Toyota Tundra Towing Basics – What To Know Before You Tow
George Rodman | Apr 10, 2008 | Comments 156
Special thanks to TundraNetwork.com member Kenne for allowing us to use this picture of his truck and trailer!
Ever since first production in 1999, the Toyota Tundra has been a popular choice amongst truck buyers based on its dependability on the road and its impressive performance. In addition to the numerous safety awards and accolades the Tundra has received, one reason this truck continues to grow in popularity is its formidable towing capabilities. Trucks are being used more often than ever for recreational and utility purposes, and the Tundra is rapidly becoming a fan favorite. Before you go out and tow your boat to the lake or deliver a shipment of lumber to a construction site, however, there are a few things you need to know about preparing your Tundra for towing.
Before you attach the trailer to the truck, you must understand your vehicle’s towing limits. The first thing you need to consider when preparing to haul is your Tundra’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This figure represents the curb weight of the vehicle along with the total weight that can be put on your truck, including passengers, fuel, aftermarket add-ons, in-bed cargo, and the tongue weight (the downward force that the trailer puts on the truck’s hitch). Depending on the exact model of your truck, this can range from roughly 6200 to 7200 lbs. For an exact number, consult your vehicles’ instruction manual or check the sticker inside the driver’s door.
The next figure you need to be aware of is your Gross Trailer Weight (GTW). This includes the weight of the actual trailer, along with all of the contents within the trailer. This could be your boat, camper, or even another car. Once you have both your GVWR and your GTW, you must make sure that the combined weight of both is below your Tundra’s Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). This figure represents the total weight of your loaded truck and trailer. This is extremely important to your vehicle’s performance and safety. An overloaded GCWR could damage your axle, engine, transmission and suspension along with affecting how your Tundra drives on the road. [Not to mention exposing you to substantial civil liability if you cause an accident - Admin]
Once you have made sure that your GCWR is below your model’s recommendations, you can determine if your hitch is strong enough to support your load and how to properly distribute the weight across your trailer. Below is a chart that represents the maximum towable weight for each classification of hitch. NOTE: The Tundra’s tow package options are varied. Most 5.7 Tundras come with a class IV/V hitch, but there are some reports of these trucks only having a class III. There are also reports of dealers adding class III hitches after market. Before you tow, take a moment to inspect your hitch..
| Class I | 2,000 lbs |
| Class II | 3,500 lbs |
| Class III | 5,000 lbs |
| Class IV | 10,000 lbs |
| Class V | 10,000+ lbs |
The most popular class of hitch, the Class IV, will accommodate most people’s hauling needs. In the event you have a load larger than 10,000 lbs, or if your hitch is not rated for your load’s weight, it is extremely important that you either adjust your trailer’s weight or upgrade hitches to avoid damaging your truck or losing your trailer on the road.
The last thing you need to do before you can haul away is to make sure the weight distribution on your trailer won’t affect your truck. It’s important to know that the tongue weight is 10%-15% of any trailer load (meaning the weight being put on your hitch ball by the trailer stays in between 10%-15% of your trailer weight). Any more or less can cause the trailer to pull up or push down on the truck’s back axle, which can reduce handling, stability, and braking and makes your truck very susceptible to an accident. A good rule to follow is to try to put 60% of your load’s weight in front of the trailer’s axle with 40% sitting behind the trailer. This generally puts enough weight on the ball of your hitch to stay within the 10%-15% range.
Once all these requirements have been met, you’re ready to attach your trailer and start towing! People tend to believe that once you attach your trailer, you can just pile on your load and drive away. But as you can see, it is extremely important that you plan ahead and understand the capabilities of your truck so that you can avoid any potential damage to your Tundra and to yourself. As long as these guidelines are followed, you and your Tundra will be able to safely tow all sorts of loads for a long time!
Written by George Rodman of uShip.com, an auction style marketplace for Auto Transport.
For a more in-depth explanation, as well as a great glossary of terms, read Toyota’s Towing Guide (pdf, 4mb).
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Filed Under: Tundra Towing
The only thing I’ve towed is my 18.5 Bayliner boat with a 3.0 I/O mercruiser. Haven’t had any issue with this. It’s understandable not to over exceed the wieght limits. But how many actually know how much they are towing. You see it all the time people over doing it. No care for anyone else.
towed my 28 foot haulmark with living quarters and 2800 pound BMW, had to add airbags even with distribution hitch and get 6 MPG Geeeeeeee.
Mickey – good point. It’s scary what some people do. I remember someone bragging to me about his 1 ton dodge pulling a 28,000 lb back hoe trailer! That’s called “criminal negligence” as far as I’m concerned.
Steven – How much does that setup weigh? 6mpg isn’t very good, but if you triple or quadruple the amount of weight you’re moving, your mileage is going to drop. Still, 6mpg is rough.
I must say, i hauled a 6×12 enclosed trailer “empty” from atlanta to ft lauderdale and i got around 8mpgs!! i was doing around 80 though, but still!
I am confused (it does not take much these days) I have a wonderful Toy Crewmax with a 5.7 2wd. I understand I can tow 10,400. Where can I find the GCWR number from for my vehicle to make sure I am safe.
Mary – There should be a sticker on the inside of the driver’s door jamb that has the GCWR.
Where can I find towing mirrors for 07 Tundra DC 2wd
Ronnie – You can buy the original equipment tow mirrors at your local dealership, but I don’t know if that’s the best option (certainly not the least expensive). Have you looked into getting after-market mirrors installed at your local tow shop? If you’re not sure where your local tow shop is, one of the local RV dealerships should be able to recommend someone.
Just curious about break in periods for motor speeds and when to tow. Should you have a break in period for a new tundra before you tow anything?
Reed – You should put at least 500 miles on your new Tundra at varying speeds before you begin towing or before you begin a long road trip. “Varying speeds” is key to the break-in period. My advice is to drive it like it’s a new truck and don’t spare the whip…you want to make sure everything seats correctly.
I have a 2007 dbl cab std bed, 4×2. The truck came with Bridgestone h/t. Poor wearing tire and a bit mushy when towing. I am towing 6000lb trailer now and want to upgrade to a 9000 to 10000 lb trailer. Anyone recommend a good towing tire.
So, I can assume that it won’t hurt the engine on my 2008 Tundra (rated for towing 10,400 pounds) if I tow at or near that capacity? Someone said that I should only tow 75% to 80% of the rated amount, which was a bummer for me since I want to haul horses and thought the 10,400 pounds was a valid towing amount. Does someone know the truth about this?
When you’re towing you have to allow for the the weight of people and what else you have in the truck also. Towing at the max end isn’t a good practice either. First you definitely need a brake assist/controller for that much weight. The truck is prewired for one. I don’t know what else to tell you.
Thanks for the response, Mickey. I had the brake controller installed along with a gooseneck hitch in the bed. The trailer I’m looking at weighs 5,900 lbs. empty. If I add another 3,500lbs. of horses/tack, that’s 9,400 lbs. Is that pushing the limit of the 10,600 rating? (I looked again at the paperwork on the Tundra, and it says 10,600 rather than the 10,400 I mentioned earlier.)
You’re within the trailer limits but when you occupy the truck with people or whatever you have to add that weight also. With one or two people you’re close. You can do it and the truck will do it with no problem. You know your weight has to be distributed correctly as per DOT and you will know when you hit a weigh station. Main thing is safety. Enjoy both your rides the truck and horses….
Nancy – In terms of towing capacity, engine performance is rarely the limiting factor. Your Tundra is powerful enough to pull a 20k or 30k lbs trailer, but the frame, transmission, and braking systems aren’t rated to stop that much. So, as Mickey said, a weight distributing hitch and a proper trailer brake are critical as trailer weight goes up. Still, the bottom line is that you’ve got enough truck to tow your horse trailer, horses, and tack. Have fun.
I have a 07 tundra double cab 5.7 short bed TRD. I tow a 33 ft 5th wheel, have only towed short distances to get familar with towing something this big. I’ve towed 22 to 24ft boats in past with suv with no problem. The tundra seems to tow it with no problem, I also checked with toyota before purchasing the rv and they said should not be any problem. RV weights 8220 dry. Anything I should be concerned about?
George – I think you’ve done your due diligence. I would say the only thing left to be concerned about is the people driving on the road who don’t understand why they shouldn’t cut in front of you!
I have a new 2008 Tundra dbl cab 5.7L TRD w/tow pack. I was i nformed that I cannot tow a fifth wheel as the frame cannot handle the weight and will have to use a bumper hitch. Any input on this?
Tom look up two and see what George wrote. That answers your question.
In June 2008 we bought a new 2008 Toyota Tundra, 4×4, Limited, 4 door, 5.7 with a tow pkg. Then we bought a new Toy Hauler to take the CanAm quad, and head out to have fun (7200 lb Kodiak) and at that time we purchased a the anti sway trailer hitch. First, on the Tundra we installed a Banks system, airbags in the rear, and then 2″ spacers under the front so that she sits level. Everything works great, truck tows w/o a problem (avg 14 mpg when towing), all RV lights, the braking system work. However, while driving down the road, the tow package plugged in of course, the truck is not charging the batteries on the RV.
