Towing with Toyota Sequoia? tongue weight concern

[jp_outdoors]

Hi - I'm new to this forum and new to Airstream. We just bought a 2020 27' Globetrotter. Now we're trying to get the right tow vehicle - for both the trailer and our family.

We really need an SUV (we have 4 kids plus me and my wife) and we've been researching the new Toyota Sequoia. I see lots of varying opinions online but my biggest concern is the tongue weight. It seems like the Sequoia might not be able to handle the tongue weight.

Any experience towing a 27' with a Toyota Sequoia?
Are there any SUVs that can pull a 27' Globetrotter...or do I need to leave 1 kid at home, haha

We'll do 2-3 day trips around the intermountain west.

[gypsydad]

Originally Posted by jp_outdoors

Hi - I'm new to this forum and new to Airstream. We just bought a 2020 27' Globetrotter. Now we're trying to get the right tow vehicle - for both the trailer and our family.

We really need an SUV (we have 4 kids plus me and my wife) and we've been researching the new Toyota Sequoia. I see lots of varying opinions online but my biggest concern is the tongue weight. It seems like the Sequoia might not be able to handle the tongue weight.

Any experience towing a 27' with a Toyota Sequoia?
Are there any SUVs that can pull a 27' Globetrotter...or do I need to leave 1 kid at home, haha

We'll do 2-3 day trips around the intermountain west.

Congratulations! And, your smart to get some advise on the TV. The Sequoia may indeed be over it's limits with a 27', with the family...you don't want to leave anyone behind, either! Others will chim in here....I have seen several folks who use a nice 3/4-1T passenger van to tow and haul their family and gear to tow their AS's. Heck, with 4 kids, we always used our van on trips while towing our Travel Trailer (early on) plus we packed in gear, bikes, and had extra pod on top for some gear. Comfortable and functional. I know the Sequoia is a nice vehicle and likely, some folks here will tell you to go for it and get your Sequoia "modified" after market and it can work, so prepare yourself!

[jeffb831]

Unfortunately, since the demise of the 3/4 ton Suburban and Excursion there isn't a SUV that is made that would be appropriate for both towing a trailer and hauling a full load of passengers. Most 1/2 ton SUVs are OK at towing a trailer OR loaded with full occupancy but not both.

When towing an Airstream with a 1/2 ton vehicle, payload is usually the limiting factor. Most 1/2 ton vehicles have a payload of 1500# to 1800# unless special heavy duty payload options and/or minimum accessories and options are ordered. Fully optioned with 4WD, higher trim levels may have a payload as low as 1200# to 1300#.

A quick search shows a published max payload of 1730# for a 2WD SR5 to 1410# for a 4WD 1794 edition.

Payload is the GVWR minus the curb/empty weight of the vehicle. Payload is used by aftermarket accessories, all occupants, pets, a Thule roof box, and cargo in the vehicle. The tongue weight of the trailer is considered "payload". For most fully loaded Airstreams 27', the tongue weight is usually in the 1000# range or more with a heavy weight distribution hitch, leaving only 500# to 800# for everything else.

You also need to consider the fact that AS trailers do not have a lot of storage for bulky items such as generators, grills, firepits, etc... so you will need to have enough capacity in the TV for those things.

The best answer it to check all the stickers on the door jam (white for GVWR and yellow for Payload) and verify the actual payload of the vehicle in question. Do not take the salesman's word or trust online sources - you need to verify the payload on the exact vehicle you will be buying.

eTrailer provides an excellent write up on the limits of trailer towing and how to determine if you've met all the various limits and what goes into each.

https://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-muc...an-I-tow.aspx?

[PB_NB]

My 3rd Gen Tundra Limited had a payload of 1,390 lbs. It was okay with the 22' sport using WDH (there is a limited tongue weight before a WDH was required, maybe 600 lbs.??). There wasn't an issue with the power but the payload was the biggest short coming and even with our little 22' Sport/Bambi we could feel it.

For many reasons we moved on from Toyota and now have too much truck for the little trailer but that's okay so long as we have a solid truck!

