Safety using 06 DC Tundra to tow essentially max capacity

[govment]

Hi all.
Great site. This is my first post so be gentle.
I am getting to move from New Hampster back to Colorado. I am considering buying a 16' enclosed trailer, two axle, 6600 pounds (full). I anticipate actually towing approximately 6200 pounds and realize this is pushing the envelope a bit. I've read several posts where people are towing 4k+ pounds but this is punching it up a bit and I was hoping to glean some good advice from the trusted users of this forum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The Toy is the Double Cab, TRD, full tow package. If I go this route, I'm going to get the anti sway, axle equalizing hitch. I plan on doing basically 50-60 the entire way and don't even want to discuss gas mileage.

I just want to be certain that the trip won't tax the engine and transmission, not to mention the suspension out of existence. The truck is only two months old with approximately 6K in mileage.

Please help!

I can't tow it with my other "car." Click here to see it.

http://groups.msn.com/HellCatAlleyCa...to&PhotoID=667

[govment]

....anyone care to take a shot at this?.......

[meenkya]

Originally Posted by govment

....anyone care to take a shot at this?.......

Have you tried a search?
There is a guy on here that is a genius when it comes to towing...

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/towing/

Try asking here....

[govment]

Hey Meenkya,

I've done numerous searches and think I've read most of what has been said. I've done the math and know I'm pushing it a bit.

As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of going with a moving service to save the wear and tear on the Tundra and my mind. I guess I just needed to voice the question. After having read so much about it and weighed the other factors, such as $6k for a new trailer and anti-sway unit with a realistic return on investment of $5k and maybe having to wait for a couple of months to get that, I'm seriously leaning toward having a moving company do it for me.

Still thinking though.

Thanks for the reply.

Cheers,
gov

[bennicde]

The specs ay the DC will tow 6700 lbs, so it should be able to handle that much at least. You think like I do, that's what i would want to do, buy the trailer and resell it, after all you already have the truck.

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by govment

Hi all.
Great site. This is my first post so be gentle.
I am getting to move from New Hampster back to Colorado. I am considering buying a 16' enclosed trailer, two axle, 6600 pounds (full). I anticipate actually towing approximately 6200 pounds and realize this is pushing the envelope a bit. I've read several posts where people are towing 4k+ pounds but this is punching it up a bit and I was hoping to glean some good advice from the trusted users of this forum. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The Toy is the Double Cab, TRD, full tow package. If I go this route, I'm going to get the anti sway, axle equalizing hitch. I plan on doing basically 50-60 the entire way and don't even want to discuss gas mileage.

I just want to be certain that the trip won't tax the engine and transmission, not to mention the suspension out of existence. The truck is only two months old with approximately 6K in mileage.

Please help!

I can't tow it with my other "car." Click here to see it.

http://groups.msn.com/HellCatAlleyCa...to&PhotoID=667

Always keep in mind that "tow ratings" are determined by subtracting the weight of an empty, bare bones truck (driver only, no cargo, no passengers, no options, and 3 gallons of gas) from the Gross Combined Weight Rating (11,800 lbs for all Tundras). Accordingly the tow rating will always be a fictitious and unattainable number in a real world towing scenario.

You list the off road package in your options so I'm going to assume you have the 4WD model. A reasonable base weight for a 4WD DC is around 5400 lbs (driver and gas but no pax or cargo). So with even a totally empty truck (no pax, no cargo) your real tow capacity is only 6400 lbs...just 200 lbs more than the estimated weight of the loaded trailer. Not much of a margin. The crux will therefore be how much cargo and how many passengers do you intend to stuff into the truck...since this is a cross country move, I suspect you may be planning to rather fill the truck. If, for instance, you plan on having 1 or 2 adults with you (figure 150 lbs per female or 200 lbs per male) and maybe a kid or two (100 lbs each?) as well as some tools, various stuff you don't want the movers to have and luggage for the long trip (real long at 65 mph), you'll likely wind up with 600 to 800 lbs of load in the truck. And that will put you 400 to 600 lbs above your GCWR. Which is not good. You'll definitely be using (abusing?) whatever margin of safety that Toyota engineered into the truck. Maybe not enough to break anything but possibly enough of a sustained overload to cause a substantial shortening of drivetrain component lifespan (maybe a tranny or differential problem at 60K miles instead of at 200K miles).

