Safe & Compatible: Highlander & Lance 1685???

[bobka7914]

Contemplating purchasing a 2015 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD V-6 with factory tow package. It has a 5000 lb tow rating. Looking for a suitable TT for our small family's need... Would a Lance 1685 with a dry weight of 3405 lbs be too much for the Highlander to handle? If not, how about an Explorer, Pathfinder?

[chr_]

V8 Models of vehicles with standard V6 engines usually get the same or better MPG's towing and not. I have two Explorer Sport Tracs. One is a V6 and one a V8. The V8 gets the same MPG, has 100 more HP and Ft Lbs of torque in day to day driving, and is rated 1 MPG higher. I wouldn't tow my TT with the V6 truck.

[MargaretB]

"My advice, based on experience, is to get a tow vehicle that is built for towing. If it has a tow/haul mode and OEM brake controller, you can probably assume it will tow a 1685 just fine. Vehicles that come to mind are the Tahoe and Expedition SUV's, or a half-ton pickup."

We have a 2010 Sequoia V8 with tow package and brake controller. With those, it's supposedly rated to haul 9600 lbs, although we don't believe that and assume that the 7500 (for that model without the tow package) is closer to the truth. So far, it's worked fine, hauling a 2015 Tracer 230. My husband has occasional pangs about not having gone with a truck, but we prefer the closed vehicle, and the Sequoia has plenty of whatever it takes to get us around.

[Arizona_Kid]

Yes, I should have said GTW. I edited it.

[Bumpyroad]

Arizona Kid wrote:
The wet weight for the Lance 1685 is 5,400lbs. Jmo you need a bigger TV something with a least 6,000lb tow capacity.
Our TV is a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder V8 7,000 lbs tow capacity, purchased specifically to tow the Lance.
Note: Lance has redesigned the 2015 1/2 models.

I thought that 5400 lbs. was the gVWR. not the wet weight.
bumpy

[Arizona_Kid]

The GTW weight for the Lance 1685 is 5,400lbs. Jmo you need a bigger TV something with a least 6,000lb tow capacity.
Our TV is a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder V8 7,000 lbs tow capacity, purchased specifically to tow the Lance.
Note: Lance has redesigned the 2015 1/2 models.

[Clattertruck]

We towed with a 2011 4Runner Trail Model. We bought a 2014 Lance 1885 because we felt it was the best built of smaller trailers with the features we liked.
Loaded with most of our stuff and 30 gallons of water and the trailer hooked up, the scale showed 2320 lbs. steer axle; 3200 lbs. drive axle; 4500 trailer axles.
With no trailer the Toyota weighed 2580 lbs. steer axle, and 2440 drive axle for a total 5020 lbs. The Lance weighed 5000 lbs. with 500 lbs. being transferred to the Toyota by the Equal-i-zer 4 point hitch.

The Toyota did a better job of towing than I thought it would. Power on the passes was not spectacular but adequate I liked the back road capability of the 4Runner. Then came the tipping point. On our fifth trip with the rig, coming from Green River, UT east to Grand Junction we hit a very heavy head wind for 100 miles. The result was 2nd gear and a little 3rd gear the whole way.

That was the end of the 4Runner. I went to the local Toyota store and traded for a Tundra Crew Max 5.7, which solved the power problem. The Tundra has the TRD Off Road package and is agile enough on easy to moderate trails.

The mileage towing the Lance has been 10.3 mpg hand calculated.

However, if we wanted to take a third trip to Alaska I'll tie the trailer to my 2008 F450. It knows the way from our truck camper days.

[jonmad]

Do it right the first time. I bought a Coachmen Clipper that the dealer told me I could tow with my V-6 Rav. Dry weight was 3000. We made one trip with it and had no problem towing or stopping it but didn't feel comfortable going over 50 mph. I am now stuck with $700.00 worth of hitch parts and Prodigy brake controller that I can't use because we ended up buying an F-150 with the ecoboost six cylinder rated to tow 9400 lbs. After that we decided to buy the camper we wanted in the first place that weighs 5500 dry. So now the WDH they sold me is to light duty for the new camper and the truck has an integrated brake controller. This is example of how not to do it. Just sayin....

