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1500+ miles of TT towing...what I learned about the Tundra

Discussion in 'Towing & Hauling' started by ColoradoTJ, May 28, 2016.

  1. Jun 24, 2016 at 4:26 PM
    #31
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Little update.

    Today I went and towed the camper around a bit with the new airbags.

    First the camper went to my Dads place since he has the flattest large concrete area that I know of and adjusted the LDH to a lighter setting to let the suspension cycle properly. Next, I pumped up the airbags to 22 psi and it was about perfect.
    The shocks need changing, so that is next.

    The truck is staying as of now.
     
    Law323 and mdavis like this.
  2. Jul 3, 2016 at 3:47 PM
    #32
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Today we returned from another week long 700 mile towing trip with the new set up (airbags).

    Total in the past two months we have towed the camper 2500+ miles.

    We feel that this is enough seat time to make a decision about the truck. We are going back to a diesel and a 1 ton SRW for the safety aspect. The Tundra engine/transmission is pretty good. Brakes are very good, but the suspension is not set up for heavy hauling in my opinion (we will go bigger in the future as well). Not sure what the deal is with how the truck tows this camper. I have towed way more weight than the 8k this camper is without issues. Weird.
    This weekend I towed the camper with my buddies 07 Duramax and it had none of the issues. So it looks to be a truck issue and not a camper issue.

    The search is on. Ford is out, so that limits me to GMC or Ram.
     
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  3. Jul 3, 2016 at 4:09 PM
    #33
    mdavis

    mdavis I need a beer.

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    Good luck with your new truck search! I wish I could justify a 1 ton diesel for myself but I'm just not there yet in life. Please keep us updated on your choice and of course... Post pictures.
     
  4. Jul 3, 2016 at 5:10 PM
    #34
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Thanks, I will need all the luck I can get.

    First need a commuter car.

    Camry and Lexus come to mind.
     
    Muleycrazy13 likes this.
  5. Jul 3, 2016 at 5:16 PM
    #35
    mdavis

    mdavis I need a beer.

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    Wife drives a 2012 Camry. Great car and haven't had a single issue with it.
     
  6. Jul 3, 2016 at 5:21 PM
    #36
    BlueFalconActual

    BlueFalconActual Field Day Inspector Extraordinaire

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    Avalon might be a good bet as well. It's essentially a Lexus without the price tag from what I've heard.
     
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  7. Jul 3, 2016 at 6:20 PM
    #37
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Crap, forgot about the Avalon.
     
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  8. Sep 30, 2016 at 6:15 AM
    #38
    Fastfinish

    Fastfinish New Member

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    I just took only my second tow trip with my Tundra.As you know I am coming from a 2500 ram to a 3500 SW Ram to the Dually 3500 Ram all of them from 2006 to the latest Dually was a 2012.I am happy with the Tundra for what I am doing .This last trip couple weeks ago was first time I have hooked to my Camper since November.I finally figured out the difference between my Tundra and the Cummins powered Rams or trucks in general.In the Rams I would get to where I was going and I wasnt give out.I just got in drove Paid Intention to what I was doing of course but I could talk to my wife pet my Dog still know I was driving not to wreck or anything but be able to think about all the fun I was fixing to have or all the troubles I was leaving behind for a few days.I wasnt thinking about man I wander if anybody makes a programmer for this truck or I need airbags or it just lost 10 miles an hour going up this grade because I didnt push the gas pedal to the floor.Or its lost the speed because the wind was blowing straight one head wind.Nope you just sit in the seat and drive in comfort.Pulling the camper with my Tundra I feel like Ive done 100 laps at my favorite race track on my motorcycle once I get to where I am going.I have to watch for everything way more than the heavy duty trucks Ive owned and to me thats the difference.Now Ive read some post where guys with the tundras are saying they out pulled Cummins Powerstrokes Duramaxes up some long pulls.Mine will not do that and mine is a brand new last year 2016.Any of my Rams will kick the Tundras butt easy and still be able to talk to my passengers doing it.My Tundra does take off fast in TH mode,like leaving a rest area pulls real hard engine revs real high and probally give the Ram a good run for the money up until say 60MPH but after that my rams would suck the paint off it never slow down even 5 mph on a grade and if it did you just slightly give it more fuel turbo spools up and up you go.Now I have to say that I am not willing to let my Tundra Rev out of the frame I like the 3000 rpm anything over that I just dont like.It has hit 4000rpms leaving at the bottom of a good grade and I just dont like it.So maybe I am just being a baby but if I have to drive my truck that hard to keep up with a non gas truck they can just run off and leave me I know the way to where I am going.But for me thats the difference the Heavy Duty trucks just flat out Tow better Stopping,Pulling,Low Cabin Noise,just more comfortable.But when I am not hooked up I like the Tundra better.But if I towed more than I do now I am going back.
     
