Yes Dave like Wayne Gretsky most Canadians are easy going. There are some major problems in the world that is worth getting in to but in general we don't sweat the small stuff and lets face it most of its small stuff.
You wrote about the small high output engine in the Honda. A good illustration of where the technology is at and where it is taking us. Still, when I here about the big Hemi engine that Chrysler has brought out I get a little excited. I have also heard that Chrysler has a full size, rear wheel drive sport sedan on the drawing boards that would have the new Hemi engine . That sedan would have around 400 HP and 400 ft. lbs of torque. Enough beef to pull a triple axle up Pikes Pike and get there ahead of the Honda......well maybe not but still got to luv those big numbers.
Cheers
__________________ Airstreams..... The best towing trailers on the planet!
OK, I've been reading and reading posts and other sites trying to figure out if I have the right tow vehicle for a 20' 1965 Globetrotter.
I have a 1997 Toyota 4 Runner, 3.6 liter V6 with the tow package. Tow rating is 5,000 lbs. Dry weight for the trailer is estimated at around 3,000 lbs.
My concern for most of my trips is that I will be going up and down the steep side of a mountian getting to and from the desert. It's only about a 5 mile stretch. I really don't want to buy a larger vehicle just to go on 5 or 6 short camping trips a year.
Am I OK with this set up? If not, any suggestions? I have thought about installing a turbo charger that Toyota offers, but how about my braking ability on the steep downhills? The trailer does have electric brakes.
Looks to me like with an average load of 1,000 pounds of gear you're going to be traveling at 1,000 pounds below your max. That about how my rig is, and it's quite acceptable. Just don't put aboard a load of Lucy's rocks from her long long trailer.
I used to pull a light trailer with my old Toy truck. I had to keep it reved up because of the lack of torque and the mileage really suffered. But pulling was no problem.
I am also a fan of V6 power. Your vehicle should be fine the way it is. Reliable, tuff, and a good drivetrain for hauling the 20 footer. There is one thing to consider. Going to a lower profile performance tire on the Toyota will lower the vehicle, effectivly increasing your over all gear ratio which will help the performance on the hills, and provide better handling and grip.
The most important thing is safety. Your vehicle, A/S, and hitching equipment should be checked by qualified personal often to ensure everything humanly possible is done to ensure that the combination is working properly. Please note that it has been found that only 20% of trailers on the roads today are properly adjusted and connected.
Hope this Helps.
__________________ Airstreams..... The best towing trailers on the planet!
Think safety! The pulling 5000 pounds with a 3.6L engine sounds like a white knuckle experience to me, I would not want to have. The fact that you are going up a steep 5 mile stretch is of concern to me, also. I would get the trailer weighed, to see what it's REAL weight is and if that weight falls into the Gross Combination Vehicle Weight ratings of the Toyota.
__________________
CP 9 miles off Exit 399, I75.
2003 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A Ext. Cab
Propane Powered Honda EU2000i
Lots of Hot Sauce! Air # 283
Thanks, Wayne!
I needed reassurance on the 4Runner!
The Globetrotter is essentially a new trailer. I bought and gutted it and had everything replaced from the flooring to the cabinets, electrical, appliances, even new toilet and window cranks.
The entire thing has been redone professionally (thanks Iowa Boys!) and I'll be picking it up this weekend. I'll post before and after pictures when I get a chance.
I found the Airstream site that lists a 1965 Globetrotter at 2980 lbs.
I know that there is a lot of controversy on this topic, I've seen other posts, but would like opinions from others that have towed with a Toyota V6.
Of course I would love to have a big honkin' Dodge Ram or big ol' Lincoln Navagator, but I really need a sensible mileage vehicle for the 345 days a year that I'm not towing a trailer.
I believe that given the data you will be fine towing your load. (Asssuming you are doing it with an automatic trans)
However Pick has an often over looked point. Weigh your trailer. If it is empty when you weigh it add 8 pounds a gallon for water and waste. And then there is gear. Pillows and blankets don't add much weight. It's the pots and pans, generator, dishes, and other neccesities that will add up. -- And your rig was totally gutted and redone, so factory specs don't count in this game. And on elast point if your up to it. Weigh the trailer now and then weigh it in a year or so. You might find out your baby is alive and growing!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action
__________________
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4 DR Breezeway 410 4V, C-6, 2.80 - towing a - 1966 Overlander International Twin Bed
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII Diamond Anniversary 4.6L (275hp), 4R70W - 1990 Ford E 150 5.8L, E4OD, 3.55 ____________________________________
Phoenix ~ Yeah it's hot however it's a dry heat!
Diana,
please take pick's advice. Have the trailer weighed, with all the things inside that you plan on bringing.And the the truck. Don't forget water and propane. Then add the weight of the Toyota in travel ready condition, and see how close you are to the Toyota's Gross vehicle weight rating. This is the rating that includes the trailer and truck. It's actually as important a rating that the tow rating on the vehicle. We want you safe and comfortable pulling your airstream, not have it start out as a white knuckle experience, like pick put it. Think of the suddenly stopped traffic around LA, or the guy cutting you off, or the semi blasting past you trying to blow you off the road.
