Towing with a 200-series Toyota Land Cruiser (3 Viewers)
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Trailering is awesome. (Except for the fact that so many more people are doing it now that it can be tough to find a campsite!) I'm no longer a newbie but only a couple years ahead of you. And due to my tendency towards anxiety I have gone through 2 trailers, 3 hitch systems and 2 tow vehicles - and I still don't have it dialed in! There is a lot to learn. It also helps if you are a DIY person and mechanically inclined (which I am not.) A lot of my learning came through trial and error. Online forums are a great help. Especially the forums specific to whatever trailer you get. A lot like this forum. Everything from mods to SQOD (I have provided many of those) and "don't do what I just did" threads. 
A lot depends on your needs. For us empty nesters we decided we really didn't need the ability to sleep 8 people but we did want sufficient living space for when the weather made it less pleasant to be outside. And we eventually plan to do some multi-week trips where some bad weather will be inevitable. Others tend more toward the "camping" life where most of their time is outside and the trailer is merely a tent on steroids. So many options it is insane!
Also, do remember that when considering size, it is not just about towing it but also about parking it. Longer trailers mean less campsites where you will fit. And if you want to camp on rough roads you'll at least need decent clearance.
A lot depends on your needs. For us empty nesters we decided we really didn't need the ability to sleep 8 people but we did want sufficient living space for when the weather made it less pleasant to be outside. And we eventually plan to do some multi-week trips where some bad weather will be inevitable. Others tend more toward the "camping" life where most of their time is outside and the trailer is merely a tent on steroids. So many options it is insane!
Also, do remember that when considering size, it is not just about towing it but also about parking it. Longer trailers mean less campsites where you will fit. And if you want to camp on rough roads you'll at least need decent clearance.
I've found that most places will accommodate a 30' camper with 30a service, so in addition to my length/weight specs that's my limiter. I'm trying to find one close that's wife approved so i don't have to order.
Trailering is awesome. (Except for the fact that so many more people are doing it now that it can be tough to find a campsite!) I'm no longer a newbie but only a couple years ahead of you. And due to my tendency towards anxiety I have gone through 2 trailers, 3 hitch systems and 2 tow vehicles - and I still don't have it dialed in! There is a lot to learn. It also helps if you are a DIY person and mechanically inclined (which I am not.) A lot of my learning came through trial and error. Online forums are a great help. Especially the forums specific to whatever trailer you get. A lot like this forum. Everything from mods to SQOD (I have provided many of those) and "don't do what I just did" threads.
A lot depends on your needs. For us empty nesters we decided we really didn't need the ability to sleep 8 people but we did want sufficient living space for when the weather made it less pleasant to be outside. And we eventually plan to do some multi-week trips where some bad weather will be inevitable. Others tend more toward the "camping" life where most of their time is outside and the trailer is merely a tent on steroids. So many options it is insane!
Also, do remember that when considering size, it is not just about towing it but also about parking it. Longer trailers mean less campsites where you will fit. And if you want to camp on rough roads you'll at least need decent clearance.
Good info! I'll just reiterate the obvious, short trailers are the way to go if heading to rough roads. Long trailers don't have enough articulation off road. The decision between comfort/space when camped and ease of towing/manoevering when underway is tough.
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I'm bringing home a new to me Airstream 27FB this weekend. Unfortunately, the seller can't find the WD bars that go along with the hitch head.
Any thoughts on just bringing her the 100 miles home (Santa Monica to San Diego) with no WD or sway? Will go slow for sure. Will she be a handful?
The relevant weights are ~5900lbs dry and ~800lbs tongue.
Any thoughts on just bringing her the 100 miles home (Santa Monica to San Diego) with no WD or sway? Will go slow for sure. Will she be a handful?
The relevant weights are ~5900lbs dry and ~800lbs tongue.
Yes, it will be a handful, but if it was me, I'd do it. I assume you have the brake controller hooked up. The manual lever on the controller can be used gently to bring serious sway under control if it happens. Go slowly enough to recover from sway and to take it easy on the rear suspension. Watch the weather and winds. If it's a common WDH brand, you may be able to scare up some bars by this weekend yourself. Congrats on a nice trailer. Fun times coming up!
I agree. Though my trailers were a bit lighter (6000-6500) I did have to pull each "home" so I could install a WD hitch. So I towed them with nothing but a hitch ball and the trailer coupler. But I went slow and cautious (sudden stops can often initiate sway) and chose days/times with minimal wind if any. And when the wind was bad I drove on surface streets (non freeway) where that made sense though I don't know if it is possible in LA.
If you haven't towed before, I suggest finding a big, mostly empty parking lot near where you are picking it up and practicing it for a bit. It helps to have a feel for where the trailer and its wheels are.
Oh, and don't forget to have towing mirrors!
If you haven't towed before, I suggest finding a big, mostly empty parking lot near where you are picking it up and practicing it for a bit. It helps to have a feel for where the trailer and its wheels are.
Oh, and don't forget to have towing mirrors!
All good stuff! Thanks guys. Fortunately this isn't my first rodeo as I've towed a number of things with my LX470 back in the day. The LX470 always pulled with aplomb.
I expect no less form the LX570. Just haven't done anything significant on the LX570 other than my little utility trailer to home depot so wanted some input. I am going to just slap it on the ball and go slow and easy, as this trailer is a bit bigger. But bigger sometimes is more stable (except for cross winds!). Fingers at the ready to manually grab trailer brakes if necessary.
