It's great to see people taking this subject seriously. There is a lot at stake out on the highway and things can go wrong quickly if your stuff is out of spec. One thing I find frequently is that people forget to subtract their hitch weight from their payload. That can leave them several hundred pounds over payload without realizing it. I've also found that RV and tow vehicle salespeople don't tend to discuss payload. They instead focus on tow weight. Buyers can leave the dealership with vehicles that don't meet their needs and might be unsafe. Another good tip is that there is a sticker inside the driver's door frame that has tire information on it. This sticker also lists the vehicles payload weight.
Great information. I never knew towing could be such a technical endeavor. Being an engine by education i knew things things mattered but I had no idea that the implementation of these engineering principles were left up to owners. Over the road truckers are not a concern but those who own these types of vehicles are a true concern. What are the safeguards/laws in place that helps insure that people are taking the necessary steps, as you are, to ensure that their vehicles can be safely operated under these conditions. I assume these mandatory weigh-ins are a big part of it. Is pulling into the weigh stations voluntary? What happens if a vehicle does not go through the weigh scales. Again - thank you for the detailed video. Safe travels.
Thank you.! I'm looking to pulling a small trailer for camping with my rav4 as well. nothing big, just carrying kitchen stuff and supplies. is good to know It handles well.
I very much liked this video. I also liked Amanda's "Do not care" hat. :) Everyone has an opinion, here is mine. Do not get air bags for your Rav4. This would add more weight. Do, instead, tune the load equalization on your hitch. So we are waiting for delivery of a Basecamp 20. We will be towing it with a Highlander Hybrid, which has a 3500 lb tow rating. Will we be over? Absolutely. Maybe I should get a hat like Amanda's. In short, it is, 'go with what you have, and what you can get,' type of situation. We plan on staying out of the mountains, not worried about the uphill, I can follow the slowest truck. I do have great respect for the downhill. I will be tuning my hitch so that the squat, measured on a level surface at all for tow vehicle fenders, is the same. I will be using an Anderson Hitch for this setup. See how it goes, till the Hybrid Tundra comes out, then we may trade for one of those, and in the meantime, exploring land east of the Rockies. Thank you for explaining the different Rav4s. Our Hybrid Rav4 tow rating is 1500 lbs.
Thank you for the information and inspiration. I’m an even bigger newbie than you folks (don’t even own an Airstream 16, yet) so if anyone has a problem they can come to me.
Glad you guys are doing the research and getting right info. you will soon if not by now realize the most important lesson is that you will run out of payload before you use your total towing capacity.. In the case of your towing vehicle as great as Toyota are you should look up in the manual for your RAV 4 what the total weight are as GCWR. With a payload of 1050 you don't have much room because you tongue weight at max IE 525 leaves you with only 525 lb. on the vehicle. you are both very slender so i will guess 350 lb. for the both of you 175 lb. left of payload on the Rav 4. reduces the payload. so best put as much weight on the trailer and invest on a weight distribution to transfer the weight,.. bags are ok as long as they don't deflate... That is why i am trading my Lexus RX450H payload is only 910. I really wish trailer and car sales people were better trained in the subject 95% of them are not they hear but don't understand their customer. great lookin basecamp lookin to get one soon. safe travel...
@@worklaughplay 2022 F150 powerboost with max tow package. It has a 1479 payload contemplating a basecamp for my next purchase. Prices and interest are through the roof so on hold now with this economy and gas prices.
Great information on this very important topic! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience. We’ve joined your journey and look forward to following all your adventures. Safe Travels! -Jody & Chris
Hey guys! I went through what you guys are with a VW Touareg that has a controversial towing capacity of over 7000 lbs but a 8% max tongue capacity (from Europe standards). I have since sold both the trailer and the car and now have a Rav4 Hybrid. I was wondering if you had considered a weight distribution system. They can add weight to the tongue but will level the car considerably. The difficulty is to find a version that is lite enough to justify, they tend to have ratings that are way over what you are towing. Thanks for sharing!
