Clarification on tow capacity

I have read through this entire thread and thought I finally understood how to calculate the towing capacity, but then there were things thrown in like "tongue weight" and "payload" and now I'm confused again.

I have a 2012 Toyota Sequoia 4.7L with a GVWR of 7300 lbs. I have six teenage boys (plus one little boy), which I know will obviously impact the overall weight.

I'm looking at used travel trailers in the 20 to 22 ft range. (The older boys still prefer tents, but mama would like some creature comforts.) I've looked at a 21' Dutchmen Aerolite and a 20' Keystone Passport (both with rear slide-out beds).

Any suggestions or advice for me? I'd love to soak up some of your experience and knowledge.

Thanks,
Sandy.

I have 2014 Titan Pro-4x and it hauls my 26ft TT just fine. TT is 6500 lbs, I usually have 600 lbs or better in the cab and about 500-1000 lbs in the TT.

I have done it and don't disagree, have a semi scale 100 yards from the house. The manufacturers have made this towing,complicated to the new tower. Some like Ford have done this with addons for more money with minor changes with the same frame.

I won't bore anyone with the difference in tow and max tow, all on the same frame. Nobody can change the "official" GVWR. Of any truck but most of us know what it consist of, again on the same frame. Speaking Ford f-150 here, nothing else.

In the old days before these tow packages,RVers new what was needed to pull that trailer, large or small and added those features. Now they call it the tow package and the max tow package, in fords case....... As far as the GVWR goes, again in fords case, small but expensive in some cases changes make a couple hundred pound differences to a new axle for 1,000 lbs or more in payload.

You can do some or all of these changes for your personal needs but it does not change the official/stamped GVWR of that truck even though it is exactly the same in componants as higher officially rated GVWR.

In my case only, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.I modify for my needs as I always have before max tow and max payload were ever introduced.

Am I saying you can go over the rated anything.. NO...I am saying each one of us has the choice to stick by the official book or make our own changes to there specs even if there unofficial, most being minor changes or we can just buy a 1 ton to haul a 8,000 lb trailer, properly equipped of course.:B

jaycocreek wrote:
Let's give these new guys asking questions a break and quit just saying NO to 1/2 tons. A 3/4 ton is just not the answer to a lot of new to the RV world,just like solar/6 volt doesn't suit everyone.....

Agreed. As was stated, the issue with ALL vehicles towing RVs is NOT engine power, it's load capacity. Sorry to say that your 5.4L in a 150 beating a 6.0L in a 2500 to the top of the Whitebird Hill is not what this is about.

When you get up into the heavier trailers at 6000+ empty you are looking at 7000+ loaded or more, with tongue weights close to 1000 lbs. It's not a matter of whether a "half ton" can or cannot pull the trailer, you need to look at specific vehicle specs and also consider what else you plan on loading in the truck to be sure there's enough capacity to handle the tongue weight. Many/most 1500 series trucks come with P-rated tires, light duty semi-floating rear axles, etc., and if you want the truck to last you need to pay attention to the weight ratings assigned by the mfr.

Nobody is telling the OP that he can't tow anything with a Titan (or whatever he chooses), only to choose the TT wisely so as not to overload the truck.

I would suggest that everybody, not just you jaycocreek, make a trip to the scales with their rig before posting on here about how much a truck can tow. In my 12+ years on this forum, I have found that *most* everybody that says a given rig "tows just fine" is overloaded and doesn't know it.

I am re-arranging the storage in my TT and plan to make a stop at the scales one of the first trips out to see where I stand and be sure I am still OK on all ratings.

jaycocreek wrote:


There's too many opinions just like the one I quoted that simply is not true and very unfair to a poster asking for advice about his current or soon to be 1/2 ton truck. These newer 1/2 ton trucks are capable tow vehicles unlike most of the older ones.

Most, if not all of the higher rated come with the updated radiators/transmission coolers/wiring and class IV hitches that in the old days we had to add ourselves even on 3/4 tons and up.

The question, almost always, isn't what a vehicle is rated to tow. People who educate themselves realize that. All those things that you mention don't matter 1% to what usually is the limiting factor when trying to figure out what you can SAFELY tow.....that being what the suspension can handle.

That's the issue with a 1/2 ton vs. a 3/4 ton....or a 3/4 ton vs. a 1 ton.

!/2 ton vehicles can indeed safely tow a myriad of travel trailers. The trick is to find the one that doesn't max out the suspension. Engine size, tranny coolers, bigger radiators, mega hitches, high dollar WD setups...etc. None of these things matter if the suspension is maxxed out.

rbpru wrote:
At this point I am going to figure out how many angles can dance on the head of a pin.:)

Let's see who remembers their history. :W

OK that made me laugh... I haven't heard that phrase in a long time! Fitting. ;)

Many, many here will disagree with me, but I just think all these 1/2 tons with the exception of a few of the higher rated F-150s should be generally reserved for tent/pop up or very small TTs with tongue wt. below 500lbs

There's too many opinions just like the one I quoted that simply is not true and very unfair to a poster asking for advice about his current or soon to be 1/2 ton truck. These newer 1/2 ton trucks are capable tow vehicles unlike most of the older ones.

Most, if not all of the higher rated come with the updated radiators/transmission coolers/wiring and class IV hitches that in the old days we had to add ourselves even on 3/4 tons and up.

Let's give these new guys asking questions a break and quit just saying NO to 1/2 tons. A 3/4 ton is just not the answer to a lot of new to the RV world,just like solar/6 volt doesn't suit everyone.....

At this point I am going to figure out how many angles can dance on the head of a pin.:)

Let's see who remembers their history. :W

TomG2 wrote:

jaycocreek wrote:
It angers my son also.

Glad that you enjoy angering your son. Something tells me that your son let you win the race, just as I have done. Enjoy your win, whether real or not.

Wow - that first sentence was rude - he ended his sentence with a smile which you so conveniently left off as if he was purposely angering his son or something. Every time I get on here to (hopefully) see more helpful advice I feel like I'm in the movie Groundhog Day because this is the same petty high school crud each time. There are plenty of helpful people on this site but this makes me not even want to seek out advice on here.

I feel like jaycocreek is being helpful (and very clear on what is OPINION, observation, and fact) and you're just being a hater... it sure as heck doesn't make me lean towards reading your advice with any confidence.

Really..... Tell me why you think the 6.0 would out pull the 5.4 with less torque and in a heavier truck?

Answer that please!