Safe & Compatible: Highlander & Lance 1685???
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 ...
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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.
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.