Really helpful info as we're looking at getting a 16x and towing it w/a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk - rated at 4,500 lbs towing capacity (3.2L V6) - only thing still gnawing at me is that I live in CO and will be doing that exact mtn pass quite often I suspect...
I think we are better off towing with bigger heavier vehicles but the mpg's are kind of a bummer. I'm kind of considering the Atlas sport with the VR6 3.6L but the mpg's are so bad for everyday driving.
I am about to have a trailer hitch put on my 2023 Rav4 Hybrid. Toyota wants $1,600 to put on their original Toyota parts hitch. This hitch looks better and has more clearance then a add on hitch ($800) because it is notched into the bumper. Any thoughts?
Great job guys. Love what you all are doing. It's nice to see newbies experiencing things for the first time. Can't wait to see where Carmen goes next. We're in the Upper peninsula of Michigan if you ever need tips up here.
I'm enjoying your videos. We have a Basecamp 16x on order. Do you use a brake controller? I might have missed it, but did you consider a weight distribution hitch? Thanks.
I thought the max hitch weight was 350 pounds for that specific Rav4. You should get torsion bars instead of bags. You will actually move the weight forward with those.
Something to keep in mind, sometimes manufacturers advertise max tongue weight with weight distribution (meaning you need a distribution hitch). I’m not sure what you have and not familiar with the RAV4 tongue limits. My experience, towing is much easier with a distribution hitch and also track to your TV much better in case of emergency maneuvers. Thanks for the video.
@@waterlevelroute I have no idea what this means: cranking the shit out of...points. Could you please give a clear explanation? I would truly appreciate it, thanks. 😊
This was very helpful! I have a 2021 RV 4 adventure that I’m getting setup to tow a rpod 171 and the hardest thing I’m finding is getting the hitch, 7pin wiring and especially the brake controller all installed. Toyota dealership installed the oem hitch but it only has the 4 pin connector and no brake controller. Could you do a quick video on how you got the towing pieces installed on the RAV? Thank you!!!
Hi! We had to find a car shop that would install it for us. We shopped around for quote and had one installed. Toyota did not install for us either. Good luck and have fun!
@Troy Paradiso I just did mine myself. The most difficult part is routing the wiring into the cabin through the firewall, which it looks like the dealership already did. The only thing you're missing to go with 7-pin is a constant power and reverse lights. If you can deal without those, there are 4-pin adapters on amazon. Keep in mind, this means your car will not charge the RV while driving.
This has been SO helpful! I have the same vehicle and we bought it specifically to tow an Rpod 179 (2680 dry). This is very similar to your Airstream weight. I'm just curious how it held up over time. How many trips do you have with trailer now? Thanks so much, hope to hear from you!
We've been across the country twice and take in on a trip about once a month around the midwest. While it is still a great vehicle for what we're doing right now, we'd love to upgrade so we can bring more toys like kayaks and bikes.
Hey guys! I love your videos and awesome personalities!! I have a question for the experts. I am moving to Alaska and looking to pull a trailer that is comparable to what you have. Any thoughts on pulling a load like that 3700 miles over say, 6 days? Is 65 mph a good, reasonable speed? Thanks! Keep the videos coming and stay safe!
Have you had any issues with the transfer case groaning noise in your Rav? Apparently there's a recall for it, but some people are still having issues even after the recall.
Pretty sure you're significantly over limit on tongue weight which is usually no more than 10% of max capability which would be a 350lb limit in your case. 10-15% hitch weight is a rule of thumb for how to minimize sway not how much tongue weight the tow vehicle can handle.
I have a 2024 Rav4 gas awd, but also a 2500hd Duramax 6.6 diesel. The Rav4 is an "suv" but in reality it has a car drive train and is just a tall station wagon. It is intended to carry people and a luggage rack on a hitch. It is not a tow vehicle. The car is too light and has a short wheel base for any trailer. Keep in mind wind, hills, and an off balance load. Just google trailer accidents. Just use a tent or motels. It's a car, a tall station wagon. 2000 lbs is a luggage rack with a push mower on it.
