Ordered a 2021 Tundra Platinum in June of 21 received it in August. I wanted the last of the good Tundras made. I pull a 2020 23BHE Grand Design Imagine XLS with my Tundra it has a 500 lb tongue weight and max of just under 7,000. My truck pulls it very comfortably.
Shane, I like to hear your news. I upgraded from a 2015 V6 Tundra to a '21 V8 in expectation of buying an RV now that we are retired. We have been looking at a GD Imagine 22 MLE (#5140 DW, 490 Hitch 26' 2" length), but the other half saw the 23 LDE (#5450 DW, 524 Hitch 28'1" length). Both of these trailers max out at 6995 gross. She and I (to be honest) fell for this trailer. I have been following KEvRevs for almost a year and enjoy his in depth information for the Tundra. I believe I can take on the 23 LDE given that I have about 100 lbs more PL than KEv Tundra. It is just my wife and I plus one 50lb dog. My only concern is that the '21 does not have the Aux cooler though two Toyota mechanics and another Master mechanic tell me that it should not give me a problem unless I abuse the use while under weight. What do you both think? I appreciate any help.
Agreed. I had a '16 Tundra and now '21 Tundra with a Lance 2375. I've found the sweet spot for tongue weight is 12% to 13%. Also combined with a good WDH that has sway control. I use the Equalizer E4 hitch. Also added TRD rear sway bar and Roadmaster Active suspension. keeps things tight. I've also added the auxiliary tranny cooler.
Max. Tow Capacity Simple You only need to take empty truck to scale with trailer connected and weigh together. Then pull trailer tongue off scale and weigh just weight over axles of trailer. This gives tongue weight when subtract first total weight from weight of just trailer axles on scales only, tongue off scale weight. Your truck empty weight will be with no one in drivers seat and low fuel. Empty truck. Sticker on door post gives empty weight
How do you add tongue weight twice into trailer? At 2:30 you say trailer erighs 4900$ and now add tongue 580#. Tongue is part of trailer weight. But over axles only weight of trailer will be a lower number. But towing you need whole trailer weight only to figure towing weight being reached for weight limit towing
Seems to all make sense. Have you considered transferring a tad more weight to the front of your truck with the Airstream? your numbers show that you are losing nearly 300# off the front axle with it attached. I like to get my front axle weight with the trailer attached pretty much back to where it was with just the loaded truck and no trailer. Seems to handle excellent this way, and keeps both my truck axles under max load, and also keeps my tongue weight 50-100lbs under the F150 max tongue weight, and gives me a tongue weight to total trailer weight ratio of just a tad under 15%. (6600 lbs on my trailer axles, and the remaining 1150 or so on the truck for total trailer weight in the 7750 range---this varies a bit depending on the holding tanks and which ones may be loaded, partially loaded or empty) It also turns out that the total weight on the truck keeps me just under the truck GVWR as well. Everything seems to just fit and the combo tows great.
I have thought about that and the dilemma with the Airstream is how low it sits. Not enough room to get WDH arms at the desired Angle. I am having a lift put on the trailer and this should allow more shift to the the tow vehicle to get more weight on the front end, and I need it to make the lifted vehicle stable. However, despite the 300 lb loss, it does restore the front fender height.
@@kedrevs4037 hmmm yes I can see that being an issue. Airstreams without a lift kit do sit low....good for fuel economy and stability due to low CoG, but bad for clearance issues. Any chance of changing the tilt of your hitch by adding a washer or two. This might allow you to get the bars in place at the desired angle. With my heavy tongue weight I have quite a bit of tilt on my hitch ball in order to transfer all the weight I want to transfer forward and still end up with bars that are more or less parallel to the tongue of the trailer and frame. In theory this 'extra' tilt also helps keep the trailer on a straight line. However if your handling while towing is fine, and neither axle nor hitch is overloaded then transferring more weight forward may not be needed anyway. As always, safe travels.......
I drive a 2004 Chevy Aveo, I have never towed before and looking to buy a runaway camper coolcamp 4x8. My car says the towing capacity is 1000lbs, am I good to go?
I have a 20 TRD pro with airbags, a rear sway bar and a supercharger. I’m interested in a 28’ toy hauler that has a gross weight of 8500 lbs. well within the towing limit albeit on the high side. The problem is the empty tongue weight is 1,100lbs. 120lbs over the trucks limit. My question is how much tongue weight will I loose with a 2,000 SXS in the back? I don’t know the number but my hunt h is it would lower it past my trucks 980lb limit. With all the mods I’ve done I’m sure 1,100 would be safe for a short slow tow of a few miles but it really would render the trailer only usable with a heavy toy in the back. Very frustrating.
