Can I tow this?

You just like big butts...

 

Actually, I was thinking about weight distribution and stability... after all this is (was) a thread about towing, right??

 

I think those are called ‘million mile tundras’. Toyota owns them and dissected them.


Seriously though, I hear ya. I was able to buy my truck new, but we bought our sequoia used. Except the sequoia, every used vehicle I’ve ever purchased had major issues. Most I knew about and paid accordingly. But the ones I paid good money for expecting a solid running vehicle turned out to be junk.

Bought a ‘gently used’ accord to commute with when I was in college at in internship across the country. Initial drive went well, carfax looked clean, they had some maintenance records, and I could afford it. Paid cash, drive it away, the next day CEL flips on. Hmm. I didn’t tighten the gas cap? Blipped the throttle about to make a left turn at an intersection and then motor turns off. Crank it a few times and sputters but finally catches and I don’t die the next time I try to turn left. Go to the nearest parts store to read the codes and find a smattering of emissions, EGR, and cam correlation codes. All my tools are in another state, no garage to pull in to get out of the heat and sun, apart, no friends or family help.

So I find a shop to take it to. Timing belt is so stretched it’s throwing itself out of time. Wait, the previous owners told me they just replaced it! And they gave me a receipt! Look closer and, oh, nope, that’s an oil change with a recommendation to change the belt. Crap. What else did they lie about? Well, obviously they knew how to clear the codes for the test drive.

Pay the mechanic to do a timing belt and water pump and drive belt and cam sensor and crank sensor and another oil change. Mechanic says it was 1.5 quarts overfilled. Ugh. Wonder why. Good thing I haven’t actually been paid at my internship yet. Time to start selling my blood! Oh, wait, I was in a foreign country for a bit. They won’t take my blood… hmmm.

Two weeks later I’m a quart low on oil. More emissions codes. Clogged cat I suspect. No money for that. Guess I’ll keep adding oil. Man it’s hot and humid out here - the AC doesn’t quite keep up.

Eventually made it home. But a little while later, the AC is on the fritz. Pump disintegrated its self. Took the condenser and expansion valve with it too. At least I had a buddy around to help out with that set of tools and skills. Only had to pony up $700 this time.

Sure glad we replaced that AC compressor - it was really bogging the motor. Oh, wait, the new one does too. And it’s feeling low on power all the time now.

[Tune up vehicle]

And it’s no better. Compression test: two dead cylinders. YOU ONLY HAVE FOUR CYLINDERS - HOW ARE TWO OF THEM DEAD?!?!?

Remove the head to replace a suspected bad head gasket. Head shows burnt valves on adjacent cylinders. Huh? More sleuthing reveals a modified EGR valve made to run wide open. EGR valve is immediately adjacent to the cylinders with burnt valves. Crap.

[Order Used Engine]

Engine shows up. Crank won’t spin over by hand. Pour some Oil/ATF/PB Blaster/Marvel Mystery sludge in the cylinders. Still wont break free. Pop the the valve cover off and find the valve train bathed in gravel - yes the kind with very small rocks in it. Try to return the motor. Junk yard ghosts me. Had a lawyer neighbor call. They ghost him. Send a letter. They ignore it. No money for a law suit in a different state, but luckily I purchased with a CC, so I dispute it and get my money back. Finally.

Take that money and the original motor which is now in pieces to a machine shop. They do me a solid and accept it for machining even though it’s in pieces.

Get it all back together and the wheel bearings and cv axles start making noises. Bought a CD player, speakers, and a sub off Craigslist to cover it up until I can punt the thing. Steering wheel starts shaking and seat rumbles - but not from the bass.

Pony up for CV’s and wheel bearings, guys at the machine shop accept beer money to press the bearings for me, and I sneak out the back.

I discover that the brakes are toast on one side and that tires or wrecked on the inner edge. New tie rods, brake pads, wheel caliper, some wheels and tires I stole off a neighbors wrecked Acura (I “traded” them for my wheels and tires so the car went to the wrecker complete…), and an alignment put me back on the road.

Drove it for a bit then got rid of it. Prolly still running since I replaced most everything before dumping it. But I really REALLY wanted to light it on fire and push it off a cliff. So I sold it instead.

 

thanks for all the input. Considering other options now

 

Here's more info. My WB is 145" and I pull a 26 foot trailer. Fully loaded I'm right at 7,200# on my Tundra.