Where are you getting 525 tongue weight limit on the rav4? I have gone through the manual and it does not actually list a tongue weight limit at all. Toyota does conform to the SAE J2807 towing standard which assumes are 10% tongue weight. Going by that we know the minimum would be 350lbs, but I have not seen a maximum listed anywhere officially.
Just found and enjoying your videos. So if not a Toyota RAV what would you reconsider now that you have been on the road. I’m new to the RV world and my wife really likes the Airstream 16. What vehicle would you now recommend? Thank you in advance!
We'd probably move up to the 4Runner or look at some of the Jeep Grand Cherokees with higher capacities. We might consider transitioning within the next year to give us a little more buffer.
The atlas sport is rated up to 5000 lbs towing with the V6. (VR6) Crappy mileage but no worse than a 4 runner. That particular engine is as reliable as a toyota by the way, I know people are fearful of VW. Mostly what the 4runner gets you is excellent offroad capabilities.
The Rav4 hybrid uses a CVT transmission and drops towing to 2000 lbs. Frankly putting much of a load on a CVT scares me Toyota at least has a real 1st gear for their CVT's.
Hi there. Question: How was towing in the mountains? I too, have an Adventure, and a camper loaded around 2,500lbs (16ft) and planning a trip to the rockies this summer (Canada) How was the Rav4 for climbs / descents? Did you tow in Sport (4) and contemplating the airlift setup like you have. Thanks for the insights.
I'm curious of how your trip ended, assuming you've already went. the rav sounds like it's working so hard without pulling anything in curious how it does carrying a load. also curious about your tounge weight for your trailer. online it says 160lbs. this video their claiming 10% of tow capacity.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m just curious, why did you go with the RAV4, and not with a little bigger, like the Subaru ascent (5000 lbs), the Honda passport (5000 lbs) or a Jeep Cherokee? Thanks again.
At the time, we had a single car garage and needed something that could fit in the garage but still do the job. This checked both boxes. While the RAV4 has never let us down, we would probably go with something a bit bigger if we were to do it all again.
The RAV4 is a great vehicle, but you guys are really pushing it to the max. You’ll probably be just fine, but it’s the emergency maneuver or urgent stop situations when a tow vehicle’s mass can be a lifesaver. When you go to trade, maybe go for a 4Runner, Highlander, or even a Tacoma next time.
I commented above, about using a Hybrid Highlander to tow a Basecamp 20x. If the hitch is properly tuned, and Rivet and Roll are using a Proportional Brake controller, they should be fine. 4Runner. That is a very popular choice, and seems to work well with may on UA-cam, and my sister and her husband, who are using a 4Runner TRD with their 19'. Highlander. We have one of those, as a Hybrid. We will knowingly be over. I sure do love those quiet Toyota Hybrids. Tacoma. 7600 lbs tow rating. But do the rear speakers work? The Tacoma seems to have issues, yet people seem to still love them. Waiting to see what Toyota presents us with when they offer the Hybrid Tundra. I hope they do not make the same mistakes that Ford seems to be making with their Hybrid 150, in that it seems when you put it in Tow/Haul mode, you loose alot of the benefits of the Hybrid system, as reflected in a very poor MPG. Like the generator on them though.
The RAV4 is great for towing a boat or utility trailer. Towing a travel trailer puts a lot more load on the vehicle. I’d rather tow a 4000 lb boat over a 3000 lb travel trailer. The extra wind resistance puts more stain on the vehicle. The Adventure model is rated for more tow capacity, but in really isn’t much different than a base model. It has a small oil cooler and slightly larger radiator. In reality the LE can tow just as much since it has smaller diameter tires and less weight.
@@chrisquinn869 yeah I have a Rav4 V6 with the towing package. The hitch weight limit is 350 lbs. I think their Rav4 is a 4 cylinder. I would be more comfortable towing something with a hitch weight
I am another data point towing at the max GVWR on an adventure. It was fine up until 6% or 7% grade when I started to slow down. Riding 2nd gear that hard while climbing a mountain for multiple hours made me nervous. But there were plenty of people pulling up to the gas station next to me with burning clutches while the rav4 was fine. Aside from power for the uphill, my only complaint is the shimmy from off-camber bumps during mountain road slaloms that made some prominent lateral movement while the rear axel rebounded that didn't feel great while driving. I think it's due to the short wheelbase.
