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Goal15 · 05-11-2012, 08:10 PM

Did you do the install yourself on those mirrors you got from ebay? if so, was it tricky to get the door panel off.

Canucklehead · 04-23-2015, 07:46 PM

As a newbie - thanks so much for the contributions you have all made this forum - it's a great resource!

Thought I would bump this thread as I'm undergoing a similar decision - only with a 1973 23' safari / twin, and 2014 5.7L Double cab Tundra (w/ tow package).

Honestly, I came into the purchase thinking sway bars / weight distribution would be all I'd look at or need, and now have been exposed to the world of projection point hitches.

I've got very modest towing experience (enough to have swayed once, although this is my first TT and that was with an awkward tail heavy load). I never thought I would consider this much hitch but there are some definite believers here - and towing with a family in the vehicle has changed my risk tolerance.

That being said, the Safari (3800 lbs dry w/ ~540lbs dry tongue weight) is well within the Tundra's TWR of 9900 lbs (but the tongue weight is high enough that the Hensley cub would *not be an option here once the trailer is loaded).

In addition to wondering about David's experiences - I have a few questions and thought I might pick some brains:

1) The Tundra tow package comes with a Tow / Haul setting; it does a few things around acceleration sensitivity and transmission shift points.

One of the things it does, in the accounts I can find, is some degree of engine braking in descents. I don't know the degree to which this is a noticeable effect.

I have yet to tow with the rig. I don't have expectations that this would provide the deceleration of a diesel / allison set up, and certainly not a jake. However, it did give me pause based on some of the comments in other threads on this forum regarding issues with projection point hitches in engine brake situations. It would be unfortunate to find this out after purchase.

Is this a founded concern? Has anyone with a pp hitch had any issues with this type of functionality?

2) I'm guessing that it's because of the considerable investments that airstreams represent - but is there any other reason an airstream merits one of these pp hitches more than any other TT of a similar weight? In towing it home after purchase (although empty, and with a 1 ton dodge/cummins ) in a pretty fierce storm - the thing towed beautifully - so I can't imagine the enthusiasm for the pp hitches has anything to do with the way they tow with the stock coupler. There some comments in the forum about an airstream dealer in texas who won't sell their trailers without a pp hitch - not something I've heard about or seen with other rigs. Simply a matter of marginal cost of the pp hitch in a lot full of otherwise pricy trailers?

Thanks!

Glenritas · 04-23-2015, 08:30 PM

Picture worth a thousand words ....

Canucklehead · 04-23-2015, 08:37 PM

Looks great!

Gene · 04-23-2015, 08:43 PM

Can'head, if you do go with the projection point hitch, get the Pro Pride, an improvement on the Hensley and costs less.

Your trailer is about 60% of the weight and 2 or 3 feet shorter than ours. You have the same truck—'07 and '14 are in all meaningful ways the same truck. We use an Equalizer and have had no problems in 50,000 miles. For a bigger trailer than ours, then I think the Pro Pride is something worth looking at, but not for yours or ours. Since the PP costs several times more than the Equalizer or Reese, there must be more profit and that dealer can sell fear and make more money. Airstreams tow well, making a PP less needed.

Tow Haul changes the shifting points downward so you have more torque in each gear because you need it when towing. Engine braking is fairly good, especially 2nd gear. Always downshift going down hill. Even the Tundra's big brakes will overheat on long grades and warp eventually. The trailer brakes are not very good, so you need all the help you can get. Try a panic stop when no one is around and get a sense of how much longer it takes you to stop.

Toyota says the transmission automatically downshifts going downhill and the dealer tested it when I said I couldn't tell any difference. I still can't. I downshift manually. Check the Manual for the right shifting points.

Gene

aftermath · 04-23-2015, 09:13 PM

I am with Gene. My Tundra Equalizer combination has worked extremely well for us. If I were to go to a much heavier and or longer trailer I might look into a bigger hitch. But for now, I like the way this handles and how easy it is to hook and unhook.

Silver.Sanctuary · 04-23-2015, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aftermath

I am with Gene. My Tundra Equalizer combination has worked extremely well for us. If I were to go to a much heavier and or longer trailer I might look into a bigger hitch. But for now, I like the way this handles and how easy it is to hook and unhook.

I have a 2014 Tundra Limited 4x4 and tow a 2004 Safari 22' with an Equal-izer hitch. I did a lot of research on the PROPRIDE, Hensley and Hensley Cub and just about memorized the Equal-i-zer brand WD hitch thread which had over 7 years of data.

