Towing Airstream with Tundra

stargirl96 wrote:
We have a 2008 Toyota Tundra double cab V8 with 5.7L. It's rated to pull 10,100 lbs. I know you have to look beyond this tow rating when picking a trailer. We are looking at a 1995 28' Airstream. Dry weight is 8,500 lbs. & tongue weight 650 lbs. Will this work, and how do you figure what you can safely tow in a travel trailer? There will be only 2 medium-sized adult in truck, and we tend to pack light.

Forget about that 10K tow capacity. You will run out of payload (cargo carrying capacity), long before you get there.

Check the sticker on your drivers door post. Look for a payload number or cargo carrying capacity. Payload is max weight capacity for occupants, cargo, WD hitch, and tongue weight combined. Some Tundras have less than 1400 lbs of payload, some have close to 1700 lbs.

The trailer weights don't look right. At a minimum the tongue weight should be 10 percent of trailer weight. Average tongue weight is 12 - 13 percent.

Assuming the 8500 dry weight is correct, you're looking at about 9200 lbs, loaded for camping. The tongue weight will be about 1100 lbs, possibly higher, and there will be another 100 lbs of WD hitch.

If your Tundra is on the low end with payload, you will be at max weight, before you or a passenger get in the truck, and there's no room for cargo of any kind.