5.7 L Max Towing without huffing and puffing

Probably a little late, but I started towing the 32' Arctic Wolf, fifth wheel 9200 dry, 1300 hitch weight with my Tundra in October 2018. I upgraded from a 2014 Heritage Glenn TT, 35'. The difference in towing was night and day, I believe that the current trailer is less stress on truck. On a grade the old trailer would cause truck to go into overdrive and it felt like it always happened. The current one hardly ever does. I towed it to Disney in November 2018 and it was huge difference from towing the TT, which I also towed to Disney a few years before. The gas mileage increased per gallon and I feel light it doesn't work as hard to get up to 65-70 on highways. Only thing I did was add helper springs, between the frame and leafs to avoid some bounce I had with TT. But I put them on after I got fifth wheel, this helped with a little sag I had with new trailer. Profile photo is without springs in.

 

I know this is an old thread, but it does have good info. The tundra tow ratings are conservative and are based on a published method that includes acceleration and braking, while other brands aren’t so open about how they get to their ratings, and are probably closer to actual limit of the truck. That being said I have a 34ft TT with slide that I tow with a heavy 70’s bass boat. Tt weighs in at 8700# and the boat and trailer are around 1000#. So when I’m going to the lake I’m pulling 9700# plus whatever else is in the truck. Total length behind me is 53ft. Truck has no problems taking off or stopping with or without trailer brakes (tested stopping with brakes unhooked before actually taking the trip) I certainly know it is back there and temps never rise, but I do feel the truck starting to huff a little once I get above 50mph, mainly due to the wind resistance from the TT. The lakes I usually go to have some very steep grades because they are in the ouachita mountains. Last night I hauled a backhoe about 40miles. Total weight was about 13,000#. As soon as I took my foot off the break it started moving the load. The only issue I had was some sway once I got above 45mph due to the trailer brakes not disengaging,so I stayed around that speed. I was pulling a 13k#load and fighting brakes truck had no problem. I know it was the brakes causing the sway because the trailer did it unloaded. On the title when I bought my truck new from the factory It stated it was a 3/4 ton although registration calls out 1/2 ton. So I treat it as a “heavy half”. All that rambling to say under 9k# I don’t think you’ll have any issues

 

I pulled my 30ft camper in Branson Mo. No problems ots is around 7500 lbs loaded up. Had no issues going up.hill even with my bigger tires.

 

not all tundra tow 10200, read the door sticker. I think only a few RWD tow 10k, most of the 4x4 tow around 9k, no tow package is around 6k.

 

I guess these midwest/east coast guys pulling ridiculous trailers on a tundra have never met the sierra nevada or rockies.

Those loads are just downright reckless.

 

2700 feet is a mountain? Oh man

 

In Texas that’s Mount Everest.

 

That's how to do it right there!

But,
... please crop more of that non-tundra white beast out of the picture...lol.

 

My apologies. I considered it an informed, acceptable risk on hauling it, as my Dad has routinely hauled 15k#+ of cattle with his Chevy 1/2 ton for years with no problems, and everything on his truck is built lighter than mine (his 4 door 4x4 is about the same weight as my RCSB 4x4), and his load is normally moving around unexpectedly, where mine was chained at all 4 corners and not moving.
However I do question the others using the same rating method. The Ford f150 Ecoboost is rated at 13,200# tow rating and I see no way it can reasonably reach that with the same method. The mechanical components look much lighter duty than the tundra.
Also I saw I hit the "5" instead of the "3" by accident on my initial post. The backhoe is 10,500# and the trailer is about 2500# sorry for the confusion

 

What's going on everybody. Got a towing/weight question for all you experienced towers. I just put a deposit down on a beautiful 2013 Forrest River Shockwave 26FQDX for our first trailer. I have a 2014 CrewCab 4x2 5.7 with the 5.5 bed tow package and just installed brake adjuster and Firestsone bags. Will be getting a good 4 point WDH as well. I know my biggest issue is the tongue weight but I don't plan on getting close to the trailers max weight and actually plan on keeping it under 9k as much as possible and only passengers in truck during travel (No other cargo, ie clothes). With the specs I know below, am I getting over my head or what? TIA