[Bruce_H_]

3,405 lbs. is the dry weight of the Lance 1685 before adding any options. Fully optioned, it will be close to 4,000 lbs. Add your personal stuff and full water tank, and you will be over 5,000 lbs.

For the first couple of years I towed my 3,500 GVWR travel trailer with a Honda Pilot AWD with a max tow rating of 3,500 lbs. Earlier this year I upgraded to an Expedition with HD Tow Package (9,000 lbs tow rating). It has an integrated trailer brake controller and a tow/haul mode. What a world of difference between the two vehicles when towing!

My advice, based on experience, is to get a tow vehicle that is built for towing. If it has a tow/haul mode and OEM brake controller, you can probably assume it will tow a 1685 just fine. Vehicles that come to mind are the Tahoe and Expedition SUV's, or a half-ton pickup.

And like 2012Coleman just said in the prior post, pay attention to payload. There are some pickups with very low payloads--they look like towing monsters, but have the payload sufficient only for a trip to the grocery store! 🙂

Bruce

[2012Coleman]

My suggestion would be to focus on the payload of the TV you plan on purchasing - not how much it is rated to tow. Tow capacity will not be reached before payload has been exxceeded. I'm surprised that people would say your OK without knowing this info.

Good luck.

[FrankShore]

To the Original Poster. You can probably tow without ant problems for many years. But then there is the V6 -vs- V8 battle, and I think you'd be well served by purchasing a nice dependable V-8 engine.

If you love the Lance trailer as much as you do, you'll find the correct TV & TT. a V6 truck combo should suffice you places, but it will be slow on some roads , etc. V8 better in every way!

Think about a nice V8 and have "NO buyers remorse" a V8 will get you everywhere / that Lance 1685

Did you register at the Lance Owners of America website? Tons of erudite and well thought answers can be had on the LOA Forum - the BEST $25.00 spent for a LifeTime Member)

Just go to Google and type in: Lance Owners of America


Good Luck OP. If you have any questions on construction methods, company history - how to take on a modification yourself (spend the $25.00

In any case, whichever tow vehicle you choose, you are locked onto the most superior Traver Trailer being sold for the past 10- years

[Bumpyroad]

bobka7914 wrote:
Contemplating purchasing a 2015 Toyota Highlander XLE AWD V-6 with factory tow package. It has a 5000 lb tow rating. Looking for a suitable TT for our small family's need... Would a Lance 1685 with a dry weight of 3405 lbs be too much for the Highlander to handle? If not, how about an Explorer, Pathfinder?

I have a 2011 highlander with TP and my TT is 3450 or so dry. It would handle the 3405 trailer OK. a heavier/beefier/TV would be better but depends on where and how you will be towing it.
but once again I disagree with those who base their decision only on GVWR of the TT. what matters is what is the ACTUAL weight loaded, not some hypothetical maximum.
bumpy

[Galvanizd]

http://www.trailerlife.com/rv-trailer-news/the-new-lance-2185-travel-trailer-and-the-jeep-grand-cher...This probably doesn't answer your exact question but it might allow for comparison and it's a good article about an SUV and a lance trailer

http://www.trailerlife.com/rv-trailer-news/the-new-lance-2185-travel-trailer-and-the-jeep-grand-cherokee/

[dadmomh]

Agree on the frontal area....check your manual and if not there, ask your dealer to get the true info for you. Many times there have been folks asking about the Highlander and it's towing capacities. Many have said "no way" and others have said "sure, no problem". To me, the non-expert, it sounds awfully close. You haven't allowed the 1000# or 10% (or maybe it's 20%, never sure). That cushion would put you over. Suggest you look at either a smaller Lance or a beefier tow vehicle. Finding out after the fact can be dangerous and/or expensive. Lots of research needed here.

[xteacher]

What is the frontal area limit of the Highlander? On my Pathfinder (a 2010, with a tow capacity of 6000 lb.), it's only 70 square ft. How wide is the Lance? I tow the camper in my signature with no problem, but it's only 7 ft. wide. This makes a difference, IMO. It has a dry weight of 2507 lb., and we never travel with fresh water on board. I drive 60-65 mph and get around 11 mpg on the interstate. I also have a WDH and sway bar.