Matching a TM to a 2014 Highlander

[wtxnitz]

With apologies, this is yet another, "What will my vehicle tow?"
We've signed on as members. First, I've gone through a lot of this forum and really appreciate the wealth of information here. Several excellent discussions.

From those, I've already determined we'll to get a WDH with some anti-sway.

I'm trying to find what typical fully loaded weights are for the various series. I've already found that the 3124's seem to run around 4500 lbs. Our Highlander has a max tow rating of 5000 lbs, has the tow package standard and we got the Toyota factory hitch receiver installed.

The consensus discussions and my engineering brain say 4500 is too close to the max. rating. We'd love the room of the 3124, but it looks like we'll have to go smaller.

The question is how much? I'm trying to translate from the unloaded, no accessories dry wt. in the specs to real world, fully loaded numbers. Using the 3124 examples, it looks like around 1315 lbs difference. Assuming that this difference is due to water, propane and accessories, it seems like this delta would be pretty much the same, regardless of model. So in my estimates, I added this amount (as opposed to using a ratio)

Using a 15% safety margin, our vehicle should be able to tow around 4250 lbs. That's about my guess for a 2922 slide out (~4290 lbs). Everything else is lighter.

For reference, we're a retired couple, without an other travelers. We've done some camping a long time ago. A lot more for me as a kid than the DW. But it's been over 40 years since our last outing. We would tend toward the fully optioned ends of the TM's: A/C, awning, electric hitch, solar power, etc. We would also tend toward full hookups, but some places we'd like to go are non-electric sites. We're not the boondock sorts.

I'd appreciate people's actual fully loaded experiences and opinions.

[Padgett]

The issue is likely to be the tongue weight also. My 2720SL weighed in at the tongue at 470 lbs and a 5,000 lb tow weight is often accompanied by a 500 lb tongue max. Not sure how much more a 2922 would be (do think the King bed is worth it & added rear storage is a plus). Where you plan to store it could be a factor also.

Not sure but thinking a 3124 is around 600 lbs tongue. 3326 might be less since is a tandem axle. A chart of real world tongue and gross weights would be handy.

Suspect my next one would be a 2922KS.

[tentcamper]

I would not be concern as long as your weight fall within Toyota specifications. The 2014 highlander towing capacity meets or exceeds the SAE J2807 towing standards, which Toyota is one of the few companies that in 20014 used this very tough testing to confirm their towing capability. The one number you need to also look at is the CGVW (combined weight)

Most of us would never push our TV as hard as the SAE testing requirements. All of the manufactures have stated they would meet the SAE tow specifications, but they have been very slow to adopt because they will take a hit on there published towing capability. So my feeling is you are adding 15% margin in your numbers, which I think by meeting this standard the 15% has already been taken care of.

see a summary of the requirements: http://www.automobilemag.com/feature...ss_sniff_test/

[Redtail Cruiser]

Where you plan on towing is an important factor. If you live in the flat lands and don't plan on going into the Rockies or the Sierras, you will be fine with your Highlander and a larger TM; however if you plan on a lot of mountain camping, I would suggest a smaller and lighter TM.

Welcome to the Forum

[wtxnitz]

The max tongue wt is 500 lbs.

I was wondering about the SAE rating. I know Toyota has been one of the few to meet the new standard. An FAQ on Toyota's site was saying something like "Why did the tow rating go down on the ..." The answer was their new conformance with the SAE standard. I.e., same performance, new measuring stick.

We will be doing mountains. We actually live at one mile high in low mountain terrain.

[Padgett]

Originally Posted by wtxnitz

We actually live at one mile high in low mountain terrain.

Good place to have a supercharger.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by Redtail Cruiser

Where you plan on towing is an important factor. If you live in the flat lands and don't plan on going into the Rockies or the Sierras, you will be fine with your Highlander and a larger TM; however if you plan on a lot of mountain camping, I would suggest a smaller and lighter TM.

Welcome to the Forum

Agreed. However, there is a gotcha. For almost all auto manufacturers, the stated tow rating applies to the sum of the weight of the trailer, plus the weight of any cargo in the tow vehicle, plus the weight of any passengers beyond a 150-pound driver in the tow vehicle. In other words, if you put 500 pounds of stuff in the wayback of the Highlander, and the two of you weigh 300 pounds above the allowable 150 pounds, then the tow rating is decreased to 5000 - 800 = 4200 pounds.

We have one stalwart member who insists that this reduction does not apply to Toyotas, even though it applies to all other makes. You might spend a bit of time convincing yourself one way or the other.

Bill

[Padgett]

and if three people are discussing here you will usually get four opinions.

[wtxnitz]

Originally Posted by Padgett

and if three people are discussing here you will usually get four opinions.

that's what forums are for, isn't it?

Looking at the SAE spec, it calls for both a driver and a passenger of 150 lbs each. If the GVWR is over 8500 lbs, 100 lbs of cargo must be added. Our Highlander GVWR is 6000 lbs. All Toyota tow vehicles are "certified" to the standard, so perhaps the Toyota advocate is at least partially correct. There is 300 to 400 lbs of "cargo" included and doesn't need to be subtracted from the towing capacity. Any above that would still need to be deducted.

To nudge the thread back towards me key question - what typical "wet" weights to people see? It sounds like there may be such a thread already. i'd gladly take that direction, with one caveat. We're interested, at least for now, in a new TM. So I'm most interested in the newest models. However, older data wold be ok if the models are essentially the same.

[Riwright]

I have a 3124. Truck scales says it is 4500 lbs fully loaded for camping.