Why is towing my little trailer so stressful?
We have a 16' vintage trailer that weighs less than 2500 lbs. We pull it with a 2013 Toyota Prerunner (rear wheel drive) double cab V6. It doesn't have the factory tow package, just an after market hi...
Forum Discussion
While the travel trailer is small, it is large relative to the capacity of the truck, particularly the capacity to carry weight on the rear axle.
Your PreRunner is quite similar in configuration to my 2WD Edge: lighter 2WD truck lifted up a couple inches on suspension from 4x4, larger diameter wheels carrying oversize tires (OEM for yours was also aggressive off-road tread).
You can make use of the larger tires, at full inflation pressure they will carry much more than the ratings of the springs and axles, and might be more squirmy at lower "comfort" inflation pressures.
The place to start would be to get onto scales, find out front and rear axle weights carrying everything you have with you when you tow, then hook up the trailer and weigh again to see how much weight you've added to the rear, how much you are taking off the front.
I suspect the real fix is going to be a weight distribution hitch, if the tongue of the trailer is strong enough for such a hitch.
When I was shopping a similar size and weight TT to tow behind my Ranger, the manufacturer made it clear to me that I would need weight distribution to handle the tongue load with a truck that light duty. I've gotten away from that issue by replacing the Ranger with a 1-ton truck, but still, any trailer with the high profile of a RV, being towed at highway speeds, is going to need weight distribution.
Your PreRunner is quite similar in configuration to my 2WD Edge: lighter 2WD truck lifted up a couple inches on suspension from 4x4, larger diameter wheels carrying oversize tires (OEM for yours was also aggressive off-road tread).
You can make use of the larger tires, at full inflation pressure they will carry much more than the ratings of the springs and axles, and might be more squirmy at lower "comfort" inflation pressures.
The place to start would be to get onto scales, find out front and rear axle weights carrying everything you have with you when you tow, then hook up the trailer and weigh again to see how much weight you've added to the rear, how much you are taking off the front.
I suspect the real fix is going to be a weight distribution hitch, if the tongue of the trailer is strong enough for such a hitch.
When I was shopping a similar size and weight TT to tow behind my Ranger, the manufacturer made it clear to me that I would need weight distribution to handle the tongue load with a truck that light duty. I've gotten away from that issue by replacing the Ranger with a 1-ton truck, but still, any trailer with the high profile of a RV, being towed at highway speeds, is going to need weight distribution.