Is it feasible to move more weight to the back of your Basecamp to decrease hitch weight and improve handling? Possibly a naïve question, but I'm still learning.
when you place weight behind the axel of a trailer it destabilizes it so whenever possible its best to keep weight forward of the rear axel or back of the trailer . Of course you have to keep in mind the tongue weight at the hitch so you do not overload .
One thing I guess I missed or you guys may not have touched on, is the gas mileage or average mpg on the trip while you guys are towing I'd love to know what the average is because I am in the process of purchasing one for towing a trailer camper also
The Highlander definitely has more capable models and I wouldn't recommend the RAV4 to most people but it fit for our specific needs. Obviously the cost is a consideration and we were buying the Basecamp and RAV4 at the same time. The other piece is that when we bought, we were living in the city. We wanted a vehicle that would do well with city driving, parallel parking, and our small garage while also still being able to serve as our tow vehicle.
That is something we considered. Since we are not that far off from ideal and the cost of the airbags is a little lower, we think that will be enough to do the job. If we were having more of an issue with it, we'd go with the weigh distribution hitch to correct the problem.
Is the tongue weight considered payload? Meaning if you have 1000 lbs payload capacity on your Rav4 and you put a trailer on with 400 lbs of tongue weight, can you still add 1000 lbs into Rav4 or are you now limited to 600 lbs?
Dang it! I have the forester wilderness 2022 and it states 3000 lb towing capacity and the Basecamp 16X is 3500 lbs. looks like I am going to need a bigger boat lol 🎃
55 miles is a good speed. I do believe that the owners manual says not to exceed 65 miles on a flat dry road. Good video. Subscribed 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Excellent presentation, very informative, helpful and articulates the concerns regarding towing.
This is a fantastic explanation of how towing weights work. I’m trying to figure out if I can do this with my Jeep & this is super helpful!
It's great to see people taking this subject seriously. There is a lot at stake out on the highway and things can go wrong quickly if your stuff is out of spec. One thing I find frequently is that people forget to subtract their hitch weight from their payload. That can leave them several hundred pounds over payload without realizing it.
I've also found that RV and tow vehicle salespeople don't tend to discuss payload. They instead focus on tow weight. Buyers can leave the dealership with vehicles that don't meet their needs and might be unsafe. Another good tip is that there is a sticker inside the driver's door frame that has tire information on it. This sticker also lists the vehicles payload weight.
Great information. I never knew towing could be such a technical endeavor. Being an engine by education i knew things things mattered but I had no idea that the implementation of these engineering principles were left up to owners. Over the road truckers are not a concern but those who own these types of vehicles are a true concern. What are the safeguards/laws in place that helps insure that people are taking the necessary steps, as you are, to ensure that their vehicles can be safely operated under these conditions. I assume these mandatory weigh-ins are a big part of it. Is pulling into the weigh stations voluntary? What happens if a vehicle does not go through the weigh scales. Again - thank you for the detailed video. Safe travels.
@@jlturn Yeah, the easy thing to do is just overkill. Have a pretty big cushion in all your numbers and don't worry about it so much.
I have the air bags and it made a really big difference. I also have an older RAV4 with a 6 cylinder. This improves the towing ability.
Air bags don’t prevent you from exceeding the rear axle rating.
Very cool! We bought an Adventure for this purpose but was always too hesitant to actually buy one and try, gives me some hope
I love it. by the numbers!!!!!!! travel and enjoy. can't believe you did this with all of the opinions out there. Cheers
Very helpful! Looking at towing my boat with the rav4 adventure!
So glad you guys are in Nm this is perfect information for what I’m to expect in Nm
Thank you.!