And that's based on traveling on relatively level roads at relatively low altitudes (i.e. anything east of the I25 corridor in Colorado). And without facing sustained and high headwinds. So if your destination is Denver or another Front Range city...and you can avoid fighting 50 mph headwinds across Kansas or Nebraska....then maybe the truck will be no worse for the extra load. But if your destination is somewhere in or across the Colorado mountains (e.g. Grand Junction), then all bets are off. The truck will struggle very badly with an over GCWR load as soon as you start climbing into the mountains and, depending on the time of year, an overheated transmission is definitely possible. Hint: look in my signature at the loooong list of performance mods I've made to my truck so that it will nicely pull a low profile, pretty lightweight (only 3800 lbs) trailer across the Colorado mountains. And I've got the Access Cab model...which is about 400 lbs lighter than the DC model. And I travel light...no pax and only about 300 lbs of cargo in the truck when I'm towing.

The good news is that because you're smartly (very smartly) planning on using a WDH with sway control, you won't be overloading the rear suspension or rear axle bearings (a known failure point). So the truck will handle well, will brake well (but be sure the trailer does have brakes), and will ride level (assuming the WDH has proper strength spring bars that correctly adjusted).

Hence my original question...how much load in the truck and where in Colorado?

[klevesque]

I pull a 6600lb boat around all the time with my 2000 Access cab 4x4. It really isn't that big of a deal. Important thing is to make sure you have the proper tongue weight (5-10%) and keep it under 65. Better yet 60. Ive towed my boat a couple times from Maryland to NH with no problem and that is alot messier road than nice straight midwester roads. Should be fine in the rockies with good trailer breaks.

[10851]

Govment, have you considered renting a truck and trailer? If you rent a large truck, you can carry all of the cargo inside, and then put your Tundra on the trailer. I have a totally stock 2004 Tundra TRD. When I tow around 3,000 lbs (2 large ATV’s + trailer), this truck is a big disappointment. The transmission does not provide much grade braking, and the horsepower and torque leaves a lot to be desired. I would not even consider towing the maximum rating of this truck in a strong head wind, or on mountainous highways. My primary tow vehicle is a 2006 GMC one ton dually, with a 360hp Duramax / Allison. This truck tows our 15,000 lb. 5th wheel trailer up grades faster than the Tundra will the ATV’s. I use the brakes less in the GMC while descending the grades also. The fuel consumption for the both of them is about the same while towing. I like my Tundra for reliable transportation, easy to park when getting the groceries, and “light” towing. Good Luck, and have a safe trip.

[DCTUNDRA]

I would lean towards doing it myself using the Tundra. I have towed thousands of miles from Ohio to Connecticut, Ohio to Norfolk, San Antonio to Ohio, etc. I would say that most of my loads have been in the 4000 to 4,500 lb range without a WHD or anti-sway bar and both with and without trailer brakes. I have hauled loads that were significantly over the tow limit for about 5 miles using a "dump trailer" loaded with gravel. The first thing is that you are planning your trip and getting good counsel. Ray knows what he is talking about, so I would answer his questions and listen to his advice. No one can pack and care for your belongings like you. I have been moved several times (when in the military) by "professional" movers, and every one was a disaster with damage, lost items, extensive paperwork for claims, and finally repairs. I have rented the big orange box trucks and moved as well. After moving stuff around for over 30 years, when I needed to move a load to Florida I bought a new 17ft enclosed Haulmaster trailer with dual axles and torque-flex axles and did the move. I still have and use the trailer. Money spent on rentals or moving fees are gone forever,but money spent increasing your capability will last a long time. Last piece of advice: do it right and do it smart or don't do it at all. Don't forget you can always ship a few boxes of books via UPS to save weight. Once, I had the wife ship about 8 boxes from Ct to Texas to save on weight when we moved her. I absolutely hate moving companies, you can't believe what they do with your stuff after they leave your house. I had them load complete furniture and tools (such as table saws) and deliver me everything in pieces. What they couldn't disassemble, they BROKE! My Teak platform bed with suspended nightstands arrived with the nightstands broken off deliberately. Teak entertainment center: left in one piece, arrived in about 6 pieces. Brand new piano (wedding gift to my wife) arrived scratched, chipped and marred - we sold it out of disgust. Boxes of memoribelia from time spent overseas (including Merschim pipes) - missing. Dateline did an expose' on some of the moving nightmares and how compaines overcharge and then hold your goods for hostage until you pay and how they damage goods and then alter the inspection sheets to say the damage was already there. Better really do your homework before you let the "professionals" do it for you.

[TundrastruckDave]

Hey (govment),

I don't tow much, I'll be the first to admit that. However, in ALL HONESTY... I would listen and learn from what Ray has to say. btw: did you happen to notice what his signature says... Towing Moderator. That said, TS.com must certainly think what he has to say has some serious merrit and value to it, to offer him a moderators position. I can ASSURE you... Ray is thinking of not only your truck's life, but more importantly, your life and safety as well... not to mention, that of your family's as well!

The bottom line here is... Ray knows his $hit on this subject! That said, if you're willing to be honest about your weight parameters, on your "cross-county" trek, Ray won't steer you wrong!