    ColoradoTJ[OP] likes this.
  9. Sep 30, 2016 at 7:16 AM
    #39
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    LMFAO!!! It's like you read my mind.

    I feel the same way about towing 8000 lbs with the Tundra vs. a HD truck. I call towing with a modern diesel "mindless towing" since you don't arrive to the destination just worn out, especially in the mountains (where I tow most of the time). I find going down grades more exhausting than going up them.

    I guess it all it relative to what you tow, where you tow, and how you tow. My buddy with a 16' F150 EB feels totally unsafe with a u-haul car hauler and a TJ rock crawler. He came from a 01 Dodge 2500 diesel (built to the hilt, wishes he still had it) and a 15' F250 diesel. He has been with me towing over 600 miles on one trip and was pleasantly impressed on how the Tundra felt.

    For the people saying they out-pulled a diesel on long grades can only be a few things:

    1) They're full of shit.
    2) The Tundra was SC and loads were not comparable.
    3) They're full of shit.

    You wouldn't happen to have any links to those threads do you? I can't say I've ever heard that on this site.
     
    Muleycrazy13 and zcarpenter92 like this.
  10. Oct 3, 2016 at 5:06 PM
    #40
    Fastfinish

    Fastfinish New Member

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    Yes You are making the right decision.Its about safety for your family.I am just going to start looking again myself.My wife and I had a heartbreaking event happen since I posted last.Our Best friend and traveling dog Booger passed away Saturday morning.It is killing us.If I can make it past Losing Boog It might just be time for new Truck and Camper and Pup.If Ram has fixed the steering issues which caused me to get rid of my last one I am going back to it.Never caused a bit of trouble at all I was just afraid of that recall destroying the value so I unloaded it quick before I was thinking correctly LOL.The Tundra is a great Truck I love the shape and everything about it until I hook up to something that weighs as much as the truck then I am done.I have a small 6x12 enclosed trailer and it pull that thing great.Going to start looking around take my time Dealers get desperate around end of November good time for me to deal then.3500 SW again for me.Dually Towed way more stable but just got tired of driving it without it hooked up to something.
     
  11. Oct 3, 2016 at 6:11 PM
    #41
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Sorry about the family member, that is always tough times. My condolences.

    From my research, the Ram front ends have not changed. Now the 3500's come with the radius arm suspension (3 link) vs the 5 link the 2500's come with. One of my Jeeping buddies has a 12' Dodge with really low miles was towing last month and had the track bar about come off the truck at 70 mph with 15K lbs behind him. That was a little scary. His wife, another friend were all traveling back to NC in the middle of the night. They had to use some vise grips and some JB Weld to get home.
     
  12. Oct 3, 2016 at 7:20 PM
    #42
    Krezz

    Krezz Doesn't want to be new member

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    Really cool post, great pictures and better education. Thanks for sharing!
     
    ColoradoTJ[OP] likes this.
  13. Oct 3, 2016 at 11:19 PM
    #43
    Fastfinish

    Fastfinish New Member

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    Thanks.Not good news about the Steering.
     
    ColoradoTJ[OP] likes this.
  14. Oct 4, 2016 at 6:05 AM
    #44
    Benni

    Benni New Member

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    "What scares me is the amount of diesel trucks on the side of the road on this trip. Not sure if I want to play that game again...."

    What do you mean? Broken down?
     
  15. Oct 4, 2016 at 6:17 AM
    #45
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Yep, plenty of Dodge and fords. To be fair, they were not newer
     
  16. Oct 4, 2016 at 9:38 AM
    #46
    Y0TA PR0

    Y0TA PR0 Dirt biking & fishing

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    Here's your commute car Chris image.jpg lol :burnrubber:
     
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  17. Oct 4, 2016 at 9:43 AM
    #47
    Y0TA PR0

    Y0TA PR0 Dirt biking & fishing

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    Ok so what's the top weight you recommend towing with the tundra? My travel trailer dry weight is 4000lbs, and after we load it it's about 4600lbs. My tundra pulls that easily.
     
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  18. Oct 4, 2016 at 1:22 PM
    #48
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    Funny......this one might be in my driveway in the next few days.

