Travel Trailer Questions!

Hello fellow 4R's! I have a question or two - we plan on renting a travel trailer and have purchased sway bar/towing hitch. Question - how do we set up the electronic braking system? Is it easy? 2nd How do we really know how much everything weighs? Trailer + stuff in 4R + us!!

Thanks Wendy

 

1st question:




2nd question:




To "know" how much it all weighs, weigh it on a scale before you put it inside the camper or inside your vehicle. Then add that to the "dry weight" of the camper and you'll get your true weight.

Dry Weight of camper = xxx lbs.
Weight of passengers = xxxlbs.
Weight of crap you tossed into the trailer = xxx lbs.

Total weight: xxxlbs. Make sense?

 

THANK YOU

 

I installed a REDARC system. Super easy. Enjoy
https://www.redarcelectronics.com/us/landcruiser-sequoia-4runner-brake-controller-kit

 

2nd question what kinda RV are you looking at? We pull a '23 178bhsk. Love it. Counting down as we speak.....

 

We are looking at a Forest River RPOD 190 pretty light

 

You may have already set up your rig, but I chose the Hopkins Insite modular controller.
2 reasons: I wanted clear kneespace under dash, and I wanted the mechanical over ride switch ready at hand.
The internal proportional braking automatically takes care of normal driving braking needs. In an emergency using trailer only brakes can be a big assist in regaining control of your rig.
I mounted the brake over ride control sliding switch in front of my right knee for instant usage.

 

+ 1 on the Red Arc trailer brake system. It's easy to wire up and sync the system. You can plug your numbers in here if you were curious on weight.

https://www.towing-calculator.com/

 

Here we are a couple weeks ago at one of the lakes and my stock ORP sitting on the side. I went down early with the truck and trailer and wife and kids showed up the next night in my 4 runner. We have a 2022 KZ Escape 191BHk. Downsized from a Winnebago 29Ft trailer. I found when I was in the Blue Ridge Mtns and the Rockies there were certain areas where it was more difficult to pull a longer trailer and maneuver around tight corners. Plus adding the length of your truck. I have found this little one is highly maneuverable and I haven’t found a site I can’t fit in. Either travel / RV site or tent camp site.

 

Please tell me about your experience towing your travel trailer with your 4Runner. I have a 2024 SR5 that I am considering selling my 2016 Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22r and picking up a light weight travel trailer. I used to have a 2006 Tacoma TRD quad cab that I towed a Jayco 154BH with a dry weight of 2,700lbs. I sold the travel trailer after 3 trips because it was killing my Tacoma. Same engine, 4.0 V6. Dry weight of your TT?

 

I thought long and hard about a trailer a year ago and got scared off. I revisited it all a month ago and ended up with a Casita 17 (2600 lbs). I was shocked at well it pulls it given how much trouble it has pulling itself along lol. My trailer is slim and rounded, it's like it's not even there. As others say: keep it in 4, get a good brake controller and WD hitch. I may opt for a trans cooler before summer but haven't yet.

 

Keep us updated on the trans cooler. How much for a Casita 17?
I now have a 2016 Minnie Winnie 22r and am considering going back to a Travel Trailer.
Before the Minnie Winnie I had a Jayco 154BH, that's on my list too.
Only trouble with a small TT is my wife can't pack as much shit when we camp!

 

I just put the earnest money down on a 24' Jayco 19MRK. It's dry weight is 4,775 lbs and GVMR is 6,250 lbs. Dry hitch weight is 485 lbs. I bought it with the idea of parking it on a buddies land in the mountains as a second home. If he sells his land, I can simply move it. I wasn't planning to tow it with the 4runner. As soon as I put money down, my wife decided that RV trips are the thing she wants to do. lol.

I'm OK with pulling it dry a short distance if I really really have to (I have friends with much more capable vehicles and experience towing travel trailers), but now I'm having to consider trading in the 4runner for a Tundra or something. Anyway, I don't have any good advice to share, but just pointing out another thing to think about if anyone is thinking the way I did, and is also married.

 

• Red arc
• CAT scale at a truck stop
• Stay out of OD and
• manually put in 2nd or 3rd gear when ascending or descending