I expect no less form the LX570. Just haven't done anything significant on the LX570 other than my little utility trailer to home depot so wanted some input. I am going to just slap it on the ball and go slow and easy, as this trailer is a bit bigger. But bigger sometimes is more stable (except for cross winds!). Fingers at the ready to manually grab trailer brakes if necessary.
Nice! Obviously you understand the importance of tongue weight and loading heavy stuff over the axles whenever possible though I suspect there won't be much "load" on this "bring it home" drive. From everything I've heard about the LX, it should be a good towing machine. And where you don't have the WD bars to help level the truck, the AHS system should do that, right?
Yes, tongue weight is actually a good thing. Thanks for the reminder on the towing mirrors. I do have them at the ready. Imagine navigating LA without those!
Leveling shouldn't be an issue. Only real thing I'm concerned about is directional instability/lightness at the front axle without weight distro. I'll just have tools and a friend in the car as ballast
Leveling shouldn't be an issue. Only real thing I'm concerned about is directional instability/lightness at the front axle without weight distro. I'll just have tools and a friend in the car as ballast
Really struggling on my purchase decision. Went to hopefully pick up a 2455BHS Winn Minnie today and it was side by side with a 27BHSS Minnie Plus.
The Minnie + felt (and was) waaaaaay bigger and roomier. Problem is, at 6500# dry, it's close enough to my truck's 8200# tow limit to give me concern. Plus, 200's total GVW limit is 14,400#, and with 6500# trailer and 5700# truck, i'm only left with 2000# for people, gas, water, and gear. I think I would be under the total, but BARELY.
I am not worried about the extra 4' in length.
Decision. Paralysis. Which is a very new thing for me.
The Minnie + felt (and was) waaaaaay bigger and roomier. Problem is, at 6500# dry, it's close enough to my truck's 8200# tow limit to give me concern. Plus, 200's total GVW limit is 14,400#, and with 6500# trailer and 5700# truck, i'm only left with 2000# for people, gas, water, and gear. I think I would be under the total, but BARELY.
I am not worried about the extra 4' in length.
Decision. Paralysis. Which is a very new thing for me.
5 new tires and 2 new batts (for trailer), and a 4 hr debugging battle with the thoroughly miswired 7 pin receiver. No thanks to a 3rd party receiver adapter since my LX didn't come with one. The Toyota $230 adapter all of a sudden seems to be a great deal.
She's safely on my hitch. Only made it halfway home to my parents house as things took so long. The Airstream came with an Equilizer 4pt WD hitch. 50 mile drive home was buttery and stable! AHC proves it's worth yet again.
Requisite bad pic is all I got today.
She's safely on my hitch. Only made it halfway home to my parents house as things took so long. The Airstream came with an Equilizer 4pt WD hitch. 50 mile drive home was buttery and stable! AHC proves it's worth yet again.
Requisite bad pic is all I got today.
Wow, the Minnie+ is huuuge at 32ft total length. I personally feel the 2hundy could handle it with the right WD hitch and upgraded springs (or airbags) but that'd be the upper limit. The Minnie is a much more reasonable size and could fit many more places. Depends what type of camping you want to do. I intend to do more national parks that have more limited size sites.
Yup, tough call; more room while camping or easier time while traveling. A recent article in Trailer Life magazine discussed the dry weight vs as-used weight of trailers. The conclusion was it's much more realistic to work with the GVWR than the dry weight of the trailer when looking at towing capacities. The GVWR of the Minnie Plus 27 is 8800 lbs. Just the freshwater tank will hold 400 lbs of water! If you buy a heavy trailer like that, you'll need to manage weight carefully.
+1. I always go by GVWR, not dry weight. With the Minnie Plus 27 you need a full on truck. Your trailer will never weigh 6500# in real life. I would expect it to be well over 7,000#. And your truck, when loaded, will very likely be over 6,000#. Mine is 6800 when going camping and I don't have bumpers or armor or whatever. Just sliders and a roof rack. And when I weighed it I was the only person in it.
Very good points all. @Dan Higgins great info. Your numbers jive with mine. I'm estimating trailer will come in (with no fresh water) around 7500#. And my 200 will probably come in around 6500#. That still puts me under the total max combined, (barely) which i know is conservative.
With the high end high $ hitch, i should be able to manage it, even though it's top of the scale.
Right now my thinking is go ahead and get the larger trailer, use it for a while (be a year before i can get it into the mountains) on flat land, and evaluate. Can always get a used tundra if need be...
Thoughts?
With the high end high $ hitch, i should be able to manage it, even though it's top of the scale.
Right now my thinking is go ahead and get the larger trailer, use it for a while (be a year before i can get it into the mountains) on flat land, and evaluate. Can always get a used tundra if need be...
Thoughts?
fireball
SILVER Star
Buy the smaller one Andy! Im hanging out in the 200 section because I thought the 100 would tow our 2500# trailer comfortably. That's not the case.
Towing and driving becomes a lot less fun when you're overloaded.
Plus the smaller camper is going to be sooo much bigger than what you're used to!
A tundra would be nice but then you have the hassle of moving all your gear back and forth between vehicles.
Towing and driving becomes a lot less fun when you're overloaded.
Plus the smaller camper is going to be sooo much bigger than what you're used to!
A tundra would be nice but then you have the hassle of moving all your gear back and forth between vehicles.
