up correctly for under the cost of one tank of gas. Save the weight distributing hitch money for when you step up to a real travel trailer.

Brake controller setup

Trailer brakes are required over 1,000 lb on both the GX470 and the GX460 ^[1][6]. That covers basically every trailer worth pulling behind a GX, so plan on a brake controller.

The GX470 has a factory service connector for the trailer brake controller under the driver’s dash. The owner’s manual says to link the connector to the controller using the sub wire harness stored in the glove box, and to mount the controller where it does not block the pedals ^[3]. Used trucks of any year may be missing that loose harness. If yours is gone, the OEM replacement sub harness is part 82143-60010, or a Tekonsha 3040-P vehicle harness plugs into the Toyota connector and gives you color-coded wires to solder or crimp to the controller ^[10].

The GX460 has the factory trailer brake controller prewire connector. It is a white 5-pin connector under the driver’s side dash, left of the steering column near the kick panel and parking brake pedal area. Tekonsha’s application chart confirms the plug-in harness fitment for 2010 through 2020 GX460s. Tekonsha 3040-P or CURT 51362 plugs straight into it.

One correction worth knowing: CURT’s installation sheet describes the connector location as near the emergency brake pedal. The GX470 does not have an emergency brake pedal. It has a parking brake lever. Use the left-of-the-steering-column position as the landmark. Owners have found the connector tucked up high, sometimes taped to another harness behind the kick panel. Look before you buy a universal kit.

Which controller? Owners keep buying the same two. The Tekonsha P3 (and its older sibling the Prodigy) is the most common dash-mounted choice in owner threads, mounted low and left of the steering column ^[10]. The Redarc Tow-Pro Elite is popular with owners who want a clean dash, with just a small knob visible and the main unit hidden under the dash ^[11]. Both work with the Toyota plug-in harness.

Rear wiring is factory on trucks that came with the tow package: a 7-pin connector at the rear bumper with battery charge, brake output, turn signals, running lights, reverse, and ground circuits ^[13]. If your truck has a 4-pin flat connector instead, you have the light-duty setup and you will need to add the charge and brake-output wiring for electric trailer brakes. The shadetree route is a 4-to-7-pin adapter plus a run of 10-gauge wire from the battery with an in-line fuse for the 12V charge line, and the blue brake-output wire from the controller to the rear. Never tap into the hydraulic brake lines. The owner’s manual is explicit about that ^[1].

Transmission temps while towing

Towing cooks transmissions. The factory service manual notes that ATF temperature rises easily when towing, climbing hills, and in traffic. Owners who monitor with a ScanGauge or UltraGauge report 195 to 210 F in normal driving on the GX470 and GX460, and 220 to 245 F pulling mountain grades with a loaded trailer ^[11]. Those grade numbers are converter outlet temperatures. The number that matters most is pan temperature. Pan temp normally runs 175 to 200 F. Converter outlet spikes of 230 to 245 F under a heavy pull are normal as long as the pan stays below 225 F ^[11]. If the pan stays above 225 F or crosses 230 F, you are into overheating territory. Back off, drop a gear, or add cooling. One GX460 owner added a Hayden external cooler and measured 20 to 30 degrees cooler on average ^[11].

What to do about it:

• Watch the temperature. A ScanGauge II, an UltraGauge, or a Bluetooth OBD2 dongle with a phone app can read the transmission temp PIDs. The transmission cooling guide’s PID table lists the exact PIDs and equations for pan and converter temps on each generation. Owners monitor both routinely ^[11].
• Stay out of overdrive when towing heavy. On the A750F five-speed in the GX470, 4th gear is 1:1 and 5th is an overdrive. Owners advise against letting it sit in 5th while pulling a real load, because constant shifting and torque converter slip generate heat ^[11].
• Consider an external cooler if you tow regularly. The transmission cooling guide on this site covers the factory cooler layout and aftermarket options in detail. See transmission health and cooling for the Lexus GX.
• Service the fluid on a severe schedule if you tow. The Lexus warranty and services guide calls for replacing ATF at 60,000 miles under severe duty, which includes towing ^[11]. Towing counts. Treat it as severe duty.

