Looking for input on trailer choices

joshuabardwell · Jul 5, 2012

meburdick said:
Is that because of the max tongue weight that the vehicle can support? At 6k trailer weight, the tongue would be about 500-600 (taking 10% or so of the cargo weight). I know that previous vehicles have max'ed out at about 500 lbs tongue weight, but my Tundra will take double that.

Yup. That's why. I was recently shocked to learn that my Ram 2500 could only handle up to 350 lbs tongue weight without a WD system. It all depends on the receiver's rating.

meburdick · Jul 5, 2012

The max trailer rating for my Tundra (CrewMax Limited) is 9k. There isn't really a max tongue weight per se, but I do have to stay within the cargo limits. So, the truth is that my limit is probably somewhere around 1000 lbs.

I'm seriously considering a Sherline scale to actively measure the tongue weight for each load, and may even get a weight distributing hitch as well (depending on how she tows without one).

joshuabardwell · Jul 5, 2012

I have never seen a receiver hitch that didn't have both a gross trailer weight rating, and a max tongue weight rating. The tongue weight is basically always 10% of the gross trailer weight rating. If your trailer is limited to 9k, your tongue rating is probably 900 lbs. You should check your owner's manual to be sure that you're not required to have a weight-distributing system to achieve maximum tow rating.

jeffsw6 · Jul 6, 2012

joshuabardwell said:
Yup. That's why. I was recently shocked to learn that my Ram 2500 could only handle up to 350 lbs tongue weight without a WD system. It all depends on the receiver's rating.

You could replace the receiver. My 97 Ram 2500 didn't even have a rating stamp/sticker on the factory receiver anymore when I got it, and I could not determine its rating, so I replaced it with a Curt 15K / 1500 TW. I think it cost around $200 or $250 and it did take me and a buddy most of an afternoon to install it, but mostly due to some aftermarket exhaust mounts, I had to figure out what to do.

If I had to do that again I would use my brain a little and use some jack stands and big zip ties to help hold the receiver up while bolting it to the frame. My arms were pretty **** tired by the time that job was done.

bcp · Jul 6, 2012

I wonder why these trailers aren't made with a bolt-on sliding axle subassembly, like some boat trailers are made. Sometimes moving the axles forward or back a foot would make much better balancing.

Single axle example:
View attachment 272265

Double:
Center lift pontoon boat trailers

Bruce

meburdick · Jul 6, 2012

joshuabardwell said:
I have never seen a receiver hitch that didn't have both a gross trailer weight rating, and a max tongue weight rating. The tongue weight is basically always 10% of the gross trailer weight rating. If your trailer is limited to 9k, your tongue rating is probably 900 lbs. You should check your owner's manual to be sure that you're not required to have a weight-distributing system to achieve maximum tow rating.

The limits I stated are based on how my truck is equipped and have nothing to do with the actual hitch ratings. with a different set of options, my truck (nwhich is the limiting factor, not my hitch) is rated to tow 10,400.

I do need to look more to know what the exact specs are, but I've read a lot of Tundra threads where people are towing travel trailers with these trucks and not using a WDH.

meburdick · Jul 6, 2012

jeffsw6 said:
You could replace the receiver. My 97 Ram 2500 didn't even have a rating stamp/sticker on the factory receiver anymore when I got it, and I could not determine its rating, so I replaced it with a Curt 15K / 1500 TW. I think it cost around $200 or $250 and it did take me and a buddy most of an afternoon to install it, but mostly due to some aftermarket exhaust mounts, I had to figure out what to do.

If I had to do that again I would use my brain a little and use some jack stands and big zip ties to help hold the receiver up while bolting it to the frame. My arms were pretty **** tired by the time that job was done.

Doubt it. Receiver is integrated into the truck frame.

Diamondpilot · Jul 6, 2012

meburdick said:
Doubt it. Receiver is integrated into the truck frame.

I have never seen a hitch that was not bolted on. Look again.

Chris

meburdick · Jul 6, 2012

Diamondpilot said:
I have never seen a hitch that was not bolted on. Look again.

Chris

Looks like it's time for you to take a trip to the local Toyota dealer to see it in person, then. This is NOT a bolt-on hitch. Here's pages 7 and 8 from the Toyota eBrochure for 2012 (which is just about identical to the information published for 2011, and my truck is a 2011). This is the second generation Tundra and has been in production since 2007, so the design has been around for a number of years.

Diamondpilot · Jul 6, 2012

meburdick said:
Looks like it's time for you to take a trip to the local Toyota dealer to see it in person, then. This is NOT a bolt-on hitch. Here's pages 7 and 8 from the Toyota eBrochure for 2012 (which is just about identical to the information published for 2011, and my truck is a 2011). This is the second generation Tundra and has been in production since 2007, so the design has been around for a number of years.

View attachment 272273 View attachment 272274

Looks bolted on to me.

The reason Toyota boast about the hitch being part of the frame is because it is. There is no rear cross member like other trucks. Not knocking Toyota, I drive a Nissan Titan 90% of the time and also have a F-350 Diesel. I love my Titan and feel its one of the better trucks on the road in the 1/2 ton segment. I looked hard at the Tundra back in 08 when buying but the rear frame was a concern to me since my job is towing.

Chris