[SunchaserV]

As Gypsy Dad said, consider a passenger van. For grins I just priced out a 2025 GMC 3500 extended wheelbase for $58K. Likely $20-30K less than a Sequoia.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The tongue weight of any AS is going to be one number on the spec sheet, another number "as delivered empty" and yet a third number "fully loaded your way / ready to go". The *only* one that matters is that last one. Without some experience loading and seeing what you get, you likely have to guess.

Next up is the fact that you don't want to go *over* the tongue weight rating on the vehicle. Indeed, you want to stay under it by some amount, I'd suggest at least 20%, but that's up to you.

The tow vehicle will "see" the trailer plus the hitch plus the receiver as "weight back there". It doesn't care which heavy thing is which, it's bothered by all of them. Does that add another 200 pounds or some other number? It very much depends on what you buy.

Need a guess on the tongue loaded tongue weight? I'll toss out 1,200 pounds. Sure it's probably high. Still it's just a guess.

Next up is the *payload* number on your vehicle. If you have 4 folks with an average weight of (fill in a number here) that could come up anywhere from < 400 to > 800 pounds,. Again, very much specific to your situation.

There will be anywhere from 200 to who knows how much ( 2,000 is quite possible ....) pounds of "other stuff" in the vehicle. Again, very much specific to your case. Also *very* likely to be a surprise when you actually weigh it all. I have data on this

Payload is one number at sea level and some other number as you go up in altitude. Does it drop by 20% in Denver? How about in Vail? Different manufacturers have different approaches to this. Sorry about that ....

Having towed this or that with a van, yes it can be done. You *can* also go 20 MPH up that hill with the rest of traffic going 85 MPH. Not a lot of fun. The issue is that the drive train options on vans are not quite as "broad" as on a pickup truck. You will be hauling a lot of weight.

Next up is gross combined vehicle weight. That's the sum of everything. The trailer plus the tow vehicle and everything that is in them. In most cases this one isn't a big deal. Yes, it is with my van ...

Sounds like we've got it covered?

Nope.

There are ratings on each axle and those need to be "under the limit".

More concerning is the fact that simply being "under limit" does not in any way mean that a combo will be fun (or practical) to drive. There are an unfortunately large number of examples of this.

One answer is to "hot rod" a vehicle to improve how it functions. If you go this way, find a pro who has experience in this area. It is not something you want to just go do on a DIY basis.

Another answer is to go "full custom" for the tow vehicle. Again, you would want it done by somebody who's done it many times before.

Yet another answer is two vehicles. I spent a lot of time camping out this way. One parent driving this vehicle with some of the kids. The other parent driving that vehicle with the rest of the kids. It actually works better than you might think.

Fun !!

Bob

[ROBERT CROSS]

Never considered a Van TV but....


I would choose the shorter rear overhang.

Sweet Streams

Bob
🇺🇸

[JeffKim]

Wecome and congratulations!

You've brought up one of the more contentious topics on towing with an SUV and if you do a search you find many threads discussing this and a lot on towing vehicles in general.

We did not want to drive a truck around for the 95% of the time we are not camping. We tow our 25' with an Audi Q7 SUV setup with a WD hitch and have no issues in all sorts of terrains and weather. It's rated at 7,700 lbs capacity and 770lbs tongue weight. Our trailer is 7,200lbs GVWR. We had it set up at CanAm in London, Ontario. They are experts at towing Airstreams with SUVs. They are very approachable and could give you an opinion even if you don't use them. Andy Thomson is the authority, but I found there are many others there who are knowledgeable.

I know nothing about the Sequoia but it looks like it has similar towing specs as the Q7 (maybe a bit better). It seems like the issue will be seating and also payload as others have said. The Q7 has third row seating, but I'd be a little concerned about payload.

[waninae39]

we tow our Fc 25fb with a Q5 3L SUV
Andy at CANAMRV reinforced the TV.
he stated we could even tow a 27' or 28' As with no issues
we use 1000 lb WD and dual sway . we have never had any issue .

We did a 19,000 km, 3 month trip out west through the Rockies last year with no issue

give him a call and he can provide good guidance and suggestions

[Lensman]

I would absolutely check out the new redesigned 2025 Nissan Armada. I have been hearing really great reviews.

A quote from one of the auto magazines.