According to the Dealer this morning I have 3 diff. opinions. Sales says – no, that’s something additional. Parts says – No, the tow pkg only comes with lights & brakes. Service says, “Is the truck a 4 prong or 5 prong?”. I replied, Look, when I lift the cover of the electrical plug it has about 8 holes in it, so it appears it could be an 8 prong for all I can tell, how do I tell whether it’s set up to accommodate a 4 or 5 prong, and why does that matter?”
The Service person then said,” Does the trailer have a 7 pin connector?” I told him the reason I’d called HIM was so he could tell me all the info I needed. This goes on & on with Q’s from him such as: Who wired in the elec. trailer brakes – that wiring goes thru the same connector in your truck, maybe they broke, crimped or forgot to wire properly which could cause the battery not to chg or other problems. From reading the manual it says on 493 that this truck “can” also run the trailer batteries. But it also mentions a “battery relay installation”.
I asked then if he was telling me that we needed to install a seperate battery relay to have the truck charge the trailer? He said his gut tells him that the truck is already equipped to do that, then said that we needed to take the truck & trailer to a “good” trailer/rv repair place and the service dept there should be able to check the truck1st to detirmine if the proper wiring was already installed to charge the batteries on the RV, and if so if they were working properly, or if it needed to have a battery relay installed,. or if the problem is bad wiring on the trailer either in the Junction Box or one of the Relay Switch Boxes, which could be just a blown fuse.
My question’s are 1) Did my new Tundra come equipped with the battery charge line in it or not? And 2) If the trailer repair place plugged in a “tester” already (which they did) and say “yep, the truck wiring is working properly”, then plug the trailer into the truck, take the cover off the battery and check them with a volt meter and tell me – NO, they are not getting a charge – does that mean the problem is in the trailer wiring, not the truck?
So sorry for the very lengthy question here, but after 5 hrs and all the diff answers I got from everyone, was hoping to spare repeating what i’ve already asked and just get a straight answer. I realize i’m a woman, but I do have common sense, and utilize logic. Thank you
Lou you definitely need an electrician for that. From what I’m reading you state that they tested the truck and the wiring was working properly. Then you plug in the trailer and checked the battery not getting a charge. Why didn’t they check the wiring in the trailer to see if it was done right also. I was thinking at first you don’t have a relay on the truck but the statement you said stated the truck’s wiring is working properly tells me something different. I have the tow package on my crewmax and I only use the 4 pin pigstick for my boat. I have the extra wiring that came with the truck for the 7 pin but haven’t used it. I don’t know or see where the relay would be at on the truck. I wish I could give you more help.
Lou – First and foremost, I want to point out that your statement “I realize im a woman” is completely uncalled for. You have demonstrated more knowledge and common sense with your questions than most men when have it comes to trailer wiring, and you can probably teach a class when this whole thing is figured out. The answer to your questions is that 1) yes, your truck is working properly and does provide power to your trailer and 2) It’s possible that your trailer has a bad wire somewhere, but my guess is that isn’t the case. The reason that your trailer battery isn’t charging is that there’s a lot of wire between the front-end of your Tundra and your trailer battery, and there’s quite a bit of voltage drop taking place from point A (your alternator) to point B (your trailer battery). The solutions are 1) add a big new dedicated power line from your truck alternator to your trailer battery, and install a battery relay on that power line so that the trailer battery only charges when the truck is on (so your trailer battery doesn’t drain your vehicle battery when you’re parked). Option 2) is to start checking voltage drops across different parts of the system. In other words, grab a multimeter and measure the voltage across your battery while the engine is running. Next, head to the trailer plug and check the voltage across the power and ground (it should be the same or close, within 0.1 – 0.2). Plug in your trailer, disconnect your trailer battery, then check the drop in voltage across your battery charging cables. If the drop is significant (say 1 or 2 volts), that means your trailer wiring is probably too small. You can replace some or all of it as needed. My guess is that a trailer shop will do option 1 for about $200-$250, so that’s probably the cheapest way to go. Please let me know if you have any more questions, and don’t let anyone give you any BS because you’re a woman. You know your business.
Please help….I have a 08 tundra with tow package….the new car sticker states that i have a payload capacity of 1580 lbs…gvwr 7100 lbs. tow capacity 10,300 lbs. GCVWR 16,000 lbs. Does this mean i cannot pull a fifth wheel gvw of 8550 lbs. witha hitch weight of 1575 lbs? Is the stated payload above the gvwr of 7100 lbs? The GVW of the truck is 5880. I bought the trailer thinking I had the payload capacity as stated on the new car sticker of 1580. Thanks….
I take you have a DC 4×4?
Mickey, yes I have a DC 4×4 standard bed.
Ben – You look OK to me but it’s going to be tight. The GVWR is NOT the weight of the truck, it’s the gross weight rating (the limit of all the payload, people, fuel, etc.). Take your truck to the local weigh station and get your truck weighed with a full tank of fuel. Next, you’ll want to add your own weight, anyone else who will be riding, etc. to come up with your total loaded weight (before the trailer). Take that total loaded weight number and subtract it from the GVWR…that will tell you if you have enough payload capacity to handle the 5th wheel’s hitch weight. I think you’re going to be a little over, but I don’t know if it will be enough to worry about. As for the GCWR (the tow rating as opposed to the payload), you’re within the Tundra’s capabilities.
Ben is definately not ok with a hitch weight of 1575 lb and a payload rating of 1580 lb. The weight of people, fuel, hitch and other cargo is probably in the range of 500-1000 lb. What ever it weighs he is that much over the GVWR since the hitch weight and the payload rating are essentially equal.
I have seen a GCWR of 16,000 lb., but I can not find the source of this number anywhere. It is not even in the Toyota towing guide. This is an important number because I suspect that most trucks when fully loaded will be at or near the GVRW of 6,900 lb. This allows a real world maximum trailer tow rating of 9,100 lb.
Dan – You are absolutely correct. As I said, it’s probably going to be a little over. In my opinion, it’s within a rationale limit…but I’m not the one towing the trailer. So, Ben, please head Dan’s advice here as well.
Dan, the GCWR of 16000 lbs. is in the owners manual for the Tundra, pg 484.
Thanks for your input all.
Well I like what I have read so far so I will ask my question, I have a 2007 toyota tundra with 5.7, as I read above this truck is supposed to come with a class 4 hitch but some come with a class 3 hitch, how am I supposed to know which one I got, I have looked on the hitch and it has no rating which doesnt help at all, I have looked through the manual and it has no rating. Quite frustrating, I want to purchase a Lance 825 camper and tow my lund boat which is 2800lbs, unforunately I will need an extension. There in lies the problem, if my hitch is a class 4 I have no problem on tongue wt, if it is a class 3 I am over my tongue wt., any suggestions, also I have been told toyota tundra does not have a class five hitch available, but when I researched this I found one that Curt hitches makes, but the camper dealer said this will not work, why I ask? Then they dealer tells me I can’t take off the existing hitch on the tundra, so tell me gentleman what the heck do I do here?
Bill – I remember looking into this once upon a time. Does your truck have the big tow mirrors as original equipment? I don’t believe you can buy a Tundra with the big mirrors without also getting a class IV/V hitch. By the way, class IV and class V have “merged” with most manufacturers. Once you get over 10k lbs, the hitch isn’t the limiting factor…anyways, back to figuring out which hitch you have. The fact that the factory hitch can’t be removed likely means you have the class IV hitch – Toyota made those part of the frame. My normal sources aren’t available right now – anyone have the answer? How can we tell a class III from a class IV hitch on an 07+ Tundra?
Bill
I suspect all of the 5.7 L Tundra’s come with a class IV hitch. I don’t know why Toyota would have put a class III hitch on any of them; seems like this would be a huge liability problem.
I suspect your biggest problem may be in not exceeding the GVWR and the payload rating. You only have about 1,575 for payload. This means that the weight of people,gas, cargo, Lance camper and the tongue weight of the boat can not exceed 1,575 lbs.
I would not be surprised if you don’t need at least a 3/4 ton truck to do what you want to do.
Bill
I just looked at the Lance 825 brochure. It lists a dry weight of 1,625 lbs. This clearly will need a 3/4 or 1 ton pick-up truck. I notice that the manufacturer claims that this camper is light enough for a Tundra or Titan. They are wrong and I believe irresponsible for making this claim. It is just a matter of time before they are sued by somebody being involved in an accident with a Tundra or Titan with a Lancer camper.
I love my Tundra, but it and all the other 1/2 ton pick-ups will tow a decent sized trailer or boat, but they are just not appropriate for slide-in campers or 5th wheel trailers period!
Dan – I think you’re right about 5th wheels and half tons, especially when it comes to towing in the mountains.
Well after reading inputs form you all, thanks. I have decided my blessed Tundra will have to go. After weighing the truck, trailer, combination, I am 480 lbs. over on the gvwr. I constantly relocate for my job…so I need a vehicle that can handle my fifth wheel without having a damaged truck. Toyota HAS NOT succesfully competed with the BIG GUYS at towing fifth wheels. Anyone out there getting ready to buy a tow vehicle…..HEED MY ADVICE….1)Do not listen to salespeople, they do not know…2)payload capacity is not what is listed on the new car sticker…3)weigh your tow vehicle to find your payload capacity, as Jason said it is the ACTUAL WEIGHT of the tow vehicle less than the GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT RATING (GVWR), thats all you have left for the pin weight, passengers, etc. A moment of silence as I let Tundra go….