I'm looking to pulling a small trailer for camping with my rav4 as well. nothing big, just carrying kitchen stuff and supplies. is good to know It handles well.
I very much liked this video. I also liked Amanda's "Do not care" hat. :)
Everyone has an opinion, here is mine. Do not get air bags for your Rav4. This would add more weight. Do, instead, tune the load equalization on your hitch.
So we are waiting for delivery of a Basecamp 20. We will be towing it with a Highlander Hybrid, which has a 3500 lb tow rating. Will we be over? Absolutely. Maybe I should get a hat like Amanda's. In short, it is, 'go with what you have, and what you can get,' type of situation. We plan on staying out of the mountains, not worried about the uphill, I can follow the slowest truck. I do have great respect for the downhill. I will be tuning my hitch so that the squat, measured on a level surface at all for tow vehicle fenders, is the same. I will be using an Anderson Hitch for this setup. See how it goes, till the Hybrid Tundra comes out, then we may trade for one of those, and in the meantime, exploring land east of the Rockies.
Thank you for explaining the different Rav4s. Our Hybrid Rav4 tow rating is 1500 lbs.
Thank you for the information and inspiration. I’m an even bigger newbie than you folks (don’t even own an Airstream 16, yet) so if anyone has a problem they can come to me.
nice!
Found this topic very interesting. Looking forward to hearing about the air lift experience. I might need a similar solution.
Glad you guys are doing the research and getting right info. you will soon if not by now realize the most important lesson is that you will run out of payload before you use your total towing capacity.. In the case of your towing vehicle as great as Toyota are you should look up in the manual for your RAV 4 what the total weight are as GCWR. With a payload of 1050 you don't have much room because you tongue weight at max IE 525 leaves you with only 525 lb. on the vehicle. you are both very slender so i will guess 350 lb. for the both of you 175 lb. left of payload on the Rav 4. reduces the payload. so best put as much weight on the trailer and invest on a weight distribution to transfer the weight,.. bags are ok as long as they don't deflate... That is why i am trading my Lexus RX450H payload is only 910. I really wish trailer and car sales people were better trained in the subject 95% of them are not they hear but don't understand their customer. great lookin basecamp lookin to get one soon. safe travel...
If you don’t mind me asking… What did you get to replace your Lexus?
@@worklaughplay 2022 F150 powerboost with max tow package. It has a 1479 payload contemplating a basecamp for my next purchase. Prices and interest are through the roof so on hold now with this economy and gas prices.
Great information on this very important topic! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience. We’ve joined your journey and look forward to following all your adventures. Safe Travels! -Jody & Chris
thanks for the info and getting back to me, it was all really helpful
I recommend you look into a Chevy blazer or any other vehicle that can tow above 4500.
I appreciate 🙏 this video. Thanks you for the break down info.
Hey guys! I went through what you guys are with a VW Touareg that has a controversial towing capacity of over 7000 lbs but a 8% max tongue capacity (from Europe standards). I have since sold both the trailer and the car and now have a Rav4 Hybrid.
I was wondering if you had considered a weight distribution system. They can add weight to the tongue but will level the car considerably. The difficulty is to find a version that is lite enough to justify, they tend to have ratings that are way over what you are towing. Thanks for sharing!
in europe we tow with normal cars even 4 cylinders all the time
I know you don’t want to hear it so I won’t give my opinion. All I’ll say is stay safe out there. I wish you the best of luck 😬
Good information, y’all need to come through Alabama down to Orange Beach.
Great video lots of information. Have my order in for RAV4 Prime. Wondering what airbags did you end up purchasing? Thanks
Great information!! What backup camera are y’all using?
Really helpful info as we're looking at getting a 16x and towing it w/a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk - rated at 4,500 lbs towing capacity (3.2L V6) - only thing still gnawing at me is that I live in CO and will be doing that exact mtn pass quite often I suspect...
I think we are better off towing with bigger heavier vehicles but the mpg's are kind of a bummer. I'm kind of considering the Atlas sport with the VR6 3.6L but the mpg's are so bad for everyday driving.
Some things to remember.