Truck:
Actual weight = somewhere around 5,800
GVWR = 7,000
TWR = 10,000
GCWR = 16,000

Trailer:
Dry weight 7,219 (Posted on label, I know will be more) 100 gal water @ 833 pound (IF* if filled it all the way up)
GVWR = 11,550 ( I plan on being around 9,000-9,500 max)
Tongue weight = ??? (I can't get an official one or idea anywhere. 10-15% right???

 

1150lbs according to nadaguides. I know what I think, but I'll leave discussion to experts. @ColoradoTJ

https://www.nadaguides.com/RVs/2012/Forest-River-California-Oregon/M-26FQDX/6020830/Specs

 

I live in the rockies and I pull a loader bigger than that. 32 ft bumper pull Evo 2850 with a SXS on a 14 ft trailer behind that. Total length is 66Ft.

I've been double-pulling for 20 years and as long as the loads are loaded correct I have had no problems going up or down grades. Load E range tires, airbags and a good brake controller and the load goes down the road with no problems. Except the 7MPG that I get.

The Tundra is a heavy 1/2 ton....look at the axles and brakes.

 

I live in Sacramento and have towed my 6500lb 30' TT over 7000' passes. Use 2nd gear on the descents, along with a brake controller & you should be fine. I can't recommend the airbags enough. Usually get somewhere between 7 & 9mpg, depending on headwind. The weight distribution hitch goes without saying, but don't need the sway bar.

 

I pull a 33 foot trailer about 7500 lb. I towed from west Alabama to Pigeon Forge Tn. Last year, some pretty steep hills around Chattanooga, very easy pull. The only thing that would concern me about a heavier trailer is the tongue weight.

 

I need some information for my inlaws. They are looking to buy a camper that has a
dry weight of 6923
cargo weight of 2672
hitch weight of 795

They won't be filling water as where they camp has water. And they travel light as they only spend long weekends away. Also they live on an island that is very flat, no hills where they are going.

The truck is a 17 Regular cab 4x4 with a cap and slide out in the bed.

Can I let them know they will be ok with this trailer? Or should they look for something lighter.

 

Regular Cab SR* 3UR-FE/3UR-FBE 4WD

Page 564 Owner's manual
Cargo Weight Rating = 1260lbs (Subject to revisions on door placard).
Subtracting off hitch weight ~800lbs, they have ~400lbs for passengers plus other truck cargo.

Page 162 Owner's manual
Trailer Weight Rating = 8300lbs (without towing package)
=10300lbs (with towing package)
=10100lbs (with towing package and 38 gallon fuel tank)

Page 162 Owner's manual
Gross Combined Weight Rating =14000lbs (without towing package)
=16000lbs (with towing package)
=16000lbs (with towing package and 38 gallon fuel tank)


If they have the tow package, they should be golden. If they don't have the tow package, they will be over the TWR by 1300lbs* with the trailer fully loaded to it's cargo rating, and over the GCWR by about 1800lbs*. If they load no more than 1700lbs* in the trailer (including propane, batteries, etc.) and no more than 400lbs* (including passengers) in the truck, they will be at the truck's rating limits without the tow package.

A good weight distributing hitch with sway control, and a functioning brake controller will be required.

@nowayout *Edited to correct errors and use truck base curb weight of 4920lbs.

 

I tow this without any issues... tractor is about 3,000 pounds. Brush hog about 600. Front loader about 300. Trailer is about 2400. OTS it’s right about 7,000 pounds fueled up with tools in the box. Pulls up and down hills fine, no issues with braking and feels very stable. But with about 800 pounds tongue weight, I definitely know it’s there.