Tundra for Towing?

[steve_peq]

Hello,
I am currently a 2000 Dodge Durango owner but am looking for a replacement. After being a very happy Toyota owner for many years (celica, 4-runner, extended cab v-6 pick-up), I regret making the move to Dodge but at the time Toyota didn't have a V-8 solution to my towing needs.

Current vehicles that I am considering:
- Toyota Tundra
- Ford F-150
- Nissan Titan

The question I have about the Tundra is the towing capabilities of the truck. I have a 4,000 LB boat on a tandem trailer and am wondering if you've got any feedback on the truck's towability.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve.

[tundra9]

The Tundra should and more than likely will handle your 4000lb boat just fine. The Tundra does have a 7200lb towing cap. and it is a very athletic truck. I like my tundra, but to be honest, I do regret not waiting a few mnths for the new 150's to come out because they sound like great trucks, they are much bigger than the tundra if that's not a problem than take a look at them. Going with the Tundra or F-150, u will have an awesome truck either way. I tend to stay away from the cheaply built, rushed to the market Nissan Titans but if u dont mind poor interiors and problems take a look at them too!

[jjc]

My mastercraft weighs about 3,600# (including the trailer) and the Tundraossa pulls it fine, I am getting ready to move up to a 5,000# boat - stay tuned kiddies for an update

[KLS]

The V-8 Tundra doesn't really have a 7200# towing capacity. I know, that's what they publish, but they also publish the GCWR of 11,800#. That's the max allowed weight of the combined loaded truck and loaded trailer. Only if you have a stripper truck, no passengers or personal gear, and a skinny driver will you get to the 7200# tow without exceeding the GCWR. And, it's never wise to operate any machinery at 100%.

A 5000# boat & trailer is an easier tow than a 5000# travel trailer...usually less windage.


Ken

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by steve_peq

Hello,
I am currently a 2000 Dodge Durango owner but am looking for a replacement. After being a very happy Toyota owner for many years (celica, 4-runner, extended cab v-6 pick-up), I regret making the move to Dodge but at the time Toyota didn't have a V-8 solution to my towing needs.

Current vehicles that I am considering:
- Toyota Tundra
- Ford F-150
- Nissan Titan

The question I have about the Tundra is the towing capabilities of the truck. I have a 4,000 LB boat on a tandem trailer and am wondering if you've got any feedback on the truck's towability.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve.

As others have mentioned above, your short answer is yes, any V8 Tundra should handle a 4000 lb boat. But "should" will get sometimes get you into big trouble.

The correct way to determine this is (as Ken suggests) to subtract the expected maximum loaded truck weight from the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). All V8 Tundras have a GCWR of 11,800 lbs. The typical loaded weight ranges a lot depending on which model (standard, Access, or Double Cab) and whether or not it has 4WD. It also ranges a lot depending on how you load the truck. However, a loaded (for a trip) AC or Double Cab 4WD will often run between 5700 and 6200 lbs. Lets assume a typical 5800 lbs. Subtracting 5800 from 11,800 means your total trailer weight (boat, accessories, and trailer) could way as much as 6000 lbs. Allowing a 10% safety margin, that means the maximum weight of boat with trailer is 5400 lbs. Lets assume your trailer weighs 1000 lbs...with your 4000 lb boat, your total is 5000 lbs which is close to but under the maximum. So far, so good. But you also have to consider that some percentage (lets assume 10%) of the boat weight is being carried by the hitch. In this case that would be 500 lbs...and that 500 lbs has to considered in the total truck weight, which can't exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of 6200 lbs (this GVWR applies to all V8 Tundras, regardless of cab). Sooooo, adding 500 to 5800 puts us at 6300 which is a bit over the allowed. You're going to have not take something so your truck loaded, but without trailer, is under 5700.

The bottom line is the Tundra can handle a 4000 lb boat on a 1000 lb trailer but only if you fairly lightly load the truck, particularly if it's the very heavy Double Cab: 2 adults max, 2 kids max, not much cargo in the bed. If your trailer is lighter, then more in the truck; if the trailer is heavier than 1000 lbs, then much less in the truck. If the weight you gave is for boat with trailer, then no problems at all.

Ray
Towing Moderator

[steve_peq]

Hi,
Thanks for all the replies - my estimate puts the boat & trailer in around the 4,000 lb range so I should be good. Given a full load of fishing or family gear, I suspect I'd be running around the 5,000 mark. I will bring a demo Tundra home to give the trailer a pull as part of the test drive.

With regards to the F-150's, they do look very nice but I am extremely nervous about the Ford quality given the posts I am reading here: http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/fo...5&daysprune=-1
Lots of concers being posted there whereas I don't see too many problems being posted on the Tundra's (not surprising!). If the Tundra can pull the boat, I think my mind is made up.

Not to mention that I didn't have a great experience moving from many years of carefree Toyota driving to a Dodge Durango.... :-(

Thanks again for the assistance.

Best regards,
Steve.

[mikeinaustin]

let me resurrect this with my case, your comments are appreciated. i have 2002 access cab v8 tundra.

i would like to haul a g35 coupe about 200 miles (completely flat roads, 99% all highway). the trailer comes in at 2100lbs (all 4 wheels of car to be towed are on the trailer). The g35 comes in at 3,486lbs. This gives us a total of 5586lbs, lets round up to 5700lbs for various options which (may) be on the g35 which will add to its weight.

For this trip the truck will contain only me (180pds) and nothing else (ie empty bed, no luggage, no passengers, etc).

I hear that towing a car like this is harder than towing a boat. what are your thoughts on this setup?

