Gx460 as a tow vehicle (1 Viewer)

[buellfire]

Good morning,
We are looking at a 2019 GX460 Luxury package, we plan on using this to tow our small molded fiberglass travel trailer. The trailer is a Escape 21 which weighs 3600lbs dry, I use a E2 load and sway hitch and is 21ft from the hitch to the bumper. We currently have a 2013 RX350 AWD which will not pull the camper and a 2016 Tundra crew max TRD offroad. The Tundra does a great job, but on long trips the seats become hard and uncomfortable. I would love to buy a LC200 but prices are out of our budget. Have you pulled a RV with your GX? How did it do?

 

[Tex68w]

I haven't pulled an RV of that size but I have pulled heavier loads than what you listed. The truck does it without issue but there are better alternatives such as your Tundra. I would suggest electric brakes on the RV (if it doesn't already have them) and adding a Redarc brake controller to the GX to help assist in stopping the load. Others recommend adding a transmission oil cooler as well, I plan to do the same next year. The GX is certainly up to the task but I'd much rather tow that load with a true full-size vehicle like our LX or your Tundra.

While the seats in the GX are certainly more comfortable than those in the Tundra, no Lexus/Toyota seat is particularly plush or award winning. Comfort is an individual assessment and I can whole heartedly say that the seats in our LX are better than those in our GX but at nearly double the price I expect them to be lol.

 

[buellfire]

Tex,
Thanks for your reply! I should add that the camper does have tandem axles and 4 wheel electric brakes, I will add a brake control whatever we purchase. We drove a LX570 and the GX, which we found that the seats are better in the LX. The GX seat seem to be close to the RX that we currently own and we find the seats in the RX are comfortable.

 

[manpurse]

I tow a race car a number of times a year, usually around a 1-200 mile round trip. Total weight is about 4300 lbs plus some gear in the GX. I use an E2 weight distribution hitch/sway control and brake controller. The GX tows it well with no drama. There's a couple of steep mountain passes that it slows down on, but they are less than a mile long so I usually tuck in behind a semi truck that's going as equally slow up the pass. Besides the steep grades it is very capable at towing.

 

[buellfire]

 

[vegasfj40]

We have a 2010 Casita 17ft travel trailer that I tow with a 2012 GX. Trailer doesnt weigh as much as your Escape but tows very well. I just have a sway control too, no WDH and it handles it fine. I have a Redarc brake controller that is mounted in one of the unused switch panels and is just awesome. I'll upload a couple of pics.

 

[vegasfj40]

Here are a couple of pictures

 

[buellfire]

I like how seamless the Redarc controller looks in the dash. Casitas are great little campers! We had a Spirt Deluxe Casita before the Escape which I really liked.

 

[giovanni]

I tow a camp trailer with my 2016. It is about 17' long, ~3000lbs dry, GVWR 4200. I probably pull it weighing about 3500 lbs.

It has electric brakes, I do not use a WD or sway control hitch. I added the Redarc brake controller and transmission cooler - I tow in S5 and let the GX decide what gear to use - it will lockup the torque converter in both 4th and 5th in S5.

It does fine, but is definitely on the upper limit of what I would do with the GX. It is happy up to about 65 or 70 mph. You will get absolutely horrendous gas mileage while towing - I get 10 loaded and towing.

 

[Flight2k5]

I tow a camp trailer with my 2016. It is about 17' long, ~3000lbs dry, GVWR 4200. I probably pull it weighing about 3500 lbs.

It has electric brakes, I do not use a WD or sway control hitch. I added the Redarc brake controller and transmission cooler - I tow in S5 and let the GX decide what gear to use - it will lockup the torque converter in both 4th and 5th in S5.

It does fine, but is definitely on the upper limit of what I would do with the GX. It is happy up to about 65 or 70 mph. You will get absolutely horrendous gas mileage while towing - I get 10 loaded and towing.



View attachment 2464155

what gear do you tow in?

 

[giovanni]

Manual 4th or 5th. Torque converter lockup happens in either gear. On flat ground with no headwind, 5th works. Otherwise has to be 4th.

 

[Tommy Argh]

I tow a 17' Casita. It tows great, tracks good and almost seems like its not there except for going up hills. The MPGs are fairly decent as long as you can keep it in Eco mode.

 

[BigSwede]

I have an Escape 15A, which tows pretty easily, but I doubt it weighs more than 2,000 pounds loaded, so not a great comparison, other than in cross-sectional area which would be about the same. I am able to tow in 5th gear a lot, but any sort of incline will drop a gear unless I have a tail wind. I was able to maintain 60 mph up to the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70, so I am happy. Mpg is 12-13 generally at highway speeds, but can go anywhere 10-14 depending on winds.

It is a V8, but not a large one at only 281 cid.

 

[IanG]

I know this thread is several years old but a good reference. We have a 19' Escape that fully loaded weights 4200 lbs. We had been towing it with a V6 2008 4Runner which was OK but definitely underpowered so we upgraded to a 2021 GX 460. The additional power from the V8 is noticeable. My other concern was the side swing rear door which ended up not being a problem at all.

 

[Tex68w]

Looks very similar to a Casita.

 

[IanG]

We had a 2008 Casita Freedom Deluxe before the Escape. I also have a 1974 boler

 

[Tex68w]

We had a 2008 Casita Freedom Deluxe before the Escape. I also have a 1974 boler
View attachment 2862516

How does the Escape compare to the Casita?

 

[URJ150L]

Towing up here in CO with a GX and going over the passes, there are a few rules of thumb and things I live by:

1. Cut the mfg tow rating in half, and use trailers gross weight… this is what you can tow
2. Have trailer breaks, a break controller, transmission oil cooler, and an upgraded suspension
3. Keep the vehicle locked in S4 and manually down shift into S3 as needed… 65 mph is the top speed

Following this has produced a safe and comfortable experience in the GX. I tow a small off road camper trailer that weighs 2500 lbs dry and is probably 3000 lbs wet and loaded. MPG is about 13, down from 16… I will say though, that if I had anything larger, like 4000 lbs, its Tundra time.

 

[IanG]

How does the Escape compare to the Casita?

The Escape being heavier and having the tandem axles you know you are towing something. It is extremely stable when towing, even with strong crosswinds and semi trucks passing. I use an Andersen Weight distribution hitch and Redarc brake controller, both which I really like.
I tow at 100 kph (60 mph) and average between 13-13.5 mpg towing, even towing through the mountain passes in the Canadian Rockies (vs 18.5 - 19.5 mpg combined city highway).

 

[VentoGT]

@URJ150L dig the whites out on the K02s - nice