Towing requirements

[forjonny]

My camper trailer is 3500 Lbs. I am looking for a SUV that will tow it.Should I have a SUV that can handle a higher amount than that like 5000? Or am I safe getting a vehicle that just tows that amount? I have my eyes on some but if it's better to get a higher rated one then I will have to search further.

[forjonny]

Huntindog wrote:

rjstractor wrote:
I did a little bit of research on the Sorento and could not find what the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is for that vehicle. However, I did find that the minimum payload for a loaded AWD model is about 1300 pounds, which isn't bad and actually better than some full size pickups. If your trailer's gross weight is 3500 pounds than it will likely be a good match for the AWD Sorento as long as you watch your payload. The trailer's hitch weight will add 500-600 pounds to what the vehicle carries. A good weight distribution hitch will be necessary to spread that weight between the front and rear of your tow vehicle.

To answer one of your questions, generally speaking, the higher a vehicle's tow rating, the better it will handle a trailer of a given weight. Any time you approach or exceed tow capacity, performance, handling and the durability of the vehicle suffer.

Does the Sorento have a frame? Or is it a unibody?

Gotta be careful with unibodies. WD isn't always a good thing with them.

Check with the manufacturer on this.

With the larger motor on the Sorento the towing capacity goes up to 5000 Lbs. I don't know what you mean by 1300 lbs with 3.3L engine.

[deltabravo]

Huntindog wrote:
Do yourself a favor and read all of the fine print that goes along with a "tow rating"
They are really just an advertising number.

But yes as to your question.... A 5000 rated vehicle will generally tow better than a 3500 rated one.... Though it is very likely that a 3500 rated vehicle will be over some ratings.
Personally, these are both pretty paltry ratings to begin with. So I would want something stronger.

Do you already have the trailer?

Finding out later that your TV isn't up to the task is an expensive mistake.
Many here have done just that in the past.
You can take the chance of joining them,,,, or not.
Your money, your choice.

that blue text is hard to read on a mobile device.

[stevemorris]

there I no doubt that bigger Is better, if you're borderline on payload, you will have a white knuckle trip, been there, done that.

also, your first trailer, certainly wont be your last, with a family of five in a 19 foot, a 25 or 26 ft Is going to look like the Taj Mahal after a couple of trips. Been there too!!

An undersized vehicle will be very unpleasant, especially on windy days, on hills(up and down) and freeway speeds will be just a dream

[falconbrother]

Our very first trailer was 3600 dry. I started with an F-150 and it towed great. Then I got all smart and bought a Jeep Grand Wagoneer. Not a good tow vehicle. Then came the Toyota landcruiser FJ-60, even worse tow vehicle. In theory they should have done well. Perhaps I was spoiled by the F-150. These days we tow 5600 dry with a Suburban 1500. It does pretty well with a tow weight rating of 7200. If I knew then what I know now, and I wanted to tow with an SUV, it would be a Suburban or an Expedition. The V8 and the heavy chassis takes some of the potential sway issues away.

[Boomerweps]

Short answer: Buy the biggest SUV you can afford!
Long answer: Currently my TV has a 5225# towing capacity.
My TT GTWR is 3877#.
TT dryweight is 3166#.
My wife, dog, and I weigh near 500#, TV payload capacity is 1574#. Didn't get a good tongue weight, estimate about 450# based on other weights.
However, I did get good axle weights, with and without the WDH with me, wife, & dog onboard.
Base TV factory weight + payload capacity is 6180#. Without WDH TV weighs 5740, with WDH TV weighs 5920.
With just the numbers above, you can see that it initially appeared I had a good safety margin, TT 5225 tow capacity and buying a 3166# dryweight TT. I thought so. I WAS WRONG!
I bought the TT specifically so I could tow it with my current TV. It tows it adequately, not white knuckle but not that great.

[afidel]

To give you an idea, I tow a 3600lb trailer with my truck. Payload rating is 1,670 pounds. With 5 of us (2 adults, 2 late teens, one tween) and stuff for a 3 week trip in the back we were pretty much maxed out. So if the payload capacity of the SUV is below 1,500 pounds that is likely to be your limiting factor when towing with a family, not the 5,000/500 hitch rating.

