Tire size and towing

[WTITW]

Thinking about buying a trailer. 4200lb dry. Also need new tires soon and still on the fence about going from 270’s to 285’s. Anyone towed with both a close to stock size and 33’s? Anyone insight appreciated. Most concerned with braking.

 

[Rednexus]

The trailer should have it's own brakes, so braking in itself shouldn't be a huge issue. What will be an issue is that's a fair amount of trailer for a GX (you'll probably be up to 5K or more of added weight when loaded and with people in the vehicle), and it will be under-geared with 33s and would probably be under-geared with stock tires as well. It will make acceleration even a bit more sluggish and probably keep you in 4th gear most of the time on the highway. And this is coming from my experience towing a 3,000 pound dry camper (that's closer to 4K pounds loaded) with my modded 470 (headers, trans mods, exhaust, and tune), and feeling a bit under-geared on 32" tires. We haven't towed ours yet since putting 33s on the rig but I'm sure it's going to be worse albeit tolerable.

The best solution for a rig with 33s that will also tow more than a teardrop camper is a 4.56 re-gear, which has other off-road benefits as well. I'm doing that in Spring 2025 before attempting to tow ours out west. It won't be cheap, but is a good investment if you are committed to the rig.

Or, consider a smaller camper. We have a TrailManor. It's really close to a perfect setup for a GX and fits our family of 4 no problem. They aren't cheap new but hold their value a lot better than most mainstream, mass-produced campers. For a >4K dry camper a pickup would be a preferred tool, although many people on here do tow trailers that big and tow them long distances.

 

[HVLA]

I tow an 18 foot utility trailer with my 4 seat KRX on it. You absolutely NEED a brake controller. Get the Redarc. It is easy to install and all you see is the knob that fits right into a blank switch on the left. I am on 265/70/17 Mickey Thompson Baja Boss.

 

[Rednexus]

I have a Redarc Elite and it's a good unit. A WDH and mirror extensions are also needed. On my 470, I modded 1st gen Tundra tow mirrors to fit. Not sure what's out there for a 460.

These can be great tow rigs if you set them up properly and manage expectations relative to what they can comfortably pull.

 

[WTITW]

We have a TrailManor.

That’s a novel concept. Looks like a lot of sq. Footage for the weight. We’re looking at an Australian hybrid for the the off-road capability but it has a pop down roof as well. Nowhere near the size or compactness of yours. I doubt a regear is in my future so I guess thats a good reason to stick with 270’s. I think we’ll probably stick with the gx for a while and suffer through the hills. Maybe move to a 250 series or a tundra sooner.

Get the Redarc.

Ive got a tow pro ellite

 

[Rednexus]

That’s a novel concept. Looks like a lot of sq. Footage for the weight. We’re looking at an Australian hybrid for the the off-road capability but it has a pop down roof as well. Nowhere near the size or compactness of yours. I doubt a regear is in my future so I guess thats a good reason to stick with 270’s. I think we’ll probably stick with the gx for a while and suffer through the hills. Maybe move to a 250 series or a tundra sooner.

Ive got a tow pro ellite

I initially wanted a off-road camper, but they were $$$$ and heavy. I found a few that looked OK-ish but Mrs. Rednexus quickly nixed them on overall usability (there are just too many compromises to get them off-roadable). You definitely aren't going to want to drag a TrailManor down anything more than a groomed gravel road. But, there have been exactly zero times since getting it that I've wanted a camper when in the backcountry. We set up at developed campgrounds (dozens within an hour of here) that have at least electric hookups and enjoy the weekend. Sometimes we unhook the GX and go wheeling, then come back later in the day. Otherwise, we spend the day hiking, on the river, or on the bikes.

We've pulled it all the way up to Lake Superior and all of the way down to the Gulf. Next year, it will make it to Yellowstone and Glacier.

 

[WTITW]

Next year, it will make it to Yellowstone and Glacier.

Nice. We loved Yellowstone this year. You should run down to Teton while you’re there if you havnt been. We kayaked out to a beach on Jackson Lake and had it all to ourselves. It was one of our favorite days of the two week trip.