Advice needed please. looking at a 2021 tundra front axle 4k, rear axle 4,150 and payload 1385lbs. Would this tundra do well towing a 5,200 lb dry weight rv with a 600 lb tongue wt? thanks!
It will do great. The only thing that I would consider is looking into an aftermarket auxiliary trans cooler if you plan on towing regularly up and down a lot of hills. But a lot of people are comfortable with out it. You will love it.
Thank you. No amount of airbags, sway bars or HD blinker fluid overcomes the fact that 1/2 tons are limited. Too many folks look only at "towing capacity" as the sole metric.
This doesn't seem simple. A new 23 foot Airstream Cloud runs $71K starting. You couldn't purchase a $200 tongue weight scale from eTrailer? You're already $70K+ into RVing, not to mention the extra $1500 or more for every accessory you need. So why the CAT scale? You're adding additional costs in the long-term that's entirely unnecessary. I don't see the simplicity.
Nothing wrong with a tongue weight, bu the CAT scale tells me what's on each axle, tongue weight scale won't and it won't work properly with WDH, so really not much use for me.
@kedrevs4037 A tongue scale has no relation to a WDH. All the WDH does is what the name implies: distributes weight, specifically, off the rear axle of the TV towards the trailer axle(s) and TV front axle. The scale is intended to measure if you're within the sweet spot of 10-15% of your loaded weight, that's it. If you're having to go to a CAT scale to get precise axle loads, then you're doing it wrong. You're not towing some 15K lbs trailer. You're towing what any modern V6 or larger engine-transmission configuration is intended to do on a truck platform. If you're within the cargo capacity of the trailer and your TV, your weights should already be loaded evenly L to R. Otherwise, you're doing it wrong and overloading one axle over another (Class C's and Class A's are notorious for poor axle distribution). To advocate for CAT scales shows a novice understanding of towing principles for single and double axle TTs and the need to paying attention to load distribution. Hell, even the military transporters don't go to the CAT Scales. Why not? Because logic dictates it's unnecessary when you understanding the actual stickers on your TV and trailer and the weight of each loaded object AND where you intend to place it. It's a basic numbers game that doesn't require the need for a visit to a semi-trucking facility with CAT Scales, and whoever taught anyone this clearly doesn't understand first principles in towing objects under 12K lbs. The simple solution is quite simpler: know your max CCC; know the weight of every object you place inside; distribution that weight evenly F to B, L to R; and once fully loaded, get the tongue weight and adjust forward and aft accordingly to fall the TW to about 12%. If your truck can tow the loaded trailer weight, can carry the tongue load without failure approach, and doesn't overtax TV payload, then you shouldn't have a problem because your axles are already evenly distributed and under their max capacity to carry (because you kept the CCC in mind). Your introducing more cost to your viewers than what's necessary by advocating to go to the CAT Scale intended for fifth wheels and semis. You're towing a travel trailer, not a 41' Coast Guard vessel for God's sake.
It beats not towing. Am I right or am I right. As bad as our heavy dinosaur Guzzlers are, they are far "greener" than any new battery powered vehicle. If someone really cares about the environmentt, and bothers to educate themselves, they know that keeping this gas guzzling truck purring for 20 years and 500,000 miles is way "Greener" than the 5 Teslas or 7 Rivians you'll go through over that same time.
I thought you said you had a simpler way to figure this out???
The formula at the end is simple, the way I arrived, not so much
I'm now more confused 🤔
Ordered a 2021 Tundra Platinum in June of 21 received it in August. I wanted the last of the good Tundras made. I pull a 2020 23BHE Grand Design Imagine XLS with my Tundra it has a 500 lb tongue weight and max of just under 7,000. My truck pulls it very comfortably.
Shane, I like to hear your news. I upgraded from a 2015 V6 Tundra to a '21 V8 in expectation of buying an RV now that we are retired. We have been looking at a GD Imagine 22 MLE (#5140 DW, 490 Hitch 26' 2" length), but the other half saw the 23 LDE (#5450 DW, 524 Hitch 28'1" length). Both of these trailers max out at 6995 gross. She and I (to be honest) fell for this trailer. I have been following KEvRevs for almost a year and enjoy his in depth information for the Tundra. I believe I can take on the 23 LDE given that I have about 100 lbs more PL than KEv Tundra. It is just my wife and I plus one 50lb dog. My only concern is that the '21 does not have the Aux cooler though two Toyota mechanics and another Master mechanic tell me that it should not give me a problem unless I abuse the use while under weight. What do you both think? I appreciate any help.
