on Saturday going into Reno...That tt was doing the macarena behind the Tacoma. It was a little breezy and he was driving 65... It looked like a white knuckle type of trip. He had not yet hit the restricted, road work area. The only plus through the road work is that he had to slow down.

But the salesman said he could tow anything!

He probably hadn't slowed down yet from the previous 15-mile 6% mountain grade...Roy Ken

I've been a lot more aware of towing combinations since getting my RV and joining these forums. On the way 'down the shore' last week I saw a Hyundai Santa Fe towing a monstrous (compared to the Santa Fe) travel trailer (had to be 25-27 feet). It was the scariest combination of things I've seen to date. I was surprised to find that the Santa Fe has a 5,000 lb. towing capacity but this guy was way overloaded. The thing was stuffed to the gills, had a rooftop carrier, rear suspension totally flattened out. He could barely do 45 MPH in the 65 MPH zone. Traffic was all jammed up behind him. I guess he's lucky in a way that he couldn't go any faster.

It's amazing to me the loads people think they can tow. Just because it has a hitch does not mean it can tow anything. When I see one of those, I try to stay far, far away, lest "the big wreck" happen next to me.

naturist wrote:It's amazing to me the loads people think they can tow. Just because it has a hitch does not mean it can tow anything. When I see one of those, I try to stay far, far away, lest "the big wreck" happen next to me.You mean like the Dodge 2500 I saw a number of years ago with one of the Fummins deezal motors towing a 5w that had the back end swinging from side to side the whole lane width. Front end of trailer was raised up, hence the uncontrolled sway.I've seen a tandem axel flatbed truck, Kenworth that had a tandem axle tip bed that was going haywire down the freeway at speeds more than 55 mph. Incorrect trailer loading on that rig too.It is not just the little rigs that are unsafe with improper loading techniques. Both of the rigs I mentioned, were well under gvwr and gawr's of the rigs in question. Marty

Passed a Tacoma pulling an approx 26'-27' TT | Good Sam Community

20 Replies

DaveF-250SD
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
RoyB wrote:
He probably hadn't slowed down yet from the previous 15-mile 6% mountain grade...

Roy Ken

The grade he probably crested in first gear at 15 miles per hour, lol. Some folks just don't know any better, sadly. To them, if they hitch up the trailer and the combination will physically move under it's own power, they think it is perfectly safe and normal.
RobertRyan
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
Here you can pull a 26ft 5th Wheeler, but company producing it has to show and have tested the final configuration thoroughly before they can sell it. Otherwise they cannot sell it or a fined into the ground till they produce a suitably safe vehicle, for the tow vehicle to tow. Abuses by some large truck operations has made the road safety and licencing Authorities very tough on compliance and suitability for towing.
spud1957
Explorer
Jul 28, 2015
turbojimmy wrote:
spud1957 wrote:
I've seen lots of tractor trailers in the ditch and no other vehicles around in the ditch either.I guess they aren't safe either?

No, they just fell asleep.

My point exactly! Just because it's in the ditch does not mean its a poor setup or over weight.
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jul 27, 2015
PAThwacker wrote:
Don't call a pilot an SUV. Has never been one in any form??

Yep...just like a Kia Soul...lol
PAThwacker
Explorer
Jul 27, 2015
Don't call a pilot an SUV. Has never been one in any form??
shfd739
Explorer
Jul 27, 2015
kvangil wrote:
On a recent trip through Wisconsin I saw

3) a previous gen Honda Pilot towing a travel trailer and his rear wheels were angled inward at the top (overloaded).

The Pilot may not have been overloaded. Those SUVs have independent rear suspensions and as the suspension compresses underload is causes the camber to change slightly giving it the angled in look
jerem0621
Explorer II
Jul 27, 2015
If you think a semi or a fiver can't sway, even with a DRW you are greatly mistaken.

So much more to towing than the size of the vehicle. Tacos have a tow rating near 6k lbs...there are many many many light weight 22-25 fters that would work with a modestly loaded Taco.

The ones that really scare me are the ones who say they "can't even feel the trailer back there".

I have always been able to feel my Trailers...even my little single axle utility trailer behind my Dually.

Oblivious drivers are the problem...not the truck/tv

Thanks!

Jeremiah
turbojimmy
Explorer
Jul 27, 2015
spud1957 wrote:
I've seen lots of tractor trailers in the ditch and no other vehicles around in the ditch either.I guess they aren't safe either?

No, they just fell asleep.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Jul 27, 2015
:R
You beat me too it Marty.

Sway has NOTHING to do with the truck you are pulling the trailer with. NOTHING.

I was almost taken off of the road with a zero tongue weight product trailer. Length of the trailer? About 8 feet. The weight of trailer and product? About 3 to 4K. The truck? 4 door Chevy 2,500 Dmax. Guess I had too light of a truck? :R
SouthpawHD
Explorer
Jul 27, 2015
I saw a billboard yesterday for a local Toyota dealership of a Tundra towing a 35' fifth!! Dealerships will say and show anything in advertising.

But I will also admit that I did not fully understand "payload" vs "towing capacity" until joining some internet forums. Payload is NOT discussed at dealerships when truck shopping. But it SHOULD be!