Follow Up: 4 Runner Towing Reality

CommuterCruiser wrote:
THANKS for everyone's input. Our current thoughts are that we should stick with the vehicle GVWR & payload differential (620 lbs) and subtract a weight distributing hitch weight (approx 80 lbs?) from that leaving 540 lbs for the loaded trailer tongue weight.

The trailer we're drooling over has a dry weight 275 tongue weight, a dry weight of 3400 lbs and fully loaded 5400 lbs. I'm not sure why they add 2000 lbs for fully loaded, but if we only added 1000 lbs which I've heard is a reasonable assumption, this trailer would be gross weight 4500 lbs. At 10% tongue weight, it would be 450 and 15% would be 680, so we'd "weigh in" at approximately 12% if we limited the "stuff" aboard to 1000 lbs.

We're both concerned about the semi-truck windage which has been mentioned above. If we do this, we will have a weight distributing hitch and sway bars, anything that can help.

We've looked at alot of travel trailers. We're thinking of living for 2-3 months at a time. We want to tow it from Illinois to the Grand Canyon and southern Utah National Parks. We don't want a pop-up camper because we want to camp in national parks, some with bears.

Not sure about R-Pods, although I really like them, but we understand they sway terribly behind any vehicle. Today we looked at an Airstream 19' Bambi which we cannot afford and I didn't really like and a TrailManor 20 (22?) footer 4500 GVWR, no longer made. The Casitas are too small for us to imagine living in for 2-3 months at a time.

Beginning to think we need to postpone this wild idea until it's time to replace our 4 Runner (currently 110,000 miles, anticipating 200,000 plus) and take off cruising in our sailboat down the Eastern Caribbean instead.

Thanks again for the input! Anyone with more insight on the trailer specs we're drooling over, please add your comments! THX! J&D

There are a plethora of small trailers that you can pull. I would go to a rv show and look at trailers that meet your needs. Set a limit on UVW and don't let a salesperson try and talk you into something to heavy.