Weight of a 2004 2720SD?

[arjackson]

Can anyone tell me the weight of a 2004 2720SD, or where I can find it? I've been reading up on the forum and see that the panels were switched to aluminum right about then, so my guess is that it would be similar to present-day models?

We have a 2010 Toyota Highlander AWD with tow-prep package, rated 5,000 lbs.

 

[rtcassel]

Weight of 2004 2720SD

I have a TM brochure dated 8/03. It lists the weight as 2865. To that you would have to add the air conditioner, awning, battery, propane, and your personal belongings and supplies.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

Equipped as Tim describes, and loaded with food, clothes, water, etc., many of us have 2720's that weigh 4,000 lbs (per a scale) when we take the unit camping.

Dave

 

[arjackson]

The seller got back to me and said "the approx. Dry Weight is 3250 and the tongue weight is 450" That sounds like too much for our Highlander in hill country.

The current model dryweight per TM's website is listed as 2865--are they being conservative? Or has the weight really been improved that much over the years? That may be options, also.

We are also considering the Chalet XL1938

 

[Mr. Adventure]

The weight of TrailManors has changed very little over the years.

The most important variables are where you're going and what you're taking along. There are people who get to 5000 pounds, and those of us who stay under 3500. On the East coast, it's no problem traveling with empty water and waste tanks because there's water at the campground and a place to dump the gray water when you leave. In the wide open spaces where you might be hauling all your supplies and water for several days, the load can be a whole lot bigger (20 gallons of water is about 160 pounds, 40 is 320). Carrying an extra battery adds 80 pounds.

If you live and camp at high altitudes, you might need more tow vehicle than if you're just visiting. If you go off road, an off road tow vehicle is more important than for those of us who don't go there. You'll see lots of different ways people use their TMs as well as ways to get them there.

 

[Wavery]

Post # 2 & 3 are quite accurate. The TM 2720 dry weight has not changed much since the 90's to present and it really means little. The 3250# number that the seller quoted you probably include the accessories (AC, awning, battery, extra propne tank, caninets etc.)

Dry weights are a comparison that all manufacturers use to keep competitive in the market place but in reality they mean very little to the actual towing weight of a fully equipped trailer that is loaded for camping. That holds true for any trailer that you may be considereing.

You would be far better off to compare GVWR of the different models than making the mistake of comparing dry weight. In reality, ~most camping trailers end up at or close to their maximum weight rating on any given camp-out or towing scenario.

It could be dangerous (for you, your family and others on the road) to figure the ability of your tow vehicle based on dry weights.

The dry weight on our '98 TM is 2750#........actual weight on the scale......3980#+ and there is only my wife and I. My brother has a TT that has a dry weight of 5720#. I finally convinced him to get it weighed. It weighed 7440#......needles to say......he was shocked.

 

[arjackson]

As far as gear, we pack very light for traveling. We often get by with one carry-on for the both of us when flying, and tent camping gear fits in our 96 Toyota Corolla wagon. The biggest thing for us is food since I may not be able to find something I can eat at a small town store (food allergies). It's just the two of us and maybe a small dog.

We would not be camping out in the wilds, I can't do real ambitious hikes anymore. We tend to camp in state parks and national parks a lot, where they often have water and dump sites available, and then do day trips to other places from a base camp. But I'm sure there would be some occasions where we would need to travel with water or full gray tanks.

We live at about 1500 feet and tend to go to the coast or up into the Sierras, so yes there will be some high elevations involved. My husband will qualify for a sabbatical in a few years and we'd definitely be using the trailer more widely then.

The seller said it was towed with a 6 cyl. Trailblazer, but when I did a search it looked like the TB's tow capacity was 6100 instead of our 5000?

 

[Mr. Adventure]

The owner's manual for your Highlander probably allows a full 5000# above the gross wt for the tow vehicle (please check it for us), whereas GM and most other manufacturers will tell you to subtract the tow vehicle payload from the tow rating, which will make the trailblazer 6100# turn out to be a little less than the Toyota 5000#.

 

[arjackson]

The manual says: "The gross vehicle weight is the total weight of the vehicle. When towing a trailer, it is the sum of the vehicle weight (including the occupants, cargo and any optional equipment installed on the vehicle) and the tongue load."

and

"Towing capacity is calculated considering the base vehicle with necessary vehicle equipment and occupants. Additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the vehicle will reduce the towing capacity, gross trailer weight include (sic) the trailer, cargo and necessary equipment for towing."

