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Bigventure · 04-19-2015, 04:47 PM

Can you tell us more about how it was connected please. WDH? sway control?

Hi
I had WDH and a friction sway control. I was only traveling 50 mph in a 70 zone. Luckily there were no other cars or trucks on the road that Sunday afternoon. The problem was brakes. Subaru only gives you a four wire connector. I added a seven pin and wired it thought a converter box to my brake controller. I took it to an RV dealer to verify my wiring. I specifically asked him do I have brakes. His answer was yes.

After the wreck. I though about it. He thought I was asking about lights.

I was asking about trailer brakes.

But, the bottom line was a heavier vehicle with some horsepower could have controlled it. The vehicle and the trailer had similar weights.

When the trailer is passing you or when there's sway, don't brake. It's very hard to do.

Hit the gas and get back in front where you belong. And grab a big hand full of trailer brake to snap it back in line. If you have them. Again hard to do.

Because you want to control it and everything you were taught is slow down.

Jim Flower · 04-19-2015, 06:54 PM

The very first safety consideration that I complete while still in the yard prior to going on the street is the verification that not only are all vehicle and trailer lights functioning correctly, but I also confirm through the application of the manual brake control switch, that the trailer brakes are functioning correctly. I actually test the systems constantly while under way since I once had the umbilical cord come out and that left me with no lights and no trailer brakes. I have never had a sway issue but know that in the event sway should ever start that one would slow down firstly by the correct application of the trailer brakes. I also try to refrain from applying vehicle brakes in a curve by slowing down well before the apex of a curve and if brakes become necessary in the curve, again, trailer brakes first but not aggressively. Since in most cases the trailer is heavier than the tow vehicle, you never want to create a situation where the trailer is the boss. Watch the pros with the big trucks, they never drive like they have a nimble sports car. (OK, almost never). My Dad had some sound advice for me when he was teaching me how to drive and that was to drive as if there was an egg between my foot and both the gas and brake peddle. Saved me a lot of money, that advice, and also wear and tear on my nervous system. Jim

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timhortons · 04-19-2015, 08:38 PM

For 2013 MY Toyota seems to have taken away the V6 on the RAV.

The new I4 is pretty marginal for what you want to do IMO, especially given weight gain of the RAV at the MY refresh. In 4WD configutation you can add drivetrain losses to that !

I hate toyota but have to give the RAV credit.

I've had family members drive the V6 Rav as a daily and it's a great great engine, sorry to see it go at end of lease, because of the small size, with the 260HP/240lbs, the V6 goes like stink and seemed to sip fuel lower than the claimed figures. (like the same as a high output or turbo I4).

It's an SUV with a higher CG, but If you can get the vehicle dynamics with a GOOD WDH, and maybe shorter tires down,live with the gearing, it might work great.

There's a video showing a large 40 foot box trailer flipping behind a 3500RAM or something that may be posted here by the Truckcrowd that for some reason "proves" why you shouldn't tow with cars or such. Wait for it.

timhortons · 04-19-2015, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigventure

Can you tell us more about how it was connected please. WDH? sway control?

Hi
I had WDH and a friction sway control. I was only traveling 50 mph in a 70 zone. Luckily there were no other cars or trucks on the road that Sunday afternoon. The problem was brakes. Subaru only gives you a four wire connector. I added a seven pin and wired it thought a converter box to my brake controller. I took it to an RV dealer to verify my wiring. I specifically asked him do I have brakes. His answer was yes.

After the wreck. I though about it. He thought I was asking about lights.

I was asking about trailer brakes.

But, the bottom line was a heavier vehicle with some horsepower could have controlled it. The vehicle and the trailer had similar weights.

When the trailer is passing you or when there's sway, don't brake. It's very hard to do.

Hit the gas and get back in front where you belong. And grab a big hand full of trailer brake to snap it back in line. If you have them. Again hard to do.

Because you want to control it and everything you were taught is slow down.

>When the trailer is passing you or when there's sway, don't brake. It's very >hard to do.

>Hit the gas and get back in front where you belong. And grab a big hand full >of trailer brake to snap it back in line. If you have them. Again hard to do.

this is good info and even if you know it already should remind ourselves, along with checking brakes regularly.

possibly a situation where momentum of a heavier TV is a plus

like the drivers who panic when one wheel goes onto a gravel shoulder, brake and lose control, attentiveness and good training/habits matter

xrvr · 04-20-2015, 05:56 AM

First thing I do when I get out of the driveway is get up to about twenty miles per hour and manually apply the trailer brakes to be sure they are working. This is a must do as well as making sure your hitch and coupling is intact. Peace,jim

MaineStreamer · 04-20-2015, 06:32 AM

How do you determine that the trailer brakes are working?

xrvr · 04-20-2015, 06:40 AM

Using the manual control on your brake controller. Slide it and you should be able to feel the brakes on the trailer pull the tow vehicle back. Very noticible. Peace,jim

Garfield · 04-21-2015, 04:40 PM

Personally I'm not squeemish about towing over my TV's towing limit as I do now, but I wouldn't relish towing even a 16 footer with a RAV4. It may have the same towing capacity as a minivan, but the RAV4 is, more or less, just a glorified Corolla with a higher centre of gravity...not a good combo IMO.

TCwheels · 04-26-2015, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avionstream

First thing I do when I get out of the driveway is get up to about twenty miles per hour and manually apply the trailer brakes to be sure they are working. This is a must do as well as making sure your hitch and coupling is intact. Peace,jim

X2 - this test is part of our "drive away" checklist. Co-pilot asks for the check, driver verbally confirms. Performed every time we reconnect.

WBCCI #7246 Michigan Unit,Texas Hill Country Unit (associate member), AIR #91367

tjdonahoe · 04-26-2015, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Flower

"Tail would be bigger than the dog". I have been trying to find the relevancy of this statement. I think it is a myth. If one looks at the tow rating of just about every truck, the tow rating exceeds the weight of the truck. What am I missing here? For example, a Ram 1500 has a tow rating as low as 4600 lbs and a Ram 3500 can have a tow rating as high as 29,170 lbs. Jim

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When ever your trailer out weighs your tow vehicle ,the tail can wag the dog,my ram weighs around 9000 lbs with 7500 lbs on the trailer axles.With my big truck,with 4 axles their is 55500 lbs, pulling a 3 axle pup with a loaded weight of 43500, both units handle like a dream, with lots of miles on them...

LunaDogMom · 11-23-2015, 05:54 PM

Try a small pop up trailer like an A Liner or a Chalet with the Rav. That is much more it's speed. With the low profile it will tow a lot better behind a little SUV or Subaru Outback.