 

You seem very “passionate” about this thread….and have put together some very thoughtful responses for the OP and others. But if you’d allow me to sum up = the answer is absolutely no on being able to tow the mentioned trailer safely with a tundra.

 

What is the max length and weight for my current truck that i should consider when purchasing an RV?
How about this model? 2018 Cruiser RV Radiance Ultra-Lite R-32BH specs and literature guide (rvusa.com)

 

I don’t know that there is a right answer to that; depends on a lot of variables. What I can tell you from experience is that I have owned 6 trailers in my days…..my sweet spot is 26’ or under. Anything bigger and the tail wags the dog. I am not so concerned with pulling power as I am safe stopping ability and sway control. Some will tell you that you can set up a tundra to tow better with thousands in mods. But at that point why not just get an HD and know that what you bought is specifically engineered for the job? I know many will disagree and flame me for that answer but YMMV

 

Why am I suddenly craving Swedish Fish???

Oh wait, I know why... this damn thread

 

I now wish i got a better truck. When I got this truck I didnt consider if we upgraded our RV. I have a Keystone Passport 285RL currently and have had no issues with it as its light.

 

not sure about better, but definitely bigger if you wanted to upgrade the camper that significantly.

 

Don't beat yourself up. You're not the first to get a 1/2 ton (especially a Tundra) and then find out that they are actually a pretty light duty set up. The marketing used in the truck world certainly doesn't help with that. There are plenty of members on here who started in a Tundra and then moved on to heavy duty trucks because they needed more towing/hauling ability.

 

Not helping my anxiety about buying used!

 

What's your wheelbase? We still aren't completely sure what Tundra model you have. Mine is a Crewmax with a 5.5' bed and my WB is 145.7". If you have a CM and short bed you're probably the same. I see your truck has a higher payload than I do but I have a 300# higher GVWR than yours.

 

GCWR 16000
TWR 10300

I cant find the wheel base but this is the model code USK51L-CRTSKA (2wd) standard bed

 

Standard bed which is the short bed or the 8 foot bed? Standard cab or double cab.

 

double cab 6.5ft bed not the crew max

 

Another thing to consider is what your trips look like. We have a large travel trailer that we tow 51 miles to the lake and back 6 times a year or so. Nothing over 55mph and weights are at the edge of recommended limits. Tows it fine, but it’s a lot of trailer. I wouldn’t want to have a trailer this big if we were doing longer interstate trips. We are in the process of downsizing to a smaller, lighter camper. We don’t need to live in it, just camp out of it. Looking for trailer around 22’ and 4k# so we could tow it with an SUV if needed.

 

That's usually my job around here. My thanks go out to those that stood in my stead.

 

This is still the shorter of the 2 wheelbases....

 

OK. Using the wheelbase to trailer length table a 29 foot trailer (tongue to tail) is about the biggest you'll want to pull safely. Any longer, the tail starts to wag to dog. This ends up being about a 26 foot box to live in.

 

Somebody said that earlier.

 

Yeah, but he said it in his calming HR voice...

 

Good to know my asshole tone comes through over the internet. My wife will be relieved it isn’t just with her.

 

hmm the current one i have is 31ft with hitch and no issues.. im trying to NOW stay around that maybe 2ft tops longer. If wife would kill the 2nd toilet we could find a lot more options. uggg

 

Our TT is just under 28’ bumper to pin and I personally wouldn’t want to go any longer than that. I’ve seen a lot of people say 25’ or so max for 1/2 tons and I agree it’s a good rule of thumb if you’re shopping. And make sure to measure the tongue weight. Ours was listed at 585 lbs online (with propane tanks) and actual with battery installed and only a few things in the trailer was closer to 700.

 

We first looked at the 19 foot Vintage Cruiser which was suitable for a Tacoma until the wife saw the 23' with the slideout. That pushed us into Tundra territory. I have to remove 114# of rear seats to stay under 7,200# GVWR. I get 11.4 +- MPG with this. My trailer GVWR is 6080. A friend has a Ranger and pulls a 7500 GVWR trailer and says he gets 7, 8 MPG if he's lucky.

 

DC 6.5 bed, Crewmax 5.5bed, and reg cab 8 bed are all the exact same wheelbase. The only two trucks that are different are DC 8’ bed and Reg cab 6.5 bed.