ANOTHER Towing Question.

Well when this car is done, I’ll no longer be a Toyota owner.

Hell at this point, I’m worried about my next trip to Lowe’s. Get popped by insurance with too many bags of mulch. LOL

 

I remember when i bought my 2005 tundra i was a little displeased to see the tacoma had a higher payload

 

A RAM 3/4 ton diesel can have a payload of less the 2k. My GMC 3/4 ton gasser has a payload of 3,500 and is rated to tow up to 14,500. Although based on my towing so far I wouldn’t recommend a HD gasser to someone regularly towing over 10k and going though the mountains.

 

So the question becomes, how many here tow “over weight”?

 

I’m thinking I could get it close but I bet I’ll be over weight.

 

Im not saying that LT tires will increase your payload, however if your are maxed out they may handle better and increase stability when pulling

 

I’ll just be risking a lawsuit or negligent homicide.

 

Just let me bitch about this for a min.
4 200 lb dudes on a weekend hunting trip with their gear and a ranger on a trailer would be close to over weight. In a full size Toyota pickup truck.

Thats insane.

 

It hasn’t been mention yet in this thread, but a weight distributing hitch is recommended when towing over 50% of capacity. It does add weight to the setup but distributes some weight back to the trailer axles. Hitting up a Cat scale and getting an accurate weight for all the axles would be a good idea if you plan on doing this towing regularly.

A word of advice if it may apply to your state if you do decide to upgrade to an HD truck:

Here in MN license tabs for a 3/4 ton can be $600 to $800 per year depending on the value of the truck. 1 tons are a flat rate of around $128 a year. I’m going for the 1 ton when it’s time.

 

I do wonder this all the time. Most half tons towing 30ft trailers are way over loaded

 

Well, there are a lot. Some of them are downright scary.

 

What's weird is 4 dudes with a cooler and some camping gear is "over weight" and "dangerous" but one dude with an 8000lb trailer would by the numbers be way "safer"

 

Personally I am overweight without towing and I am not in a Tundra.

 

The Tundras payload isn't garbage. If you want a heavier payload, put heavier springs in. Can you do that? Yes you can, what do you think they do to prepare a 1/2 ton for a truck camper. Some of those truck campers are 2000 lbs, some up to 3500 lbs. My friend has a Cummins 5.9 and hates driving it. The ride is too rough. He says without the fifth wheel its miserable. The Tundra has found the sweet spot between a decent ride and utility. If my suspension was any firmer, my wife wouldn't drive the Tundra.

 

Nothing you do will raise your payload. Putting heavier springs in will actually reduce your payload by the additional amount they weigh over stock springs. No half ton can legally or safely carry a 3500 lb camper.

 

You guys worry too much. My 2019 4.6L towed a Subaru Forester3300 lbs like nothing on a heavy UHaul trailer 2100 lbs. A total of 5300 lbs.

I use a ScanGauge2 to watch the transmission temps and put it in 5th gear, dropped it into 4th of grades.

I traded the 2019 4.6L for a 2017 5.7L only because it was cheaper than adding a transmission cooler. I regularly tow a 19’ travel trailer and the 4.6L did it fine.

 

I know that. Many Tundras are carrying 2000 lbs truck campers. Another guy I work with has a 5.9 Cummins, his Lance truck camper weighs 3500 lbs. He had to do some suspension work to carry it. In comparison, my 19’ travel trailer only weighs 3100 lbs.

 

That's not going to happen unless your grossly negligent. Being a couple hundred pounds over payload isn't going to land you in court.

 

The question isn't about what the truck is capable of. The question is what it is LEGALLY capable of. I'm sure that a Tundra can carry a 7500lb trailer without much gripe. BUT if someone pulls out in front of you or slams on brakes on the highway and you hit them and injure or kill them, YOU are LEGALLY liable because you chose to tow / haul more than the trucks capable weight per Toyota. You are out of your mind if you think a lawyer wouldn't be all over that. "Well you could have stopped if you weren't over weight. You are responsible for knowing your vehicles capability and you were negligent."

So per Toyota, the payload IS in fact garbage. Like I stated earlier, 4 200lb men in my 2017 crew max Tundra is over 50% of the trucks total payload capacity. That is straight up garbage. My wife's Mercedes Benz E350 payload capacity is 1084 lbs. So she has a sedan that is capable of holding 113lbs less than my FULL SIZE Toyota Tundra. HOT GARBAGE!!!!!

 

The courts would be overwhelmed by cases of half ton trucks over payload numbers and that's not the case. If you are grossly negligent then yes your going to have a legal problem.

 

I agree totally. But that doesn't change the possibility of criminal charges or the absolute fact that being overweight is illegal.

 

Yes being over payload is illegal but the reality is that your not going to end up in court. Most of us that tow with the Tundra are towing over the limit, it just a fact. Even some that are stupid about it and decide to tow way over capacity still don't end up in court.

I tow an RV that is only 24' total length and weights only 4K loaded. When I load it up I end up with a tongue weight of just over 600lbs. With just me and the wife, a small dog and a generator in the back of the truck I'm over my payload. Looking at my set up you would never think I was.

 

I get it, I'm just butt hurt about it.

A Kia Optima's payload capacity is 1311lbs. Which is more than my pickup truck. That stings LOL.

 

Yup, I have a Camry and its payload number is close to the Tundra. My mother inlaw's Sienna has a higher payload number than my Tundra. Makes you really scratch your head about how they come up with the payload number.

Yes I could buy a domestic 1/2 truck to get a higher payload number but I dont want to deal with the reliability issues. Let's hope the new Tundra resolves the issue.

 

If you don't like it, sell your truck and buy something else.

 

It is a legit bitch, but it’s just what it is. Any 3/4 T truck will smoke a tundra in load capacity. If I wanted to haul near max loads I would buy a 3/4 and suck it up.

This is coming from a guy who sold his 3/4 T duramax to go Toyota.

 

There are those who swear a Euro SUV is safer than a truck. Anyone here really believe this is the case?
Reasoning:
- Better brakes
- Lower center of gravity

IMO the Tundra has more "margin" in their numbers than they care to admit - but of course there is no proof.

I'll leave this here, many of these vehicles beat the Tundra on paper.
Range Rover for example.

 

Add Chevy Cruze to that list.

 

Escalade and Navigator are built on full size truck frames so no concerns with those 2.