A little help with towing capacity (1 Viewer)

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Hi, I currently have a pop up camper. We are thinking of moving up to a larger camper, while maybe keeping our 2000 Land Cruiser.

I am not fully understanding all the tow ratings and the implications. It seems that the pop up camper already puts a strain on the vehicle. The back end sags quite a bit more than I would like, and of course when I put more gear in the back of the land cruiser then it really is sagging. Not horribly, but noticeable for sure. It does not tow unsafely, but still bugs me.

So, as I am shopping for a newer, larger camper what is the largest I could get while safely towing it? And as for that sagging...could I just get a better, sturdier set of shocks? (note: last set of shocks are OEM, and quite "cushy").

Your help is greatly appreciated.

INFO from cars.com:

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
6,860 lbs. GVWR

Curb Weight
5,115 lbs. curb weight

Payload
1,745 lbs. payload

Max Trailer Weight
6,500 lbs. towing capacity
 
Normally springs are what provides additional lift/weight support. You could also consider adding Airlift bags to the rear coils to bridge the support/lift gap when the trailer is in tow. Everything comes with a compromise...you just have to determine what compromises you can live with if the loads vary significantly.

Fortunately with the right tools coil springs can be swapped in about 30-minutes once you do it a few times ;)

Towing weight: Everyone here seems to have widely varying tow weight tolerances behind their 100. Some guys report 6,000lb trailer set-ups not being a problem. While others, me included, found 2,500-3,000lb trailer weights to be slow going especially on climbs and above 3-4000' elevation. Keep in mind my base rig is already well north of 7,000lbs. And 35" tires make a difference too...negatively especially when climbing with trailer at elevation.

Certainly whether you have a '98-'02, '03-'05 or '06-'07 will influence the effect of how the additional load is dealt with from a power perspective.
 
Towing weight: Everyone here seems to have widely varying tow weight tolerances behind their 100. Some guys report 6,000lb trailer set-ups not being a problem. While others, me included, found 2,500-3,000lb trailer weights to be slow going especially on climbs and above 3-4000' elevation. Keep in mind my base rig is already well north of 7,000lbs. And 35" tires make a difference too...negatively especially when climbing with trailer at elevation.

Certainly whether you have a '98-'02, '03-'05 or '06-'07 will influence the effect of how the additional load is dealt with from a power perspective.

The biggest load I've pulled was a two-axle utility trailer full of demo'd building material. It was definitely a pig in an un-geared 2000 with 35s. Even 2nd gear on inclines was a struggle. I suspect I was at or over the trailer limit. I definitely wouldn't want to pull anything of size on a longer highway trip. OTOH, the better ratios and 31s on our 04 LX make it a relative rocket in comparison.

Gears are on my short list...
 
I have a 2000 with stock suspension and gearing. I have added 285's, a brake controller, and AirLift airbags. I pull around 6000lbs quite often. It pulls surprisingly well. (And this is coming from someone who traded a Cummins for the LX.) On the passes, you are in 3rd gear and 45 mph. That is just how it is in pretty much any 1/2 ton. Don't try to keep up with the diesels and you will be just fine.

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As you can see, with the airbags I don't sag in the rear. No matter how loaded I am.
 
How heavy is the new camper you are going to tow. Remember the 30% rule. Add 20-30% on top of the weight of the trailer as a cushion. That means roughly 4800 lbs max for a 100 series. Also, what is the tongue weight of the camper? Some Pop up's like the Baja have a very heavy tonque weight. It will eat up your max payload fast.

You will often find people who will tow more than they should. It all comes down to a compromise on safety and vehicle longevity.

Sounds like some airbags would help your situation.
 
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A weight distribution hitch helps a great deal for on-road towing. Disconnect for anything off-pavement.
 
I tow a medium sized pop up with my 98, it has no problems with power so long as I turn the OD off. But man does it use gas. I personally wouldn't go heavier than 4500 lbs wet trailer plus people and gear in truck.... Just to maintain some drivability.

The 100 doesn't get high marks for towing, but it will drag anything.
 
22 FOOTER IS THE MAX I WOULD POOL , AROUND 6000LB
 
I want to THANK everyone for their reply.

So airbags it is for me. Hard to install? Someone recommended AirLift air bags. Are there other brands I should consider?

I know this is a long shot, but is there a video or pic by pic diagram of these being installed? Don't want to have to redrill holes ;)
 
I want to THANK everyone for their reply.

So airbags it is for me. Hard to install? Someone recommended AirLift air bags. Are there other brands I should consider?

