Anyone tow a TM 3023 with a 3500 LB TV

[TrailManorMan]

Art, I read once that Toyota restricts safe towing speed to 45 mph, I realize you tow faster than that since you passed me !!!! Does your owners manual state towing safe speed is 45 mph? I have no access to a Toyota manual but do know GM does not say that in their manuals. I just tried a quick research and did see a comment but wonder what a manual says.

Just curious ??

[w120013]

Originally Posted by Bill

Yup. Given enough time, and a flat highway, you can get up to speed. Now, how fast can you come to an emergency stop on that same straight flat road? On a downhill road? If a deer - or a construction worker, or another car - jumps out in front of you and you need a violent evasive maneuver NOW, can you maintain control?

Just thinkin'

Bill

I was able to stop fine with it, got the electric brake hook ups on the Jeep so everything was stopping much better than I did in my old pop up, which didnt have the brake hookups. Western Kansas is much more hilly than everyone thinks, atleast what I was thinking since Kansas is know for being flat. I think anyone in any tow vehicle might have some control issues if they needed to do a violent evasive maneuver instantly with any camper attached - I used to have a Avalanche with my old pop up and there would be issues with that if I had to do a crazy maneuver like you mentioning too.

[TrailManorMan]

Originally Posted by w120013

I was able to stop fine with it, got the electric brake hook ups on the Jeep so everything was stopping much better than I did in my old pop up, which didnt have the brake hookups. Western Kansas is much more hilly than everyone thinks, atleast what I was thinking since Kansas is know for being flat. I think anyone in any tow vehicle might have some control issues if they needed to do a violent evasive maneuver instantly with any camper attached - I used to have a Avalanche with my old pop up and there would be issues with that if I had to do a crazy maneuver like you mentioning too.

I agree, most if not all of us can't control a high speed emergency stop, deer get hit by non towing vehicles multiple time a day in most states!

[Padgett]

People who don't know how to drive a rig are why my TM costs more for insurance without liability than my TV or RV with.

Just looked through my OM and there is nothing about towing speed just that a trailer over 2,000 lbs needs brakes and has a max of 40 sq. ft. frontal, 5,000 lbs GTW and 500 lbs tongue. Good thing the TM "tows low".

Apparently it also has "Trailer Sway Control" but never noticed any sway so can't say for sure.

However generally ST (trailer) tires are limited to 65 mph.

[TrailManorMan]

Originally Posted by Padgett

People who don't know how to drive a rig are why my TM costs more for insurance without liability than my TV or RV with.

Just looked through my OM and there is nothing about towing speed just that a trailer over 2,000 lbs needs brakes and has a max of 40 sq. ft. frontal, 5,000 lbs GTW and 500 lbs tongue. Good thing the TM "tows low".

Apparently it also has "Trailer Sway Control" but never noticed any sway so can't say for sure.

However generally ST (trailer) tires are limited to 65 mph.

I think Toyota may restrict "safe" towing speed, not all manufactures, that was what I asked Art, not you.

[tentcamper]

Originally Posted by Bill

Art -

I don't think I made my point, or maybe it is just semantics. But J2807 is like stepping on a bathroom scale. It simply tells you the number you have achieved. There is no pass or fail. Of course if you had been telling your wife that you weigh 175 pounds, and the scale says 180, then you have failed to meet your own advertising. But you didn't fail a test. If you change your advertising to 180 pounds, then you are perfectly legal.

I think what you are saying - and I agree - is that the manufacturers stepped on the J2807 scale, and found that it did not read 3500 pounds of towing capacity (or whatever they had been advertising). They could have changed their advertising to 3200 pounds (or whatever) and bragged that they meet J2807, but they chose not to. My guess, like yours, is that when they got on the scale and it read 180, they chose to go a diet and get down to 175.

Sorry for the mixed metaphor. I hope it conveyed my meaning.

Bill

I agree bill. You can opt to lower your published sales information to the numbers that your vehicle will achieve when testing against the SAE, and publish you new capabilities as SAE capability once you pass the tests. But it is an all or none. Pass all the test per the standard. But it not like stepping on a scale and how you test determines the tow capability. You setup the test for a given weight and perform the tests and either you pass all test or your not compliant at the weight.

But very much disagree, about it being a test. Every thing I read there is some very well defined testing standard as to what the vehicle must be able to achieve. SAE has defined some very well defined test standard.

[Padgett]

Good read on j2807 here. Wonder why dualies have lower performance requirements than a 4x2 or 4x4.

[tentcamper]

Originally Posted by TrailManorMan

Art, I read once that Toyota restricts safe towing speed to 45 mph, I realize you tow faster than that since you passed me !!!! Does your owners manual state towing safe speed is 45 mph? I have no access to a Toyota manual but do know GM does not say that in their manuals. I just tried a quick research and did see a comment but wonder what a manual says.

Just curious ??

I have never read any thing in my manual, or the manuals of the new models, or in all my searching and reading blogs of any speed restriction.

Once in awhile I will read about Uhaul restrictions when pulling their trailers.

[Padgett]

U-Haul used to have a sticker on their trailers that the maximum speed was 45 mph. Think it was more CYA and for people who need to ask.

Mine is comfortable to 70 (have not gone faster) but mostly I set the cruise on 65 and relax.

Maybe it is because I have been pulling 3,000 lb + trailers, usually with cars on them, for many years and have developed some automatic reactions based on a sensitive butt.

There is a lot of synergy between hauling a trailer, racing, and driving on ice (actually when going very fast it feels like driving on ice). Have to be sensitive to small movements and make only small corrections. Anything done suddenly/massively is wrong. Unless autocrossing a Corvair.

I used to tow my 2720SL with a 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 with a 5.2 L V8. After loading up the family and all the luggage I really wasn't satisfied with the pulling or the stopping. Sure you may be legal with lesser vehicles but increased stopping, merging space, and slower up hill speeds are something you have to accept. I tow now with a 2014 Toyota Tundra Crew Max 5.7L with 381 HP and 4 wheel disc brake. I can now say I have plenty of power and stopping capability.

It also has 6 separate traction control systems to aid in handling control.