FJ Cruiser as tow for 25ft Safari??

[coppercows]

I am looking at a 1999 25ft. Safari 5000lbs dry weight. The FJ with a very short wheel base is rated at 5000 lbs.
I have pulled other trailers at 4000 lbs without much trouble using an EZ stabilized controller hitch. But I'm not sure about the Airstream.

I would like to keep the FJ it gives me lots of options on two tracks and turning in campgrounds and off grid camping.

Help, Jeff::

[KJRitchie]

If it were me I'd be looking for a different tow vehicle. We had the same dilemma when we purchased our 2008 Classic 25fb. Its a heavier trailer than the one you are looking at but we bit the bullet and upgraded from a 2005 4Runner 4.7L V8 to a 2010 Toyota Tundra 5.7L.

Kelvin

[moosetags]

Welcome to the Forums. We're glad to have you with us.

The answer to your question is maybe. The first thing to keep in mind that the Safari that you are describing, will probably go well over 6.000# ready to go camping. I had a 2005 Safari 25FB that tipped the scales at 7,400# loaded for travel.

The FJ Cruiser is a fairly short wheelbase vehicle which is great for some off road uses, but not the greatest for towing heavy trailers.

Properly set up, you can probably use the FJ. I don't think that I would care to make a cross country trip with that rig.

Another thing to keep in mind that an FJ Cruiser towing a trailer with a 900# tongue weight would not be capable of handling much cargo.

Brian

[Rich W]

I wouldn't do it, the FJ is too small for that large of an AS. Before you put anything into the trailer or the TV you are at the maximum. For safety, you should never go over 80% of your maximum capacity. You aren't going to be towing on flat ground. you're going up and down hills. That's a lot of trailer to control with an FJ, I think you should get a smaller trailer or bigger TV.

[PaulnGina]

I would advise against it. You'll be way over the rating once the trailer is ready to hit the road.

[coppercows]

Here is the last trailer I pulled. 23 ft. skyline 4000 lbs. Tandem axle
I had a good professional RV shop in UT set it up and it fit great.
I was going 60 mph most of the time, but that's just fine.

I pulled it to Jackson Hole, Aspen, Telluride, Durango up and down the Colorado River from St. George, UT and other than 40 mph winds, it was good and tight. Never had the tail wagging the dog.
I had a good friend with an FJ pulling a 29 ft. tandem and he swore he never had any problems.

But somehow, this seems different. I'm just more cautious this time.
thanks again for your interest.
jeff

[dkottum]

We have wanted to do this for some time, it's just the type vehicle we would like to have available in our travel six months a year.

We asked Can-Am Airstream about it and they have set up several. There are weaknesses. Short wheelbase (mitigated somewhat by the short rear overhang), high center of gravity, solid axle rear suspension, and a weak hitch receiver attachment which would have to be reinforced by someone who knows what they are doing. Otherwise the receiver attachment is not strong enough for a weight distribution hitch to distribute enough weight, resulting in a light steering axle with poor handling (dangerous). The stock tires are not ideal.

The load capacity is light, even for our lightweight mode of travel (beside the Airstream itself). And the fuel economy is pretty bad for a small vehicle. We decided on a half-ton pickup instead, even though it has many of the same weaknesses. It cost much less, is easier on gas (regular), and it has more load capacity and much more torque for the frequent mountain travel we do. We travel far from home.

If we were towing locally, we would probably have had the FJ hitch receiver reinforced, got a capable weight distribution hitch and sway control installed and properly set up by an expert, leave the spare tire at home and move the batteries further aft to lighten hitch load (but still maintaining 10% trailer weight), put better towing tires on the FJ, loaded almost nothing in the FJ, not much in the Airstream, and took the more scenic side roads at moderate speeds to nearby destinations.

Overall it is not a great tow vehicle for a 1999 25' Safari, but manageable (only) with hitch work and cautious loading and driving. Call Can-Am Airstream in Toronto, they do this sort of thing all the time and have been for forty years, and they are very generous with advice.

[AnnArborBob]

Definitely give Andy Thompson of CanAm a call (519-652-3284.) He is very knowledgeable about towing and is pretty willing to share his advice. I know from having attended several of his seminars, that he is not a fan of the Toyota FJ for towing Airstreams. His shop in London, Ontario is not really all that far from Kentucky and I would encourage you to have him make whatever modifications you need to your tow vehicle. It's worth the trip!