I know this is a long shot, but is there a video or pic by pic diagram of these being installed? Don't want to have to redrill holes ;)


I tow a 3500lb popup regularly with my 1999LX. Going up the steepest parts of passes I'm doing 50mph at about 4000rpm in 2nd gear (I don't like revving higher than that up long passes) Other than that it holds 60-65mph very easily no matter what, even up moderate inclines (shifting to 3rd quite often).

As for weight in the back, I too would recommend airbags HOWEVER I actually (after towing quite often) realize that in fact it's better to use a weight distributing hitch as it will actually distribute a good 30-35+% of the weight onto the front tires. I've found that even though my rig easily handles this weight, there have been times (especially in the twisties downhill in the passes) that I feel the front-end a little too light than I would want. A weight distributing hitch would fix your sag issue, and help with far better handling when it really matters (when you need it!).

That's just my .02
 
I do a bunch of trailering...horses in a Ram Cummins, farm implements or atv trailer or popup in the LX. I would agree with a 20-25% cushion on trailer weight, a weight distributing hitch, and trailer brakes if I'm towing anything >1000 lb.
 
Check out etrailer.com for a great description of trailer towing and weight distribution facts. It is not just a factor of hitch rating and tongue weight, but also the GVRW of the truck, gear ratios and the ratings for weight distribution. Even the quality of hitch equipment varies. The 100 is not a 3/4 ton pickup, so it has a soft suspension, that should not be expected to tow anything of substantial weight without a wd hitch, regardless of the regular ratings on the hitch and camper. Fortunately the 100 has a good differential gear ratio for towing, which most pickups and suburbans don't, unless ordered from the factory.

That being said, I have a 33 foot travel trailer that tows as easily as my 23 footer towed. Airbags are essential to keep the truck from bobbing back and forth like a seesaw. Sway control is also essential for longer trailers. Gas mileage sux for pickup trucks when towing too, although diesels get better mileage typically. Just be meticilus about adjusting the hitch to fit your truck and camper and get it set to run the truck at the same height front and rear as if there is no camper and you should be good. I've towed about 10k with my 100 and if the load is balanced and brakes work well, it will get you there fine.
 
One more question...

Would the airbags help with the "roll" of the vehicle? It currently leans quite a bit on the turns.
 
Have a 99 with 295'a, OME 865's and HD Bilstien shocks. The rear springs made a big difference. Pulled a 30', 6,100 lb. travel trailer from Birmingham, AL to SW Georgia. Some hills on I-20 got me down to 45 mph. Didn't pull it hard and let it do the best it could do. Once past the hills it cruised at 60-65 and did a fine job. Never felt like it was overworked or over loaded. Oil, water and transmission temps never increased. No sagging either.


Only issue was the 8 mpg. Had to fill up three times driving 350 miles. Drove back to Birmingham without the trailer and got a whopping 14 mpg. Swapped out cars and won't bring the Land Cruiser back until time to go home. Will be here 7 to 18 months. Oh, ran over a pine tree limb an stuck a hole in one of the axle boots. That will be waiting on me when time allows.

Very impressed with the towing job. Have yet to experience strong cross winds.
 
One more question...

Would the airbags help with the "roll" of the vehicle? It currently leans quite a bit on the turns.
It will certainly stiffen the rear suspension. Roll is countered by the anti-sway bars front and rear. Best you can do is go into the turns slowly and accelerate slightly through the turn. If you coast through the turn or brake, you will experience more roll as the forces are going the wrong direction.
 
If you keep the air bags separate it will help with sway. Not a ton, but enough to notice. Whatever you do, don't hook both bags to the same air line!

I think this is personal preference. I've had mine on the same air line for years and never had a problem. If you had a dashboard controller it would be on a single air line too. I can see how you can trim the vehicle best with separate air lines, but in reality, the airbags are not a replacement for the suspension, coils or sway bars, but rather a load assist mechanism.

Airbags are not intended to be used to prevent sway. Most sway control is by the driver's appropriate use of the steering wheel and pedals. Oh, and that mush between our ears!
 
Maybe. But I would rather the bags not transfer air from one to the other for safety. If I had to make a hard left turn, the air in my right bag would transfer to the left. That is exactly what I don't want! You know, just in case I need to make a panic maneuver to avoid the person not using the mush between their ears...

Having the bags tied together may not be a big deal in a 3/4 ton truck with massive sway bars. But we need to work within the designs of what we have and make it as good as we can get it for everything. I would hate to see someone loose control of their load because of not taking every precaution they possibly could to avoid it.
 

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