Towing in the 3500 to 4000lb range.

I have a base V6 4x4, and I'm looking at buying a 17ft travel trailer. I have a class 3 hitch, and will be upgrading from a 4 pin to 7 pin harness, and will have a trailer brake controller installed. I know the truck is only rated to tow up to 3500lbs, but I have no issues pushing it to 4000lbs. I pull an unbraked tent trailer right now and it probably weighs somewhere around the 2000lb mark when it's loaded. I definitely notice I'm pulling something when I'm travelling uphill in the mountains, so I'm wondering about other people's experience pulling a trailer that weighs in the 3500 to 4000lb range. I am looking at two trailers, one with a small slide out, and one without. The extra space with the pop out would be nice, but it adds around 300lbs (3000lb vs 3300lb dry). I don't imagine that I'll carry as much as 700lbs of cargo/water, but that gives me that buffer to keep me below my limit of 4000lbs. If 300lbs is going to make a big difference in performance at this trailer weight, I may not go with the pop-out. I'm not asking if I can get away with pulling more than my truck is rated for, just looking for info about how the truck performs pulling in this weight range. Any input from people who tow in this weight range would be appreciated.

 

I pulled a Honda Fit from MS to WA with zero issues. 2,700 plus miles, no issues. I know it’s only 2500lbs (plus the dolly) but it had a couple hundted lbs in it as well as as the truck with a canopy as well as 130lbs of animals in the bed. No problems!

 

I have a base v6 4x4 , I would not even try pulling a 17ft travel trailer. The weight your referring to is an empty trailer. After you fill it with supplies it all changes, plus what ever you pack into the truck. You will be pushing the truck to far beyond its limits and to many problems on the highway will not make pulling fun and possibly a accident. I owned a travel trailer that big and pulled only a few times, once after buying to a campground and left on the spot for a year, the drive was planned out to take the safest route with no big hills. I was pulling with a Dodge Durango v8 4x4 with tow package. It bogged down on some small hills to climb. Next time was to move it out of the campground to a friends to use in his yard , short trip under 10 miles and just a few hills. Then I got rid of the trailer last year. Had a long ride to take it to the drop off spot where it needed to be. Most of the drive was on a major highway then rural roads, I left early so not to get into traffic. Kept close to and a little under speed limits. Not many hills , but when trucker would pass it would be a hand full to hold. That was even with a wd hitch , once it fishtailed so bad when a big truck came by I thought I was going to loose it. After that and truck that came behind me I had to slow down more and move into the break down area to keep control. This was also with an empty trailer. If I was you I would look for a smaller trailer and lighter one. If not possible then get a bigger truck. You may also want to check on some of the other camping forums like camping world

 

Well, one of my options, the trailer without pullout, is slightly under 3000lb dry. With that option, I'd stay under the factory tow rating, even loaded. That being said, I'm really not too worried about being slightly above that. I'm talking about pulling around 3000lbs less than the max tow capacity of a truck with tow package. A base truck is mechanically, virtually identical to a truck that is rated to pull 6500lbs. I have a manual, so I don't need a trans cooler, and I'm still going to be under the max rating if I go with the lighter trailer. To be on the safe side, I'll probably go with the lighter trailer, it's what I'm leaning toward anyway.

 

I've towed our 3500lb camper with my Taco thousands of miles without issue.

The truck will do it but if you do have an accident and you're towing over your maximum your insurance can drop your claim and something that may have been considered an unfortunate accident may now be called manslaughter.

 

Nobody ever has an issue being overloaded, until they have an issue.

 

I'm sure I'm going to go with the lighter trailer, which will keep me under my factory tow rating. I most likely was always going that route. I was just looking for some input from those that tow a trailer weighing about what I'm going to be pulling. If anyone has some constructive info based on their own experience, I'd really like to hear it.

 

Thanks for the info. I will go with the lighter trailer, which will keep me under 3500lbs.

 

V6 with max rating of 3500lbs?

That is off the bumper. With a class V hitch, the truck will pull just over 6000lbs with the tow package. Did your truck not come equipped with a tow package? It includes larger alternator, class V hitch, trans cooler.

 

No, it's a base model. There's no option for a tow package on a base in Canada. I had a class three hitch installed by the dealership when I bought it. The hitch is good for up to 5000lbs. I know the 3500 is rated for pulling off the bumper, that's why I'm really not concerned with going slightly over 3500 when I'm towing off the hitch. If a 4runner with the exact same mechanical setup and a class 3 hitch is factory rated to tow up to 5000lbs, I don't mind pulling a little more than 3500.

 

Ohhhh, yeah I forgot Canada is MUCH more strict when trailering.

I don't see any concerns as to why you can't pull that camper. Especially since you will have trailer brakes. Worst case get a sway bar and torsion bars which will be an option with the camper. I'd be more concerned with police up there pulling you over and weighing the camper and checking what the truck is set up to tow from the factory and dinging you on that. They do that down here now. It is rare, but it does happen. I was pulled over by DOT and got a hefty fine for being "overweight' for what the truck was rated for from the factory.

 

That's something else to keep in mind, thanks for mentioning that. I don't think that happens very often here either, but it certainly could. Keeping that in mind, and possibly having an insurance claim denied, I think I'll go with the lighter trailer I mentioned. It has everything we want/need, and it's under my trucks nominal tow rating.

 

This Is what I pull. 2800lbs dry and allot of trailer in a little space. Down side it's not kid/family friendly setup .

 

Looks very similar to what we're looking at, but we'll be getting a floor plan that includes bunk beds for the kids.

 

I have the tow package, but handle this fine. 4880 dry weight.

 

This is right at 2 tons ready to camp. The truck tows it well.

 

What trailer is that?

 

It's a Jayco 195rb

 

We ended up getting a new trailer. It's a 17bh, no slide out. It weighs around 2900 dry. Happy so far, but we'll have to wait until next spring before we can start getting regular use out of it.

 

Looking at your setup the only concern I have is that it looks like you don't have a sway controller. The WD hitch with the chains won't give you much sway control.