Input on Travel Trailers

I am thinking of going to a Travel Trailer instead of my RV. What size and weight, TT's are owners of 2024 4Runner's having good experience with currently? Make and Model appreciated.

 

Buy a different tow vehicle.

 

Just the way mine drives with added weight, id look at a different vehicle for towing anything over the size of a small dirt clod.
Or buy a last gen tundra. (my plan)

 

What size highway travel trailer for how many people. What States do you intend to travel and what seasons.
Most agree pop-up type tent trailers are low and light and tow easily. They provide minimum protection from cold, wet and bugs.
Camper types are usually 8 feet tall, which is 2 feet above roofline of a runner, have wind drag, and can get heavy. Very expensive clever ultra lightweight camper type travel trailers are out there and many lower their roof for less wind resistance.
Traveling the Western States mountains towing anything over 2500 lbs with a 4.0 V6 engine will be disappointing and perhaps dangerous.
If all you intend is towing local on flat roads to a weekend RV camp spot, you can probably enjoy a boxy 3500 lb camper.
This is my wish list rig.

 

I had an Airstream Basecamp 20X that I towed behind my Limited. Yes, it will do it. But it's going to be slow, you're never going to use 5th gear, and you're going to need some safety things. I.E., weight distribution/anti-sway hitch, a good brake controller (I recommend RedArc), upgraded rear suspension, tow mirrors, and a whole lot of patience and common sense. I towed like this for about six months all over Arizona and Utah. Great times. However, I was starting to look at a different tow vehicle. Like a Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Tundra, etc. Something with a V8. We ended up selling the Airstream shortly after that, so no need to upgrade. I did end up buying a 1st Gen Tundra after we sold it. I've always wanted one. It would have been a fantastic tow vehicle for that trailer.

 

Here is a shot of our Hiker Trailer. It is 10X8. Weighs approx. 2100 lbs. all loaded up.
I did a regear to 4.88 and it tows the mountains well. Not a V8 but it keeps up with the traffic.

 

It would depend on what your wants and needs are compared to what you'll settle for. There are lots of different small trailers available....but they are small. For a long weekend camping trip you can get by with a small travel trailer, like one of the teardrop models. However, you aren't going to be able to tow anything very large. I pull a 23' Airstream with my '04 V8 and it rides very well, but it has a double axle, which is excellent for stability. You'll be towing a single axle so like CatBrown says, you'll need a weight distribution hitch. The Equalizer is both weight distribution and sway control. It's everything I need for my trailer. I have never added anything to the rear suspension and I ride level. I have the FT 4WD so that's a 700 lb. max hitch load and 7,000 lb. towing capacity. Hopefully you got the towing package but you're still limited to 5,000/500.

My gas mileage is half of normal when pulling the trailer. I get 9-11 overall. Hills and headwinds make it closer to 9, flatland and tailwinds closer to 11. That's winter towing, without A/C on. I run about 65-70 depending on the terrain and which way the wind is blowing.

So maybe give us more information on what your needs/wants are, how far you want to travel and what you want to take with you. I've seen small vehicles pulling the Casista trailers and they seem to be very happy with them. Maybe you should consider something like that.

 

There are a few threads around here on towing travel trailers.

I'd avoid anything that's going to be over 3500-4000# loaded. Consider the tongue weight of the trailer against your payload.

They tow OK.

Tow in S4. You'll be downshifting constantly if you try D.

Keep your speed down. 65 is the maximum recommended towing speed in the manual.

Take your time and enjoy the scenery!

 

We have a Casita 17 Deluxe Independence. Two twin beds, a small galley w/frig and microwave, head with shower, awning, etc… it’s about 2300 lbs empty and approaches 3000 lbs with water and provisions. It’s comfortable, if a bit small. However, I don’t seek the outdoors so I can spend my time indoors. Our ‘24 SR5P pulls it pretty well, though not as effortlessly as the old Suburban 2500. I’ll be installing some Bilstein 4600s to sharpen up control, but I’m okay with our setup for regional camping.

 

SWEET!

 

That thing is NICE! is there a way to make the two beds into one big bed?

 

Towed a 19ft Airstream Bambi from Washington to the Oregon coast and back with no problem. Didn’t drive at night so I wouldn’t blind people.

 

Do your use a weight distribution hitch? If not, that would solve your nose up problem. If you do, then you need to adjust it

 

Yes. The table top spans the space and back cushions fill in. However, we bought some custom mattresses for our old bodies. They’re a little taller than the standard cushions.

 

It was rented from Outdoorsy, so getting everything dialed in wasn’t a priority.

 

https://boreascampers.com/

Expensive but appears to be a good product.

 

I struggled with your question for a year and felt like the guys above until I rented one and tried it for myself, that's the only way you'll know. I think most that poo poo it haven't tried it or went to heavy.

For me it it did WAY better than I ever thought possible, actually no problem at all. My Casita comes in around 3400 full loaded, 400 tongue, I won't go over that but it tows great with the Anderson Hitch. 65-70 all day long in 4, 13 mpg.

Just got back from 12 days on the coast, had a blast.

 

I think it's all about your expectations. Something like those Casitas are perfect (light, short, and aerodynamic). The issues would be with someone knocking on the 5000 mark (esp. dry weight), going with long trailers, or wanting to drive 75-80 (which no one should be doing with a camper, but many do).

