Toyota Sienna AWD towing

As a prospective TM buyer, what are my best TM model options for towing with my 2005 Toyota Sienna AWD? I love the 3023, and the dealer in Massachusetts said it would be fine to tow with my Sienna, but I wanted to check with the boards before I made a move. We will be traveling with two adults and three dogs, mostly in the eastern United States. I'd like to say we'll pack light, but it hasn't happened yet!
Thanks,
Gris

My 2720 weighs 3380 pounds on the TM axle when loaded. Add maybe 400 pounds of tongue weight and that puts the load at 3780, pls the stuff I put in the bed of my truck.

I run pretty heavy with 40+ gallons of water. The 3023 would be even heavier. Maybe you need less stuff than DW and I take with us.

I've been towing our 3124KB with our 2004 Sienna Limited. We have a Equalizer WDH which I wouldn't be without, You'll also need an electric break controller, I purchased the Prodigy Controller at Camping World and had them install it in my Sienna.

As you know the hitch, (hopefully you have the class 3 hitch receiver, i.e. 2" square hole) is very low to the ground. If you just hook the TM up to it, it will scrape the ground at every little bump. The WDH distributes the load evenly on the front and back wheels.

I can typically drive my Sienna at about 60-65 mph on the flat terrain along the east coast. It would be a struggle to go up into the Midwest through Chattanooga.

Let me know if I can be of more help.

It did not work for me. Take a look at:
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=4792

[rickst29]

Originally Posted by tfcmarty

As you know the hitch, (hopefully you have the class 3 hitch receiver, i.e. 2" square hole) is very low to the ground. If you just hook the TM up to it, it will scrape the ground at every little bump. The WDH distributes the load evenly on the front and back wheels.

Yes it IS needed. But it does this by creating torque at the hitch receiver, torque which raises the rear and presses the front of the TV downwards (in comparison to just the dead weight of the TM hitch without a WDH).

This is an issue for the UNIBODY Sienna and all similar frameless vehicles. And that is why Toyota limits the Unibody models (Highlander, Sienna, XTerra, etc.) to much less towing than the framed models (FJ, 4Runner, etc.) And the same applies to all other car-like "crossover SUVs": You're putting this stress onto the actual body, not a strong frame, and the relatively weak spot-welded sheet metal MIGHT not handle it very well.

Yes, you can maybe get away with it for a while, maybe even permanently, in the flatlands. But in the long term, I won't advise it. There's a good reason why those tow ratings are set so low. Even the small TMs are really at the margin for the most capable of Minivans and Crossover SUVs, I think.

[hhoenig]

I agree. We started with a Honda Odyssey (3500# tow cap.) On short trips, it was o.k. At the last minute, we opted to leave the trailer home when we went to Niagara Falls, just did'nt feel comfortable being so close to the margin. As much as we love our TM, I feel the company does a great dis-service by advertising the product with a minivan. Yes, a minivan will work. But will it work with a family of four, with all their gear? Or will it work with one or two people, minus the 2 rear seats? It is up to us to decide. Any salesman will say your TV will tow HIS trailer.

We started towing with a Honda Pilot, we have since upgraded to a Nissan Titan
pickup, and we also have a WDH, overkill, maybe, but we like having the safety
margin. We also do not overload the TM as we haul most of our heavy stuff in the back of the truck. We do go for 2 months at a stretch, so we do take a lot of creature comforts. This works for us!

Carole
2619 TM
2006 Titan Nissan

[fcatwo]

On the unibody thing: Out of curosity I posted an inquiry over at RV.net several months back asking if anyone there had personal knowledge of a "modern" unibody vehicle being damaged by a WDH. Thousands of RV types visit that site and I was surprised that the one response was of a framed (not a unibody) vehicle that was likely far overloaded. There were lots of opinions of course but no examples. There may have been incidents since then but I haven't heard of them. Maybe someone here knows of one.

IMO the problem is that minivans are car-based and have grown so large that they do well to handle their own weight. They are likely not designed as beasts-of-burden. Just my $0.02.

[Denny_A]

Originally Posted by fcatwo

On the unibody thing: Out of curosity I posted an inquiry over at RV.net several months back asking if anyone there had personal knowledge of a "modern" unibody vehicle being damaged by a WDH. Thousands of RV types visit that site and I was surprised that the one response was of a framed (not a unibody) vehicle that was likely far overloaded. There were lots of opinions of course but no examples. There may have been incidents since then but I haven't heard of them. Maybe someone here knows of one.

IMO the problem is that minivans are car-based and have grown so large that they do well to handle their own weight. They are likely not designed as beasts-of-burden. Just my $0.02.

If the mfr's didn't want WDH's hooked to their Minivans, they wouldn't make Class III hitches for them nor xmsn radiators. The "torque" on the unibody is CLEARLY a non-issue, IMNSHO . In fact the standard 3500 lb towing limit is most likely (in the 90th percentile) a function of aerodynamic drag associated with a normal travel trailer. A TM is certainly not normal!

Denny

Gris,

We have a '05 3023 and love it. The first year we pulled it with a '05 Grand Caravan with factory tow package rated at 3800#'s. We pulled it in Michigan and then did a trek to Cape Hateras (SP?) and then over to Cherokee, NC in the Smokey's and then back home. All in all, the van pulled the trailer ok through the mountains. We have a family of 4. The only time I felt uncomfortable was going down a 9% grade hill. The brakes started to smoke.

Last year I picked up a '04 Mountaineer with a V8 and it pulled much better essentially doing the same trip. For giggles, I weighed the trailer loaded up and it came in at ~4100 #'s.

Good luck on your decision.

Steve