Water weighs 8 lbs per gallon.
Gas weighs 6.2 lbs per gallon.
Good addition! We didn't call this out specifically but we were weighing with a full gas tank and tracking the amount of water we had on board.
I am about to have a trailer hitch put on my 2023 Rav4 Hybrid. Toyota wants $1,600 to put on their original Toyota parts hitch. This hitch looks better and has more clearance then a add on hitch ($800) because it is notched into the bumper. Any thoughts?
excellent video! well done!!
Great job guys. Love what you all are doing. It's nice to see newbies experiencing things for the first time. Can't wait to see where Carmen goes next. We're in the Upper peninsula of Michigan if you ever need tips up here.
Thanks so much! We were actually up there at the end of June. It is so beautiful so we will definitely be back up there at some point.
I'm enjoying your videos. We have a Basecamp 16x on order. Do you use a brake controller? I might have missed it, but did you consider a weight distribution hitch? Thanks.
I thought the max hitch weight was 350 pounds for that specific Rav4. You should get torsion bars instead of bags. You will actually move the weight forward with those.
Something to keep in mind, sometimes manufacturers advertise max tongue weight with weight distribution (meaning you need a distribution hitch). I’m not sure what you have and not familiar with the RAV4 tongue limits. My experience, towing is much easier with a distribution hitch and also track to your TV much better in case of emergency maneuvers. Thanks for the video.
@@waterlevelroute I have no idea what this means: cranking the shit out of...points. Could you please give a clear explanation? I would truly appreciate it, thanks. 😊
This was very helpful! I have a 2021 RV 4 adventure that I’m getting setup to tow a rpod 171 and the hardest thing I’m finding is getting the hitch, 7pin wiring and especially the brake controller all installed. Toyota dealership installed the oem hitch but it only has the 4 pin connector and no brake controller. Could you do a quick video on how you got the towing pieces installed on the RAV? Thank you!!!
Hi! We had to find a car shop that would install it for us. We shopped around for quote and had one installed. Toyota did not install for us either. Good luck and have fun!
@@aaronandamanda thanks 🙏
@Troy Paradiso I just did mine myself. The most difficult part is routing the wiring into the cabin through the firewall, which it looks like the dealership already did. The only thing you're missing to go with 7-pin is a constant power and reverse lights. If you can deal without those, there are 4-pin adapters on amazon. Keep in mind, this means your car will not charge the RV while driving.
This has been SO helpful! I have the same vehicle and we bought it specifically to tow an Rpod 179 (2680 dry). This is very similar to your Airstream weight. I'm just curious how it held up over time. How many trips do you have with trailer now? Thanks so much, hope to hear from you!
We've been across the country twice and take in on a trip about once a month around the midwest. While it is still a great vehicle for what we're doing right now, we'd love to upgrade so we can bring more toys like kayaks and bikes.
I love your Chicago t shirt.
Thank you! It was a shirt from one of the triathlons that I did!
Helpful. We've got a basecamp 20x set to arrive next month and are going to try to tow it with a Highlander.
That is so exciting! Hope everything goes smoothly!
My wife has a Highlander but is looking for another TV to tow the 20x
@@jimmyolivares9856 The 20x is probably out of weight range for the Rav4 Adventure. Be sure to look into it. Have fun with the 20x. :)
Hi, 3,5k tow capacity? , Current Prime models have 2,5k , are you sure that number is correct?
Yes, the Adventure is the only RAV4 trim level with 3,500
Hey guys! I love your videos and awesome personalities!! I have a question for the experts. I am moving to Alaska and looking to pull a trailer that is comparable to what you have. Any thoughts on pulling a load like that 3700 miles over say, 6 days? Is 65 mph a good, reasonable speed? Thanks! Keep the videos coming and stay safe!
You might want want a 4runner.
Have you had any issues with the transfer case groaning noise in your Rav? Apparently there's a recall for it, but some people are still having issues even after the recall.