[rostam]

FJ has a 4700# tow rating. Just be aware that tow ratings are decided by SAE's J2807 tests (Toyota was the first company to adopt the standard), and do not increase by hitch reinforcement, using a top of the line hitch, or professional setup.

[handn]

Your 1999 Safari may weigh 5,000 pounds dry but its gvw is 6300 and ready to camp, you will be closer to the higher weight.
I have the same trailer (2004) and pull it out of storage to the camp site about 200 yards on the flat with a Nissan Xterra whch is similar to your FJ Cruiser. I wouldn't get on the nearby interstate with that rig as it is seriously overloaded.

[pappy19]

I wouldn't worry about it much, the Chrysler 300 doesn't have any hitch or towing capacities to speak of and yet we are told that it is a better tow rig than any 3/4 or 1 ton truck. Like was said above, you can "fix" all of the obvious FJ problems with modifications. That way only the company that does the modifying is the liable party if something goes south.

[dkottum]

Yes, in the same way we all fix unbalanced loads and sway tendencies of bumper pull trailers with a weight distribution hitch. Few buy a truck and trailer and hit the road.

[rostam]

I personally would not go the after market route, unless the after market shop is willing to provide you with an invoice documenting all the modifications to your vehicle, and stating its new and increased tow rating. Anything less than this, and I'll pass.

[ericpeltier]

Originally Posted by rostam

I personally would not go the after market route, unless the after market shop is willing to provide you with an invoice documenting all the modifications to your vehicle, and stating its new and increased tow rating. Anything less than this, and I'll pass.

I'll go one step further. I don't care if my local hitch shop provides me with documented increased tow rating, I won't do it. Any weakness, and an insurance company will eat you alive.

My $0.02

[m.hony]

Short answer: No!
Longer answer: The FJ would have to be fitted with a transmission cooler. Even mdified, it is a marginal tow vehicle at best.

[UKDUDE]

Before I bought my Airstream Interstate, I had a Flying Cloud 19' towed by my FJ Cruiser. Like you, I didn't want to get rid of the FJ since I live in the southwest and used it a lot for exploring forestry roads and all manner of wilderness trails.
I bought an Equalizer hitch, but it took 5 attempts to get it all set up to my liking, after which it did handle very well, and I had no issues taking it all over the country. I would definitely NOT have gone any larger with a trailer, even though I lusted after a 23' Flying Cloud with the front bed!
However, the biggest issue for us, as far as using the FJ to tow with, was the relatively small gas tank on the FJ. On long trips using the interstates, and limiting our speed to 65, I was getting perhaps only 9mpg, and that meant refueling as often as 5 times in one day, and often driving with the low fuel warning light on. Can you imagine the anxiety level from that? That alone told me the FJ was not a suitable tow vehicle for us.

[Larry C]

Pappy,
I for one appreciate the comments on the Chrysler 300, and how various things can be "fixed".
The only thing I would change to your post is to change the wording in the last sentence from "if something goes south" to ""WHEN something goes south"....because you can bet that it will. Also when it happens it will usually be at the very worse possible moment..

For whatever it's worth!

Larry

Originally Posted by pappy19

I wouldn't worry about it much, the Chrysler 300 doesn't have any hitch or towing capacities to speak of and yet we are told that it is a better tow rig than any 3/4 or 1 ton truck. Like was said above, you can "fix" all of the obvious FJ problems with modifications. That way only the company that does the modifying is the liable party if something goes south.

[JCWDCW]

I'm a smaller TV person but I don't think the FJ is up to that task
JCW

[KathyH]

Don't tow such a large trailer with an FJ. We had, (just months before we bought our airstream) bought our FJ... With intent to eventually get a 19ft or less trailer, possibly a sport to keep it on the lighter side. We also owned a truck with a better tow ability ratio. We found after proper deliberation that a 25ft would best fit us and found a trailer we liked. In the truck we struggled to make it up hills as we took our airstream home and knew a different tow vehicle would be necessary. We ended up trading in our truck and XB to get a 2008 dodge diesel truck and have no worries on what we tow.


~Practice Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty~

[jimfa440]

The first thing the plaintiff's lawyer will ask, "were you within your tow vehicle's load rating?". Be careful out there, buy a more robust tow vehicle. My $0.02 worth.