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looking to buy a travel trailer, real world towing

Discussion in 'Towing' started by subnate, Apr 5, 2011.

  1. Apr 5, 2011 at 12:37 PM
    #1
    subnate

    subnate [OP] Member

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    Nathaniel
    Norfolk
    Vehicle:
    10 4x4 trd with tow package
    Hey everyone just found this site, and looking for some real world towing advice, I plan to make my Taco my full time tow vehicle so I'm just trying to decide on a trailer that is big enough and light enough not to strain it to bad when traveling through Mountain passes, I.E the cascades out west, and Canada. The main trailer I'm looking at is a Passport 199 ml it has a max loaded capacity of 5000#, 3556 dry. I know its not the ideal tow vehicle for full timing buts it what I have, and I love it. OH my truck is a 2010 DC 4x4 with a tow package. So any info on how your guys trucks tow would be great.
     
  2. Apr 5, 2011 at 1:10 PM
    #2
    borderbrat

    borderbrat Watching Chris4x4 o.O

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    Jeremy
    Victoria BC, Canada
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    2012 DCLB, STOCK..But not for long
    (old truck 2008 AC ....PIAA fogs, led "puddle" lights, bed lights, in cab 115V, Toyota Devil emblem, Randy Ellis light bar with LED light bar, OME 885 and Dakar leaf springs OME shock all round, 2.5 Gal OBA system with air horns, iPod adapter, scangauge on blend mount, magnaflow catback, bike fork mounts, tinted 2009 tails.)
    I've towed 5000lbs up the malahat here on vancouver island. Quite hilly. Don't be afraid to rev a little bit just keep an eye on temps and slow down. You don't need to drive 120km/h with a trailer.
     
  3. Apr 5, 2011 at 1:45 PM
    #3
    MJonaGS32

    MJonaGS32 MJ on a GS

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    MJ
    SF Bay Area (East)
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    07 LT 4x4 DCSB 6spd Vagabond
    Drifter wedge camper, Dual battery, OBA, ARB locker, 4.56 gears
    5000 lbs wet seems pretty doable.

    Just make sure you have all the essentails (WD hitch, brake controller, etc). If you haven't already done so, read the Towing bible in its entirety, great info in there. I also joined RV.net, you'll find it to be a great resource.

    Welcome to TW!
     
  4. Apr 6, 2011 at 10:15 PM
    #4
    campthewestcoast

    campthewestcoast Oceanfisherman

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    Napa, CA
    Power extend/retract towing mirrors,brake controller,30amp charging system for TT,snug top camper
    Have you looked at Hi-Lo trailers,(look at Oddle classifeds.com/RVS/Hi-Lo) also (look at Hi-Lo trailer forum) it's a colapsiable hard sided self contained travel trailer that raises by hydralics. The lowered trailer tows very well. I have a 97 21ft. Towlite model which wieghts 2400lbs. dry and has a GVWR of 3900lbs. I also upgraded the electrical system on the trailer, I installed two 6volt golf cart batteries wired in series to get 12volts @ 235 amp hours and have a solar panel. I can dry camp for 4 or 5 days on battery power. I tow it with a 06 tacoma DC long bed Pre-runner w/tow package. Because of lower wind-resisance I get 16 mpg while towing. The truck and trailer handles like a sports car through mountain passes because of the lower center of gravity. Les (campthewestcoast)
     
  5. Apr 7, 2011 at 8:41 PM
    #5
    fajitas21

    fajitas21 XMF - Extreme Mexican Food fo Life!

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    Lee
    Collierville, TN
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    4Runnerzzz
    Originally not Expo AF! Kinda Expo AF now...lame.
    I really want a Hi-Lo or similar setup, but I'm worried about gasket leakings. How has yours been? I don't mind the occassional maintenance, these things are like boats. You gotta work on something every time you go out in them, it's just how it is.

    The wind resistance and low center of gravity keep making me want a collapisble hard sider, but the potential for leaking keeps making me think twice.

    2400 lbs would be a breeze to tow. That seems very appealing.

    I think I did some math and figured if I could keep the wet weight of the trailer at 5200 lbs or less I should be able to tow pretty safely. I've been towing about 5 - 6 years now, at least several times a month, so I have an idea of what I'm comfortable with at this point.

    Last question on the Hi-Los, do you have doors to bathroom? How does that work? Does the door collapse or is it just a curtain?
     
  6. Apr 7, 2011 at 8:44 PM
    #6
    tacosallday

    tacosallday Well-Known Member

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    michael
    hawthorne-socal
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    06 Lifted PreRunner DcSb
    xd addict 18x9, nitto trial grapplers 285/65/18, 3 inch lift, upgraded sound system,
    Welcome to T/W!!!
     
  7. Apr 9, 2011 at 10:25 PM
    #7
    campthewestcoast

    campthewestcoast Oceanfisherman

    Joined:
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    Member:
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    Messages:
    128
    Gender:
    Male
    Napa, CA
    Power extend/retract towing mirrors,brake controller,30amp charging system for TT,snug top camper
    To answer a few issues; The hi-lo is designed as an upper and lower sections, the upper section is the roof and half the walls which lowers over completely of the lower section so you don't have a roof gasket. There is a center wall gasket where the two halfs meet but it protected from the weather. This is a bulb style gasket. My trailer is a 97' and this gasket has held up fine. Like on any travel trailer you have maintance, I just finished resealing all of my roof seams were it meets the wall sections. I also added new alumium trim with a built-in gutter to better protect the walls from water running off the roof ( my trailer never had this). The largest hi-lo I pull with a Toyota Tacoma is a 23 footer and I perfer dual axle trailers ( I've pulled both single and dual). The bathroom door is two piece, the lower portion is wood and is a bi-fold design, the upper half is bamboo panel or curtain. The shower has a shower pan with a full wrap around shower curtain. Take a look at Hi-lo Trailer Forum, for pictures and any questions you may have. For a trailer in your area look at Oodle classifeds or rvtraderonline.
     
  8. Apr 10, 2011 at 7:20 PM
    #8
    fajitas21

    fajitas21 XMF - Extreme Mexican Food fo Life!

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    Lee
    Collierville, TN
    Vehicle:
    4Runnerzzz
    Originally not Expo AF! Kinda Expo AF now...lame.
    @ campthewestcoast

    Thanks a ton for the information. I appreciate you taking the time to answer all these questions I have. I'm glad to hear you've had good luck with the upper/lower master gasket. The RV guy at the place I was at told me they always fail, but I'm fairly sure that's dealership talk because he doesn't have any on the lot. My father sold cars (still does) and when he sold Fords, he said Chevy's are junk. When he sold Toyota he said American cars and junk. Now I laugh, because he sells Chevy and says Toyota and Ford are junk.

    I think I pissed him off buying a 2011 Tacoma when he had perfectly good (*laugh*) Colorado's on the floor.

    Anyways, enough ranting. I know there's a bit of a premium on the Hi-Los but the wind resistance and Center of Gravity are really great ways to improve towing enjoyability and safety. Thanks again.
     

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