Pretty sure you're significantly over limit on tongue weight which is usually no more than 10% of max capability which would be a 350lb limit in your case. 10-15% hitch weight is a rule of thumb for how to minimize sway not how much tongue weight the tow vehicle can handle.
A mother in law riding in the back seat will exceed the hauling weight of any vehicle but I’m sure it’s still safe
RAV4 adventure tows 3500. Still over?
@@pahanin2480why is this so funny to me. 😢😂😂😂😂😂
I have a 2024 Rav4 gas awd, but also a 2500hd Duramax 6.6 diesel. The Rav4 is an "suv" but in reality it has a car drive train and is just a tall station wagon. It is intended to carry people and a luggage rack on a hitch. It is not a tow vehicle. The car is too light and has a short wheel base for any trailer. Keep in mind wind, hills, and an off balance load. Just google trailer accidents. Just use a tent or motels. It's a car, a tall station wagon. 2000 lbs is a luggage rack with a push mower on it.
Did you have factory hitch? And what break controller did you use
Where are you getting 525 tongue weight limit on the rav4? I have gone through the manual and it does not actually list a tongue weight limit at all. Toyota does conform to the SAE J2807 towing standard which assumes are 10% tongue weight. Going by that we know the minimum would be 350lbs, but I have not seen a maximum listed anywhere officially.
Just found and enjoying your videos. So if not a Toyota RAV what would you reconsider now that you have been on the road.
I’m new to the RV world and my wife really likes the Airstream 16. What vehicle would you now recommend? Thank you in advance!
We'd probably move up to the 4Runner or look at some of the Jeep Grand Cherokees with higher capacities. We might consider transitioning within the next year to give us a little more buffer.
The atlas sport is rated up to 5000 lbs towing with the V6. (VR6) Crappy mileage but no worse than a 4 runner. That particular engine is as reliable as a toyota by the way, I know people are fearful of VW. Mostly what the 4runner gets you is excellent offroad capabilities.
Don’t understand where you got these numbers from ? They sound closer to the 4 runner numbers That don’t sound correct
I'm always wondering what can compact suv do. Try hybrid of every brand with the same test
The Rav4 hybrid uses a CVT transmission and drops towing to 2000 lbs. Frankly putting much of a load on a CVT scares me Toyota at least has a real 1st gear for their CVT's.
Hi there. Question: How was towing in the mountains? I too, have an Adventure, and a camper loaded around 2,500lbs (16ft) and planning a trip to the rockies this summer (Canada) How was the Rav4 for climbs / descents? Did you tow in Sport (4) and contemplating the airlift setup like you have. Thanks for the insights.
I'm curious of how your trip ended, assuming you've already went. the rav sounds like it's working so hard without pulling anything in curious how it does carrying a load. also curious about your tounge weight for your trailer. online it says 160lbs. this video their claiming 10% of tow capacity.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m just curious, why did you go with the RAV4, and not with a little bigger, like the Subaru ascent (5000 lbs), the Honda passport (5000 lbs) or a Jeep Cherokee? Thanks again.
At the time, we had a single car garage and needed something that could fit in the garage but still do the job. This checked both boxes. While the RAV4 has never let us down, we would probably go with something a bit bigger if we were to do it all again.
@@aaronandamanda Enjoy your journey and be safe out there!
The RAV4 is a great vehicle, but you guys are really pushing it to the max. You’ll probably be just fine, but it’s the emergency maneuver or urgent stop situations when a tow vehicle’s mass can be a lifesaver. When you go to trade, maybe go for a 4Runner, Highlander, or even a Tacoma next time.
They are dangerously over the Adventure's 350lbs hitch weight limit.
I commented above, about using a Hybrid Highlander to tow a Basecamp 20x. If the hitch is properly tuned, and Rivet and Roll are using a Proportional Brake controller, they should be fine.
4Runner. That is a very popular choice, and seems to work well with may on UA-cam, and my sister and her husband, who are using a 4Runner TRD with their 19'.
Highlander. We have one of those, as a Hybrid. We will knowingly be over. I sure do love those quiet Toyota Hybrids.
