Towing with Toyota 4runner V6

No problem with toyo V6 here. They can haul pretty well. Just make sure your trailer brakes are working properly so you can stop the rig.

Only problem is that our Elkmont's heavy tongue weight sucks up a big chunk of the Tacoma's payload. It's easy for us to exceed the TV's GVWR. The WDH helps, but it's still an issue.

My TM 2720 weighs 3,380 on the axle. Add the tongue weight,which I did not weigh, and that puts me at around 4,100 pounds in a 2720.

But, I take a lot of stuff and 40 gallons of water.

We have a Jeep Wrangler Liberty 6V with a GVWR of 10,000. Our total weight is 8,300 (minus me and the dog but with DH ) and our TM loaded minus water is 3,080. We are planning a trip to Marco Island, Fl. this winter any suggestions of routes? We will be coming from NW corner of IL. Would we be safer going the long way around the Appalachians and through Alabama instead of the more direct route through Tennessee? Time is not a problem.

Originally Posted by ginastarwalt

We have a Jeep Wrangler Liberty 6V with a GVWR of 10,000. Our total weight is 8,300 (minus me and the dog but with DH ) and our TM loaded minus water is 3,080. We are planning a trip to Marco Island, Fl. this winter any suggestions of routes? We will be coming from NW corner if IL. Would we be safer going the long way around the Appalachias and through Alabama instead of the more direct route through Tennessee? Time is not a problem.

To me the biggest problem would be the possibility of snow in the Appalachians.

But that depends on when you are going down. I've often run into snow around January, but this year we are going down mid-November so will hopefully miss it.

We are planning on the month of Feb. or middle of Feb to middle of March. Have you had problems in the mountains?

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by ginastarwalt

We have a Jeep Wrangler Liberty 6V with a GVWR of 10,000. Our total weight is 8,300 (minus me and the dog but with DH ) and our TM loaded minus water is 3,080. We are planning a trip to Marco Island, Fl. this winter any suggestions of routes? We will be coming from NW corner of IL. Would we be safer going the long way around the Appalachians and through Alabama instead of the more direct route through Tennessee? Time is not a problem.

What will you be towing with this vehicle? Are you talking about a TM Mini?

What's the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)?

What is the wheel base?

How did you derive the weight of 3080#.

All of these questions are necessary to help you determine a safe route or even if towing a TM with a Jeep Wrangler is safe at all. Towing any trailer during the winter on wet (not to mention icy) roads is particularly dangerous no matter what route is taken. If the tow vehicle is not up to the task (especially in stopping the trailer), it could be a disaster.

Originally Posted by ginastarwalt

We are planning on the month of Feb. or middle of Feb to middle of March. Have you had problems in the mountains?

We frequently run into ice and snow on the roads in W. Virginia in Jan/Feb, and in Virginia and N.Carolina when in the Appalachians at that time. We weren't towing then, luckily.

So yes, I would definitely avoid the Appalachians at that time when towing. Or at least be prepared to wait a day or so for roads to clear and temps to rise, keeping a close eye on the weather reports.

My DH took the TM to a truck scale. Weighted it with Jeep Liberty Wrangle (2005 Jeep Liberty with a tow rating of 10,000#) and then unhitched the camper and weighted it without the Jeep. Tongue weight is around 340#. It was 8300# total and the TM solo was 3080#.

[rickst29]

Originally Posted by ginastarwalt

My DH took the TM to a truck scale. Weighted it with Jeep Liberty Wrangle (2005 Jeep Liberty with a tow rating of 10,000#)....

The 2005 wrangler unlimited (the "big" model) has an official towing capacity of 3500 lbs, built on a wheelbase of only 103.4". Many TM owners do consider such a vehicle to be adequate, but I think that we'd all agree that it's right around the bottom limit for towing capabilities. (Some will say it isn't good enough; others will say that it is; but it's right near the "line" either way). Here's my detailed assessment: Because the unibody construction has some "frame-like" reinforcement, your tongue weight and WDH torque handling capabilities are actually pretty good. The factor which most limits your safety in an emergency is probably the short wheelbase; the risk of "tail wagging the dog" is somewhat high. So I'd say Yes, you can use this vehicle- but please don't drive with too much confidence in your trailer control capabilities.

My own vehicle, the 2007 4Runner, isn't all that great either. But the slightly longer wheelbase (about 110") matters a lot; the higher weight (about 600 lbs more) matters a lot; and the genuine frame construction is advantageous if something goes terribly, terribly wrong. But it drinks more gasoline to push all that extra weight around, and it costs too much money to buy. (Yeah, life is full of compromises.)

When it comes to panic stops, as long as I am towing in a straight line, I expect to be able to push the brake pedal to the floor, let the TV ABS brakes do what they are supposed to do and stop it all in a straight line, very nearly in the same distance that I would have stopped the TV all by itself.

It cost me $30,000 for a new truck that can comes extremely close to that stopping distance. I have tested it once, one of those do I or do I not stop for a sudden red light change, but I did not measure the stopping distance. But it sure seemed to be as short as it would have been with the truck alone.

According to Kelly Blue Book, the trade in value is $1,000 more than I paid for it, so it was a pretty good deal 3 years ago. Cheaper than the current price of some of the new TMs. But who know when the next time they will have GM employee pricing for everyone.