Ben that’s wrong to say the Tundra can’t compete with the big guys. You know it’s the best out of the 1/2 tons. You know you need a 3/4 or a 1 ton truck for what you’re doing. The Tundra can’t compete with that.
This response is in regards to Lou’s charging problem.
I don’t know the answer for sure, but I do have an opinion. I tow an Airstream trailer and my shop manual indicates that the black wire in the seven pin connector is the charging wire, so this should charge your battery. If the trailer electrical system is designed properly the wiring should be large enough so that the battery will charge properly. A good rv/trailer technician should be able to sort this out for you.
This is the exact forum I have been trying to find!
I just purchased a 2009 Tundra crewmax 2wd ( tow rating 10,400 lbs).
I just purchased a travel trailer with a dry weight of 7945lb, and it will hold 1990 pounds total.
Also, have an equalizer hitch and primus iq brake control.
I now understand I have to add the occupants and supplies in the truck to the tow weight, and they are not part of the payload calculations. Is this correct.
Is this a safe tow as long as I don’t max out the cargo weight on the travel trailer?
As long as you stay under 10,400lbs total weight. You are correct steve.
I am in getting ready to purchased a bumper pull horse trailer that the manufacturer states has a 3500 lb brake & drag axle & a GVWR of 7000 lbs. I plan to pull this with our 2003 Toyota Tundra, but before I do I want to be sure it will not overload our truck. Can you tell me whether I should re-consider? I will be getting an electric brake box installed and the trailer.
Vickie – You sound fine to me. 7k lbs is well within the capabilities of a 2003 V8 Tundra.
Hello!
I need a fresh new opinion. Am getting a 2010 Crew 5.7L 4×4 w/tow package. We will be buying a lite weight travel trailer, so I know I need to do some mods like air bags, rear stabilizer, trailer brake controller, etc.
I am VERY concerned that all these mods will void my warranty. What does everyone do?
Stacy – First of all, none of the modifications will void your warranty. The worst case is that IF one of those parts was installed incorrectly, they COULD damage some other part of the truck. The best advice is to either have the dealership install the parts and/or find a good reputable trailer shop nearby. Now I’m going to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong and ask why you’re adding all that stuff for a “light” travel trailer. Your truck will handle a light trailer just fine without any modifications. How much does the trailer weigh?
I have a 2007 toyota tundra double cab 5.7L 2wd. Can i pull a 30ft travel trailer weighing 7300 pounds if i have a brake system and a stabilizing system without major issues.
Mitch – If you have the 5.7, you’re golden. If you have the 4.6, you’ll do fine but you’ll be a little slow.
Glad I found this site, maybe someone can help me with a few questions on my 2009 Crew Max 5.7, 4WD Limited with tow Package. I have gone through my books, my sticker and looked at the plate on the door. Numbers do not seem to add up right. Anyway it appears that myt GVWR is 7200lbs and the listed curb weight is 5685 (if I remember correct). The book for my code (USK56L-PSTLKA) shows 1310 for cargo (has the moon roof and towing package). Great not a problem, however there is also a yellow sticker that says that the modification to this vehicle has decreased the payload by 380 lbs. No other details.
What is throwing me off is does this sticker jsut reflecting the 1310 payload or is it the 1310 less 380 (whick would be 930 or so)?
Now the window sticker shows the base figure of 1495 for payload (which this not match anything in my book but the base standard 4.0L V-6 2WD-standard bed which is maybe the standard for the listing), so what would the 380 decrease in payload be off of?
If it is off the 1310-not good for I have a half ton that will not carry a half ton! If the 1310 is with the 380 deduction fine.
This is my mainly Sunday go to church truck, however I am thinking of buying a TT that is listed at 6155 dry and hitch of 425. Figure with the propane and batteries and load the hitch should be getting up close to 600.
If due to that sticker that says less 380 of payload and if the payload is 1310 as listed in book, that leaves only 320 for my 200 body and gas (figure about 160 or so for gas and I guess I better loose weight) or just figure my 10100 towing capacity is great but reality puts me down a 6 X12 utility trailer due to tongue weight if I want to carry anyone?
Any ideas about what this 380 decrease sticker is really refering too.
Oh the modification, what ever they may be are all factory as the package and the only think I could see bringing it down is the tires due to they are the 20 inch ones.
Standing by and hopefully someone can help me on this, but regardless, glad I found this site.
Thanks
I want to tow a fifth well on my tundra crewmax 2010 5.7 with tow pkg. What type of hitch is recommended and gross weight to approx 6500 27 ft. should I use a slideing type of hitch. and can I put one on. thanks
Rene – If you’re pulling a 5th wheel, you’ll need a 5th wheel hitch. Since you’re pullling a 5th wheel with a CrewMax (and it’s very short bed), you’ll definitely want a sliding hitch…it will make your life a lot simpler while parking, and it will help protect your truck and trailer during normal driving as well.
Nice forum. Good advice from what I’ve read. I’m interested in anybody’s experience with airbags. I’ve driven Toyota’s for over 20 years and tongue weight has always been an issue. It’s hard to argue with how well their trucks ride empty and it’s hard to argue with their idea of a weight distributing hitch to solve tongue weight issues, except when your load is constantly changing as mine does. It would seem that airbags would be my solution but would love to hear from anyone that uses them.
Will – Airbags are great for beefing up your suspension – they’re especially nice for improving the ride. Specifically, I like them for big loads on the highway (things feel more stable), but I’ve never driven a Tundra with airbags (just SuperDuties) so I can’t speak to that specifically.
Just bought a 08 Tundra with < 10K miles on it. I love it. I’m about to install a 7 Pin connector (along with the brake controller) to tow a small camper. It came stock with the 4 pin. Has anyone installed that conversion kit (etrailer.com) where you tap into the harness? I’ll roll under the truck tonight but I’m not sure my truck came pre-wired for a 7 pin. Do all Tundras come pre-wired for 7 pin?
Great website!!
Art – Some Tundras come with a 4 pin to 7 pin adapter.
Hi Guys
i am very new to Pick up trucks and hauling trailers, just recently i have purchased a 2007 tundra double cab limited 5.7 4×4. I also bought a 7×12 enclosed trailer, i am going to carry around 500lb. I am not sure for the exact weight on the trailer since the sticker on the trailer is ripped, Trailer made by NewMan and has an aluminum frame.
Just for the curiasity with the brake control installed Am i okey to travel around?
Thank you
Atilla
Hello, Planning to buy 2010 Tundra SR5, 5.7. I would like to pull an Airstream trailer GVWR 7600, with weight distributing hitch. Do I need to beef up the suspension? I previously pulled with a 3/4 ton Suburban. How do you determine the tongue wt. on a trailer?
Atilla – Not sure how I missed your comment, but the answer is yes. You’re good with that arrangement so long as you’re not hauling solid concrete in the trailer.
Jerry – I don’t think that you’ll have a problem with the stock Tundra suspension. A good tongue weight rule-of-thumb is 10-20% of the total trailer weight.
i own a 2008 Double Cab, STD bed, 4.0 V6 2WD. it has an aftermarket hitch rated at 10,000lbs, ball mount rated at 10,000lbs and ball rated at 5,000lbs. would i be ok pulling a 12′x6′ uhaul trailer from Ft. Hood, TX to Ft. Knox, KY?
According to my book of the 07’s it shows for a Double Cab V6 standard bed can tow up to 4800lbs.
Jeremy – Without a doubt. The trailer can’t possibly hold more than you can haul.
I just bought a tundra double cab 5.7 with towing package. I pull a keystone hornet dry weight 5300 lb plus all my stuff. It did great . I met a man at the camp ground with the same equiped tundra , he was pulling a fith wheel
that weighed over 9000 lb. he said it pulled great no problem going the
speed limit on the interstate or faster if he wanted to ( hope he doesn’t want to ) He did have a slider hitch due to standard bed on double cab.
jerry – That’s awesome. A 9,000 lbs camper is big-time towing.
I have a 2010 Tundra short bed it has a 5.7 V8, can I pull a 5th wheel and what would be the max weight and length of Trailer I can pull?
I should have also said this is a CrewMax.
Bobby – About 10k in terms of the overall weight, but you need to consider two details to know for sure: 1) King pin weight. Different trailers will distribute the weight differently, and some king pins hold 25% of a trailer’s weight. If that’s the case, you’re truck’s payload limit will make it all but impossible to pull a reasonably sized fifth wheel. You need a 5th wheel that puts 15% of the weight on the king pin to approach the 10k lbs tow weight limit. 2) Pulling a 5th wheel with a really short box is tricky. You need to ask a trailer shop about some of their “sliding” hitches.
Hi
I came across this forum today. It’s been an interesting read.
I have a 2007 5.7L double cab 4×4 with the TRD package with a GVWR of 7200 lbs.
I also tow a 5th wheel 2008 Cougar 28′( ½ ton series) ya right!
