Thinking About a TT, Confused About Towing
Hi all! Sorry if this has been asked over & over, I did a search, but didn't find anything that didn't confuse me more. We are considering a travel trailer to spend some time in National Parks, but ...
Forum Discussion
We had a Tacoma (same setup as the 4-Runner) and even dealers were hesitant to suggest we pull much. The numbers wouldn't work for us. Even though there are just two of us, a camper with just a stove and sleeping accommodations were way less than we wanted.
The entire story is scattered through other threads, but we learned an important lesson about capacity. We had purchased a Ford F150 crew cab which has a 1,250 max capacity. We had purchased a 27 ft ultralight which weighs 6,000 lbs as shipped (includes battery and propane). After adding another battery and our stuff, we figure we are at about 7000 lbs. Our tongue weight is 13% of the trailer weight, about 900 lbs. That left us with 300 lbs for us (we aren't that thin!), the weight distributing hitch, and our lunch. In short, it is very very easy to underestimate your load.
Factor in the enormous surface area of most TT's and a short wheelbase TV with not so much power and the risk goes up. A lot of people disregard these risks and manage to successfully tow with Tacoma's, 4-runners, and other lighter duty vehicles. Here is how I think about all this:
1. Can the truck safely handle the payload of trailer tongue and passengers?
2. Is there enough engine to pull the trailer over the mountains (we live in the West)?
3. Can I confidently tow my TT under less-than-ideal conditions?
These are questions only you can answer. Just bear in mind that the max payload number on your door sticker is based on manufacturer engineering calculations that take into account a very large number of variables. Exceeding that number is an invitation to trouble.
The entire story is scattered through other threads, but we learned an important lesson about capacity. We had purchased a Ford F150 crew cab which has a 1,250 max capacity. We had purchased a 27 ft ultralight which weighs 6,000 lbs as shipped (includes battery and propane). After adding another battery and our stuff, we figure we are at about 7000 lbs. Our tongue weight is 13% of the trailer weight, about 900 lbs. That left us with 300 lbs for us (we aren't that thin!), the weight distributing hitch, and our lunch. In short, it is very very easy to underestimate your load.
Factor in the enormous surface area of most TT's and a short wheelbase TV with not so much power and the risk goes up. A lot of people disregard these risks and manage to successfully tow with Tacoma's, 4-runners, and other lighter duty vehicles. Here is how I think about all this:
1. Can the truck safely handle the payload of trailer tongue and passengers?
2. Is there enough engine to pull the trailer over the mountains (we live in the West)?
3. Can I confidently tow my TT under less-than-ideal conditions?
These are questions only you can answer. Just bear in mind that the max payload number on your door sticker is based on manufacturer engineering calculations that take into account a very large number of variables. Exceeding that number is an invitation to trouble.
