Tongue Weight Towing Problem

[John E Davies]

That is a flat trailer. Did I mis-state something? A Toy Hauler is a fully enclosed trailer with living quarters. The couches / beds fold out of the way to hold motorcycles or ATVs and what not. They are heavier than flat trailers because you sleep in them....

It's a moot point since I'm going with a small (and very light) flat folding trailer, but there are about 4 references to the weight of the Toy hauler seeming high. Maybe Toy Haulers are a Southern California thing... I don't know....

Yeah, I kind of figured out by the bottom of the page that a lot of guys didn't realize that you were looking at a small travel trailer. I went through a toy hauler a couple of weeks ago at the Spokane motorcycle show. I definitely noticed the forward weight bias. When loaded with 1200 pounds of dirt bikes it would be just fine, but (empty) it sure is a lot of tongue weight for a relatively light trailer weight.

I'm glad you bailed on the idea - I think it would have been an expensive mistake.

Don't cheap out on the motorcycle trailer - the really low end folding trailers from Home Depot are pure garbage.

You need one of these (I will post pics with my KTM 525 EXC in the back when I get around to taking some)....

http://home.comcast.net/~johnedavies/page3.htm

BTW, what do you ride?

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[Taz]

Is a toter home one of those trucks that moves houses around???

Go here if you want to know what a toter home is

http://www.showhauler.com/html/toterhome.html

I have been looking at these...think an 80 will fit on the back??


I would be suspect of the 3500# empty trailer weight? That seems a little light to me. Those toy haulers are also really heavy loaded full of gear water etc.

 

[Rainy Day FZJ]

I came late into this discussion, yet have lots of experience in the same weight trailer, I have a 18' toyhauler. The weight was to much for me, it has a 490 tongue weight and total approx 3500 total unloaded. I gave upon the idea that the 80 would drag that thing around in realtive ease. After lots of money. Blower, HG, airbags, Radiator, and now a trans. It poulled good on flat land, give it a 1% grade and it struggled to maintain 60. Mechanically it seemed to hold up. It just wouldn't keep up, it drank more fuel than I knew what to do. So I gave up on the idea of the 80 to haul the trailer, and bought a $3000 truck Chevy K3500 3+3 cab with a bigblock, it neeed work but will do the job safer and more fuel efficient believe it or not.

Toyhaulers for ATV's or bikes are heavy as hell, I found the lightest one that fits just under Toyotas tow guide and it was still to heavy for me. I applaud you for not getting the trailer now, get a cheap tow rig then a trailer, and keep the 80 like I did was the smarter thing