Air suspension and towing

Every GX470 came with rear height control air suspension. It is an asset for towing. The automatic leveling keeps the truck level under tongue load, which owners say keeps the front wheels planted and the headlights aimed right ^[13]. The GX460 offers rear air suspension on equipped trims. The GX550 does not offer air suspension at all. It uses adaptive dampers instead, so under tongue load it squats like a coil-spring truck.

There are two different hitching procedures, and mixing them up causes real problems.

For a plain ball hitch, the owner’s manual procedure is: set the rear height control to LO, turn the HEIGHT CONTROL OFF switch on, connect or disconnect the trailer, then turn the system back on and return to N (normal) so the automatic leveling can do its job ^[4]. Do the LO-plus-OFF step when disconnecting too, or the leveling function may change the ride height while the trailer is coming off the ball.

For a weight distributing hitch, do it differently. Set the height control to N, turn the HEIGHT CONTROL OFF switch on to disable auto-leveling, then lower the trailer onto the ball and tension the spring bars to restore front-axle ride height. Only then turn the HEIGHT CONTROL OFF switch back off to re-enable leveling. If you set LO and leave the leveling active while tensioning the bars, the system fights you and you end up with the wrong weight on the front axle. The self-leveling only fixes ride height, never weight distribution. It does not replace a weight distributing hitch, and it does not add payload.

GX550 owners, take note. Rear air leveling is not available on the 550 platform, so there is no automatic correction for rear squat. A properly adjusted weight distributing hitch is critical when towing over 5,000 lbs to manage rear squat and keep the front-end steering geometry correct.

If your air suspension is tired or converted to coils, see the rear air suspension and coil conversion guide before you start towing heavy.

Towing mirrors

The GX’s stock mirrors are fine for the truck. They are not wide enough to see around an 8-foot-wide travel trailer. When the trailer is wider than your mirror view, you lose the lanes beside you, which is exactly where trouble comes from on the highway.

The fix is clip-on towing mirrors that strap over the factory mirrors and extend your view past the trailer’s sides. The CIPA 11950 universal dual-view mirrors are the common choice. They install in minutes with no tools, come off just as fast when you unhitch, and cost far less than a lane-change crunch. If you tow a wide trailer regularly, extended mirrors are cheap insurance. Check your state’s mirror laws too. Some states require mirrors that show the full length of the trailer.

Will the rear door open with a trailer hitched?

The GX470 and GX460 do not have a top-hinged hatch. They use a side-hinged rear door that swings open horizontally to the passenger side. With a trailer hitched, the question is horizontal clearance: can the door swing fully open past the trailer’s jack and coupler? Short-tongue trailers are the problem. The check takes thirty seconds: hitch up, then swing the door fully open before you load anything. If it hits the jack, swing the jack aside or reposition before you pack.

One model difference matters here. The GX460’s rear glass flips up separately from the door (there is a glass hatch opener switch), so you can load small gear through the glass with the trailer hitched. The GX470’s rear glass is fixed and does not open on its own.

Can you flat tow a GX behind a motorhome?

No. Every GX generation uses full-time 4WD. The owner’s manuals say not to tow the vehicle with four wheels on the ground because it can cause serious damage ^[5]. The factory repair manual lists only two approved methods for moving a full-time 4WD GX: a flatbed truck, or a wheel-lift tow truck with all wheels off the ground ^[5]. The transmission and transfer case turn with the wheels, and without the engine running there is no lubrication pressure. Lexus does not publish driveshaft removal as an approved recreational towing procedure.

The mechanical workaround some owners use is removing both the front and rear driveshafts before flat towing, so nothing in the transfer case turns with the wheels. That is a shadetree procedure, not a Lexus-approved one. If you want your GX at the campsite without pulling driveshafts, the answer is a trailer, and the trailer needs its own brakes and a brake controller in the motorhome. For a GX470 at roughly 4,900 lb street weight, that means a trailer rated well above 5,000 lb plus the trailer’s own weight ^[13].