Tow capacity for the 3.5L V6 is listed as 5,000 with towing package, and tongue load 500. "If the gross trailer weight is over 2,000 lbs, it is necessary to use a sway control device with sufficient capacity."

To me, that does not mean that it's 5,000 over the gross wt of the vehicle--it seems like you have to deduct the weight of the load in the vehicle, just like any other TV.

 

[Bill]

Not to beat this to death, but are we finally going to converge on something here? One camp has repeatedly said

"The owner's manual for your [Toyota] probably allows a full 5000# above the gross wt for the tow vehicle"

But the owners manual doesn't say that, and neither does the Toyota web site. Instead they both say

"Additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the vehicle will reduce the towing capacity"

Maybe I'm just thick, but I can't find anything to support the first view. Just like every other vehicle, what I read is that when you load up the tow vehicle with passengers and cargo, towing capacity is reduced. Nowhere does it say that passengers and cargo are part of the GVW.

Bill

 

[Shrimpburrito]

I didn't know about this issue myself, so I consulted my owners manual. Attached is the relevant portion.

My specific vehicle:

GWR = 6,600 (presumably the GVWR, taken from the sticker on the door jamb)
Towing capacity = 6,500 (from the manual)
GCWR = 11,800 (from the manual; this is not the sum of the above 2 numbers; I'm not sure why.)

To me, the stated GCWR seems to imply that adding cargo to the TV does not subtract from the towing capacity.

Dave

 

[Redhawk]

I towed our '08 2619 with the '08 Highlander equiped like yours several times in the Rocky Mtns. I think the weights are pretty similar. Using a WDH, it towed and handled well, with a fairly light load. No water. You definitly need a WDH!!
The only thing I noted was that the braking MAY be an issue in an emergency maneuver. And the wear and tear on a nice vehicle like the Highlander concerned me, so i bought a used Tundra. I guess I'm trying to say that if you watch the loading and take it easy, you can do it and have a lot of fun. Just watch the speeds and don't follow anyone too closely. Just my opinion. Good Luck to ya.........

 

[M&M Hokie]

I am by no means an expert on this stuff because the only thing I have every towed in my life is my TrailManor a couple of dozen times. I suppose I may be double booking the tongue weight but the way I calculate makes the most sense to me.

Consider the following for my Tundra:

GCWR=16000
GVWR=7100
Towing Capacity=10300
Actual Weight=5700 (including me and 1/3 of a tank)

So actual weight+towing capacity happened to equal GCWR. (Dave, does your Sequoia weigh 5300 pounds basically?)

I could only tow the full 10300 if the truck was empty and I was the sole passenger. I can add up to 1400 pounds of gas, passengers, cargo, and tongue weight before I get to the 7100 GVWR. When I do, the trailer I tow must be less than 8900 pounds lest I exceed the GCWR.

This means that even though I am now using a "1/2 ton" pickup, there still isn't a lot of margin out there. I don't have actuals for tongue weight but if it comes in at 600 pounds, the passengers and all of the cargo in the truck bed need to weigh in at less than 800 pounds. This isn't an issue for me given the size of my 3 passengers and what we load into the truck bed (12g blackwater dolly, ice chests, and other misc) but is something to watch.

One of these days I plan on getting an updated set of weight data since the truck now has a heavy metal tonneau cover and the trailer has been getting more supplies packed in it and other upgrades added to it as well. The TV and TM are probably each 100 pounds heavier than when I weighed them last. When I do, I will have tongue weight actuals and can update the analysis.

Comparing all of these variables is why I concluded our Sienna to be untenable. Here are its stats:

GCWR=8700
GVWR=5690
Towing Capacity=3500
Actual Weight=4140* (can't remember if this is computed or direct weighing)

Assuming the TM weighs in at 3500 (which it won't unless you work at it) and a 4140 pound Sienna, I had only 1000 pounds to cover all of the occupants, cargo, and tongue weight. The 3500 tow limit didn't give me any room to put cargo in the TM. I ultimately removed seats from the TV and cabinets from the TM to get all numbers within their limits. Even then though, there was a qualitative feeling that the Sienna was being over taxed.

 

[Wavery]

I didn't know about this issue myself, so I consulted my owners manual. Attached is the relevant portion.