Agreed. I had a '16 Tundra and now '21 Tundra with a Lance 2375. I've found the sweet spot for tongue weight is 12% to 13%. Also combined with a good WDH that has sway control. I use the Equalizer E4 hitch. Also added TRD rear sway bar and Roadmaster Active suspension. keeps things tight. I've also added the auxiliary tranny cooler.
Great setup right there.
Max. Tow Capacity Simple
You only need to take empty truck to scale with trailer connected and weigh together.
Then pull trailer tongue off scale and weigh just weight over axles of trailer.
This gives tongue weight when subtract first total weight from weight of just trailer axles on scales only, tongue off scale weight.
Your truck empty weight will be with no one in drivers seat and low fuel. Empty truck. Sticker on door post gives empty weight
Cant see curb weight sticker, camera up in clouds if you didnt notice
How do you add tongue weight twice into trailer?
At 2:30 you say trailer erighs 4900$ and now add tongue 580#. Tongue is part of trailer weight. But over axles only weight of trailer will be a lower number. But towing you need whole trailer weight only to figure towing weight being reached for weight limit towing
Great video!
This why you buy a truck with a 2k lb pay load! Makes it simple!
I agree, but 3/4 ton doesn't serve my purpose
Seems to all make sense. Have you considered transferring a tad more weight to the front of your truck with the Airstream? your numbers show that you are losing nearly 300# off the front axle with it attached. I like to get my front axle weight with the trailer attached pretty much back to where it was with just the loaded truck and no trailer. Seems to handle excellent this way, and keeps both my truck axles under max load, and also keeps my tongue weight 50-100lbs under the F150 max tongue weight, and gives me a tongue weight to total trailer weight ratio of just a tad under 15%. (6600 lbs on my trailer axles, and the remaining 1150 or so on the truck for total trailer weight in the 7750 range---this varies a bit depending on the holding tanks and which ones may be loaded, partially loaded or empty) It also turns out that the total weight on the truck keeps me just under the truck GVWR as well. Everything seems to just fit and the combo tows great.
I have thought about that and the dilemma with the Airstream is how low it sits. Not enough room to get WDH arms at the desired Angle. I am having a lift put on the trailer and this should allow more shift to the the tow vehicle to get more weight on the front end, and I need it to make the lifted vehicle stable. However, despite the 300 lb loss, it does restore the front fender height.
@@kedrevs4037 hmmm yes I can see that being an issue. Airstreams without a lift kit do sit low....good for fuel economy and stability due to low CoG, but bad for clearance issues. Any chance of changing the tilt of your hitch by adding a washer or two. This might allow you to get the bars in place at the desired angle. With my heavy tongue weight I have quite a bit of tilt on my hitch ball in order to transfer all the weight I want to transfer forward and still end up with bars that are more or less parallel to the tongue of the trailer and frame. In theory this 'extra' tilt also helps keep the trailer on a straight line. However if your handling while towing is fine, and neither axle nor hitch is overloaded then transferring more weight forward may not be needed anyway. As always, safe travels.......
I drive a 2004 Chevy Aveo, I have never towed before and looking to buy a runaway camper coolcamp 4x8. My car says the towing capacity is 1000lbs, am I good to go?
I would check out Andy Thomson's towing recommendations
I have a 20 TRD pro with airbags, a rear sway bar and a supercharger. I’m interested in a 28’ toy hauler that has a gross weight of 8500 lbs. well within the towing limit albeit on the high side. The problem is the empty tongue weight is 1,100lbs. 120lbs over the trucks limit. My question is how much tongue weight will I loose with a 2,000 SXS in the back? I don’t know the number but my hunt h is it would lower it past my trucks 980lb limit. With all the mods I’ve done I’m sure 1,100 would be safe for a short slow tow of a few miles but it really would render the trailer only usable with a heavy toy in the back. Very frustrating.
I don't know how much tongue weight you'd lose, but I'd definitely take it through CAT scale until I was satisfied that I was safe and balanced
You're dangerously over taxing your Nissan. No amount of airbags, sway bars or other add ons will overcome the math.