My truck weighs in at 5867 lbs with a full tank of gas. The dry weight of my 5th wheel is 7326 lbs
With two occupants and the 5th wheel hitch and a few items my truck sits at 6362 lbs.
That leaves me with 838 lbs to spare to bring up to the 7200 GVWR.
With the 5th wheel empty I’m 627 over my GCWR. My GCVWR is under by 2312 lbs.
With 800 lbs in the 5th wheel distributed, I’m 769 lbs over the GVWR, with my GCVWR I’m under 1602 lbs
I just recently found this out. Everyone I talk to and see on the road is way over their GCWR.
No one seems too worried, there is the liability issue.
I have had Toyota people, even my brother-in-law that owns a Toyota dealerships says that I’m fine. I have absolutely no problem towing and handling the truck, I wasn’t concern until my brother weighed his unit. He has a Chev 2500 4×4 Diesel and a 34’ Jayco Eagle, he was over by 1600 lbs, 1100 lbs dry weight.
I’m pondering putting better tires and air bags(shocks) to help distribute the weight better, however it will not increase my GCWR. I haven’t weighed the actual weight on the pin, but I have a formula that my brother sent me to put my info in. It’s quite neat how it adjust when you add or take away from the trailer.
There is a lot of trucks on the highway way over their GVWR.
Hope this info helps. I’m still trying to decide what I’m going to do.
Later
Gil
Gil – If I’ve got it right, you’re saying that the 5th wheel doesn’t exceed your towing capacity, but it DOES exceed your payload capacity by a few hundred pounds. If that’s the case, you’ve got a few options:
1) Do nothing. A lot of people exceed their vehicle ratings on a regular basis, often without realizing. There is a factor of safety built in to the numbers, and provided you’re a careful driver you’ll likely never have a problem. Of course, one false move and you’re legally exposed.
2) Add helpers and/or air bags. Helper springs will get you an effective increase in GVWR, but not in a way that will help you legally. I’m not aware of anyone that will add springs to your truck and also give you a new sticker. SO, if you add springs or air bags, you’re doing the right thing, but it’s not going to solve the legal liability issue.
3) Get a bigger truck or a smaller trailer. Obvious I know, but worth mentioning.
I think the bottom line is that the trailer is a little too big for the truck, but like all things in life you’ve got to weigh risk vs. reward. A lot of people have told you not to worry about the risk, and based on the numbers you’ve given me I wouldn’t say that’s not necessarily *bad* advice…but if you’re a wealthy person with a lot to lose in the event of a lawsuit, I say trade the Tundra for a bigger truck.
Thanks Jason
I just wanted to post some actual numbers. My Truck can handle it, but not legally. Both truck & trailer sales people do not offer or actually do not know anything about the legality issue or choose to ignore it.
Thanks gain.Gil
Gil – For sure. That’s typical of a lot of automotive salespeople – details just get in their way!
Thanks for posting your info – I think others might find it useful.
I have a 2008 Toyota Tundra Crew Max TRD and tow a 2008 General Coach Corsair 26RLS total dry weight 7900 lbs, hitch weight 825lbs. With water, supplies etc I am probably getting close to the maximum weights allowed. Towed the trailer to Arizona and back from Northern British Columbia last year with no alterations to the truck other than better quality tires. Got rid of the 4 ply stock tires and put on 10ply’s. About 5000 miles return. Read about Firestone air bags on a forum and decided to add them last fall. Just got back from Arizona for the 2nd trip. The truck used to tow good but now it tows great. Where it really made the difference is on days with strong crosswinds. The airbags really stabalized any swaying in windy conditions. I put about 70 lbs of air in them with the trailer fully loaded.
I’ve read the questions and answers and this seems like the forum that I’ve been looking for. I would like to get honest, (not that you haven’t been honest in your answers) real life comments about the REAL towing ability of the Toyota Tundra. My wife and I would like to “See the USA in our Chevrolet” but I can’t afford another 7K for a Diesel. I do not have a trailer yet but I do have it narrowed down to a couple of models and their GVWR are between 7 and 9K but the vehicle I can afford will determine the trailer I can haul.
As I understand it, if I get the Tow Package et al, I will be able to tow 10,600 pounds of trailer, truck, and all the rest. I know it’s rated for 10,600 lbs but is this number for real or are there a number of Asterisks that go with that number.
Everything being equal and all weights where they should be, will this beast really tow that much weight on a full time basis across the desert, mountains etc.
Any actual milage numbers before having to get a new one, assuming that the vehicle is taken care of and it doesn’t have anything weird go wrong with it.
I also understand that the actual towing torque is helped a great deal by the standard 4:10 rear end and if you get the tow package it changes to a 4:30 rear end which would increase the torque a bunch but do severe damage to the gas milage.
Where in the world do you find scales to weigh a truck, trailer etc without having to drive across the state (TX) to find an official State Weigh Station.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Dave – Good to know on the airbags – thanks for your comments.
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JW – The 4.30 rear doesn’t really harm the fuel economy – it’s about the same either way because the transmission has 6 speeds. The 4.30 doesn’t impact the torque either – all it does is improve the leverage you have when you’re pulling from a dead stop (engine power is unaffected).
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As for what the truck will *really* tow, the rating is correct. Having said that, here’s my opinion: If you’re towing more than 8k lbs every day (and I mean daily), you’ll be much happier with a diesel. The power of the Tundra, Ram 1500, and 6.2L Chevy/GMC 1500 is enough to pull 10k lbs, but with a diesel there’s a lot bigger margin for error. There’s also the wear-and-tear factor that comes with towing at or near the max on a regular basis.
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You also want to look at the tongue weight of whatever trailer you want to buy and make sure it’s less than the Tundra’s payload rating (about 1500 lbs on most models). If the tongue weight is over 1500 lbs, it’s likely you’ll have to go with a 3/4 or 1-ton.
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As for weighing the truck/trailer combo, I know of a few trailer shops in Denver that have scales for this purpose. I don’t know where to go in TX, but I would guess the side of the highway will work just fine.
Jason, thank you for your opinions as well as the LOL at the end. Let me back off a little on the towing everyday statement, what I should have said is how will it handle the normal (if there is one) TT scenerio, cross country, sight seeing, stopping every few days, staying put for a few days or week, mountains, valleys etc.
Still don’t know where there are scales in, around or near Dallas. I will keep looking. If anyone knows, please pass it on.
Thanks,
JW
JW some of you truck stops near the interstate have scales. Tell them what you want to do and they will tell you how to put it on the scale.
Mickey,
Thank you, I will check them out.
JW
JW – Yes – it will definitely handle what I would call “normal” towing as you describe. It’s the abnormal towing – the daily use at or near max – that I wouldn’t suggest…but that’s not because the truck can’t handle it. It’s more because I’d rather have a diesel if I was going to do that much towing. Less wear and tear, more power, better fuel economy, etc. Basically, diesels are built for towing and hauling lots of stuff all the time, so they’re my first choice for that particular mission.
Thanks Jason, I know a Diesel would be the best way to go but spending 43k on a truck plus a trailer is a tough pill to swallow.
I decided to see if there was some sort of towing calculater that would simplify my search, I found a couple of sites and plugged in the numbers and was totally bewildered by the results. According to the worksheet, I can’t pull anything heavier than a 3 to 4k trailer. I couldn’t believe it so I went through it a number of times and even had my wife (who is better with numbers than I am) try her hand at it and it came out the same. The only thing I could come up with is that I was using incorrect data but the numbers came from the Tundra webpage and from the trailer folks. I used the Keystone Bullet 246BRS which according to the website has a shipping weight of 4795 lbs and a carrying capacity of 1624 lbs and a hitch weight of 475, If I add them together it comes to 6475 lbs. Now I don’t think I will be carrying the max of 1624 lbs but I used the max just to know what the limits were. The Tundra curb weight = 5155 lbs, the GVWR is 6900 lbs which leaves a payload of 1745 lbs. The Tundra Double Cab with 6.5 bed and the SR5 package which includes the Cold Weather Package and the Towing Package gives me a towing capacity of 10,600 lbs. The Tow Package weighs in at 75 lbs, My wife and I weigh 400 lbs (I would be the heavier of us, she made sure I pointed that out), 26 gallon gas tank at 6 lbs per gallon = 171 lbs, 650 pounds for my Kawasaki Vulcan 900 LT, subtract that weight from the 1745 lbs of available payload and that leaves me with 448 lbs to spare.
If someone has the time to show me where I went wrong, I would welcome it; it’s one of the few times I would actually want to be proven wrong.
There’s one more thing that might have led to the numbers coming out as they did, we were up very late (past 1:00) and we were pretty punchy. I hope that’s the reason so I don’t look like such a Maroon (as Bugs Bunny would say).
Thank you one and all for your help and input.
J.W.
JW – I applaud you and your wife for being so thorough. There are two numbers that you need to pay attention to – the first is the trailer’s hitch weight (you listed it as 475lbs) and the trailer’s total weight while loaded (you listed that as 4975 + 1624, or 6600lbs give or take).
