Price for Towing Install

[Isaac-1]

The big advantage I see as a DIY project is that you can take your time to do it right, hide the connections as much as possible, wrap the wires with friction tape, etc. This is something you will tend to not see when paying shops $100+ per hour to do the install. Here is a picture of the front of my wife's cherokee with 6 way connector behind the license plate frame (normally has a decorative black front plate covering it, and break away in the honeycomb grill.

 

[TheBar]

As Gary said, newer vehicles with LED tail lights require running a new hot wire to a converter box near the hitch to power the trailer lights. The newer wiring circuits are low amp because LED requires so little power. Splicing into them could be a disaster. Installing the hitch itself on my new 2014 Durango took 15 minutes because Dodge had already welded the mounting nuts in the SUV frame.

Running the hot wire from to the back took all day. Figuring out where to plug the new fuse wire into the SUV fuse box, putting split loom around the new hot wire so it wouldn't short out from a flying piece of gravel, zip tying the new wire to the original wiring harness thru all the nooks and crannies from the front to the back, finding the tailgate wiring harness inside the left rear fender then running the provided wiring extension under the car to the right fender, then plugging the wiring from both fenders into the converter box, finding a good place to stick the converter box up inside the right rear fender with double sided tape, then finally running the trailer wire to the hitch itself.

Now there are 2 kickers to this story. I bought the most expensive brand name converter box. 3 months later in the campground at midnight in the rain the host knocked on my door because he saw my SUV taillights on. Wasn't even plugged into the trailer. Had to pull the fuse to the converter box to get them to turn off. It was hard to go back to sleep because I had to leave the next morning to get to an important meeting. I knew I would have to drive home with no trailer lights. Took the wife home at 5 AM so she could drive her car behind me to be my brake lights and turn signals. Later I bought the cheaper Curt brand converter, ripped out the faulty converter and replaced it.

The other kicker was I have since discovered a 12v 20 amp cigarette lighter outlet inside close to the tailgate. I can't imagine I'll ever use it so I could have spliced my 12v hot wire into that in 10 minutes instead of running a hot wire from the front to the back. And mounted the converter box inside hidden under the inner panel out of the rain. But 7 years later the Curt box is still working fine exposed to the rain.

 

[Bob999]

Just got an estimate from Camper World for our Toad. We have an '05 Honda Odyssey. With the tow bar, base plate, brake activator, and all else needed, the estimate was for $4300. The parts were about $2600, and the labor is about $1300, plus tax. Just seems really high, but I don't really know who else in my area who installs these cheaper. Is this an average price for this setup?

When I see what people have paid to have theirs installed and I almost passed out when here in Redding. I got to estimates one for $4900 and another for $6000. But that's Redding for you. Of course I went with $4900. Now let's hope I don't have to go back 2 or 3 times. Hope it works the first time. My suggestion is if you are near a big town shop there first.

 

[steveblonde]

Lmao this is a 2017 post a lot has changed since then

 

[Isaac-1]

While the thread started in 2017, much of the conversation and questions occurred this year

 

[steveblonde]

While the thread started in 2017, much of the conversation and questions occurred this year

Thats why i said a lot has changed since then it was an observation not a confrontation.
Leds
Covid
Supply and demand of trailers parts installers etc etc
2017 was a worlds ago

 

[Rauchy]

I would strongly suggest a DIY installation. If tools or skills are lacking, see if you can get help from friends. There are numerous videos available and perhaps the best source of videos specific to a large number of toads is on the etrailer.com site.

I have no personal experience with CW or LazyDays, but feedback about their quality of work typically is not a ringing endorsement.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Most large towns or cities have a hitch shop. And the larger U-haul stores will handle it too. RV dealers are the most expensive (highest labor rates and often the highest parts mark-up too).

Yes, $1300 labor is high, but it's at least a 4-6 hour job for an experienced tech. It seems to me you ought to be able to get it all done for about $4000, but I'm seeing multiple reports north of that figure, some of them far north!