Slow Paddler
SILVER Star
Well, there goes that idea... Thank you for the update, and good luck with the trailer. I'll keep tabs on you over on the Kimberley USA Facebook group.
Towing with a 200-series Toyota Land Cruiser (6 Viewers)
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Well, there goes that idea... Thank you for the update, and good luck with the trailer. I'll keep tabs on you over on the Kimberley USA Facebook group.
Prior to the Kimberley we had a 17' Casita. Approximate weight 3,000 pounds. Didn't even know it was behind me. That trailer did have the Anderson WD setup (chains instead of hard bars). Towed it up to West Virginia through the smokies with no effort on the part of the LC.
Any chance you can snap a few photos of the undercarriage? I'd love to see the frame, tanks, etc.
Does the frame extend the entire way under the trailer, or does it stop part way?
I'm curious whether it's possible to come up with a custom-mount setup for a WD hitch, or whether there are limitations of the frame/build that would cause issues. If the frame doesn't go all the way under the trailer, the WD hitch could cause problems.
The frame extends all the way to the rear from what I can tell.
I’m pretty sure the shape of the frame at the tongue would be problematic for a WD setup, plus you couldn’t go off-road as the WD system wouldn’t allow the hitch to articulate. There’s also no room between the storage pod and hitch for any additional hardware.
Here are some photos, starting at the tongue and working back. The last one is from behind the rear wheels looking forward.
One more shot from the very back looking forward.
Excellent. Thank you!
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Wow what a decision! Any chance you've got a buddy with an F-350 who would let you hook up for a little test drive? Just feels like a huge leap here... I'd want to make sure the towing difference was significantly better before doing something like this personally, but maybe you already wanted to sell the 200 and this was just the last straw?
Bomar
SILVER Star
@eatSleepWoof - I have a Kimberley Karavan and it tows great with both my 100 and 200 series.
@catastrofe bummed to hear you don't think that the 200 can tow the S3. Glad you all are liking the Kimberley. They are such great trailers.
@catastrofe bummed to hear you don't think that the 200 can tow the S3. Glad you all are liking the Kimberley. They are such great trailers.
I know another couple with the same trailer that has an F-350...no issues whatsoever. It is killing me to move on from the LC...
Bomar
SILVER Star
Well @catastrofe get look at it in a year or so you will have the LX750 out and Tundra Pro both with the hybrids and more towing so you could come back to the Toyota family soon....
That's good to hear, but the Kruiser is considerably heavier than the Karavan. Especially the model I'm interested in (the biggest and heaviest).
I can't help wondering whether the 200-series LX would tow better than the LC. Suspension can be stiffened via AHC, it'll self-level and likely put a bit more weight on the front axle, etc.
Bomar
SILVER Star
My biggest dislike on the LX is the drop in road height at 65mph. Sometimes on highway it would disrupt the karavan.
The LX600 will be a better power plant for aftermarket engine mods (which has already been shown in middle east)
The LX600 will be a better power plant for aftermarket engine mods (which has already been shown in middle east)
Everything can be looked at as a pro or a con.
Personally, the dropping at speed IMO is an advantage for at least a couple reasons. On a lifted rig, especially with bigger tires and bigger sensor lifts, the drop in height can bring added stability and prolong CV life. I get that Kimberly says not to use WD hitches (though IMO I don't see why not, with minimal tension). But AHC also interacts well in that the lowering at speed will generally increase WD tension just when it's needed, allowing me to run less tension statically which benefits around town and traveling over irregular campgrounds.
Slow Paddler
SILVER Star
@catastrofe I know it would just be speculation, but any thoughts on whether the E3 at four plus feet shorter and 1000 pounds lighter would solve the problem? Or is it just the nature of the frame design not allowing wright distribution?
Steve (not quite ready to abandon this option yet...)
Steve (not quite ready to abandon this option yet...)
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Maybe try renting a travel trailer of approximately the same size/weight for a weekend, and see how it tows? Lots of trailer/rv rental sites out there.
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I would be surprised if the 200 had issues towing the larger KK. For comparison my Lance trailer is 25'8" long, 8' wide, and 10' tall (so bigger in all dimensions), has a GVWR of 6000# (and I've put it on a scale loaded down once at 6060#), and has a tongue weight of ~850# when fully loaded (and I've seen as high as about 920# which is ~25% more than what KK notes). Yes you'll give up weight distribution but I'm sure my TW is still more than the KK lists, even after I tension up the WD. Presumably your hitch for the KK will be lighter as well than my WD hitch. Now granted I've got a 2" lift with stiffer springs and airbags, vs your LX570 with AHC, but I really would expect this to tow just fine.
Bomar
SILVER Star
E3 other than height mirrors my Karavan on size.
Breeze with 100 and 200
Breeze with 100 and 200
Anecdotal, but I would have no qualms towing either of those Kimberly trailers. I've towed a car trailer with heavy tongue on the ball hundreds of miles without issue or propoising. A construction dump trailer over 10k lbs. No issue, though this is with the LX and AHC. Either way, it can really help to have the ball (or pivot point) be really close and tight to the bumper to minimize the trailers leverage.
Having sufficient spring rate at the rear can really help for stability and load control, especially without WD. Extra spring rate is bad to an extent for off-road articulation. Air bags would be the best thing to allow for that duality.
As for power and needing to rev. That's what gas motors do. Make that all motors, including diesels, though they have very limited RPM bands which may seem like their not working hard. They're breathing deep with lots of turbo boost, compression, and heat just the same.
Having sufficient spring rate at the rear can really help for stability and load control, especially without WD. Extra spring rate is bad to an extent for off-road articulation. Air bags would be the best thing to allow for that duality.
As for power and needing to rev. That's what gas motors do. Make that all motors, including diesels, though they have very limited RPM bands which may seem like their not working hard. They're breathing deep with lots of turbo boost, compression, and heat just the same.
Dunbar
SILVER Star
And you can get a towing kit for the engine:
Stage 1 (50 State Emissions Approved) @ 6.5 psi – 478hp / 463 ft-lbs (+160hp / +88 ft-lbs over stock)
Stage 1 (50 State Emissions Approved) @ 6.5 psi – 478hp / 463 ft-lbs (+160hp / +88 ft-lbs over stock)
Slow Paddler
SILVER Star
Renting may be an option. My Hiker squaredrop is maybe 1200# loaded, and is only 11' long. The last time I towed anything big was in the '70s, towing my 5500# boat on a big twin axle trailer behind my grandfather's '68 Cadillac Sedan de Ville with the monster 500 cu in engine. And that was less than 100 miles a couple of times a year in central Ohio's slightly rolling countryside.
I have a lot of trepidation when approaching towing something like the Kimberley Kruiser in the places I want to travel. I know that I'd need to get air bags and a brake controller for my LC. I want to avoid the slippery slope of "Hey, extended fuel would be great, but now I need new suspension and a rear bumper for the spare, and while I'm at it..."
I have a lot of trepidation when approaching towing something like the Kimberley Kruiser in the places I want to travel. I know that I'd need to get air bags and a brake controller for my LC. I want to avoid the slippery slope of "Hey, extended fuel would be great, but now I need new suspension and a rear bumper for the spare, and while I'm at it..."