My specific vehicle:

GWR = 6,600 (presumably the GVWR, taken from the sticker on the door jamb)
Towing capacity = 6,500 (from the manual)
GCWR = 11,800 (from the manual; this is not the sum of the above 2 numbers; I'm not sure why.)

To me, the stated GCWR seems to imply that adding cargo to the TV does not subtract from the towing capacity.

Dave

Dave, the GWR is the max weight that the vehicle itself can handle towing or not towing but including the trailer TW when towing.

The towing capacity is the maximum amount that the TV can tow without exceeding the GCWR...In other-words, when towing the max tow rating (6500# in this case), the TV can handle a max of 5300# (incl trailer TW). There are other ratings that must not be exceeded also.

Ratings must always be considered individually for each circumstance when towing. It's important that ALL ratings be considered. One cannot pick & choose which rating to ignore.

If this vehicle were towing my TM @ 4,000#, the TV would have a capacity of maximizing the TV's payload as long as no other ratings (tires, axles, wheels etc) were exceeded.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

(Dave, does your Sequoia weigh 5300 pounds basically?)

I'm not sure what the dry weight is, but on our recent trip, we did get weighed, and the Sequoia by itself (trailer detached) was 5,980. That included 1 person, a 50 lb dog, the 3rd row of seats removed (which removed 110 lbs), and the cargo area fairly well loaded, but not packed to the brim. That's a fair amount below the GVWR of 6,600, but once the trailer was reattached and I got back in the TV, I'm sure we were right at the limit.

As stated in the first PDF I attached, the "cargo capacity" limit, i.e. occupants, cargo, tongue weight, etc., is 1,250 lbs. I don't know if this is an accurate assumption, but my guess is GVWR - cargo limit = dry weight, which is 5,350, the number you came up with.

Dave

 

[Shrimpburrito]

The towing capacity is the maximum amount that the TV can tow without exceeding the GCWR...In other-words, when towing the max tow rating (6500# in this case), the TV can handle a max of 5300# (incl trailer TW). There are other ratings that must not be exceeded also.

Ah, so I stand corrected. Adding weight to the TV does take away from the overall towing capacity of my Sequoia.

From our weight readings, we are mostly within the overall weight limits, but not by much. With the trailer attached, the Sequoia full of fuel, and the TM full of fresh water and toilet charged, this is what we weighed:

Sequoia axles: 6,440
TM axle: 3,780 (which I know is slightly above the Dexter axle rating)

GCWR: 10,220

Dave

 

[MisterP]

This thread contains variations of definitions for towing ratings. May I suggest:

Weight Rating Definitions

 

[MisterP]

snip
Sequoia axles: 6,440
TM axle: 3,780 (which I know is slightly above the Dexter axle rating)

GCWR: 10,220

Dave

The total is not your GCWR, it is your actual combined weight. See post above for definitions. The GCWR for your vehicle is located in your owner's manual, on the door label, or both.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

The total is not your GCWR, it is your actual combined weight. See post above for definitions.

Yea, I realize that....that's what I was thinking in my mind, but as you pointed out, I erred in using that terminology here. There are too many acronyms in this weight business stuff.

Thanks for point it out.

Dave

 

[Wavery]

Ah, so I stand corrected. Adding weight to the TV does take away from the overall towing capacity of my Sequoia.

From our weight readings, we are mostly within the overall weight limits, but not by much. With the trailer attached, the Sequoia full of fuel, and the TM full of fresh water and toilet charged, this is what we weighed:

Sequoia axles: 6,440
TM axle: 3,780 (which I know is slightly above the Dexter axle rating)

GCWR: 10,220

Dave

There are a few more things that you need to condsider. If you use a WDH, that takes ~150# off the rear of the TV and puts it back on the trailer axle.

The other consideration is your front and rear axle ratings and your tires. I don't think it's an issue but one should check.

I'm a ~little surprised that the Sequoia has a 6500# tow rating. I had thought that is was more like 5,000# (not sure why I thought that). That seems like a great TV for the TM. The GCWR (12,000#) on my 1/2-ton Chevy truck is about the same as your Sequoia. My tow rating is actually the same (W/O WDH). Considering your lighter dry weight (I assume) you should have a better cargo and passenger capacity than I do. The only advantage on my truck is the 157" WB.....