Did I get screwed out of a steel hitch ball?

NO - it doesn't come with ball (there are so many sizes). I bought one with the interchangeable ball. You may also have to buy an adapter if you plan to use the typical flat trailer plugs.

Hitch balls are cheap. You need to get the size that matches your trailer coupler, 1-7/8", 2", or 2-5/8" diameter ball, and the shank diameter and length to fit your ball mount or weight-distributing hitch head.

Only twenty states are served by the old Toyota distributors, private companies that have a lock on distribution of new cars and options. Southeast Toyota has ten southeastern states, and Gulf States Toyota has ten Gulf coast states. The rest of the country is served by Toyoto Motor Sales. Anyway, in some cases, these distributors install options that would otherwise be factory options, and call them "port installed." In some cases, these options are slightly different from what the factory installs and what the owner's manual describes. There is no port involved...Tacomas are built in California, not imported by ship, and the rest of us usually get those same options directly installed by the factory.

Ken

my Tacoma came from Jacksonville, Florida (will have to double check), which is a port of entry for non US made Toyotas. So technically it's still a port installed option :-)

Ken Shelt> Hitch balls are cheap. You need to get the size that matches your trailer

They used to all come with 5000 lb fan clutches, then went to 3500 and you had to upgrade, I think it was a mileage. They were installing hithces without the fan upgrade, tow package was just 3500. New pilicy is every one with a hitch was to get the green fan clutch. As for the ball, no, its extra. They dont know if you needed a 1 7/8 or a 2" etc.

No, the tow package will come with the super HD tail lamp converter already installed too.

Ken, not all true. Port is "port of Entry", this is where they are shipped to the region for final distribution, port does more than just ships. As for the hitch, the factory one IS the port unit. In fact, its the only place it gets installed if not at the dealer, we call them PIO (port installed option) or DIO. They are not necessarily Toyota, but "Toyota approved accessory" and means they have went through a strict build guidelines etc. Your right about Southeaster or Gulf States, its weird, they install junk, charge a mint and make it appear factory.

Sig226, I like that!

Probably not. There are three or four common sizes.

Tundra gets the 7-pin wiring harness, hitch, and external trans cooler (for the automatic). Not sure about the Taco.

If they are going to call it a "Towing package", then it should be the equivalent to the factory package.

--- Rich

Interesting. Dunno where the factory in CA is supposed to be, but every time I drive the I-5 north of LA, I see at least one trailer loaded with Taco beds.

Of course, the old Japanese trick on trucks was to import the cab/frame and bed separately and assemble here, which provided an advantage on the import duties since it was not a "complete" vehicle.

--- Rich

Ref the PU bed being made in CA of the USA. I too was amazed on my '85 Xtracab PU that the bed was made in USA. When it was just about 3 years old I started to notice rust in the bed seams which of course has gotten much worse over the years -- the rest of the Japan-made vehicle is still completely rust free!

I reread my owner's manual again last night, it specifically mentions green fan clutch means you have the towing package. Reread my invoice sticker, the towing hitch was installed as a DIO (dealer installed option) from southeast distributers. Is there any other goodies they install besides the green fan clutch, the hitch mount, the brake light connector, and a box from Reese with the hitch tongue thingy? Does the green fan clutch come from the factory or do they change it out at the same time they install the towing hitch? Must be a pile of fan clutches laying around if they do!

Yes, its the 7WAY RV plug. This is new from about the 2003 models and onward now.

Well, being from the southeast region, who knows what they do. Yes, they have to change it out to go to 5000#. And you mention "Reese", this is not OE, but aftermarket. Reese is good, but being as they added Reese, I odnt know what else they included in the package. In my region, they add factory hitch along with the correct clutch. Just check for color. You dont want to see the pink/red hub. If you do, keep it under 3500#

for the 2004 Tacoma they show a hitch with a ball, see above, maybe I did get screwed or maybe they started adding the hitch balls for 2004's.

what I got is shown in

Yeah the box said reese and the hitch had a receiver cap that said Reese but the dealer or the southeast distributers put a Toyota logo'd receiver cap on it. The towing hitch is an authorized Toyota accessory, not toyota OEM, like my tube steps were made by Steel Horse.

Not really complaining, just wondering if I should have gotten the ball or not, I didn't, but I got a free one anyhow from a front who borrowed my receiver tongue and pin and cotter pin.

from a friend, not "front", oops

Yea, the stinger is correct, you do not get the ball. Its just for the picture I imagine. No one knows which size you'll need anyway.

Yeah, not factory unit.