A Question About Towing a 21

[John in Santa Cruz]

I've heard the leather seats from a 4Runner Limited will bolt right up to the Tacoma floor pan, just need to run wiring for any power seat features.

I had no issues with the cloth seats in my 2008 tacoma TRD, except there was no tilt/height adjust of the seat bottom... on long trips, I like to vary that a little to shift the pressure from my butt to my thighs and back.

[ArtTrek]

You might want to consider the new GMC Canyon or Chevy Colorado with the DuraMax diesel. They are rated at 7700 lbs towing capacity and are rigged specifically for towing (with built in anti-sway, diesel braking, and brake controller)... We regularly get 20mpg towing (30 not towing). They have decent 4 wheeling capacity (I use that for fishing)...

[RB Donath]

Plus 1 for the Tahoe. Just purchased a Tahoe RST Premier 4WD with the 6.2L Engine, 10 Speed Transmission & complete Tow Package for our just ordered Escape 19’ RFP. Tow rated @ 8,100 lbs with Tow/Haul engaged.

[cpaharley2008]

Do you know what the carrying capacity is, ie tongue weight plus cargo?

[RB Donath]

Tahoe Rally Sport Truck
Sticker reads Class V-5
1,000 lbs Tongue Weight
10,000 lbs Trailer Weight
1,492 Cargo Weight
Manual Derate for RST
810 lbs Tounge Weight
8,100 lbs Trailer Weight
0-60 @ 4.7 seconds (not towing)

[cpaharley2008]

So sorry, I thought it was a truck, did not know it was a SUV, nice set up.....

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

So sorry, I thought it was a truck, did not know it was a SUV, nice set up.....

I think it's called a truck because it's on a truck chassis. It is a little confusing, tho.

[John in Santa Cruz]

a Tahoe is a short wheelbase Chevy 1500 pickup chassis with an SUV body. the Suburban is a longer wheelbase version.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by RB Donath

Sticker reads Class V-5
1,000 lbs Tongue Weight
10,000 lbs Trailer Weight

It doesn't matter, but just for clarity "V-5" isn't a class - it's the short name of the old Vehicle Equipment Safety Commission testing standard for hitches. By VESC-5 (or VESC V-5), and the SAE J684 standard, this is a Class 4 hitch. There is no class 5 in these standards.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

a Tahoe is a short wheelbase Chevy 1500 pickup chassis with an SUV body. the Suburban is a longer wheelbase version.

The Chevy 1500 has a bit longer wheelbase than the Tahoe, I think. For example, my 2003 Tahoe had a wheelbase of 116" vs. the 2003 1500 which ranges from 119" to 157.5".

One of the problems I had with my previous rig (2003 Tahoe/ 24T HiLo) was the short wheelbase of the Tahoe. Even with the collapsible nature of the trailer and a WD hitch w/sway control, I still would experience sway on occasion. I attribute this to the short wheelbase of the tow vehicle.

Attached is a photo of my previous setup. And no "short people" jokes, please!

[RB Donath]

Exactly why we ordered the Tahoe RST - it fits in our garage. Plus as a daily driver it is fun & FAST.
The RST has all wheel Performance Electo-Magnetic Shocks & Airbag Level system, think it will work OK towing the 19’RFP........

[gbaglo]

If there is a WDH in use, it doesn't appear to be doing anything.

[Jake930]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

If there is a WDH in use, it doesn't appear to be doing anything.

Yup, I was thinking that also. Seems to be squatting quite a bit, maybe why there was a problem with sway. Is the hitch wt greater on the Hi-Lo than an Escape?

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by Jake930

Yup, I was thinking that also. Seems to be squatting quite a bit, maybe why there was a problem with sway. Is the hitch wt greater on the Hi-Lo than an Escape?

I think you are right.

I no longer have actual weights as I tossed that info when I sold the trailer but the published numbers are:

Hitch weight- 520
Unloaded Vehicle Weight- 4009

I recall that the actual numbers from a CAT scale were significantly higher. Of course, it was loaded then. I don't know the Escape numbers.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

If there is a WDH in use, it doesn't appear to be doing anything.

Not much anyway, eh?

[Brian B-P]

A Tahoe and a Silverado are the same to the back of the driver's seat. Past that, the structure is similar and mechanical parts are mostly shared, but the wheelbase is different, the suspension is different (leaf springs in the pickup, coil springs and control arms in the SUVs), the frame is different (due to the suspension, bumper, and hitch) and of course the body is different. Some of those things matter to towing; some don't. Same relationship as between an F-150 and an Expedition, a Tundra and a Sequoia, etc.

Anything which carries stuff is a truck, including vans. A Tahoe/Suburban/Yukon/Escalade is not a pickup truck (open box in back, separate from the cab), but if you consider it functional as a cargo vehicle then it is a truck... and so another source of confusion in terminology.

"SUV" really just means station wagon with some feature which makes it seem truck-like, or off-road-oriented, or anything that the marketing people think will improve sales. There's another source of confusion.

Given the substantial distortion which is apparent in the image of Hilola's previous rig (check out the oval-looking front wheels), I wouldn't attempt any analysis based on this image. But maybe...

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Given the substantial distortion which is apparent in the image of Hilola's previous rig (check out the oval-looking front wheels), I wouldn't attempt any analysis based on this image. But maybe...

Maybe that was the problem, oval wheels, lol!

Good info, Brian!