We’re pretty set on not giving up our favorite spots which are all just rough enough to keep the riff raff out and my wife decreed a slide out outdoor kitchen is mandatory. We’re spoiled in how close we are to great rugged areas so we can probably just deal with the weight and drive a little slower for now. Only one of my girls is still young enough to go these days so we can squeeze into a smaller space too.

 

[rav8]

Just did our first few trips on the new tires (265/65R18 Wildpeak AT3, same outer diameter as 265/70R17) and I wouldn't recommend going bigger without a regear for towing. Our GX is camper-mule first and off-road foolishness second. I'd love to run 33's and I don't care about fuel economy but the girl gets weak quick and asks for a lower gear more often. We did the Yellowstone trip a few years ago on the stock sized tires and plan to go again on these but I won't go bigger unless we add a replacement tow vehicle to the garage.

 

[Rednexus]

Just did our first few trips on the new tires (265/65R18 Wildpeak AT3, same outer diameter as 265/70R17) and I wouldn't recommend going bigger without a regear for towing. Our GX is camper-mule first and off-road foolishness second. I'd love to run 33's and I don't care about fuel economy but the girl gets weak quick and asks for a lower gear more often. We did the Yellowstone trip a few years ago on the stock sized tires and plan to go again on these but I won't go bigger unless we add a replacement tow vehicle to the garage.

A GX can definitely do both . Most of the miles on mine are camper-towing....but I also sleep out of the rig quite often as well when we want to go out for a quick evening trip, or on more backcountry trips. Regearing is an excuse to add front and rear lockers for mine as well . Full-size trucks are just too expensive new - and big/imprecise for off-roading - so instead I dump money into the GX.

 

[RadoTracks]

I have a 3500 popup and run 285s but they are 33" so a bit larger than stock. I have the Redarc Tow Pro as well and it does great. The rig has the power and with the trailer brakes keeping things aligned it works just fine. The main issue is that the GX has a short wheelbase for a tow vehicle and can get a little squirrely if you go too fast. So just take it slow and you won't have any issues. Oh, gas mileage is abysmal when towing...what else is new? On our way to Yellowstone this summer we got 9mpg with a very windy day and on the way back we got 12mpg so that was quite a nice surprise. I normally get 14mpg in city driving.

 

[r2m]

Going with a 285, have you considered regearing? I know it's a chunk of change, but then you wouldn't need to worry about tire size, grades and hills, gear hunting from the trans, nor towing. And if the wife allows you, get front and rear lockers too!!!
I don't care so much for the 315's I have and when they're done I'll go back down to the 285's. For me that's the sweet spot.
I forget, did you do a BMC yet?

 

[WTITW]

I don't think I'm re-gearing at this point. Maybe if I didn't have 200K miles, but it seems a bit overkill to re-gear and add lockers when I'll likely need to upgrade vehicles in the next few years if we buy this 4200# box. We're pretty locked into the Hybrd caravan style as it combines a hard-sided trailer with 5 minute set-up and full off-road capabilities. Maybe if I get a 550 that I know will tow it well for years I'd consider it but I assume those won't need it since they come with 33's and a rear locker in the trail trim. Mostly just trying to get by with what I've got until we have time to get the camper paid down.... which I think means sticking with 270's for now.

 

[r2m]

I don't think I'm re-gearing at this point. Maybe if I didn't have 200K miles, but it seems a bit overkill to re-gear and add lockers when I'll likely need to upgrade vehicles in the next few years if we buy this 4200# box. We're pretty locked into the Hybrd caravan style as it combines a hard-sided trailer with 5 minute set-up and full off-road capabilities. Maybe if I get a 550 that I know will tow it well for years I'd consider it but I assume those won't need it since they come with 33's and a rear locker in the trail trim. Mostly just trying to get by with what I've got until we have time to get the camper paid down.... which I think means sticking with 270's for now.

By the way, what trailer are you looking at? An adventure trailer?