A little overkill on the tow vehicle side is better than just barely enough.
Di...
One thing that you didn't mention was the hitch you are using to pull the A/S. With your single axle trailer you must have a weight distibution hitch with a built in or external sway control.
If not you can get lots of good info from the forum members here on the variety of brands and configurations.
__________________ Airstreams..... The best towing trailers on the planet!
To fill in a few details, I have towed trailers before, but the Airstream is the largest size so far. When I had it redone, it was with shaving some weight off in mind. I have an equalizer hitch for it too.
I think getting it weighed is a good idea and will do that. I've always been pretty anal about the weight I've towed in the past, even cutting back on firewood and some of the other things that make camping cozy. It's usually just me and the two dogs, so that helps out on the extras to pack also.
I know how those things grow over time! After I sold my 15' Sunline, I took all my stuff out of it. I couldn't believe how much I had added to it over time!
I'll be picking up the Globetrotter and bringing it to San Diego on Saturday. I'll let everyone know how it goes!!!
I found your earlier response to a towing dilemma. I notice that we are pulling about the same sized trailers and using similar tow vehicles, though I have the 6.1 Vortec engine. However, I have been operating mostly in the Georgia-Alabama-Florida area and hills are rather small and rounded. I grew up out west and remember some great passes and divides; Raton Pass, New Mexico, being one of them. Do you think I would be under-powered with the 6.1 engine should I pull westward into the Rockies for an extended trip? Thank you for your opinion.
Joe
Quote:
Originally posted by davidz71 Dave,
The lure of owning an Airstream of any year and towing it behind what we use as a daily driver is overwhelming. I told myself that my '92 Chevy Z71 4X4 with 5.7 liter engine, 5 sp. manual and 3.42 rear end ratio would be up to the task when driving out to AZ. and bringing my 31' '77 Excella 500 back to TN. The trip out there was rough because my best friend could not go with me at the last minute. I left before 6 a.m. on a Thur. and made the 3,200 mile round trip by Sunday night at 10 p.m. I slept in the truck a couple hrs. at a time and had a 6 hr. layover in AZ. while purchasing a new replacement equalizer hitch because the other welded unit made the trailer sit too high. I finally got a chance to sleep 7 hrs. in the trailer on the way back somewhere in New Mexico. I just couldn't drive any farther. I averaged almost 20 mpg. out there and got 13 on the way back. This was where I found that the shortbed truck with LT265-75-16 tires was not up to the task of taking the hills of AZ. and NM. I found myself downshifting into 2nd gear and keeping the revs high to make it to the top of some of the hills. Every semi truck that went by sucked me in and them pushed me to the side. My knuckles were white and my eyes were glued to the rearview mirror when not looking out the windshield.
After purchasing my '01 2500HD ext. cab 4X4, I have none of the aforementioned problems and I arrive at my destination in good spirits without my muscles tensed up and hands tired. Not only will you have to decide if the vehicle you have is up to the task of towing without maintenance problems in the near future but you must also decide if you have the stopping capability should some fool pull out in front of you or a couch fall off a pickup in the middle of the interstate. Both have happened to me and I sure am glad that I was driving a vehicle best suited to the job. I sure would hate to loose both my vehicle and a newly purchased treasure I have wanted for a long time.
Joe, I have a 454, and I love it. My previous truck was almost identical except it was 5.7 L and 3.73 gears. I have towed extesively in the hills of Pennsylvania, (just bumps in the road compared to out West!) and would not want to do it with a small block. Sure, your 6 litre will handle the trailer, but I would change to synthetic engine oil, and synthetic transmission fluid, to keep the transmission cooler.
__________________
CP 9 miles off Exit 399, I75.
2003 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A Ext. Cab
Propane Powered Honda EU2000i
Lots of Hot Sauce! Air # 283
Well, that is good advice which I appreciate. I seem to do things too spontaneously, rather than plan it out ahead of time. I first bought the trailer, only to determine that my fairly new 5.4L Expedition was too small. I traded an almost new Ford 150 for the 2003 GMC 2500HD, which handles like a dream in Georgia and environs. I didn't think I would be interested in towing the trailer very far from home, but now I have the bug to "go west" again. If I had thought this out, i would have bought the right truck first, and then found a trailer to fit it. On the other hand, if I had done it that way, I would have probably missed on the great trailer (and deal) we found. Go figure!
Joe
Quote:
Originally posted by Pick Joe, I have a 454, and I love it. My previous truck was almost identical except it was 5.7 L and 3.73 gears. I have towed extesively in the hills of Pennsylvania, (just bumps in the road compared to out West!) and would not want to do it with a small block. Sure, your 6 litre will handle the trailer, but I would change to synthetic engine oil, and synthetic transmission fluid, to keep the transmission cooler.
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