Need some advice on tow capacity

[UT's#1Fan]

I'm looking for a camper for my family of 7. Problem is I only have a 2015 Toyota Highlander with a v6 and a factory tow package. The tow capacity if 5,000 lbs. I'm curious if there are any other highlander owner or mid size suv owners that have had success pulling a Jayco Jayflight BHW264. It's 26' and the weight with gen fuel and full propane is 4,688. Obviously as soon as i put food in it... bikes... chairs... etc. I'm over the 5,000 limit.

I found a great deal on a 2016 model but don't want to purchase it if it is unsafe or will tear up my Highlander.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[UT's#1Fan]

just noticed there's a tow forum. sorry. mods can move if necessary.

thanks.

[Midnightmoon]

Originally Posted by UT's#1Fan

just noticed there's a tow forum. sorry. mods can move if necessary.

thanks.

Done. Welcome to the forum by they way.

[mboy]

you need a pop up camper. start with that.

[UT's#1Fan]

Originally Posted by mazboy

you need a pop up camper. start with that.

You may have missed that I have 7 people in my family.

It's looking like I need to stick under 4000 lbs dry weight.

[Midnightmoon]

I posted this in a similar thread earlier today and it applies here. Before you continue your search for a travel trailer, I suggest that you visit a CAT scale with your Highlander to get an accurate reading of your available cargo carrying capacity. That way, you can RV shop with accurate numbers. Simply load up you vehicle with all of the people you will be carrying with you camping and what you think you will be carrying in the vehicle, coolers, bags, equipment, etc. and get the vehicle weighed. Then, simply subtract that number from your vehicles GVWR and you will have your actual remaining cargo carrying capacity. This will give you a much more accurate idea of the tongue weight that you can handle when shopping for an RV. In many cases, you will run out of cargo capacity long before you reach the manufacturers tow rating for the vehicle. That is why it is probably best to focus on cargo capacity first.

When trailer shopping, factor 12%-15% of the trailer's GVWR as a pretty good guess of what the actual tongue weight will be. Ignore the trailer manufacturer's listed "Dry Tongue Weight". Those are highly inaccurate as a general rule and will be far below the actual tongue weight when the unit is loaded for travel.

These threads from our forum may also be of interest to you.

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...v-tt-3871.html

https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ting-3866.html

[NewBlackDak]

The ‘15 Highlander payload capacity is listed(brochure) at 1,486 to 1,602 lbs. My family of 7 weighs ~770lbs and the older kids are skinny teenage girls. Now, add all the pillows, blankets, gadgets, back packs, purses, etc you would also have in the car. Anything in the hatch area? Add that too. Add the weight of the WD hitch. That doesn’t leave you much for actual hitch weight, and I’m guessing on a 26’er it’s going to be around 600lbs. It’s not fun towing at max.

“…Base trim versions of the full-size SUV can tow up to 1,500 pounds. Moving up to the LE Plus grade does two things. First, it is the start of the V-6-powered versions of the Highlander. Two it pushes up the towing capacity to 2,000 pounds. For the most towing capacity available for the 2015 Highlander, XLE and Limited Trims are available to interested buyers. These versions can move up to 5,000 pounds. However, this isn’t like the lower models that simply punch a hole in the bumper for a ball hitch. The upper trims of the Highlander have the towing prep package that features an upgraded radiator and engine cooler with a special fan coupling and 150-amp alternator…”

There are pop ups with 3 full size bunks, and 3 small kids would be fine in them. Even two big kids and a small kid would be fine in most. I have also seen hybrids with 3 bunks if you are dead set on a hard sided trailer. It is camping after all.

[crl]

You may get 50 different opinions on what can be towed with your vehicle, so you have to do the research and make your informed decision. I can tell you that you will not be comfortable towing any trailer that pushes the limits of your vehicle based on personal experience. Light weight options for a large family will be pretty limited, but may be out there.

[cekkk]

You are not getting the answers you were hoping for, but the good news is you're not going to make a really bad mistake. You've come here and asked a good question and you're getting good advice. As long as you run the numbers yourself and add 10 or 15% cushion you will be just fine. Although the bad news is you might not get the camper you were looking for without changing trucks. Sure hope you do work something out and enjoy the camping experience.

[Kwarstler]

Without even looking at the actual figures I am confident you are not going to get the numbers you need to safely tow that trailer with the Highlander nor would I try. You are definitely in pop-up camper territory. I wouldn’t let that dissuade you as there are a lot of nice pop-ups on the market that would suit your needs. I would say a majority of tow vehicles I see towing regularly are grossly overloaded. Aside from the safety considerations the wear and tear on the vehicle is significant! Nearly all vehicles have the power to tow a trailer but the weakest link is the transmission and brakes! Both are needed and costly to repair! I towed a 28 Jayflight for years with my half ton Tundra and there is no doubt I was at capacity with a family of 5!

[curver900]

This may be a case where when you go camping you take 2 vehicles.. one to tow the trailer and one to take all the other people... it is likely cheaper than buying a truck that probably won't meet your needs for day to day driving chores...

That is what I would recommend.. if you have 7 people you need room... and how many times a year do you plan on going?

Good luck with your decision...

[SkyBound]

You absolutely should not put that trailer behind a Hylander. I support the advice to look at a medium sized pop-up.

[TaftCoach]

My popup had two king beds, a couch, and a dinette that converted to a bed. With the king beds three could sleep from the bed's side to side without any issues. In fact my wife and I always did that to avoid having to climb over someone to get out. And it would tow easily behind your vehicle.

The down side is you would need to use campground restroom facilities.