I fretted about the towing even though I had quite a bit of towing experience with a 20 foot Mako boat.

I went with the Equal-i-zer largely on the recommendation of the AirForum thread and the comment by one contributor who said in thousands of miles of towing, the only time his trailer swayed uncontrollably was when it was unhitched in his driveway during an earthquake.

The narrow body tows like a dream behind the Tundra. It appears that longer wheel based trucks have an advantage over SUV type vehicles. Had I been trying to tow with a full sized Bronco (much shorter wheelbase) I probably would have gone to a Propride or Hensley. Not with the current combination as it is not necessary and I have developed confidence in my Equal-i-zer /Tundra combination.

The Hensley cub is at about the limit on your rig... so if you got a bigger trailer at some point, you would be buying a new hitch.

Glenritas · 04-23-2015, 11:07 PM

In my post above take a close look at the hitch, This is what the 'thousand words' is about.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 04-23-2015, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan Rossbach

I have a 2014 Tundra Limited 4x4 and tow a 2004 Safari 22' with an Equal-izer hitch. I did a lot of research on the PROPRIDE, Hensley and Hensley Cub and just about memorized the Equal-i-zer brand WD hitch thread which had over 7 years of data.

I fretted about the towing even though I had quite a bit of towing experience with a 20 foot Mako boat.

I went with the Equal-i-zer largely on the recommendation of the AirForum thread and the comment by one contributor who said in thousands of miles of towing, the only time his trailer swayed uncontrollably was when it was unhitched in his driveway during an earthquake.

The narrow body tows like a dream behind the Tundra. It appears that longer wheel based trucks have an advantage over SUV type vehicles. Had I been trying to tow with a full sized Bronco (much shorter wheelbase) I probably would have gone to a Propride or Hensley. Not with the current combination as it is not necessary and I have developed confidence in my Equal-i-zer /Tundra combination.

The Hensley cub is at about the limit on your rig... so if you got a bigger trailer at some point, you would be buying a new hitch.

Hi, and that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

(1.) This is where it happened.

Gene · 04-25-2015, 04:18 PM

Glen and Rita, I like the flowers on your hitch (#43).

Gene

ROBERTSUNRUS · 04-25-2015, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene

Glen and Rita, I like the flowers on your hitch (#43).

Gene

Hi, I like the blue/turquois wheels.

Glenritas · 04-25-2015, 11:05 PM

Thanks, I thought the flowers added a nice touch .... NOT !

The Turquoise will also appear on the tongue and bumper, and if I don't replace the wheels on the Tundra too. BTW the Tundra in the picture was on the test drive, mine is white.

Anyway I'm starting to add words toward the "1000 words". The point is I won't be using anything but the ball to tow with. Notice how level the whole rig is.

BTW on the test drive the Tundra only had the tow ball and no brakes on the trailer.

The Tundra pulled , stopped ,turned, made fast lane changes at 60 mph without any hint of sway, push or anything else from the Tradewind.

I've pulled the Tradewind with our Tundra with just the ball and Prodigy 2 brake controller and it was even better with brakes.

Our '69 Tradewind only weighs 4360# with about 460# on the tongue dry.
We will carry about 10 gal of fresh water in the forward mounted tank.

The bulk of the weight is over the axles.

When fully equipped and loaded for travel it should come in around 5500-6000#.

Our Tundra has a Tow rating of 10,000# .

When loaded for travel it will have about 600# in the bed.

In this picture the Tundra is loaded for travel and so is the Casita.

The Casita has a tongue weight of 250# and weighs 2500# loaded for travel.

I've got the wrong stinger installed in this picture.

Note how the Tundra sits, adding another 250# to the hitch won't make it go down more then a 1/4".

So much for saving a 1000 words .

Canucklehead · 04-27-2015, 12:12 AM

I swear I replied to this - but seeing as my post hasn't shown up..

Thanks! I did get the message in the first photo - great to see you've had such a good experience with the stock coupler.

The more I dig into the safari - the more I'm reaffirming that my trips will be short little hauls, if it's road worthy at all

Brings up an interesting question, actually. One of my concerns around road-worthness would be regarding the monocoque strength in the face of some degree of rot.

Would a projection pivot hitch expose the monocoque to more stress, on average, due to the rigidity of the trailer / TV system? Obviously a major sway event (having been in a swaying rig once, it seemed like it was a resonant system) would be a lot of structural stress, but outside of that - is it possible that the stock coupler distributes a little more of that energy into the TV and that it could be less stressful on the trailer that way?