towing out West

[citiznmikem]

I am planning on towing my 19 foot Aerolite travel trailer out West next summer with a 2007 Toyota Tundra 5.7 with tow package. GVCR of the trailer is around 4700 lbs. I've been told I shouldn't have any problem, but I wasnt convinced by the people who told me that,so here I am on this forum hoping I can get some positive reinforcement. It tows just fine on small hills and such, but the Mountains have me somewhat concerned.

[W_E_BGood]

carl2591 wrote:
what kinda MPG you guys/gals getting with the 5.7L tundra pulling in the "hills" out west..

We did a 4,700 round-trip from eastern Iowa to northern California in August via I80 to Winnemucca, NV, north and west through southern OR to CA, then north on the OR coast highway 1/2-way, then interstate to Portland, across the Columbia River Gorge back to Salt Lake, then home. Trailer was an Outback 250RS rated 6K dry, loaded right about at about 7K.
Total average trip mileage was 9.43 or 9.47, most "mountain climb time" it ran 7.5 to 8.0. Usual speed range was 62-65 MPH even climbing the hills.

[camp-n-family]

Tow/Haul is not operative in "S" mode. Check your manual. You can press the button and the light comes on, but it does nothing.

Yes and no. S mode negates the shift logic function of the transmission but does not cancel the rest such as the throttle timing mapping.

[12thgenusa]

citiznmikem wrote:
I have a tow/haul switch, but am appreciative of the advice to use the S shifter and tow/haul combination. Keep it in 4th on the grades with tow switch on. Thanks again to all.

Tow/Haul is not operative in "S" mode. Check your manual. You can press the button and the light comes on, but it does nothing.

I find that T/H will not shift low enough when descending grades so I nearly always use S mode and select the gear that lets me maintain the speed I want with minimal use of the brakes.

[blt2ski]

Jim,

Who had them monster 150-170 hp motors?!?!?! I seem to recall my first NEW truck having a whopping 105HP in an 81 GMC 2500 with a 292I6, and a muncie 4 spd.....slower than a slug up a freeway grade. But could out pull the 454/th400/4.10 1 ton dully at slow speeds up twice as steep a grade. The one ton was stalled out buying th400's every 25K miles, meanwhile the 292 would go thru a clutch every 70-80K miles.........

Marty

[wintersun]

What will be important is the quality of the brake controller setup for your rig. There are steep grades in the 6-8 percent range but you can route your travels to avoid them to a large extent.

The interstates are one option as taxpayers pay a great deal to subsidize the trucking industry with their creation. The interstates are designed to minimize elevation changes and save trucker's fuel. Mountains have been leveled and valleys filled with dirt to "fix" highways for truckers in California.

Just get the trailer's brakes and wheel bearings and tires checked out before you leave.

The trucker models of GPS units will also recommend routes that minimize elevation changes though you may miss scenic areas if you let them dictate your route all the time. The Garmin is the favored unit by truckers.

[JIMNLIN]

Just remember thousands have went before you when all we had was 283ci chevy trucks with a powerglide tranny or a 292 Ford 1/2 ton with whoppin' 150-175 hp pulling 5k-7k trailers. Your worrying over nothing. Its gonna' be a fun trip. Enjoy the fantastic scenery.

[carl2591]

what kinda MPG you guys/gals getting with the 5.7L tundra pulling in the "hills" out west..

[msgtord]

Transmission and tire failure are the most common issues when towing in the heat out west.

[camp-n-family]

I have a tow/haul switch, but am appreciative of the advice to use the S shifter and tow/haul combination. Keep it in 4th on the grades with tow switch on.

I keep it in S5 when towing, shouldn't need 4th unless it is very hilly up and down causing it to shift back and forth between gears. In S5 it will lock out 6th (overdrive) but still shift normally between 1st and 5th. Use tow mode and let the computer do its job to shift for optimal performance.

As for the down hills, the Tundra has sensors built in to downshift and engine brake as needed. It works pretty good to hold speed but on some steeper hills you may need to manually drop another gear.

[citiznmikem]

Thanks to all for the info. I did formerly have a 27 foot Wilderness, but after taking it through Missouri's rolling hlls, it seemed to work a bit more than I thought it would. I always suspected I had more trailer than I needed so I downsized and am very happy with the Aerolite. I have a tow/haul switch, but am appreciative of the advice to use the S shifter and tow/haul combination. Keep it in 4th on the grades with tow switch on. Thanks again to all.

[Ron3rd]

Paul Clancy wrote:
If your truck doesn't have a trans temp guage it's a good addition for big grades.

Tundras come with a trans temp gauge. The OP will be fine with that setup. I tow much heavier.

[wilber1]

A Tundra towing a 19ft light weight. Sounds like a case of too much truck. My advice. Get something smaller to make things more interesting.

[ordually]

citiznmikem wrote:
I am planning on towing my 19 foot Aerolite travel trailer out West next summer with a 2007 Toyota Tundra 5.7 with tow package. GVCR of the trailer is around 4700 lbs. I've been told I shouldn't have any problem, but I wasnt convinced by the people who told me that,so here I am on this forum hoping I can get some positive reinforcement. It tows just fine on small hills and such, but the Mountains have me somewhat concerned.

I live in Colorado at 6500ft and only go up from there. I use a Toyota 5.7 to motivate my Nash TT, about 6K, and I've scaled the combined rig at 13,000. My regular routes include the "Ike Gauntlet" that is frequented by the TFLTruck videos, which maxes at 11,000ft. The Toyota 3UR V8 and Aisin 6 speed has been excellent at grade climbing and descending. At basically the max GCWR for the Sequoia I can hold the I-70 freeway speed limit anywhere on it (5-11K ft in altitude, up to 7% grades), or descend 2000 ft on a 7% grade, 60-65mph in 3rd gear without touching the brakes. Highways are all easier than the 70 freeway since the speeds are lower, even though the grades might be steeper.

Have fun out west.

[oughtsix]

TucsonJim wrote:
When you get on steep grades, there are some things you should consider.
1. If you're on a two lane highway, don't speed up when you get to a passing lane. Stay to the right, and let traffic get around you.
2. If you're on a two lane highway, and you have traffic backed up, use turn outs every chance you get. This will let traffic clear out behind you.
3. On steep downgrades, make sure you use your transmission to keep your speed under control instead of your brakes.
4. If it's very hot out and you're climbing a steep grade, shut off your TV AC to help with power demands and to prevent overheating.\
5. On some steep grades, there is a brake check area at the top of the grade. If you have any doubts about your rig, pull over there and check to make sure your brake controller is properly set.
6. If your brakes start to fade on a steep grade, make sure you have a hot iron to get the pucker marks out of your seat. 😉

Good advice, the best way to not get yourself shot out west here is to be a courteous driver. We don't put up with that eastern rudeness.

I would recommend starting your trip with a fresh oil and transmission fluid change. Especially the tranny service if you haven't done one in a while.