Advice needed please. looking at a 2021 tundra front axle 4k, rear axle 4,150 and payload 1385lbs. Would this tundra do well towing a 5,200 lb dry weight rv with a 600 lb tongue wt? thanks!
It will do great. The only thing that I would consider is looking into an aftermarket auxiliary trans cooler if you plan on towing regularly up and down a lot of hills. But a lot of people are comfortable with out it. You will love it.
Awesome. I appreciate your response and your videos. Thank you!
Just buy a 3/4 or one ton and be done with it.
Thank you. No amount of airbags, sway bars or HD blinker fluid overcomes the fact that 1/2 tons are limited. Too many folks look only at "towing capacity" as the sole metric.
It’s just that simple 😂
Alot of folks can’t just go buy a new truck over a few hundred lbs.
@@MoonRambo702 a lot can and do.
@kec2528 send me a check and I’ll get a new 3/4 ton truck. Not everyone can do that, especially in today’s economy.
@@Rowboat_captain go ask your mom for the money. Lots of people can afford new trucks.
I think if you are over payload, then you are wrong. You are towing over the gross vehicle weight rating.
I won't argue with you, just ask a question. What about going 37 mph in a 35?
In other words, if it's got 4 doors, it's less than a half ton truck and more like a quarter ton truck.
Hmmm, not getting your point
@@kedrevs4037The more passengers you carry the less payload you can carry in the bed.
You were confusing. Shouldn't it be trailer gross weight + hitch + vehicle+cargo+hitch= total towing
Sorry if it was confusing. Think I had formula written the way that I intended
"Remove 500lbs... Going by myself without my wife"... LMAO... Was that intentional?
Haha no, iIdidn't catch that. But I assure you my wife is very attractive.
This doesn't seem simple. A new 23 foot Airstream Cloud runs $71K starting. You couldn't purchase a $200 tongue weight scale from eTrailer? You're already $70K+ into RVing, not to mention the extra $1500 or more for every accessory you need. So why the CAT scale? You're adding additional costs in the long-term that's entirely unnecessary. I don't see the simplicity.
Nothing wrong with a tongue weight, bu the CAT scale tells me what's on each axle, tongue weight scale won't and it won't work properly with WDH, so really not much use for me.
@kedrevs4037 A tongue scale has no relation to a WDH. All the WDH does is what the name implies: distributes weight, specifically, off the rear axle of the TV towards the trailer axle(s) and TV front axle. The scale is intended to measure if you're within the sweet spot of 10-15% of your loaded weight, that's it. If you're having to go to a CAT scale to get precise axle loads, then you're doing it wrong. You're not towing some 15K lbs trailer. You're towing what any modern V6 or larger engine-transmission configuration is intended to do on a truck platform. If you're within the cargo capacity of the trailer and your TV, your weights should already be loaded evenly L to R. Otherwise, you're doing it wrong and overloading one axle over another (Class C's and Class A's are notorious for poor axle distribution). To advocate for CAT scales shows a novice understanding of towing principles for single and double axle TTs and the need to paying attention to load distribution. Hell, even the military transporters don't go to the CAT Scales. Why not? Because logic dictates it's unnecessary when you understanding the actual stickers on your TV and trailer and the weight of each loaded object AND where you intend to place it. It's a basic numbers game that doesn't require the need for a visit to a semi-trucking facility with CAT Scales, and whoever taught anyone this clearly doesn't understand first principles in towing objects under 12K lbs. The simple solution is quite simpler: know your max CCC; know the weight of every object you place inside; distribution that weight evenly F to B, L to R; and once fully loaded, get the tongue weight and adjust forward and aft accordingly to fall the TW to about 12%. If your truck can tow the loaded trailer weight, can carry the tongue load without failure approach, and doesn't overtax TV payload, then you shouldn't have a problem because your axles are already evenly distributed and under their max capacity to carry (because you kept the CCC in mind). Your introducing more cost to your viewers than what's necessary by advocating to go to the CAT Scale intended for fifth wheels and semis. You're towing a travel trailer, not a 41' Coast Guard vessel for God's sake.
Huh
Look at that GAS GUZZLER! (I own one and tow)
It beats not towing. Am I right or am I right.
As bad as our heavy dinosaur Guzzlers are, they are far "greener" than any new battery powered vehicle. If someone really cares about the environmentt, and bothers to educate themselves, they know that keeping this gas guzzling truck purring for 20 years and 500,000 miles is way "Greener" than the 5 Teslas or 7 Rivians you'll go through over that same time.