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The 475 lbs hitch weight counts towards your total payload rating. 1745-your options-your weight-fuel-kawasaki = 448lbs…I’d call that close enough. You’re good on payload. As for towing, 6600lbs is WELL within the Tundra’s tow rating (10,300-10,500lbs). By the looks of it, the Tundra is perfectly suited to your trailer.
Jason, thanks for your response. Okay, I must be as sharp as a marshmellow but it still doesn’t come together for me. The Tundra can’t haul more than 10,600 lbs per the website. Don’t you add the Gross Vehicle Weight + Gross Trailer Weight to get the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight and that should not exceed the tow weight of 10,600 lbs???
Let me try again, remember, I am using a worse case scenerio by using the maximum loading weights for this scenerio.
Toyota Tundra:
5155 lbs curb weight + 1745 lbs of payload = GVWR of 6900 lbs.
Take the 5155 lbs of curb weight and add the following: 75 lbs for tow package + 171 lbs for gas + 400 lbs for me and the wife + 650 lbs for the motorcycle + 475 lbs tongue weight, that brings the GVWR to 6926. That should total less than 6900 GVWR lbs but as you can see, it doesn’t, this means that I am 26 lbs over the GVWR; correct or incorrect???
So my truck GVWR is now 6926 lbs with everything loaded.
Trailer, Bullet 246RBS:
Shipping weight = 4795 lbs + maximum carrying capacity of 1624 lbs = a GTWR of 6419 lbs.
Now if I am understanding this correctly, you add the 6926 lbs GVWR of the truck and the 6419 lbs GTWR of the trailer and that should give you a GCVWR of 13,345 lbs which is 2745 lbs over the maximum tow capacity for the Tundra, correct or incorrect.
I feel that I am double dipping the figures or using the wrong numbers, either that or my math is so far off that I feel that this is an episode of the Twilight Zone.
Okay, I think I have done enough damage tonight so I will sign off and await an answer. Again, thank you for helping me figure this out.
J.W.
What am I doing wrong???
JW – I know where you’re at, and come to think of it IS pretty darn confusing. GCWR = Gross combined weight rating = the total weight of your truck, trailer, stuff, people, etc. On a Tundra with a towing package, the GCWR is about 16k lbs. If you subtract the weight of the truck from that number (when the truck is empty and it is in the most basic configuration), you get the tow rating (about 10k lbs). Since the tow rating number (10,600) ALREADY accounts for the weight of the truck, you don’t need to subtract the curb weight of your truck from that total.
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To use your numbers – 10,600-you and wife-bike-vehicle-options=10,600-1745=8950-trailer=2000 lbs to spare of towing capacity.
Jason, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Did I mention THANK YOU!!! The funny thing is I was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast and talking this through with my wife and I had an epiphany; what if the tow capacity already takes into account the weight of the truck, that’s the only way this could work and then I opened my email and what do I see, the confirmation of my epiphany and that I had been making an incorrect assumption. The planets are now back in their orbits and all is okay with the world, I can go back to my mundane existance and be happy in my ignorance (smiley face). I was equating tow capacity with GCVWR = the total weight of all things should be at or less than the tow capacity. I STRONGLY suggest that all these websites make it simpler to understand for number challenged people like me. Jason, you are my towing guru, now I can go back to killing my weeds and staining my deck. If there is anything I can ever do for you, just let me know. Once again, THANK YOU, a thousand times THANK YOU!!!
To all: FYI, I emailed the RV sales company that I was going to buy from just to see what they would say when I asked them how to figure out the safe and proper weight I can tow. I asked them 5 different times and their final answer was: Forget the formulas, forget the truck weight, forget the trailer weight, forget the payload, just get a trailer that weighs at or less then your towing capacity (10,600) and you’ll be fine! That to me is dangerous and irresponsible advice and I told them so as well as letting them know that I would not be buying from them because of it.
Jason, the hitch weight of 475 is what it said in the trailer brochure but isn’t the hitch/tongue weight supposed to be 10-15% of the gross trailer weight? If so, that should make the hitch weight more like 642 @ 10% and 963 @ 15%. And I don’t know what the real GTW is until I load it up and weigh it, correct? Is hitch and tongue weight the same thing? So if I add 963 for tongue weight to the truck payload numbers it really should be 2259 which is 514 over the payload of 1745 or do I have this one messed up as well??? Thanks again for your assistance.
J.W. – LOL – No problem. So the advice you got from the trailer company is a little off, but not as irresponsible as you might believe. The numbers here are all pretty “round,” which is to say that there’s some give in the ratings. I wouldn’t advocate pulling more than your truck is rated for because it could be potentially unsafe, but exceeding one figure is OK if all the other figures are in line. However, you are absolutely correct in that the average tongue weight (aka hitch weight) is 10 – 15% of the total trailer weight. That’s about 600-1000 lbs. With the bike in the truck bed, you’re over. If you tow the bike on a trailer (or put the bike in the trailer somehow), you’re just fine.
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Here’s an alternative – keep the bike in the bed and add some rear airbags. They don’t increase your truck’s weight rating, but they give you a lot more stability. http://www.tundraheadquarters......spensions/
ok…I got one i need SOMEBODY ELSE’s opinion on……. I have a 2008 Tundra SR5 w/TRD..4X2…standard bed….. “buying” a 31 ft Toy hauler w/ 1 slide…26FBS RPM Adventure by Timberland….dry “axle” weight 5140..and dry “hitch” weight of 1380 (and that sounds high) according to the specs..adding a 2006 Heritage @ 750llbs + dress..into the cargo of the hauler… I am getting anti sway and weight distribution bars..(not sure of their weight)…. NOT towing wet with the exception of the fuel in the truck and bike and the two propane tanks….
According to Toyotas spreadsheet…. I have a tow capacity of 10,6000….GCWR of 16,000….
So…… is this REALLY going to tow this comfortably and SAFELY??? Any suggestions????
Also make sure you have a trailer brake/brake assist.
Laura – I agree the tongue weight/hitch weight number sounds high, but it really depends on the number of axles and how the weight is distributed on the trailer…so I would advise following their numbers. To answer your question, the payload rating / tongue weight is going to be close, but the overall tow rating is well within specs.
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As I’ve said before, if most of the numbers are in line and one isn’t, you’re probably OK (provided the one number that’s out of line is close). Beefing up the suspension with air bags and sway bars is a good idea, and of course Mickey is right about the trailer brake.
Have a 2000 Tundra V-8 4X4 TRD extend cab. I’m buying a travel trailer that weighs around 4400#. Will I have any problem towing it?
Do you have a tow package? It isn’t the moving the trailer but controlling and stopping. Keep that in mind you should be fine.
Ken – Greg’s got a great question. Assuming you have a class III or Class IV hitch and a trailer brake, you’re good to go.
I read an earlier post regarding the factory hitch but how can you really confirm what’s on the truck? I’m a 2008 DC Long Bed 4×4 and need to make sure I have a Class IV receiver for a 700 lb. capacity tilt-a-rack ATV carrier. Also have the tow package and factory tow mirrors.
If the tow package is listed on the manufactures window sticker you follow what it states in the owners manual. If it was a dealer installed option it will not be listed, (not listed on manufactures window sticker). They usually list dealer installed items on a separate sheet. I have a label on my receiver stating tongue weight limit with and without weight distribution hitch. Also Toyota lists the towing capacity on the window sticker, if it says 8500 then your safe to say class IV if not V, if it says over 10000 then class V. You would think there would be only one from the factory, my guess would be class V since towing was one of their big pushes.
Thanks for the info, Greg. I’m not worried about the weight…just the class for the receiver since the system attaches directly to the receiver. And I have my window sticker somewhere but you should be able to easily find this info without having to dig for that as most people actually throw it away. 700 lbs is nothing for the truck. I’ve done that easily hauling two motorcycles in the bed and never felt a thing. I just like to know exactly what’s on the truck if I plan to use it properly. Would be niceeeeeeeeeeee if I found out it was a Class V!
thanks guys… i do have the brake assist…came withthe tow pkg.
This is a “dual” axel unit…..around 5000 lbs …. but how do i find out the ACTUAL hitch weight…. and is that supposed to include the weight dist/sway bars?……
The “dealership”assures me we are WELL within our limits and then some…but i hear horror stories…salesmen just trying to sell… don’t want to be stuck with something i can’t pull.
TXTee – It’s almost always a Class V – Toyota’s selling point is that their factory hitches are tied directly into the frame rather than welded or bolted on. It seems like I’ve seen some imprinted steel with “Class IV/V” on the hitch itself somewhere. I’ll get someone to take a look.
Greg – More good info – thanks! I appreciate that very much.
Laura – So the first gen trucks with the V8 and the tow package can pull 7,500 – 8,000 lbs (somewhere in that range, not sure about the exact number). That means the trailer can’t weigh more than 7,500 lbs.
As for the hitch weight, it’s usually 10-15% of the trailer’s total weight. In this case, that’s 750lbs or less. Since the 1st gen Tundra has a payload capacity of 1200-1500 lbs (depending on cab and config), you’re covered here as well.
Finally, when it comes to whether or not you have a weight-distributing hitch, they’re not necessary until you start pulling bigger loads (8-10k lbs, depending on the truck manufacturer), but there’s no harm in having it for loads as light as 5k lbs.
