Forum Discussion

MargaretB's avatar
MargaretB
Explorer
Oct 16, 2014

How do you know you're towing too much weight?

We've been told here that our Sequoia can only tow the standard rating of 7500 lbs, despite having the tow package which the manufacturer says can tow 9500. We'll never get near that number, of course, and intend to stick to as close to 6000 as we can.

But I wondered, as we drove the new TT baby home today, how you can tell if you're pulling too much weight. We were pulling an empty TT with full propane tanks and two batteries, and the tach showed 3100 rpms as we climbed the hills near out home. Is the tach the best way of telling? If so, how many rpms are too many? If not, what is?

49 Replies

  • In your former threads, payload capacity was explained. That is the be-all, end-all for towing capacity with your Sequoia and a travel trailer. The capacity weight number is printed on a sticker on the driver's side door jamb. Have you looked for it? It usually states," All passengers and cargo should not exceed....".
  • Look at the labels on the door piller. Look for gross combined weigh rating. Go weigh truck loaded ready to camp


    Gross combined weight - truck = max trailer weight.
  • Towing weight is important, but to me, stopping ability is also another very important point. Find out what your brakes (and tires) are rated for. It is really scary to have all 4 tires skidding as a trailer pushes you from behind.
  • We are loading up for a short weekend trip tomorrow, and will take it to be weighed after that. but I haven't been able to determine whom to believe regarding the towing capacity of the TV. People here have said that I shouldn't believe the salesman who sold it to us, or the salesman at the TT lot, or the manufacturer's claims in the manual that came with the TV. Which leaves me wondering whom I should believe. I know we'll keep right around 6000#, give or take a a few, but some day I'd really like to know what the towing capacity of our TV actually is.
  • Loaded tongue weight vs your Toyota's left over PAYLOAD after you subtract passengers, the dog, and gear, etc.

    If you have lbs left over, you are good to go.
  • When your front wheels are off the ground, you might be a little over weight :)
  • The only way to know for sure is to have it weighed. Also turning high RPMS while climbing hills is normal for any gas engine.
  • 3100 is nothing. Start worrying if you are continually running over 5500. You will probably never even get to 5000.