[ppine]

Is it the last trailer you are going to own?
I like tow vehicles that can pull.
I would look for a vehicle that can tow at least 8,000 pounds since they are easy to find now, you will have some slack to move up later and buy a heavier trailer.

[rbpru]

You are asking the towing question and ignoring the max cargo capacity. It is how much you can carry that will bite you in the end.

If SUVa had the same cargo capacities as pickups they would replace trucks as the preferred vehicle for tow behinds.

Good luck

[treyster]

I think the Sorento is available in 5 or 7 seat configuration, I assume the 7 has the higher weight capacity

[LarryJM]

jfkmk wrote:

Huntindog wrote:

Gotta be careful with unibodies. WD isn't always a good thing with them.

Check with the manufacturer on this.

This is a really good point. Check with the manufacturer if a wdh is ok. I believe the Sorento is unibody.

I towed a 3500# gross tt with an suv rated for 5000 or 5500 (forget which it was) and it towed fine. I wouldn’t have wanted to tow anything heavier with it.

Also, the payload on the sticker on the door jamb is with everything that came with the original vehicle and all fluids including gas. It does not include the driver; everything you put in the vehicle, including all occupants, subtracts from payload.

I too will add to this checking on if a WDH use is an option since a lot of the lighter less capable vehicles do not recommend using a WDH because of the stresses and poor mounting strength areas on the TV.

Larry

[jfkmk]

Huntindog wrote:

Gotta be careful with unibodies. WD isn't always a good thing with them.

Check with the manufacturer on this.

This is a really good point. Check with the manufacturer if a wdh is ok. I believe the Sorento is unibody.

I towed a 3500# gross tt with an suv rated for 5000 or 5500 (forget which it was) and it towed fine. I wouldn’t have wanted to tow anything heavier with it.

Also, the payload on the sticker on the door jamb is with everything that came with the original vehicle and all fluids including gas. It does not include the driver; everything you put in the vehicle, including all occupants, subtracts from payload.

[Huntindog]

rjstractor wrote:
I did a little bit of research on the Sorento and could not find what the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is for that vehicle. However, I did find that the minimum payload for a loaded AWD model is about 1300 pounds, which isn't bad and actually better than some full size pickups. If your trailer's gross weight is 3500 pounds than it will likely be a good match for the AWD Sorento as long as you watch your payload. The trailer's hitch weight will add 500-600 pounds to what the vehicle carries. A good weight distribution hitch will be necessary to spread that weight between the front and rear of your tow vehicle.

To answer one of your questions, generally speaking, the higher a vehicle's tow rating, the better it will handle a trailer of a given weight. Any time you approach or exceed tow capacity, performance, handling and the durability of the vehicle suffer.

Does the Sorento have a frame? Or is it a unibody?

Gotta be careful with unibodies. WD isn't always a good thing with them.

Check with the manufacturer on this.

[rjstractor]

I did a little bit of research on the Sorento and could not find what the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is for that vehicle. However, I did find that the minimum payload for a loaded AWD model is about 1300 pounds, which isn't bad and actually better than some full size pickups. If your trailer's gross weight is 3500 pounds than it will likely be a good match for the AWD Sorento as long as you watch your payload. The trailer's hitch weight will add 500-600 pounds to what the vehicle carries. A good weight distribution hitch will be necessary to spread that weight between the front and rear of your tow vehicle.

To answer one of your questions, generally speaking, the higher a vehicle's tow rating, the better it will handle a trailer of a given weight. Any time you approach or exceed tow capacity, performance, handling and the durability of the vehicle suffer.

[old_guy]

everything you put in the trailer and/or the SUV from lip stick to toilet paper counts towards the tow rating of the SUV. so get the highest rated tow rated SUV you can get. you won't regret it

[Lwiddis]

Running at max isn’t fun and may not be safe. Most newbies don’t have a clue how much stuff they’ll take...tools, bicycles, folding chairs, propane lanterns, firewood, leveling ramps, electrical cords, books, dishes, pots, pans etc. My 3740 pound Winnebago is 5200 wet and loaded. If DW comes she collects 200 pounds of rocks and/or shells.