So, in other words, this is one of the times when the salesperson is NOT BSing you, LOL!
You’re good to go.
LAURA, what do you mean by brake assist? You also need a brake controller in the truck to actuate the brakes and adjust the gain. Google “calculate tongue weight”, you can do it with simple math and a bathroom scale. You will also need a 3 to 4 foot board.
Sorry… Brake controller…. someone refererrd to as”brake assist” and i guess it stuck in my head…..its the box that you install in the truck that is already prewired for you to hook up to the trailer for the brake system. Ours came with all the plugs/hook ups and the box is being installed today.
Thanks for suggestion… i pulled it up.. i can’t believe you can use a simple bathroom scale. But i’m gonna give it a go…
So what is a good brand of brake controller? Our little Airstream only weighs 3500# wet, but has electric brakes and the Tundra is pre-wired for a controller, so I’d like to install one.
I have a 2010 Tundra Dbl Cab 4×4 TRD It has a tow capacity of 8300 lbs and it has the tow package.Is there any concerns or anything I need to add to the truck in order to tow a 4800 lbs empty weight trailer.I am figuring that that the GW of trailer will be about 5400 lbs.I am going to get an equilizer hitch with sway bars and add on tow mirrors from CIPI.This truck has the 4.6 and the paperwork on it says it has a 510 tongue weight receiver hitch.Im not sure of the class hitch that is on the truck.Any advise will be appreciated…Thanks…Greg
Gordich – I don’t have much of an opinion on brake controller brands. I’ve never paid much attention to be honest – they’ve all done what they were supposed to, but having said that I’m certain that some brands are better than others. Anyone with a preference?
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Greg Pile – You’ve already got a hitch on your new truck, correct? If so, then you don’t need anything else. The factory tow package includes a class IV/V hitch that’s part of the frame. Replacing that unit with something after-market is not advisable. Also, you probably don’t need to worry about sway bars or big mirrors to tow 5500 lbs – your half-ton will pull that amount of weight with ease. Still, they can’t hurt.
Yes that is correct,the hitch was part of the tow package.This will be my first time towing a travel trailer and was thinking of trying the clip on mirrors that CIPI has.My previous towing experience was a boat which i could easily see over and around.The reports on and info read prior to buying the truck with the 4.6 were positive.I am just wanting to cover all bases before my first road trip.Thanks
Greg P – I hear you. If everyone who towed took it as seriously as you did, the roads would be that much safer. Have fun man.
This site seems to be a great help to a lot of poeple. I have one question. I am looking to buy a ‘07 Tundra w5.7L and pull an RV trailer (hopefully -a 5th wheel). One response said the Tundra won’t accomodate the 5th wheel hitch.
TRUE/NOT TURE??
Thanks in advance.
Yes they make a fifth wheel hitch. I would recommend a slider hitch.
This site has been a wealth of information for me, and I thank all of you for the advice you have already given. I know this has been beat to death, and I think I already know the answer, but I wanted to put my real numbers on here, more for receiving validation from you all than anything else. I am attempting to calculate the maximum trailer weight that I can ‘legally’ tow. So here it goes:
I have a 2004 DC SR5 with the tow package. Using the numbers from the owners manual I come up with the following:
Truck Curb weight – 4,780 lb, Fuel (Est.) – 160 lb, 5 family members (Est.) – 620 lb, Cargo (Est.) – 200 lb, Weight Distribution hitch – 100 lb, Tongue/Hitch Weight (Est.) – 400. Total GVWR of the truck (tow vehicle)=6,260 lb.
The GCWR for my truck, according to the manual, is 11,800 lb. If I take the tow vehicle GVWR and subtract it from the GCWR I come up with 5,540 (11,800-6,260) and the maximum, fully loaded trailer/camper that I can legally tow. Does all of that sound correct?? It looks as though the gross combined weight is really my limiting factor as I have a maximum trailer weight of 7,000 lb with the tow package. Tongue/Hitch weight is also not a factor since I have a maximum weight of 1,050 lb with a weight distributing hitch.
Just as everyone else has mentioned, when talking to camper dealers, none of them are too concerned when you mention trailer weights. Most of them look at what your maximum tow weight is, with no consideration for the other numbers, and tell you that you can get a camper with a dry weight of, say, 6,000 lbs and a load capacity of 2,500 lbs and you will be okay as long as you don’t load more than 1,000 lbs of gear in your trailer! Of course it isn’t THEIR family that you are loading in your truck and towing a trailer that pushes you beyond your max!!
I agree with J.W. that someone needs to make these numbers more easy to understand! I would appreciate any comments on whether I calculated my numbers correctly and any other input any of you might have.
Thanks.
Bob – Greg’s recommendation about a slider is a good one. As for whether or not an 07 Tundra will pull a 5th wheel, the answer is: The Tundra will pull a 5th wheel as well as any other half ton…but 5th wheels should be pulled by 3/4 or 1 tons. Most of them are simply too big for a half-ton truck by the time you load them up with equipment.
Killman – Awesome – glad to hear you like it. The numbers all look correct to me.
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As I mentioned to JW, part of the reason that camper dealers aren’t too worried about it is that there’s a fair amount of safety built into these numbers. While I don’t ever think that it’s OK to exceed limits, there are three numbers that matter: towing weight, payload limit, and GCWR. If your rig hits 2 out of those three numbers with room to spare, then SLIGHTLY exceeding one is probably OK. After all, the numbers are somewhat arbitrary.
Thanks for the quick response Jason. For a short moment after sending my initial comment, I was afraid someone was going to tell me to lose some weight so I could get a bigger camper!
I’m going to do my best to stay under all of the numbers. Personally I’d like to stay way under the numbers, but I know that is going to be difficult to do with the requirements we need for a camper. I love my ‘04 Tundra and the last thing I want to do is over work it and blow it up!
Killman – Actually, the average family members weight seems pretty low!
The biggest risk with going above Toyota’s recommendation is losing control. The engine and transmission can easily accommodate twice the manufacturer’s limits…it’s the brakes and suspension that limit most vehicle tow ratings. This is why I recommend helper springs and/or airbags if you know you’re going to be pushing it. That will help you maintain control.
Jason, thanks.
I pretty much thought that was the case ( 5th wheel should be on a 3/4 T or bigger). I don’t want a big 5th wheel, but as always…if the RIGHT deal comes along, one needs to be ready.
Thanks again.
Bob, there are feather light 5th wheel trailers designed for half ton trucks. If your waiting on a good deal on a feather light pack a lunch, it could be a while or never! There are more half ton trucks on the road than HD’s meaning more than likely they will always have a buyer for them. As for the larger fifth wheels requiring 3/4 to 1 ton you can get really good deals on them you just have to wait. My feelings are if I’m gonna own a RV I’m buying the biggest truck I can so I’m restricted by my wallet or features of the RV but not the capacity of the truck! I missed a RV deal of a lifetime before because my truck was a half ton!
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Killman, as for the weight of your truck. Have you done any modifications to it? Bed cover, bed liner, step bars? I you have your Max weight is lower. What I do is once a year when I’m getting gas with the family, I run my truck with everyone in it across the scales at the truck stop. It gives you the actual weight of your vehicle with the family and topped off fluids. Cost $6.00. Also before I hit the road on a long trip win the trailer I hit the scale one more time. If I’m in a accident and I’m over weight, it doesn’t matter who’s fault it was. I’m overweight and contributing, more than likely going to be found at fault!
Just an update to my April 26th comment and an important FYI. The dealer that I was dealing with had an F- rating from the BBB so I stopped talking to them; about a month after I had spoken to them I read that they were in some financial trouble and a few days after that I read that they went belly up and all the money folks, state and federal came and shut them down, took the inventory and the customers were left standing outside the locked fence and couldn’t get to their TT’s. It may be a long time before they see their money or property because the customer is the last to be taken care of in these situations. SO a BIG FYI…If your dealer is not a member of the BBB, take heed and if there not, you can still find out what there rating is based on customer complaints. Research your butt off and it will make your life soooooo much less complicated. I am now dealing with a BBB dealer (also check customer refrences and talk to customers that are at the dealership and if they are repeat customers. Thanks to all. J.W.
Hello again, I know this question will probably open up a big can of (fill in the blank) and I know this is a Toyota based webpage but does anyone have real life experience and opinions (based on fact, not emotion or pride) on reliable, quality, service, longevity etc travel trailers. And not just the trailers themselves but the company behind them. I have looked at Forest River models and I know that it is a Berkshire-Hathaway company (Warren Buffet), no slouch there and it seems that the top parent companies are Forest River, Keystone and Heartland. Please leave the ego’s at the door on this one. Thanks again.
Bob – Happy to help.
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Matt – Good points about feather lights and weighing your truck. You’re absolutely correct that being overweight could make you at-fault in an accident, but my guess is that common sense is still in play. For example, if you’re hauling too much weight and I pull in front of you in a dangerous and reckless manner, I think the officer at the scene would give me the ticket…especially if you’re only slightly over. On the other hand, if you’re hauling a 30k lbs Caterpillar with your truck, then I’m probably not getting a ticket. I guess what I’m saying is, there are degrees of pulling too much. Still, you make a very valid point.