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by mikeinaustin

let me resurrect this with my case, your comments are appreciated. i have 2002 access cab v8 tundra.

i would like to haul a g35 coupe about 200 miles (completely flat roads, 99% all highway). the trailer comes in at 2100lbs (all 4 wheels of car to be towed are on the trailer). The g35 comes in at 3,486lbs. This gives us a total of 5586lbs, lets round up to 5700lbs for various options which (may) be on the g35 which will add to its weight.

For this trip the truck will contain only me (180pds) and nothing else (ie empty bed, no luggage, no passengers, etc).

I hear that towing a car like this is harder than towing a boat. what are your thoughts on this setup?

In terms of total weight of truck/trailer/car, with the V8 you're within the the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) of your Tundra.

However, you didn't say whether or not your truck has the towing package and/or a Class III/IV Hitch receiver.

If you don't have a Class III/IV receiver (this is part of the towing package)...and you are planning to use a bumper mounted hitch ball, you're out of luck. According to my '03s manual (probably the same as your '02s), the MAXIMUM total trailer weight with a bumper mounted hitch ball is only 5000 lbs. Exceed that by very much (and 1000 lbs is very much) and you could easily rip the bumper off the truck.

If you do have the towing package and/or Class III/IV hitch, you will still need to pay very close attention to your hitch weight. Again, according to my manual, the maximum hitch weight with a weight distributing hitch is 1095 lbs for the Access cabs and with a standard weight carrying hitch, it's only 710 lbs for the Access cabs. You need to check the numbers in your manual but they'll likely be the same.

As I strongly suspect you won't be using a weight distributing hitch...for some reason, only folks who tow travel trailers seem to use these...you'll most likely need to use the 710 lb limit for hitch weight.

Depending on exactly where you put the car on the trailer (assuming you have any locating choice front-back), you could wind up with a hitch weight between about 10% of the trailer's weight (around 600 lbs) to as high as 20% of the trailer's weight (1200 lbs). IOW, if you position the car too far forward on the trailer, you could easily wind up with a hitch weight that's so high that it will overstress and even break the truck's hitch/rear frame area. This is so critical that after you load up the car on the trailer, you should take the entire rig to a commercial truck scale to get it weighed...in particular, get the truck weighed with and without the trailer hooked up. If the difference between these two weights is over 700 lbs, you have too much of the trailer's weight on the hitch and you'll have to adjust the car's position on the trailer. However, be very careful to not get the hitch weight too light either...it really needs to be at least 10% (around 600 lbs) minimum. If you manage to move the car too far back on the trailer and have less than about 9% (around 550 lbs) of the total weight on the hitch, your trailer will be exceedingly prone to swaying while traveling. This trailer sway can rapidly get out of control and cause your truck and trailer to jacknife and then roll over.

Finally, it's absolutely critical that this trailer has brakes. Your truck's brakes are really just nicely adequate for stopping the truck itself. Toyota states you need brakes on any trailer that weighs over 1000 lbs. Consider this a no-B.S. requirement. There's a good chance the trailer has "surge" brakes...these are basically hydraulic brakes that are activated by a cylinder on the trailer tongue...and you'll be good to go without further ado. However, if the trailer has electric brakes, then it's mandatory that you install a trailer brake controller in your truck. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE ATTEMPT TO TOW THIS TRAILER WITHOUT TRAILER BRAKES.

There are several reasons why towing a car carrier is much harder than towing a boat. One is the total weight is likely to be much higher. Two is the criticality of getting your hitch weight right...you will have to fiddle with the car's location on the trailer. Third is that you'll very likely have only about 10% (or less) of the trailer's weight on the hitch to get the hitch weight below your truck's limits...and that small a percentage is very conducive to having trailer sway. Fourth is a car on a trailer is a lot less aerodynamic than most boats on their trailers...it's much more likely to be affected by sidewinds and the air coming off passing semis.

If you can get all the weight numbers to be in the proper ranges, you will still need to drive very carefully and not exceed about 60 to 65 mph due to the potential for sway.

[KLS]

A Tundra requires trailer brakes just to tow that car trailer empty.

My truck has a towing limit without a weight distributing hitch of 5000# and a tongue weight limit of 500#. I think those are too high. Would I try to pull a 5700# trailer with a bumper ball if it had trailer brakes? In blissful ignorance, yes. Would I suceed without mishap? Probably. I'd take it slow, drive in the day so the lights wouldn't be needed (they wouldn't hit the road, anyway), and try to find a time of day and roads that are lightly traveled.

Keep in mind that if you move the car aft on the trailer to lighten the tongue weight, you have the risk in increasing the trailer's tendency to sway. If the trailer starts to sway on you, mash the electric trailer brake controller button. If you have surge brakes, would hitting the truck brakes be good or cause more trouble??? Anyway, if you get to the side of the road without wrecking, move the car forward on the trailer to get the longitudinal center of gravity further forward.


Ken

[dezert_rida]

Current vehicles that I am considering:
- Toyota Tundra
- Ford F-150
- Nissan Titan

The question I have about the Tundra is the towing capabilities of the truck. I have a 4,000 LB boat on a tandem trailer and am wondering if you've got any feedback on the truck's towability.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve.[/QUOTE]

On my 04 AC 2wd V8 with Tow package and brake controller, ive towed a car hauler with my 94 Toyota prerunner on it for a combined weight of about 4200lbs. IT did great. I just left OD off and even used the AC on the way home from the desert.

No matter what truck you end up with, have a brake controller installed.

Although i would never consider another Nissan, ill be fair and say it has much more power than the Tundra, although the 05 closes the gap a little with the VVTI heads.

Im not a Ford guy either, i will admit they have a bigger motor in their favor.

Let us know what you decide.

[HockeyFreak]

I've installed a Prodigy brake controller and I have a Class III hitch. I will be towing a 4000 lb tractor (1946 John Deere Model A) back from Kansas in November. It shouldn't be a problem, keep the speeds low and turn O/D off!