The GX550 as a tow vehicle

The GX550 is a meaningful step up as a tow rig. The twin-turbo 3.4L V6 makes 349 hp and 479 lb-ft, far more torque than the old 4.6L V8, and Lexus rates the Overtrail at 9,096 lb with the standard hitch receiver, with Premium, Premium+, and Overtrail+ at 9,063 lb ^[8]. Luxury and Luxury+ trims rate 7,600 to 7,800 lb ^[8]. The 10-speed automatic and full-time 4WD with a locking Torsen center diff are standard ^[8].

The same payload warning applies, louder. A 9,000 lb trailer at 10 percent tongue weight puts 900 lb on the hitch. Against a 1,500 lb payload sticker, that leaves 600 lb for people, cargo, and gear. Against a 1,235 lb sticker, it leaves 335 lb. Owners on RV forums worked this math and found a 25-foot Airstream at the edge of the GX550’s real-world capability even though the tow rating says it fits ^[9]. Tow rating is the ceiling. Payload is the room.

Parts and tools

For a proper GX towing setup, budget for:

• weight distributing hitch with integrated sway control, sized to your trailer’s loaded weight and tongue weight.
• A proportional brake controller. Owners favor the Tekonsha P3 or the Redarc Tow-Pro Elite ^[10][11].
• Tekonsha 3040-P or CURT 51362 Toyota/Lexus plug-in harness if the factory sub wire harness is missing. The OEM GX470 sub harness is part 82143-60010 ^[10].
• 2 inch ball mount rated above your trailer’s gross weight. Match the ball size stamped on the trailer coupler ^[1].
• A transmission temperature monitor: ScanGauge II, UltraGauge MX, or a Bluetooth OBD2 dongle with a phone app ^[11].
• A tongue weight scale. Cheaper than one sway incident.
• Clip-on towing mirrors (CIPA 11950 universal fit) if your trailer is wider than the stock mirrors can see around.
• 10-gauge wire, an in-line fuse holder, ring terminals, and heat-shrink tubing if you are adding the 7-pin charge and brake wires yourself.

Shadetree alternative: if the trailer is light (under 2,000 lb), the factory 4-pin wiring, a basic ball mount, and careful tongue weight will handle weekend duty without a brake controller or weight distribution. Step up the equipment when the trailer gets serious.

Related guides on this site: the transmission health and cooling guide for cooler upgrades and ATF service, the GX tire fitment guide if you are sizing tires for towing stability, the lift kit guide before you lift a truck you also tow with, and the ultimate GX buying guide if you are shopping for a tow rig.

FAQ

Can a GX470 really tow 6,500 lbs? Yes, the 2004 through 2009 GX470 is rated for 6,500 lb of trailer with a 650 lb maximum tongue weight ^[1]. Stay under the 12,000 lb combined limit and under your payload ^[1].

Can a GX460 tow 6,500 lbs? Yes. All model years 2010 through 2023 rate 6,500 lb with a 13,100 lb GCWR, and the rating meets SAE J2807 ^[6]. Above 5,000 lb of trailer, a weight distributing hitch is required ^[6].

What are the real payload and towing numbers on a GX550? Towing is 9,063 lb for Premium, Premium+, and Overtrail+, 9,096 lb for the Overtrail with the standard hitch receiver, and 7,600 to 7,800 lb for Luxury and Luxury+ ^[8]. Payload varies by trim and options. An Overtrail owner’s door sticker shows 1,508 lb ^[9]. Read your own door jamb sticker.

Can I flat tow a GX behind a motorhome? Lexus says no. Full-time 4WD means the transmission and transfer case turn with the wheels, and Lexus prohibits towing with four wheels on the ground ^[5]. The only mechanical workaround is removing the front and rear driveshafts, which Lexus does not publish as an approved procedure. Use a trailer.

What brake controller do GX owners use? The Tekonsha P3 and the Redarc Tow-Pro Elite are the two most common choices in owner threads ^[10][11]. Both work with the factory under-dash connector using a plug-in harness like the Tekonsha 3040-P ^[10].

Do I need a weight distributing hitch? On the GX460, yes, once the trailer exceeds 5,000 lb ^[6]. On the GX470, Lexus recommends sway control above 2,000 lb ^[1]. With tongue weights over about 500 lb on any GX, a weight distributing hitch makes the truck handle noticeably better. This is owner-experience advice, not a factory spec.