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JW – Crazy story! Hopefully no consumers got hurt, but I’m glad to hear that place went out of business…sounds like they needed to. I have no real opinion on trailer brands, unfortunately.
Jason – Thanks again for the info. I’m planning on fueling up and hitting the scales on the way home today to see what my truck and (most) of the family in the truck brings the weight to. Adding the remainder of the family and gear weight in the truck will be easy to figure. We’re in the process of buying a new TT, so that is why I’m really trying to find my numbers. I don’t want to end up with something that is too big that I can’t pull, legally or illegally. I’m also trying to be very conservative on my numbers so that I have some safety factor in there as well. All in all I think I feel comfortable with the numbers that I’ve been given so far, although you never know the final weights of the camper that you pull off the lot until you actually go and weigh it. Where we typically go camping there are a couple of mile long, 15 degree inclines/declines we have to take and I just want to make sure that I’ll be able to pull up them with no problem…other than going kind of slow.
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J.W. – I can’t say I know alot about any of the trailers, but we’ve been looking mainly at the Forest River and Jayco trailers. That seems to be what the majority of the dealers around here carry. It looks like we are leaning towards the Forest River, in either the Rockwood or Flagstaff series. I’ve been told that these two come off of the same assembly line, so they are pretty identical. We’ve also looked at their Salem series. Warranty-wise, Jayco seems to have the best with a 2 year bumper to hitch warranty, where Forest River is just a 1 year. Both brands have been in business a long time and both weathered the economic decline fairly well. That’s about all that I can offer. Not sure if that is what you wanted or not.
Killman – For sure. I’m confident your approach will put you in a position to be successful.
Jason and Killman, thanks for the input. A couple of folks told me to stay away from any Dutchmen brand, no specific reason was given; and I was also told that not only is the Flagstaff heated in the underbelly but they also heat each tank as well; so that’s a selling point if you are going to be in the frozen north country. If you go to the NADA webpage you can find out the actual MSRP of each unit as well as price information on used trailers. Haven’t found a good unbiased review site yet but I’m still looking.
Hey guys, I’ve skimmed this entire page and can’t get a reading on towing speeds. I have a ‘10 CMax w/ the 5.7L and 4.30 diff. I am only pulling a 2000lb camper, but I found my truck getting away from me on level surfaces and running 75-80 MPH despite my trying to keep it at or below 70 (okay, I was maybe pushing a just little too hard on the gas and not paying attention to the speedo) . The truck seemed fine doing this (i.e. no hunting for gears) and I did run in tow/haul mode just for added take-off power and engine braking. Any harm to the transmission running this fast? I am actually more concerned about the bearings on the camper, but want to be sure I don’t cook my transmission. The trans temp never budged. Cruise was always off and hills were taken nice and easy, maybe at 70 MPH max on soft hills and overpasses. Would love y’alls thoughts on saving the transmission. I have a friend with an 07 Tundra 5.7L who has been through a transmission already and having problems with the second. She hauls horses often. Thoughts on towing speeds?
Brian,
I have the ‘04 Tundra with the 4.7L. I’ve been towing a 3000lb popup with it for 6 years now. Just like you, my truck drives like there is nothing behind it. I usually drive with it in overdrive except for when going up large inclines. That will change shortly since we are buying a nearly 6000lb travel trailer. I’ll be in tow mode the entire time. Just hope I’ll be able to make it up the big inclines without damaging any truck components! As for how fast you should be driving, I think it does come down more to the camper having issues than your truck. If you have proper tongue weight and the camper is loaded where you have no sway, then you usually have very few problems. Some of the smaller campers have, what I call, golf cart wheels and tires. These, in my opinion, aren’t good for high speed travel. If you want, google ‘popup explorer’. It is a pretty good popup camper community and these folks know all about towing popups and what you should and should not do.
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Anonymous (J.W.??),
The Rockwood is the exact same trailer as the Flagstaff, so look at both if that is the direction you are going. The only real difference between the two is trim choice and maybe a few of the options. I believe that most all of the larger TT manufacturers made a ‘Four Season’ version of their camper. These are the ones with the sealed underbelly and the heated holding tanks. Not only does the sealed underbelly keep the tanks warm, it helps insulate the floor as well. It also is supposed to be more aerodynamic and another plus is that it helps keep critters from sneaking in through any cutouts in the floor for plumbing and such! Of course it adds about $1000 to the price of the camper as well.
Killman, your welcome for the info. You know the run it across the scales. If your worried about towing a bigger trailer maybe you want to look at buying a bigger truck. Just a idea. Since you have been towing for so long you SHOULD know what the speed limit is for your trailer. Its pretty easy to figure out! If you can’t let me know and I can explain the different ways to figure it out.
Matt,
I ran my truck across the scales yesterday with me and a full tank of gas. Although the CAT scales here cost $9! Anyway, the numbers came in pretty close to what I was calculating. I’ve also run some other numbers and what I’ve come up with is a Maximum Trailer weight (using all of the weight numbers that I have) of 6200 lbs. With a 15% safety margin that number drops to 5270 lbs. The camper is going to run about 5600 lbs loaded, so I feel comfortable with the 330 lb difference as I have been very conservative (over-weighing) with my passenger and cargo numbers. My first stop after we buy the trailer will be the scales just up the street from the dealer.
Funny you mention a new truck. I just emailed my dealer just to confirm some info on my truck based on the VIN number. He feels that the truck should have no problem pulling the camper, but that didn’t stop him from throwing in a plug for me to buy a new/bigger truck at 0% financing!
anonymous – Cool – thanks for the info. Maybe I should create a site for RV and camper reviews, eh?
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Brian J – I’m 90% positive that Toyota advises a top towing speed of 55mph with the OD off. That prevents transmission wear. Having said that, I see lots of people breaking this rule. My suggestion, however, would be to stick with 55-65 mph. Speed + mass = lots of momentum, and it’s not a linear function…which is my fancy way of saying it’s significantly more difficult to stop a trailer going 60mph than one going 55mph (about 15% harder). Comparing 55mph to 75mph, it’s 85% harder to stop a trailer going 75. This is a big reason for the suggested speed limit.
I know that current vehicles state not to exceed 55 MPH during the first 500 miles of towing for break in purposes. After that its the speed rating of the tires or what is listed in the trailer operating manual or the trailer speed limit by state which ever is less. Some states have a trailer speed limit lower than the posted speed limit. As for trailer bearings, as long as you do the proper maintenance on them and do not exceed the Max weigh of the trailer they should last for years! Stopping distance is affected BUT If you have well maintained trailer brakes and properly adjust them you will be fine runin 75mph. My trailer stops my truck, I feel them grabbing When I badly touch my brakes. You can use the gain to adjust that.
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Does the 04 tundra eliminate (lock out) overdrive completely when the tow haul engaged or does it just change the shift pattern of all the gears to include O/D. Almost all new vehicles still use the OD whn in tow haul.
Jason, Killman et al…Yes, anonymous is me J. W. somehow my name etc didn’t make it through the internet ether. An up to date honest review site of TT’s etc would be awsome. Trying to get just the facts vs emotion/opinion would be the tricky part. Opinions would be fine if they are stated as that, maybe you could divide it into sections of opinion and facts. I could only find one site that stated it was independent; JR Consumer Reviews, has anyone had any dealings with this group? There were some other sites but I wasn’t impressed with them.
Greg – I’m not sure if the 04′ Tundra locks out OD or not, but my understanding is that this was a common practice industry wide. Having said that, I just did some checking and it looks like a lot of manufacturers don’t specifically recommend against towing on Overdrive, so I might be wrong about that one. As for the 55mph speed limit, I think it’s prudent, but it really does depend on the weight being hauled, the vehicle hauling, the traffic and weather conditions, the road, and the driver. 75mph on a sunny dat and an empty stretch of flatland is fine. 40 mph downhill on I-70 coming into Denver on a crowded and snowy Sunday afternoon hauling 10k? Could be suicidal. SO, perhaps prudent speed is a better description.
JW – I don’t know – I don’t think there’s a good resource aside from forums and your local tow shop. If you find a place in your area that installs trailer hitches but that doesn’t sell trailers, they would be the people to ask I think.
Hi guys, I just found this site and yes it has valuable info. However I am looking to pull a tractor weighing 8,000 lbs and trailer of 2,300 lbs with my 2008 TRD 5.7 DC regular bed Tundra, which is capable of towing 10,300 lbs. I will only be traveling a couple times a week and only a couple of miles each time between my two properties and believe I will be fine, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask you guys. I was surprised to see that no one else here had questions regarding hauling equipment as the ad on tv showed a Tundra hauling a TLB, which is what I am going to be doing. I just want to be safe. I will be the only person in the truck.
P.S I have only owned a Toyota since 1988 and today we have 2 4 runners and 1 corolla S car along with this Tundra and non of these vehicles has ever let us down. I want to remain a Toyota owner and hope this Tundra is adequate to handle my towing needs.
Thanks in advance for your response.
Rocky
Rocky – As long as the tongue weight is about the same as the payload rating – and that could be the case – you’re OK. However, that’s a lot of weight. You might want to measure everything to make sure you’re not underestimating.