"It’s time to start paying attention as Nissan has launched the third-generation Armada. It’s a huge leap forward and one that easily outclasses rivals such as the Toyota Sequoia. The SUV is a much needed breath of fresh air and it’s surprisingly affordable for what it offers as pricing begins at $56,520."

[jcl]

I would be looking at the Expedition and the GM equivalents, Suburban or what have you. Agree with calling Andy at CanAm. They know what they are doing, and are generous with their time in my experience.

Travelling with a family of 6 often means more luggage, and when we camped with more kids (not all ours) we carried a tent as well. A van may make more sense, and there are van options available.

I would not plan for 1200 lbs of tongue weight, that would be over 15%. If you have that much tongue weight you have a trailer loading problem to overcome. Load should not be based solely on available cabinet space. Aim for 10% tongue weight, which is what the manufacturer's tow ratings are based on, and recognize that you may end up 1% or 2% over due to your loading practices.

POI, payload does not decrease at altitude (at least for a vehicle, not true for a plane). Performance may decrease, and some manufacturers with naturally aspirated engines publish reduced tow ratings to help manage customer expectations about speed up the hills when towing. I prefer turbocharged engines in the mountains.

Good luck.

[GammaDog]

Originally Posted by jp_outdoors

Hi - I'm new to this forum and new to Airstream. We just bought a 2020 27' Globetrotter. Now we're trying to get the right tow vehicle - for both the trailer and our family.

We really need an SUV (we have 4 kids plus me and my wife) and we've been researching the new Toyota Sequoia. I see lots of varying opinions online but my biggest concern is the tongue weight. It seems like the Sequoia might not be able to handle the tongue weight.

Any experience towing a 27' with a Toyota Sequoia?
Are there any SUVs that can pull a 27' Globetrotter...or do I need to leave 1 kid at home, haha

We'll do 2-3 day trips around the intermountain west.

Two time Tundra owner (2014 and 2020 5.7L V8s) who just contracted on a third (2025 iForce Max) yesterday. 50,000 miles towing our 2014 25’FB Eddie Bauer.

The Tundra and Sequoia are essentially the same vehicle.

In my experience (including several CAT scale sessions, various weight and modifications to the trailer) you will exceed the payload rating of your Sequoia long before tongue weight is exceeded. Your tongue weight limit is in the owners manual but is likely 920 pounds. The Gross weight limit is on the white sticker on the drivers door jamb. An ESTIMATE of the payload is on the tire rating sticker also on the drivers door jamb. It’s probably between 1,150 and 1,350 depending on year, trim and features.

What you describe probably exceeds your payload.

[jcl]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Never considered a Van TV but....


I would choose the shorter rear overhang.

Sweet Streams

Bob
����

Fully concur. The Ford van with extended overhand would not be a good choice. GM kept the rear overhang more reasonable.

If considering a van, I would look at the Transit. Available Ecoboost to maintain performance at altitude. Keep three rows of seats in the vehicle and have a large capacity storage area/trunk behind the third row. And available AWD.

[BoMan]

Originally Posted by jp_outdoors

Hi - I'm new to this forum and new to Airstream. We just bought a 2020 27' Globetrotter. Now we're trying to get the right tow vehicle - for both the trailer and our family.

We really need an SUV (we have 4 kids plus me and my wife) and we've been researching the new Toyota Sequoia. I see lots of varying opinions online but my biggest concern is the tongue weight. It seems like the Sequoia might not be able to handle the tongue weight.

Any experience towing a 27' with a Toyota Sequoia?
Are there any SUVs that can pull a 27' Globetrotter...or do I need to leave 1 kid at home, haha

We'll do 2-3 day trips around the intermountain west.

Hello JP Outdoors,
My wife and I purchased a 27' AS International Sterling in 2014 and I have pulled the trailer across the US of A multiple times. We have even pulled it to Florida and back multiple times. When we picked up our Airstream in Dallas Forth Worth to the present day, I have towed with my 2008 Toyota Sequoia and wouldn't trade if for anything else out there. My Sequoia has 311,000 miles on it and is still going strong. I cannot vouch for the 2024 Sequoias, but my brother-in-law(my wife's sister's husband) was so impressed by my Sequoia, he bought a 2016 Sequoia and tows his 25' International Sterling all over the country. My wife's brother, who has an Argosy, purchased a 2014 Sequoia as his tow vehicle. I have already told my wife that when my Sequoia starts showing signs of age, I will replace the motor before I will trade it in.
Now, I will admit, we have our family of dogs who travel with us, but we don't load the trailer with kid's toys and bikes and such. Weight distribution is a necessity. Oh, by the way: welcome to the AS community.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by jcl

Fully concur. The Ford van with extended overhand would not be a good choice. GM kept the rear overhang more reasonable.