What transmission temperatures are normal when towing? Pan temp normally runs 175 to 200 F, with converter outlet spikes to 230 to 245 F under a heavy pull considered normal as long as the pan stays below 225 F ^[11]. An external cooler typically drops temps 20 to 30 degrees ^[11].

Sources

• 2006 Lexus GX470 Owner’s Manual: https://lexusgxor.com/_media/general:2006_gx470_owner_s_manual.pdf
• 2012 Lexus GX460 Owner’s Manual: https://lexusgxor.com/_media/general:2012_gx_460_owners_manual.pdf
• 2014 Lexus GX460 Owner’s Manual: https://lexusgxor.com/_media/general:2014_gx_460_owners_manual.pdf
• Lexus 2025 GX550 press release (via Lexus GX Forum): https://www.lexusgxforum.com/threads/2025-lexus-gx550-updates-press-release.1251/page-2
• MotorTrend 2024 Lexus GX550 Overtrail+ review: https://WWW.MOTORTREND.COM/reviews/2024-lexus-gx550-overtrail-plus-first-test-review
• Airstream Forums, GX550 Overtrail towing thread: https://www.airforums.com/threads/can-a-gx550-overtrail-safely-tow-this.1442339/
• IH8MUD, towing with an 03 GX470: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/towing-with-an-03-gx470.1220031/
• IH8MUD, GX460 transmission fluid cooler: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/gx460-transmission-fluid-cooler.1157942/page-2
• IH8MUD, 05 GX470 Sport temp gauge (towing temps): https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/05-gx470-sport-temp-gauge.1219936/
• IH8MUD, trailer brake controller connector: https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/trailer-brake-controller-connector.361992/page-3
• ClubLexus, GX470 towing 2006: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-1st-gen-2003-2009/912807-gx470-towing-2006-pictures.html
• Lexus Owners Club, brake controller mounting: https://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/topic/26513-how-did-you-mount-an-electric-brake-controller/
• CURT brake control harness installation instructions: https://cds.activant.com/C2C/C01/74/703/464582055.pdf
• CURT 51362 brake control harness install sheet (connector location description): http://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/media/vendor/51/install/51362.pdf
• Tekonsha 3040-P trailer brake controller custom harness (vehicle fitment: 2010-2020 GX460, 2003-2009 GX470): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D7QBBRGB/ref=cm_sw_r_cso_cp_apan_dp_1XGTFFHYWRVTXPCTJAMF
• Lexus parts catalog, GX470 tow hitch (PT228-60440, PT228-60540 applications): https://www.lexuspartsnow.com/accessories/lexus-gx470-tow_hitch.html
• ClubLexus, PT228-60540 full-width receiver thread: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gx-1st-gen-2004-2009/750383-6500lb-hitch-for-gx470-pt228-60540-a.html
• eBay listing, SI-70108014 Class III receiver (3,500 lb, fits 2003-2009 GX470 and 2003-2024 4Runner): https://www.ebay.com/itm/157176219483
• 2024 Lexus GX550 Owner’s Manual (OM60U77U): dinghy towing prohibition, no air suspension offered.
• The Truck Garage transmission cooling guide: https://thetruckgarage.com/transmission-health-cooling-for-the-lexus-gx/
• The Truck Garage rear air suspension guide: https://thetruckgarage.com/rear-air-suspension-diagnose-and-coil-conversion-for-the-lexus-gx/

Footnotes

^[1] 2006 Lexus GX470 Owner’s Manual, trailer towing section: max gross trailer weight 2,948 kg (6,500 lb); vehicle plus trailer plus occupants plus cargo must not exceed 5,443 kg (12,000 lb); tongue load 10 percent of total trailer weight, max 294 kg (650 lb); sway control device recommended over 907 kg (2,000 lb); trailer brakes required over 453 kg (1,000 lb).

^[2] 2006 GX470 Owner’s Manual: “Weight distributing hitch receiver” heading in the towing section.