 

[WTITW]

@r2m

XT13 Overland Travel Trailer

The all new XT13 is a great new model from MDC that covers overland caravanning for a small families who are looking to Escape with Confidence!

www.mdcusa.com

 

[r2m]

@r2m

XT13 Overland Travel Trailer

The all new XT13 is a great new model from MDC that covers overland caravanning for a small families who are looking to Escape with Confidence!

www.mdcusa.com

That looks AWESOME!
My wife would love the shower and "throne"!
Are the rim/tire/lug pattern the same as the GX, or an option for that?

 

[WTITW]

@r2m Not a done deal yet. It's hard to pry Jake's wallet open that wide, but we think this one will be perfect as it's the smallest of these, with a separate full twin for Alex. I like the aus style flip overs, but the set-up time is too high, considering we go for a lot of 1-2 nighters. This thing is set in 5m so it shouldn't take much more time than our current gazelle tent and air mattress camp set-up. We thought about just getting a cheap used Jayco or something with a lift but they just won't get where we like to go.

Yeah, Toyota 6-lug on all their trailers. Ideally I'd have matching rims and tires but they come with 33's (part of why I started this thread) and it sounds like I should stick to my current 270's to maintain power without having to regear so maybe if we go to a Tundra or 250 series we can get matching 33's. They come with two spares and only have a single axle (two stub axles, technically), so we should be good.

 

[Washingtontaco]

Since gears are out suffer until you can buy a GX550 or Tundra. Cool trailer though!

IMO if you have a GX, added weight and taller tires they all need to be regeared. Go striaght to 4:88 only slight diffrence from 4:56 and better compression breaking in low range, 2200 rpm on the interstate @70 mph, and the transmission will be in 6th gear (with 34" tires).

 

[WTITW]

My wife would love the shower and "throne"!

Everytime I see it my inner monologue reads “one shower s***ter combination” in Slim Pickens voice like when he reads out the list of emergency rations in Dr. Strangelove.

 

[r2m]

@r2m Not a done deal yet. It's hard to pry Jake's wallet open that wide, but we think this one will be perfect as it's the smallest of these, with a separate full twin for Alex. I like the aus style flip overs, but the set-up time is too high, considering we go for a lot of 1-2 nighters. This thing is set in 5m so it shouldn't take much more time than our current gazelle tent and air mattress camp set-up. We thought about just getting a cheap used Jayco or something with a lift but they just won't get where we like to go.

Yeah, Toyota 6-lug on all their trailers. Ideally I'd have matching rims and tires but they come with 33's (part of why I started this thread) and it sounds like I should stick to my current 270's to maintain power without having to regear so maybe if we go to a Tundra or 250 series we can get matching 33's. They come with two spares and only have a single axle (two stub axles, technically), so we should be good.

I saw the dual spares, but wasn't sure if that was an add-on or came with it.
IMO, dual spares would be an overkill, especially since you already have one on your rig and unless you're driving through a broken glass gardens or one of your fellow campers really hates you and slashes your tires, you will probably never need more than one spare. For me, the whole idea of having matching rims, lugs and tires is in worst case scenario with multiple flats (assume worst, worst case, the flats are side wall, repairable) I'd still be able to cannibalize one or both tires off the trailer, leave the trailer where it is, get to where I can have the tires repaired/replace, come back put them back on the trailer and call 'er done. So in theory, you already have three spare tires with a trailer without adding any others, one on your rig and two wheels on the trailer itself. With the added two spares, you now have FIVE spare tires!

Personally I'd jettison both the spares on the back of the trailer, especially if it's an extra cost. Maybe use the space for a bike rack, storage box for tools, pantry, etc.

Anyways, I'm a little jealous if you do get it.

 

[WTITW]

With the added two spares, you now have FIVE spare tires!

I wish. Unfortunately, the MDC trailers all come on 16's. I'd love to change them all to 17's it's not worth the expense of rims and tires. So I guess the trailer could accept a spare from the GX (depending on backspacing) but not the other way around. It's probably not worth messing with since we're not sure how long the GX will be a good tow vehicle for us if we get it. All good thoughts above, though.