Towing travel trailer (Casita 17) with '02 LC

[ppdd]

I've always loved the fiberglass egg campers, and am thinking about pulling the trigger on a 17' Casita. Advertised at 2400lbs, but I'm guessing ~3200lbs loaded up.

Main concern is that we put a *lot* of travel miles on (12 hour round trips every couple weeks on mostly flat ground, plus 1-2 longer vacations per year through the mountains). Am I asking for a bad time doing it with the 100?

Folks on here seem to have very mixed opinions on towing with the 100, so I'm not sure what I hope to get asking this.

 

[VagabondJesse]

We got a pop-up camper recently that's a similar weight. As long as you're okay with going slowly and having terrible gas mileage, you'll be fine. I'd make sure your brakes are up to snuff, too. The LC isn't an ideal towing vehicle just on account of its relatively low power, in my opinion. Otherwise I don't have complaints.

 

[ramangain]

Well ....

I'd recommend trailer brakes and a controller, as well as some stiffer rear springs or spring support bladders (airbags, think Airlift 1000 product). A bluetooth OBD2 reader and a product to keep an eye on tranny temps (think Torque) is a good safety measure. Keep it out of overdrive for the hilly stuff, and have overdraft protection on your checking accounts for gas money if you fill up using your debit card.

~3200lbs. isn't that bad with these rigs. Don't think of it as efficient or highly capable, but more doable.

 

[ppdd]

I'd recommend trailer brakes and a controller, as well as some stiffer rear springs or spring support bladders (airbags, think Airlift 1000 product). A bluetooth OBD2 reader and a product to keep an eye on tranny temps (think Torque) is a good safety measure.

Already have the airlift bags and a bluetooth adapter on the OBD port, so we're good there.

How bad are we talking with fuel economy? On the plus side, its egg shaped. On the down side, it's ~9' tall and 6'8" wide...

 

[ramangain]

With that width you won't need specialty tow mirrors, which is a nice $500 savings you don't need to outlay.

Folks with similar height trailers report single digit fuel economies. Towing a 16x8 enclosed trailer that you can stand up in easily (read: tall), I can get a whopping 150 miles to a tank before she's desperate for another drink.

 

[collk22]

Search around; plenty of examples on this forum of people towing much bigger trailers. Trailer brakes and controller are needed and it will be slow going with a hit to mileage, but otherwise you will be fine.

 

[AlpineAccess]

Go with what you've got. Gas mileage will be bad and the revs will run higher but it will do just fine.

The 4.7 likes being wound up, as do most Toyota motors.

 

[Ronin000]

I have always lusted after fiberglass travel trailers, especially the Escape’s. With that said, a family of 5 with one on the way put an end to that dream for the time being. In the mean time, I’ve got a 2018 Jayco Jay Flight 21QB that I picked up for a steal. I’ve pulled it on several trips with my 100. I get roughly the same gas mileage as my brother in law who’s pulling a similar sized camper with a 2018 Chevy 1500. I’m running a Tekonsha P3 break controller, Air Lift 1000, load distribution hitch and a sway bar. No problems what so ever if you abide by the advise from others above (Stay out of OD, load your camper right, set your breaks properly and get your hitch loaded properly).

 

[gregnash]

Stay out of D, or stay out of OD?

 

[AlpineAccess]

Stay out of D, or stay out of OD?

Warp drive is also acceptable

 

[gregnash]

Warp drive is also acceptable

True... just wanted to make sure that there wasn't a typo in there and you really said "Stay AWAY from the D" I mean... we don't judge like that around here, all are welcome!

 

[Ronin000]

I corrected my post, haha