2015 Toyota Highlander: enough for a 17' Hard-sided camper?

rexlion wrote:
It's odd, some RV dealers list this trailer as 17' long and some list it as 21'8" long. Same trailer. Dunno.

I still think hitch weight will be a problem.

the "17" in 17BH, has nothing to do with trailer's actual full length.
many RV buyers assume that the number in the model name, relates to the length of the RV, when it almost never does.
So the 21'8" sounds like the actual tongue-to-bumper length.

It's odd, some RV dealers list this trailer as 17' long and some list it as 21'8" long. Same trailer. Dunno.

I still think hitch weight will be a problem.

Toyota Highlander is a CUV...first gen derived from the Camry. Current gen is
derived from the Toyota Sienna Mini Van

So, just think of a Sienna Mini Van towing this trailer..albeit the suspension
is beefed up for 'light' off roading.

Follow the manual towing 'limits' (recommendations are ratings and limits)...especially
the receiver type and load ratings

I tow my Jayco X17A with my 2010 Rav4. It works perfectly. One finger driving and very stable. I can do whatever speed I like with the V6 but of course stay under 63MPH. RPM's are at 2500 but RPM's do not hurt a gas engine

My Rav4 has slightly more power though as it is lighter than the highlander but you will do fine.

I use an E4 Equalizer hitch and highly recommend it.

I see people all over towing similar and larger tt's with mini vans and mid size crossovers so it can be done. Will you enjoy it? Only you can tell.

Tt's are a real pig to push through the air at high speeds. You will probably needs more rpms (+3000) to maintain cruising speed on the highway.

Make sure you can use a wdh with the toyota because you will need one to level out the ride.

Also check your payload sticker on the door jam (yellowish and say occupants and cargo never to exceed xxxx). This is how much people, gear, stuff, and most importantly touge wt. you can add.

Good luck.

Nice SUV by the way, my parents just picked one up and it is really good looking and comfortable.

zab wrote:
Hi, I think I've found the "best fit" vehicle that meets my family's needs, wife's desires, my desires, etc and should still be able to tow our Viking 17BH (17 foot hard sided trailer, 2800 lbs empty, 3600 fully loaded).

The Highlander is rated for up to 5000 pounds, but I have a feeling the wide would get wild if one towed that much, especially with a full-sized camper.

It's a V6 so the engine can do the job, I just hope the Highlander isn't going to shimmy and shake while towing. Can anybody provide input on how this will do with a hard-sided trailer?

thx!

This is a perfect match up for the Highlander. No issues here.

If you take two minutes and download the Toyota trailering guide you will get exact towing capacities for all their vehicles (which varies by engine).

I would take 2/3 of the maximum as the weight I would want to actually tow with a SUV. This leaves a buffer in terms of performance when towing which includes your ability to accelerate and merge with traffic, the ability to pass a tractor with double trailers going 10 MPH up a grade, and the ability to stop the SUV and the trailer in time in an emergency.

Hmmm. I've towed with my '08 Highlander for over 140,000 miles (work and play). It is a really good tow vehicle.

That said, I've never towed anything longer than 17'. The Viking is 21'8". And my previous TT was 7'W x 99" H, whereas the Viking is 7'4"W x 116"H... considerably larger frontal area. Frontal area is a bigger concern than a little more or less weight, because it takes a lot of grunt to push air at highway speed.

Now here's the big thing that concerns me about the Viking: 406 lb dry hitch weight. My trailers have not been over 425 lb actual hitch weight. Once you add LP tanks, battery, and gear, I would bet that you will be over the 500 lb limit of your HL. And that's before you add water; you will want to see where your fresh water tank and hot water heater are located, and think about the added weight of any water you will carry. Also, remember that the weight of any WD hitch you use is also weight on the hitch, and with anything over 20' a WD-anti sway hitch is a really good idea (the Andersen No-Sway is about the lightest one out there).

You might give thought to something like the KZ Sportsmen Classic 19BH, as it would not be as high and would give you another 50 or 60 lb of hitch weight to play with.

Edited***** It looks like that should be a decent match.