Confused to Tow

Originally Posted by jerry kovacs

I just purchased a 2010 TM 2720SL and tow with a Toyota Venza with max weight of 3500lbs. With weight distribution hitch, it does just fine. I tow with my fresh water tank empty.

The Venza has a 2200# tow rating unless it has the factory tow package.

Also, see this note in your "Owner's Manual"........"The maximum weight of a loaded trailer that the vehicle, as equipped, is rated to tow. This assumes that only the driver (68 kg / 150 lbs) and no extra cargo is in the tow vehicle."

If you have a 150# passenger and 350# of cargo (including fuel) in your TV, your tow rating is reduced to 3,000#.

Most of us have found that the actual scale weight on a 2720 (loaded for camping) is ~4,000+#.

Besides the tow rating, I'd be just as concerned with the tongue weight.

[Bill]

Tongue weight limits are at least partially derived from rear axle load limits. That's why you will commonly see two numerical limts, a lower one for weight-carrying, and a higher one for weight-distribution. If you decide it is OK to use the weight-distribution limit, but without a weight distributing hitch (WDH), you may be asking for trouble.

Bill

They are kind of small, but it seems pretty much anything short of a motorcycle could pull a Trailmini. The mini is much nicer than any pop-up I've seen.

We pulled an Elkmont from Michigan to Martinsville, VA with a Chevy Equinox w/ 3500# rating. Didn't have any problem. Of course had the WDH & brake controller. Also added a external tranny cooler to be safe.

[wbmiller3]

Wayne,
I thought you meant 1000, but you typed 10,000 in post #2 of this thread. That is what I was pointing out. 1000 or 2000 sounded more reasonable to me.

Originally Posted by wbmiller3

Wayne,
I thought you meant 1000, but you typed 10,000 in post #2 of this thread. That is what I was pointing out. 1000 or 2000 sounded more reasonable to me.

Be sure brain is engaged before putting a forum post into gear.

Originally Posted by mkayers

We pulled an Elkmont from Michigan to Martinsville, VA with a Chevy Equinox w/ 3500# rating. Didn't have any problem. Of course had the WDH & brake controller. Also added a external tranny cooler to be safe.

Just curious.... question to any of you that are posting that you are currently "successfully" towing with a 3500# TC TV.... Have any of you actually weighed your loaded trailer, cargo, etc??
Without knowing the true facts, condoning a potentially illegal and dangerous action of towing beyond the legal capacity of your TV without actually knowing what your trailer weight is, is a bit irresponsible, don't you think?

It's like saying I shoot my gun out my back door and haven't killed anyone yet, so it's "no problem".

If you all feel that you're doing this "without a problem", I invite you to call your auto/Rv insurance company and tell them, and then call the local chapter of the State Police and explain it to them as well. See if they tell you "it's not a problem".

I personally would not put my family or the families around me on the road in that much danger.

I don't mean to be rude, but what I'm reading scares the hell out of me.
It's NOT ok to tow over the capacity of your TV.

PS: WDH, brake controllers, tranny coolers, etc, do NOT increase your tow capacity. Please understand this.

Originally Posted by ED-n-KEL

PS: WDH, brake controllers, tranny coolers, etc, do NOT increase your tow capacity. Please understand this.

Well put. These do not increase your stopping power either...

In addition to the safety items listed in the two previous posts, Even with an aux transmission cooler you are really stressing the transmission and setting yourself up for early trans failure. I certainly would not tow a TM with a 3500 lb rated vehicle, but if I did , I would want a transmission temp gauge to confirm that. I tow a 2720SLwith a Silverado 2500 HD ( with trans temp gauge & 12000 lb tow rating) and there is a noticeable temp difference in trans temp when towing in hills and mountains.