Tacoma. 7600 lbs tow rating. But do the rear speakers work? The Tacoma seems to have issues, yet people seem to still love them.
Waiting to see what Toyota presents us with when they offer the Hybrid Tundra. I hope they do not make the same mistakes that Ford seems to be making with their Hybrid 150, in that it seems when you put it in Tow/Haul mode, you loose alot of the benefits of the Hybrid system, as reflected in a very poor MPG. Like the generator on them though.
The RAV4 is great for towing a boat or utility trailer. Towing a travel trailer puts a lot more load on the vehicle. I’d rather tow a 4000 lb boat over a 3000 lb travel trailer. The extra wind resistance puts more stain on the vehicle. The Adventure model is rated for more tow capacity, but in really isn’t much different than a base model. It has a small oil cooler and slightly larger radiator. In reality the LE can tow just as much since it has smaller diameter tires and less weight.
@@chrisquinn869 yeah I have a Rav4 V6 with the towing package. The hitch weight limit is 350 lbs. I think their Rav4 is a 4 cylinder. I would be more comfortable towing something with a hitch weight
I am another data point towing at the max GVWR on an adventure. It was fine up until 6% or 7% grade when I started to slow down. Riding 2nd gear that hard while climbing a mountain for multiple hours made me nervous. But there were plenty of people pulling up to the gas station next to me with burning clutches while the rav4 was fine.
Aside from power for the uphill, my only complaint is the shimmy from off-camber bumps during mountain road slaloms that made some prominent lateral movement while the rear axel rebounded that didn't feel great while driving. I think it's due to the short wheelbase.
Where did you get the 525 lb tongue weight rating from.... I can only find 3xxlb or lower which puts you into the danger zone no matter what you do
They are using 15% of towing capacity
Is it feasible to move more weight to the back of your Basecamp to decrease hitch weight and improve handling? Possibly a naïve question, but I'm still learning.
when you place weight behind the axel of a trailer it destabilizes it so whenever possible its best to keep weight forward of the rear axel or back of the trailer . Of course you have to keep in mind the tongue weight at the hitch so you do not overload .
One thing I guess I missed or you guys may not have touched on, is the gas mileage or average mpg on the trip while you guys are towing I'd love to know what the average is because I am in the process of purchasing one for towing a trailer camper also
We usually get between 16-18mpg whole towing and 28-30 when not towing. This highly impacted by wind and driving speed.
Why not just get a highlander? The mpg would be close while towing. Or even a hybrid Highlander... Then you wouldn't be tipping the scales of capacity
The Highlander definitely has more capable models and I wouldn't recommend the RAV4 to most people but it fit for our specific needs. Obviously the cost is a consideration and we were buying the Basecamp and RAV4 at the same time. The other piece is that when we bought, we were living in the city. We wanted a vehicle that would do well with city driving, parallel parking, and our small garage while also still being able to serve as our tow vehicle.
Why did you decide on the airbags instead of a load balancing/anti-sway hitch?
That is something we considered. Since we are not that far off from ideal and the cost of the airbags is a little lower, we think that will be enough to do the job. If we were having more of an issue with it, we'd go with the weigh distribution hitch to correct the problem.
@@aaronandamanda gotcha! I’m looking forward to hearing about the results.
Which model Toyota RAV4 do you have and did it have the hitch already?
We have the Adventure model. It did have a tow hitch receiver but we bought the actual hitch ball at our local U-Haul.
Is the tongue weight considered payload? Meaning if you have 1000 lbs payload capacity on your Rav4 and you put a trailer on with 400 lbs of tongue weight, can you still add 1000 lbs into Rav4 or are you now limited to 600 lbs?
Yes, the tongue weight is part of your overall payload
What year is you rav4 ?
It’s a 2021 model that we took delivery of in December 2020
Air bags do not increase tow rating or payload.
your not a jerk!!!!!
Dang it! I have the forester wilderness 2022 and it states 3000 lb towing capacity and the Basecamp 16X is 3500 lbs. looks like I am going to need a bigger boat lol 🎃
This is so complicated 😅