Hi Jason,
I believe I read that 10 to 15% of the load weight would be tongue weight. Rough math 10,000 lbs x 10 or 15 % would put me between 1,000lbs and 1,500lbs, which I believe the 1,500 is max, but it should be ok.
Thanks again.
Rocky
Rocky – Usually that’s the case, but some trailers can have a tongue weight as high as 25%. If you pinned me down, I’d say that you’re probably close enough. However, weighing the whole thing sounds like a prudent idea.
Hello Jason, I have a 29′ camper that has a dry wt. of 7,500lbs, loaded should be in the 8,500lb ball park. I am looking at the 2010 tundra dc 4×4 tundra grade. I like the economy of the 4.6, and will only be towing about 200 miles round trip once a month. That being said do I need the 5.7, and if so is there anything I can do to improve the 5.7 fuel economy while not towing. As it will be used for driving around town for business.
On a different note what would be a good tire to outfit this truck with. On the tundra grade most I have seen are the 255r tires.
Thanks,
Kevin
Im not on an expert in this subject,but i do have some experience towing with a 4.6 2010 Tundra.I just got back from a 1300 mile road trip towing a 5500 lb travel trailer from Nevada to Texas..For the weight I was pulling the .4.6 was very capable.there were a few times I the mountain areas of Arizona and New Mexico that I had to drop into 3rd gear to maintain 55 mph going up long hills.Lots of time was spent in 4th gear cruising along at 62-65 mph.On the flat stretches 5th gear was a breeze.I think that adding another 3000 lbs to this would have maxed it out.I honestly believe that the tow rating of my truck which is 8300 lbs should in reality be around 7000 lbs.Do yourself a BIG FAVOR and get the 5.7.The 4.6 works for me but I could not Imagine the 4.6 doing well at all pulling at its max rating.
Kevin M – I think you’ll be really glad you have the 5.7 when you’re pulling that trailer. As for tires, there are a lot of options…since you’re going to be pulling a lot, I’d look at an all-season tire that will get gas mileage with a load rating of E or F.
Greg – Good advice.
Thanks for all the great feed back guys, this is saving me some major headaches and severe buyers remorse.
Its great to know that a forum like this exist.
Thanks again,
Kevin
I purchased a 2010 Tundra Crew Max Platinum with a with a GVWR of 7200lbs and a towing capacity of 10200lbs. I purchased a 2011 5th wheel with dry weight of 7700lbs. I have towed a couple of times and everything seems to work great. However, in gear D the transmission moved from 4th to 5th gear frequently. What do you recommend to prevent this? Can I travel in 4th gear?
Also, like other people I am somewhat concerned about the towing calculations… if I read correctly from previous dialogue, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad??? I weighed my truck and trailer… Trailer/loaded = 9127lbs . Truck/loaded = 6900lbs CVW=16000lbs
When I weigh the axles the Trailer is at 7100lbs and the Truck Front=3600lbs / Truck Rear =5300lbs.
So I am below GCWR at 16000lbs and I am below maxium tow at 9127lbs. My concern is the GVWR at 7200lbs. If I am calculating correctly, my GVW is at 8900lbs (combined truck axle weight).
Should I be concerned about the GVW???
Thinking of buying 2008 Tundra with 4.7, how do you think it would hold up hauling about 5000 lbs across the country a lot. About 100,000 miles a year?
Dean – The transmission is going to shift between 4th and 5th automatically…it’s not something that can be controlled by either selecting the speed or locking out the overdrive.
As for the math, you should take the GCWR(16k), subtract the weight of the loaded truck (6900) and the loaded trailer (9100). If you end up with a negative number, you’re over the limit by that amount.
All things considered, I think you’re within the limits of the truck.
Rod – It depends on the truck. It could be great, or it could be that the person who traded it in got rid of it for a reason. Have you had a mechanic check it out?
I have a combination towing/safety question. I had a 2004 Tundra SR5 longbed. It pulled my 12 foot haulmark trailer in an awesome fashion. The exception was that on ice I needed to put it in 4W drive, and even without stability control engaged it traveled great. My husband was driving my truck and trailer. In reading the above materials it was properly loaded. We hit a sudden severe hailstorm. Within seconds I saw the trailer start to swing to the left as we careened across two lanes of highway and hit a SUV almost head-on. Thankfully I believe driving a Toyota helped save our lives. I want to buy another Toyota. Would it be better to buy a 2007 or later model since they now have brake assist and traction control? Would that make a difference on snow and ice?
Hello. I have recently purchased a 2006 Tundra. It’s a 4.7 v8. I was looking into acquiring a 5th wheel and I need to figure out what the tow rating for the truck is. My understanding is that this may differ slightly from some of the numbers addressed above because I’m not using my bumper hitch (which is a class 3 by the way) in this instance. Is that correct? And if so could anyone tell me where to obtain my truck’s tow rating? Thanks for the help in advance so many of my other questions were answered above, this site is a great benefit to us newbies.
Penny – While all recent Toyota trucks have ABS, traction control will definitely help keep your truck from skidding on slippery surfaces. However, traction control will do almost nothing to stabilize your trailer. If you’re looking to maximize towing safety, the two big tips are 1) Get a big truck and 2) Go slow. The likelihood of a trailer losing control in a crosswind is about 4 times higher at 55mph than it is at 40mph. I’m not saying your accident was caused by high speed, but slowing down reduces the chances of things going wrong.
With a 12′ trailer, the Tundra is probably big enough. However, bigger trucks are more stable and less likely to be pulled around by whatever they’re carrying.
Paul – It’s hard for me to imagine that a 2006 Tundra is going to be big enough to pull any sort of 5th wheel. However, if you want to find out for sure, find the sticker in the door jamb that says GCWR. Then the math goes like this:
Max towing capacity = GCWR minus the weight of your truck
You can find out how much your truck weighs at a local truck stop with a scale or a weigh station.
Next, you’ll want to make sure that the tongue weight of your 5th wheel isn’t in excess of your truck’s payload capacity (which is roughly 1,400 lbs). Tongue weights are 10-20% of the total trailer weight, so…if your 5th wheel weighs much more than 8,000 lbs, it’s probably too big for your truck.
Since most 5th wheels are quite a bit bigger than 8k, I’m guessing you’ll want to look at something on the smaller end of the scale.
Thanks Jason. Really appreciate the excellent advice and insights.
Penny – For sure.
Jason, thanks for the information I greatly appreciate it.
Paul – You bet.
i have a 2007 tundra 4.6 liter 5 speed automatic. it is the new big body and 4×4. what is my tow capacity and more spicificlly what size fifth wheel or travel trailor can i pull safely?
brad – You must have a 4.7 if you’re driving an 07′ – see Paul’s question and my response from July 26th.
I have a 2008 Tundra TRD 5.7 CrewMax. I average 18 mpg under pretty much any condition whether interstate or in town. However when I hook my TT which has a dry weight of 5997# the MPG’s drop to 9-10 mpg… The amount of cargo in the TT is very limited. Is 9-10 mpg atypical for this truck/trailer combination? Its dishearting to watch the fuel gauge and have been tempted to put a piece of black tape over it while traveling but overall I know thats not the smart thing to do lol. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Oops.. I will add that I stay around 55-65 mph while on the interstate pulling the TT.
Lee – That gauge is a little misleading, so you might try calculating the gas mileage manually.
None the less, it’s on the low side of normal. You can try checking your tire pressure, air filter, etc. – see this post for more ideas: http://www.tundraheadquarters......ndras-mpg/
I have read through all the comments here, very informative.
However I still have a question;
I have 2009 Tundra with a 4.0 V6 (with a shell which weighs 5200 with full gas & one passenger according) which I pick up loads from Los Angeles to Oregon once per month for which the truck does quite well (I never need to go below less than 4th gear on the grades heading back)
We have a tried Class C motorhome that has had issues despite spending $1000s in prep each year so we finally decided after this last trip chock full of problems to consider a travel trailer and pull this with our truck.
We found a Lance 2281 with a dry weight of 3675 (I would safely say at least 4200 with water and some amenities).
According to the Lance Dealer this truck should not have any problem (he stated that he has sold this trailer for Tacoma trucks which are lighter with no complaints).
With a GCWR of 10,000 I am still not feeling confident including the axel, transmission, & breaking.
My questions is what are other’s thoughts and if this is a “no go” is there an after market way to “beef up” this truck?
I will also note that as for engine power on grades, when I consider that my lemon Class C cannot pull a 6% grade at more than 40 mph (while I watch larger RVs pass me with vehicles in tow), I do not see how I can do much worse with this Tundra and a Trailer despite the V6)
Carl – You’ll be good to go for sure – your truck is more than capable of pulling a travel trailer around 4k lbs. You could pull that load with a V6 Tacoma without any problems, so your Tundra is definitely going to be solid with it’s larger brakes and heavier curb weight.
As for *how* it will pull, I think you will be surprised with the power, but it’s not going to be the fastest truck on the road. You might still get passed, but so what? Getting there is all that matters, right?
Thank you Jason for the speedy reply and placing my mind at ease.
Carl
Carl – I do what I can man!