    IS350

    IMG_3646.jpg
     
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  19. Oct 4, 2016 at 1:33 PM
    #49
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    That is a tough question to answer properly. A lot of this depends on your location or where you tow.

    For the people towing mostly low elevation flatlands, I would say whatever your truck rating is minus 10% so your not maxed out.

    In mountain country, I would leave 15% capacity.

    With my CM, 7500-8000 lbs is a pretty good load going over mountain passes. When my 16' flatbed and TJ are in tow with others in my cab, you definitely know it, and I am overweight at that point. ~9k lbs plus.
     
    Last edited: Oct 4, 2016
  20. Oct 4, 2016 at 1:56 PM
    #50
    Y0TA PR0

    Y0TA PR0 Dirt biking & fishing

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    Very nice choice I'm jealous lol.
     
  21. Oct 4, 2016 at 1:58 PM
    #51
    Y0TA PR0

    Y0TA PR0 Dirt biking & fishing

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    When I tow in summer time all I tow is in bc on the mountains, but I think I'm fine with the weight of my travel trailer. But good info to know thanks.
     
  22. Oct 4, 2016 at 2:00 PM
    #52
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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    4500 lbs is very easy for the Tundra. I wish my trailer was a bit lighter, like around 5400 lbs.
     
  23. Nov 1, 2016 at 7:49 PM
    #53
    balou

    balou Texas Tundra

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    I have an 06 ram 2500 cummins 4x4. Without a doubt it is a much better tow vehicle than the tundra. I have a 2016 4x4 cm tundra that i also use to tow. I make my decision on where im going. There are some places that the ram just cant deal with. When i go fishing loose sand is a killer actually got pulled out by tacoma once after spending night stuck on the beach at big shell. The other my hunting lease a long bed 3/4 ton is not the most maneuverable truck. In those 2 i use tundra. When i take long trips i take the ram. Tundra 9 mpg when towing. Ram deisel 14 mpg while towing. I love my dodge and am going to keep it as long as possible. New deisels seem to be having alot of issues with emissions. Not to mention the price of a new is pretty close to a new house. I tow a 2016 prowler. 25ft about 8000 lbs with trailer and everything needed. Depending on how much you tow and the weight you tow. A deisel might be a better choice.
     
  24. Aug 10, 2019 at 3:00 AM
    #54
    AnthonyC

    AnthonyC TAKE IT EASY WHILE YOU"RE GOING FAST

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    Hello all, my thoughts for my 2010 Tundra is a very moderate sized fifth wheel toy hauler over a travel trailer. Yes I will lose my truck bed, but I do have a good old snowmobile trailer I use for the 4 wheelers. My thoughts are I can use my trailer, or even rent one for my needs to does. We sold the house in PA, and moved to VA Beach, VA. We now live in a condo. My one son lives in Chesapeake, VA he has 3 acres of land. For the time being I have a place to put my toy hauler whichever I decide to buy, if I even buy one. In my own personal opinion I feel the fifth wheel would be much more stable, especially for a 1/2 ton pickup. Because the weight is right on the axle not behind it with four feet of leverage to take the pickup and bounce it up and down like a teeter totter. The Tundra is a really good pickup, its a good family vehicle, and a good dependable vehicle. Does anyone in this Tundra community pull a fifth wheel? I did have a 2005 3/4 Dodge 5.9 6 spd that pulled anything I put behind it. That's what it was made for, I did a lot of work to it. I replaced all 4 ball joints, added lockout hubs, leveling kit, longer control arms in the front, front axle u joints, a Banks tuner, a bigger intercooler, and the bed started to rot away. I said I've had enough! I'm done! I went and bought another Tundra. Again in my personal opinion, the Tundra will do the job. It's job a job that just about maxes the Tundra out, but it can handle it! I'll just go a little slower up hill. I also thought about air bags as well, as far as shocks go I have no idea what shock to look for. I'm looking forward to feedback on the fifth wheel toy hauler.

    Thanking you in advance,

    Anthony C
     
  25. Aug 10, 2019 at 3:57 AM
    #55
    ColoradoTJ

    ColoradoTJ [OP] Certified tow LEO Staff Member

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  26. Aug 22, 2019 at 11:06 AM
    #56
    Snoozer

    Snoozer New Member

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    Great thread.

    I’m currently “browsing” Travel Trailers and 5th wheel campers as well.

    Oh how I wish Toyota would just pull the pin and get into the ring with the HD diesel trucks!
     

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