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Originally Posted by rickst29
...............snip.......When they say that it's good for 3500 lbs, they are coming up with a number based on about 10% tongue weight on a weight-carrying hitch (not a weight DISTRIBUTION hitch). Your wheelbase is short, TM's should be hauled with a much higher ratio of tongue weight (12-15%), and the TM axle is a long way back from the tow vehicle, that makes it more capable of overwhelming your short wheelbase when something bad happens and it wants to go off in another direction
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The 3500 lb limit has already been shown to be an aerodynamic drag limit based on the surface area of a standard profile TT. The tongue weight "ratio" argument makes no sense (to me). It has NOTHING to do with 3500 lb towing limit. The TV knows not what "%" of the trailer weight is on the hitch. A WDH works just fine on a "unibody" type vehicle, since it effectively redistributes the load on the tongue, as long as the trailer weight does not exceed the 3500 lb limit by too much. Recall that the towing limit for boats is around 4500 lbs (for the Honda Pilot, a near clone of the Hilander), specifically because of lower aerodynamic drag.
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......snip.......It's too bad that you bought a new Highlander-- you shoulda spent the additional bucks for a 4R, or maybe stepped downwards in price to the FJ. (FJ is smaller and less comfortable, of course. But it has a truck frame, a bigger/stronger engine, and a better Tranny.)
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There goes your wheelbase case! FJ has a wheelbase of 105.9, whereas the Hilander's is 106.9 in. You know what they say about assumption.
Comment for
sagsbags1; the Hilander (IMHO) will work just fine, with a WDH, as long as you don't expect to use it in mountainous terrain. Then it would be severely challenged.
AND its wheelbase is fine for a 2720sl. I towed a 2720SL with a Honda Odyssey , and later a 3.4L 4Runner V-6. The 4Runner had an anemic 187 HP and 218 lb-ft torque. I didn't challenge any big mountains. No problem
Denny_A (jus' hangin' aroun')