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Real towing advise please

Scubydg
Explorer
Explorer
Long story short, I had a 2017 Tacoma, bought an RV (Travel trailer), "they" said oh yeah, it will pull it, just don't go over 80% of towing weight. Done, but we were kinda close to the 80% weight. LOADS of sway and scarey moments...Bought a 2018 Tundra (SR5 w/ Tow weight of 10K). No more sway and everything is fine. Now I want to upgrade RV. 80% of tow weight is 7900lbs, RV is 7200lbs (by my calculations).. I feel I will be back at the SWAY and SCAREY area again...Thoughts?
20 REPLIES 20

sgfrye
Explorer
Explorer
from my experiences with 1/2 ton pickup, 3/4 ton pickup, 2 Travel trailers, one approx 7500lbs catscaled , second 10k lbs cat scaled.

you will be waaaaay happier with 3/4 ton. gasser is fine. my current truck is a f250 6.2 gasser, i like to keep things simple.

payload on the truck is crucial.

you can spreadsheet numbers all day long and adjust what you payload but in the end i decided on a 3/4 ton when i had the first 7500lb TT after towing it for 4 months with my old f150. i was borderline overloaded each trip.

if you start shopping prices on new and used trucks, i know here in north carolina you can get 3/4 tons for the same prices as 1/2 tons
.



always had great towing experiences

rbpru
Explorer
Explorer
My F-150 has max cargo of 1411 lbs. Some have more depending on the vehicle options.

Our gear and family weight come to 700 lbs. That leave 700 lbs or so for tongue weight.

My TT loaded for the road is about 6000 lbs with 700 lbs on the tongue (13%).

For me, a heavier TT would be too much tongue weight for the vehicle or too little a percentage of the TT weight on the tongue.

It is all in the math and how you judge your rigs handling.
Twenty six foot 2010 Dutchmen Lite pulled with a 2011 EcoBoost F-150 4x4.

Just right for Grandpa, Grandma and the dog.

Blazing_Zippers
Explorer II
Explorer II
Remember, a Toyota pulled the Space Shuttle! Not up or down hills or around corners. Are the truck tires up to the task?
A couple years ago, we watched a 1/2 ton Ford pulling a verrry long travel trailer that wasn't set up properly----very scary.
Have a great trip..

Terryallan
Explorer II
Explorer II
DutchmenSport wrote:
Just get a one-ton dualy diesel and you'll never have to buy another tow vehicle again, for ANY trailer.


Really? ANY TRAILER. Even a 48' 45,000lb trailer, with hanging meat?

Yes I know it is a exaggeration. Meant to be. And I know you didn't really mean to say a 1 ton truck could handle it. I just couldn't help my self. :B
Terry & Shay
Coachman Apex 288BH.
2013 F150 XLT Off Road
5.0, 3.73
Lazy Campers

1320Fastback
Explorer
Explorer
I have a Tacoma and wouldn't tow more than about 6,500 and probably less if it was a travel trailer with it. It's just not a heavy enough truck to control all that weigh behind it.

Did your have passenger car rated tires on it?
1992 D250 Cummins 5psd
2005 Forest River T26 Toy Hauler

DutchmenSport
Explorer
Explorer
Just get a one-ton dualy diesel and you'll never have to buy another tow vehicle again, for ANY trailer.

ktmrfs
Explorer
Explorer
Scubydg wrote:
So we had the trailer loaded the same way for both the tacoma and the tundra. And there was considerable difference in sway..Could I have too much weight loaded forward and that cause sway?


the "sway" may not have been the trailer wagging, but improper WD hitch setup. To little weight transfer to the front of the TV, front of TV rises, camber is affected and the front of the TV wanders all over the place. I've had two friends who with smaller TV complained about sway and when we went over the setup, what I described was exactly the problem. Very little weight transfer, fair amount of tongue weight way to much front end rise resulting it to light a front end and lots of camber on the front. Once adjusted properly with minimal front end rise, they were flat out amazed and the difference. Very very stable setup.
2011 Keystone Outback 295RE
2004 14' bikehauler with full living quarters
2015.5 Denali 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison
2004.5 Silverado 4x4 CC/SB Duramax/Allison passed on to our Son!

kellem
Explorer
Explorer
I'd first make sure your truck has enough payload and can comfortably pull the GVWR of trailer.
Worst case is you trade in the Toyota which holds great resale value for a more formidable HD truck.

Terryallan
Explorer II
Explorer II
Hondavalk wrote:
Scubydg wrote:
So we had the trailer loaded the same way for both the tacoma and the tundra. And there was considerable difference in sway..Could I have too much weight loaded forward and that cause sway?


Sway is caused by a lack of tongue weight, not to much. If your tow vehicle is overloaded on the back axle it will cause your steering to become to light, but not cause trailer sway. I pull a 450lb utility trailer thats all over the road if I don't add tongue weight. My TT is 7,800lbs loaded and tows fine behind my Tundra. I did switch switch out the P rated tires with E rated LT tires though.


Actually a light steering axle will "feel" like sway, and have the same consequences. The trailer will wag back and forth. That is what a WDH does. It returns lost weight to the steering, axle, which returns control to the driver.
Terry & Shay
Coachman Apex 288BH.
2013 F150 XLT Off Road
5.0, 3.73
Lazy Campers

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Max towing weight is secondary to TV payload. Focus first on payload.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

Hondavalk
Explorer
Explorer
Scubydg wrote:
So we had the trailer loaded the same way for both the tacoma and the tundra. And there was considerable difference in sway..Could I have too much weight loaded forward and that cause sway?


Sway is caused by a lack of tongue weight, not to much. If your tow vehicle is overloaded on the back axle it will cause your steering to become to light, but not cause trailer sway. I pull a 450lb utility trailer thats all over the road if I don't add tongue weight. My TT is 7,800lbs loaded and tows fine behind my Tundra. I did switch switch out the P rated tires with E rated LT tires though.

gmckenzie
Explorer
Explorer
GrandpaKip wrote:
Payload is more important than tow weight.
Tongue weight+WD+stuff in bed+passengers+stuff in cab=?
Subtract that from payload sticker on your truck to see where you are at.
If you don’t know the actual, real world tongue weight, then take 13-15% of the trailer’s gross as the tongue weight.
A properly set up rig shouldn’t have any sway issues and certainly should not be scary.


^^This

What is your payload on your truck? And don't try to guess what your trailer weight will be by starting with dry weight.
2015 GMC Sierra 4x4 CC SB Max Trailer
2010 Cougar 30RKS

APT
Explorer
Explorer
Stick to about 6k dry, get a good WDH with integrated sway control, and enjoy the journey as we ll as the destination.
A & A parents of DD 2005, DS1 2007, DS2 2009
2011 Suburban 2500 6.0L 3.73 pulling 2011 Heartland North Trail 28BRS
2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R
2x 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV (Gray and Black Twins)

GrandpaKip
Explorer
Explorer
Scubydg wrote:
So we had the trailer loaded the same way for both the tacoma and the tundra. And there was considerable difference in sway..Could I have too much weight loaded forward and that cause sway?

Without actual weight numbers, no one can tell you much of anything practical for your rig. Everybody can guess to their heart’s content and it won’t mean much.
A good start is to load up and go to a CAT scale.
Kip
2015 Skyline Dart 214RB
2018 Silverado Double Cab 4x4
Andersen Hitch