Pulling a trailer with a 55 Desoto aboard

A friend bought a 55 Desoto that is in Virginia and needs to get to Texas. I offered to go with him and haul it back on a trailer. He asked me about my vehicle weight, so I stared looking at the Owners Manual for my 2016 1794 CrewMax 4WD and learned agin what a piece of crap the Toyota owners manual is. The 55 weighs about 5500’. I’m thinking I should be fine, but…..

 

Hmm.... Virginia has mountains. Will you be taking I40? There's Black Mtn to contend with east of Ashville, NC.

What's the trailer weigh?

 

It’ll be a heavy load at probably 7500# or so depending on trailer weight, but the Tundra should handle it fine. At the edge of your towing limit, I wouldn’t expect diesel like performance up the hills or anything. I would not do it without functional and well tuned trailer brakes or a weight distribution hitch. Both would be must haves for a safe trip for me. No brakes, no go. No WDH? I would still want sway control and the car would need to be able to sit on the trailer where I wanted for weight balance to have enough tongue weight. But not an excessive amount.

 

Assuming you have the 5.7 and a trailer brake controller the Tundra will pull it fine. You might be a bit over payload, as I'm not sure where a 1794 falls in that regard. Just plan ahead, leave early, and plan to go 60-65 MPH and you'll survive it.