I just drove across the country with a heavy-ass Uhaul trailer and a loaded down interior, and it cured me of wanting to take long trips with a camper. However, the 4R did fine at reasonable speeds; it was more me that wouldn't want to drive like that for days at a time again.

Edit: a popup (soft or A-liner) would be even more perfect for towing, but I personally don't see the point in dragging a trailer without a shower; may as well stay in a tent or cabin if you're using the camp showers (in my opinion).

 

I hear you.....

 

How Much $$$?

 

My wife is already spoiled by our 2016 Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22r. Shower and full bathroom amenities. I'm pondering a travel trailer to give us more flexibility once we reach our camping destinations. I'll do some research on Casitas.

 

We had our Airstream down in Florida at Highlands Hammock SP near Sebring. There was a Casita convention there. They all seemed like very nice trailers. I spoke with the guy in the site next to ours and he was very pleased with his. He had some kind of large antenna attached, looked like HAM radio setup.

Our 23' Airstream max GVWR is 6000 lbs. but the base weight is 4500 (no battery, propane, water, etc.). I have a scale to measure the tongue weight and with our normal 'always in the trailer stuff' it's 700 lbs. (our limit) but the WDH moves some of that to the front wheels and some back on the trailer; it's level. I normally travel 65-70 on Interstates and we've pulled from central Kentucky to Oregon, Florida, Texas, across northern US, up to Washington DC, Ohio...many places. We've never had a problem with anything. Handling is better than I expected.

 

I like the Nucamp TAB 400, too. They seem well equipped, and I'd consider them at the upper end of 4Runner towing, for weight at least. Cross winds are probably pretty bad. I'd feel more comfortable with a longer wheelbase in my tow vehicle, even my old Tacoma would be better.

I'd really prefer to tow a TAB 320, but it's too small for our family of 3 (4 including the dog).

My real problems with the 4Runner are primarily the short wheelbase and soft suspension. Power is manageable, and braking is adequate, but it's set up as a soft off roader, not a heavy load carrier like a pickup truck, so safe handling seems compromised in heavy towing situations.

 

I had an '89 Toyota pickup with the extended cab, so it had the longer wheelbase. I pulled a small aluminum boat with it for a while and then bought a 17' fiberglass bass boat. It handled just fine with both of them. I sold the pickup and bought the '04 T4R and it handled the bass boat as well as the pickup, even with the shorter wheelbase. Eventually I bought the 23' Airstream and the T4R had no problems with handling.

I've heard a lot about long and short wheelbases over the years but my personal experience is that it doesn't seem to matter as long as the trailer is properly balanced (60/40). My brother had a GMC SUV and pulled an 18' bass boat. It was a terrible thing to drive; very scary. When he had launched his boat I looked at the winch tower and saw that the bolts were loose and it had moved to the back of the adjustment. I slid it all the way forward and tightened the bolts. After he loaded the boat again and drove home he said it was a completely different handling situation and thanked me profusely. He felt safe on the road again.

There's a lot of dynamics involved in towing anything. If you haven't seen this YouTube video on the difference weight balance makes it's well worth watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mW_gzdh6to

 

3500lbs loaded. No weight distribution hitch. HD rear coils with airbags. Load E tires (truck and trailer). Redarc brake controller. Stay out of overdrive. Embrace the “i wont get there fast but ill get there mindset.”

ive been fulltime out of this for 2 years. The 4runner does the job but a tundra would do the job better. I dont want a car payment so i go slow up hills and always keep it < 65mph.

 

I've towed close to 5k with mine, S4 keeps the motor humming nice and happy.

It still amazes me how many people expect to be able to tow at close to max rated weight and still lugging along in top gear uphill. I think automatic transmissions have made people forget how gearing works.

 

My personal experience has been just the opposite. Longer the wheelbase the more stable the tow. Which is why my tow vehicle is a long bed crewcab pickup. Gusty winds, passing 18 wheelers...pulling a high-profile trailer behind a short wheelbase vehicle is an unsettling experience. Tail wagging the dog!

 

I have no problems with passing trucks or high bridges with wind warning signs. I've never had a problem of any kind with towing the Airstream in any kind of wind and there's some pretty strong winds in Wyoming and Utah. Zero, zilch, nada from the east coast to the west coast, from north Minnesota to central Florida, pulling between 5,700 to 6,000 lbs. It has never swayed, never, not even once.

 

I've towed well over 5K with mine (kid's car broke down in Indiana, and It's AWD so I got a trailer from U-haul). It wasn't ideal, but I took it very slow and everything was fine.

Some folks have the mentality that you can’t tow with anything other than a full size. It's true that they're a lot more suitable. But, the 4runner will get it done.

 

I'm dating myself here but as a kid my family used to tow 4k or so travel trailer with our box body style Crown Victoria in the 80s, with nothing more than an after market transmission cooler even without the tow package rear axle ratio. Locked out overdrive, stayed in the right lane and kept it under 60 and that car was well over 200k when we gave it to a relative who needed a car.

These days even a highlander can tow quite a bit as long as one drives within the sensible limits. Most people who have a half ton or bigger just want a bigger truck.