To answer your question...
Yes, you can punch out the insert, screw on a ball and tow, but I wouldn't tow that much with the bumper or use the bumber as a hitch point for regular towing at all. If you are just going to tow occasionally and are towing something relatively light, then it might be OK and will save you about $150 that you would spend on a receiver hitch. Remember though that the bumper is really too high for towing most trailers and will in most cases cause excessive trailer sway due to the shift in the center of gravity and light tongue weight caused by the extra height. There is also the chance of dinging your bumper in a sharp turn when the tongue of your trailer contacts the bumper. (How many times have you seen a rig with the two little dimples in the bumper on either side of the hitch ball and quietly laughed behind your hand)
If you are going to tow regularly you will find that whatever you spend on a good quality receiver hitch is money well spent and you will not regret it. On the other hand, towing with your bumper will offer you many potential opportunities for regret.
With 5000# pulled from the bumper without a weight distributing hitch, you'll have at least 500# of tongue weight hanging on the bumper. Your front end will be really high, you won't have enough weight on the front tires, handling will be poor, and the fronts will lose braking traction. You need at least 10% of the trailer weight on the tongue to minimize trailer sway.
You can pull 7100# with a Class III hitch only if you don't exceed the 11,200# GCWR--the combined weight of loaded truck plus the loaded trailer.
In either of the above situations, you won't like the way it tows.
Anytime your truck + trailer exceeds the GVWR of 6200# (6050# on the 4x4) you need trailer brakes. This means about a 1000-1200# trailer.
Thanks for the input. I got the truck so that I wouldn't have to tow anything (just put the bikes and mx bikes in the bed). I just thought it might be nice to put a ball on for "just in case" scenarios.
Thanks again for the input. I think I will take a pass and just get a hitch if I ever need to pull something.
Does anyone know why my other posts keep disappearing?
None of your posts have "disappeared". If you press the Search button at the top of the page, then fill in your TS Member User Name in the "User Name" field on the Search page and press the Perform Search button, you will see all your posts.
Originally posted by WalterMitty
Nope that's not it.
I have the setting at 10 days, and I posted the threads on the same day.
???
Don't know then. There are other settings in there you could try. I do know if there are no post to a thread, that thread does move down the list. At the bottom of the page there are page numbers, you may have to go to another page.
Pullrite will soon have the best 5th wheel trailer hitch on the market for Tundras. It automatically slides back when you make a sharp corner and returns when you straighten. The web site has photos of their SuperGlide hitch in a F150 SuperCrew. The Tundra will use the same hitch with different attachments. http://www.pullrite.com/SuperCrewSuperGlide.html
Ken
The thread "Best 5th wheel trailer hitch" merged with the thread "Fifth Wheel Towing" as they are the same subject. ~MustangSally
I have a 2WD 2000 Tundra (Limited) with a tow rating of 7200 pounds, and I am considering purchasing a 26 foot 5th wheel travel trailer with a UVW of 5800 pounds. The loaded weight of this trailer would end up to be about 6600 pounds. Add the hitch weight and it would be close to 6800 pounds. Obviously, this is getting close to the max.
I plan to use it mostly on weekends/short trips (200 mi.) , but would like to do several longer trips (2000 mi.) a year.
Does anyone have experience with this type service? How's the Tundra holding up? How does it do on hills and hot weather?
The truck manufacturers give us five weight limits. I'm not an auto engineer, so I don't know which ones I can safely ignore.
Five limits?...GVWR, front & rear axle GAWR, GCWR combined weight of loaded truck plus loaded trailer, and Tow Rating. Unless you choose to ignore some of these weight limits you have to stop loading your truck at the first limit you hit.
With a fifth wheel trailer the first limit reached is usually the rear axle weight limit. The 5er usually has 20-25% of the trailer weight on the kingpin. Combine that with the 200+# of the hitch and you're putting quite a load in the bed over the rear axle. Helper springs, air bags, etc., level your truck but don't add weight capacity (contrary to any advertising).
The first limit usually reached with a travel trailer is the GCWR. Our Tundras have an actual weight of something like 5000# with the usual equipment and a driver. The GCWR is 11,800 for the V8. You do the math. If you add a dog, you can carry less trailer. If you bring along passengers, stuff in the truck bed, etc., you can carry even less trailer. This doesn't provide for any additional margin for safety, or hill climbing power, etc.
My thoughts are that any 1/2-ton vehicle, including our Tundras, is fully loaded with a trailer in the 5500# range.
The Tundra holds up well. It does better in hills than you'd expect out of a 282 cubic inch engine--but it's only a 282. With a load like yours I'd change to synthetic ATF, add an additional transmission cooler, never tow in overdrive, and be patient. I like the Jordan Ultima brake controller. 5thwheeler likes the Tekonsha Prodigy. Both are excellent. Don't even consider anything else on the market.
All my actual weights are within spec, but just barely.
The trailer weight is 5800# UVW. "Dry" pin weight is 860#, so I assume the actual pin weight would be approx 1000#.
Assuming 5000# for the Tundra, 800 pounds of weight (food, clothes, fluids, etc.), and using a hitch that weights 200 pounds:
The GCVWR is 11,800 and the actual combined weight = 11,800!
The Tundra GVWR is 6,200# and the actual would be 5,200
The GRAWR is 3960 and the actual would be < 3,500#
The GFAWR is 3160 and the actual would be essentially unchanged
The actual tow rating (2WD, Access cab, 2UZ-FE engine) is 7,200# and the actual load would be 6800 #.
My present Michelin X-radial LT tires have a load rating of 2403#, so they are within spec. with a load of at <1,750# each.
So, I guess I'm wondering if the ratings have an adequate safety factor built in, or do I need to allow an additional amount of headroom. I hate to run it to the max, but if the "max" is conservative already, then I hate to pass up the trailer I want to pull. And I wouldn't want to ask that of my Tundra all the time, but for occassional usage..., well...
That's why I was wondering if anyone had practical experience with the Tundra with "maxxed out" tow ratings. I guess it's better to err to the safe side, though...
Excellant reply KLS, I don't think I can add anything to it at this time.
Hunter wrote:
Quote:
The GFAWR is 3160 and the actual would be essentially unchanged.
Any weight that you put in front of the rear axel will contribute to the weight applied to your front axel including passengers, any load you have in the bed, any modification you added to the truck, and the list goes one.
Hunter, which trailer are you thinking of buying?
Bill
PS: We took our new KZ Sportsmen ultra-lite fifthwheel into the mountains for its maiden run. If anyone is interested, I will supply the particulars.
I purchased the RAS system and it does make a big difference in body squat. I was amazed how it improved body sway around corners while running Solo. Mack, I am glad I didn't get the heavy duty RAS for my truck. It would have been much too much for the Tundra.
Even though I got the two-inch lift kit put on my new fiver, it still rides a little nose high. I am thinking about switching the trailer the springs over the axels so it will ride level and I wouldn’t have to raise the nose so high when I hitch and unhitch. Unfortunately the bed on our Tundra’s is shallow and I can't lower my Reese kwick slide any further then it is now. I will have to switch out my two entry steps for three steps. Fun and games.
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