^[3] 2006 GX470 Owner’s Manual: “Your vehicle is equipped with a service connector for the towing brake controller. Link the connector to the towing brake controller via the sub wire harness stored in the glove box.”

^[4] 2006 GX470 Owner’s Manual, connecting and disconnecting a trailer: set rear height control air suspension to LO, turn the HEIGHT CONTROL OFF switch on, then re-enable and return to N after connecting.

^[5] 2006 GX470 Owner’s Manual: “Do not tow your vehicle with four wheels on the ground. This may cause serious damage to your vehicle.” 2005 GX470 factory repair manual, towing section: for full-time 4WD vehicles use a flatbed truck or a wheel-lift tow truck only.

^[6] 2012 and 2014 GX460 Owner’s Manuals: TWR 6,500 lb (2,948 kg), GCWR 13,100 lb (5,492 kg), unbraked TWR 1,000 lb (453 kg), sway control device required over 2,000 lb (907 kg), weight distributing hitch required over 5,000 lb (2,268 kg). “This model meets the tow vehicle trailering requirement of SAE International per SAE J2807.”

^[7] 2023 GX460 dealer spec pages: GVWR 6,600 lb, curb weight ~5,126 lb, max payload ~1,315 lb, GCWR 13,100 lb. Dealer marketing data, not a Lexus owner document.

^[8] Lexus 2025 GX550 press release: “Towing capacity is up to 9,063 lbs. for Premium, Premium+, Overtrail+ grades and 9,096 lbs for the Overtrail grade with the standard tow hitch receiver.” Luxury and Luxury+ trims rate 7,600 to 7,800 lb. 3.4L twin-turbo V6, 349 hp, 479 lb-ft, 10-speed automatic, full-time 4WD, standard Torsen limited-slip locking center differential.

^[9] Airstream Forums, GX550 Overtrail towing thread: owner-reported door-sticker figures, GVWR 7,165 lb, tow 9,063 lb, payload 1,508 lb, curb 5,675 lb. A separate Overtrail+ owner photo showed roughly 1,500 lb payload; a review quoted about 1,235 lb for an Overtrail. All owner-reported, vary by trim and options.

^[10] CURT brake control harness installation instructions (applications include Lexus GX 460 and GX 470): connector location described as under dash left of steering column near the emergency brake pedal. Note: the GX470 has a parking brake lever, not a pedal, so use the left-of-column position as the landmark. Tekonsha 3040-P vehicle harness application chart: fits 2010-2020 GX460 and 2003-2009 GX470. IH8MUD brake controller thread: Redarc Tow-Pro Elite installed using a Tekonsha 3040-P harness on a Toyota/Lexus connector. Lexus Owners Club thread: Tekonsha Prodigy/P3 installs, mounted low left of the steering column.

^[11] IH8MUD GX460 transmission cooler thread: Hayden external cooler measured 20 to 30 degrees cooler on average; ScanGauge II and Torque Pro used to monitor temps. IH8MUD GX470 temp gauge thread: owner towing mountain grades saw transmission temps of 220 to 245 F. Tacomaworld trans temp thread: GX owner reports trans temps of 195 to 210 F in normal driving.

^[12] 2003 GX470: 5,000 lb maximum trailer weight and 500 lb maximum tongue weight per owner reports. The receiver class is disputed: owner reports say Class III, but the Lexus parts catalog lists PT228-60440 as a Class IV receiver fitting 2003-2004. 2004-2009: 6,500 lb maximum trailer weight, 650 lb maximum tongue weight, Class IV receiver.

^[13] ClubLexus GX470 towing thread: owner reports that an ’05 without a factory hitch still had the wiring and transmission cooler; separate owner reports the air suspension leveling keeps the truck level under tongue load. Owner reports, not factory specs.

^[14] Lexus parts catalog (via lexuspartsnow.com): PT228-60540 listed as a Lexus Class IV tow hitch fitting the 2004-2009 GX470. ClubLexus GX470 towing thread: owner discussion of the PT228-60540 full-width receiver. SI-70108014: aftermarket SI-brand Class III receiver, 3,500 lb capacity, advertised for 2003-2009 GX470 and 2003-2024 4Runner (eBay listing). Not a factory part.