If considering a van, I would look at the Transit. Available Ecoboost to maintain performance at altitude. Keep three rows of seats in the vehicle and have a large capacity storage area/trunk behind the third row. And available AWD.

There have been towing accidents that were attributed to the long overhang Ford Vans. All GM vans are simply long wheel base or short WB. Axle to rear bumper is the same on all of them.

Ford Transit can be very limited in towing capacity so you have to chose wisely.

2023 Ford Transit Towing Information

[greghoro]

The current 3rd generation Sequoia was radically changed starting with model year 2023 from the 2nd generation, which was in production from 2008 thru 2022 model years. So there may not be a large data set of Airstreamers who can comment on the model you are contemplating. Gone is the proven but thirsty 5.7L V8, replaced by a twin turbo 3.4L V6 hybrid and the rear axle is now solid as opposed to independent. However, the towing capacity has been raised from 7,400 to 9,300 lbs.

I have a second generation Sequoia with almost 200,000 miles (more than half of which towing our 25’ Flying Cloud) but if I was looking to replace it with a new current model SUV, I would start with a Jeep Wagoneer.




Greg

[Air Drew]

Hello,

I am currently towing a 2017 23D with a 2016 Sequoia Platinum. Determining the weight limits proved to be challenging due to a lack of readily available or published information. However, after speaking with Toyota USA, I was able to confirm the following weight requirements:

The combined weight of the vehicle and trailer must not exceed 13,500 lbs.
The weight of the vehicle’s occupants and luggage cannot exceed 1,265 lbs.
The trailer weight and cargo must not exceed 7,000 lbs.
For this reason, I opted for the 23D model rather than the 25 or 27 AS models. I would not recommend towing a 27 with a Sequoia.

[switz]

We tow our 2015 23D International Serenity that scales 6,200 pounds camping ready and has a Tongue weight with the ProPride hitch of 923 pounds with our 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser. It. is rated to tow a 8,000 pound trailer. We added rear coil spring air bags to stiffen the coils (does NOT increase load capability) and a 12.5 gallon auxiliary gasoline tank to compensate for the 12 mpg towing.

There are just the wife and me in the car along with computer bags a couple of light collapsing chairs with aluminum table and nibbles.

Numbers all work out for us. When we get to the destination and disconnect, we then have an extremely comfortable and able 8 passenger off road capable vehicle ready to tour the local area or go to see specific local attractions/restaurants. We set realistic speeds for the conditions and are willing to stay at 55 mph if necessary. It is a vacation after all.

Tongue………928
Front….1,280……1,246 - total front axle 2,526
Rear…..1,376……1,233 - total rear axle 2,609
Total Axles………5,135
Total Trailer….6,063

Since we acquired our factory new 2014 31' Classic that scales 9,200 pounds camping ready, we have always used our 2012 Ram 2500HD Cummins Diesel to tow. The tongue weight decreased from 1,400 pounds with the four GYM batteries on the tongue to 1,150 pounds with a 630 amp hour lithium battery under the sofa. The bed of the truck has all kinds of gear.

We never have other passengers in the truck when towing. The diesel has all the power to climb through mountains easily and the back pressure to keep the rig at a reduced speed on descents.

YMMV

[JJTX]

Originally Posted by jp_outdoors

Hi - I'm new to this forum and new to Airstream. We just bought a 2020 27' Globetrotter. Now we're trying to get the right tow vehicle - for both the trailer and our family.

You need a 2500 truck frame for that big trailer.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by JJTX

You need a 2500 truck frame for that big trailer.

Hi

If you are headed into the world of vans, that pretty quickly turns into a 350 / 3500 category vehicle.

Bob