Show us what you tow.

Just picked up a 2018 StarCraft Autumn Ridge 20BH. No issues towing the camper with a dry weight of 3900. Got the Equalizer WDB with 4 point sway control. I'm looking forward to seeing how my 2013 PreRunner does with all the gear loaded up. Has anyone towed with Kayaks on the roof? I'm curious if that would be past the "comfortable" zone with the extra wind resistance...

 

I would be more concerned with your GAWR & your GVWR than wind resistance. The tongue weight along with passengers and whatever else you put in the truck will add up faster than you think. These trucks can tow really well in that 4k-5k lb range but the payload and axle ratings need to be watched carefully.

 

I'm not worried about the axles. Gear will be in the camper. Wife, 2 young kids with little to nothing in the bed, tongue weight dry is 470. The wind load with kayaks is what I'm really curious about. Not sure if it would be worth it, especially any long distance trips.

 

Nice trailer. I tow my Jayco x213 (4,500lb dry) with two kayaks mounted flat on the shell of the truck. The air is fairly turbulent in the area the kayaks are and the kayak is aerodynamic so additional drag is minimal. I don't notice a difference when they are up there.

 

Thanks. Here is a pic with the kayaks on top, I wouldn't have the canoe. I looked at your thread, nice truck!

 

Thanks @kevdog0710. If the bars on your rack are large enough, you might consider taking the J racks off and mounting the kayaks flat on the cross bars to keep a little lower profile.

 

Found a nice spot to stretch the legs (and take a nice rig pic) while coming home last weekend.

 

is it my imagination, or is the trailer running a little higher in front ? if so, you should drop your hitch a few inches, or lighten up a bit on the WDH bars (except, the truck looks level as is)... you really want the hitch level or slightly below the trailer. a trailer thats tail heavy is prone to sway

 

Ya its a bit higher, just got firestone bag installed. Still trying to find the right adjustments to level it out.

 

my suggestion for airbags + WDH... use the airbags to level the loaded truck BEFORE you hitch,by measuring the height of the back bumper, or the gap from the top of the rear tire to the fender.. Then, use the WDH to almost level the truck after its hitched (same measurements)... if the trailer is still high, then you need to lower the ball til its level or slightly downhill.

one approach to ball height is to level the unhitched trailer with its tongue jack, and measure the height of the coupler, then adjust the ball on the leveled truck so its the same height or a bit lower. I measure the TOP of the coupler and the TOP of the ball, as they are essentially the same when hitched.

 

Those northwood trailers are a very well built trailer. Very nice, I like!

 

Great info, thanks for the tips. I'm hoping to tackle it in the next couple weeks here before our next trip.

 

Might be pushing my towing capacity with this beast I drag around

 

Tongue weight of 470 already cuts into 470lbs of your payload capacity.

Throw in 2 adults (very conservatively) averaging 150lbs each, you're at 770. Kayaks are probably 40-50lbs each, so let's say another 100 on the roof... 870lbs payload "consumed". young kids, 75 lbs between the two, putting you at 945 lbs.

So yes, you're probably fine, but you've also left no headroom for additional payload on the truck. Throw in 4 adults instead of 2 and 2 kids. Then you're basically at your payload without anything else. I'm a big guy, 250lbs, throw me, and 3 other normal adults at 150 lbs each along with the tongue weight and you've got a sorely overloaded tacoma. Throw in those kayaks, a cooler, paddles, probably some firewood and the rest of the gear like clothes and cookie supplies in the trailer, and I'd probably be easily at 1,300 or 1,400 lbs on the Taco.

I guess the point is, it's not a big deal right now, but you want to keep that in mind as your children grow. These tacos just don't have the payload to handle what life throws at them usually, even if their trailering capability is well within limits with that trailer.

 

I appreciate the input, but like I said, gear will be in the trailer, which wont add as much weight to the tongue as compared to what it would in the bed. I wont be bringing firewood because of laws and weight. The issue I wont understand until I try is the wind load on the camper and the kayaks. My guess is the kayaks would put me past any reasonable comfort level I expect to have without.

 

@kevdog0710, as you said, you should be fine when it comes to your payload. Have you towed the trailer before? If so and you were comfortable, adding the kayaks is going to be a marginal difference.

If you're looking for an excuse to not have to take them then go with payload concerns but the wind drag is going to be minimal. I have over 1,000 miles towing a heavier travel trailer than you have with kayaks on top of my truck so I'm familiar with the load you're looking at and really see no issues in doing it.

Now, if you already feel uncomfortable with your trailer then don't push it.

 

Looks like my boat. I have a massive 4 hp motor on it so I may be pushing it myself.

 

no personal experience, but that should be an easy tow... no hitch weight with a tow bar, but it will be an unbraked load, so go slow and easy... of course, make sure the jeeps front hubs are unlocked, and its in neutral with the 4WD set for 2H ... you'll need a set of magnetic trailer lights to go on the jeep... don't pile extra stuff on the flat towed jeep, either, keep it light (cj5's are like 2600 lbs curb weight)

 

17 ft wolf pup. We call her Kesha.