RamCaTL
Roseville, CA
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Joined: 04/22/2002
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I was at a Toyota dealership last night with my dad who is looking to buy a little Tacoma for some light hauling. The Seqouioa SUV caught my eye. I like the style, comfort and amenities.
It has a curb weight of 5,070 lbs.
It has a wheelbase of 118.1 inches.
It has a Payload weight of about 1,430.
It has a GCWR of 11,800 lbs.
And a listed towing capacity of 6,500 lbs.
Does this look like a good fit for a 20' hybrid trailer that weighs approximately 5,000 lbs. fully loaded with a 550# tongue weight?
I have a family of 4 with dog & supplies that probably pushes past Payload weight, especially if gasoline and tongue weight has to be added to it..
Anyone towing with a Sequoia?
*This Message was edited on 03-Nov-02 02:32 PM by Burbahoe*
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David Lyon
Victoria, B.C., Canada
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I think you are probably OK to tow the hybrid with the Sequoia. I have been towing a Rockwood Roo 21 with a 4Runner for the last two years, and it is a very solid, if underpowered, tow vehicle.
I would recommend 3 things. First, make sure you have a clear ideal on the actual weights before you commit yourself. You are close enough to your limits that you don't want to spend that much on a truck only to find that it doesn't really do what you expected.
Second, if you do get the Sequioa, get them to put LT tires on it. It makes a big difference when towing.
Third, make sure you use a WD hitch. We use a Draw-tite, and towing is a real pleasure.
One last comment: We will have to upgrade sometime in the next couple of years. I am now on my third Toyota truck, and have been very happy with all 3 of them. Despite this, I will likely go to the GM 2500HD with diesel, so that I don't have to worry about my limits. We have 2 sons, will soon be taking delivery of a Rockwood Roo 25BH, and it will be nice to be able to throw a lot of toys in the back of the truck without worrying.
Anyway, have fun with your decision.
David Lyon
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camping man
Central Fla.
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Joined: 09/01/2001
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I feel your to close to limits and it might put a hurting on a nice vehicle,I would hate to spend the money and destroy such a nice family vehicle.$.02 worth
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LAdams
Northern Illinois
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Burbahoe,
David Lyon's comments are good ones... Probably your largest area of concern will be the GVWR of the Sequoia...
Add up the weights of your family of four, any gear you will carry in the Sequoia and then the tongue weight of the trailer in question...
If in fact the 20' trailer will weigh #5000 loaded you might be a little light on your estimated tongue weight... The #550 is just barely 10% and you usually want 10-15% with 12-13% being typical... If the TT weighs in at #5000, 13% would be #650...
If you and the wife weigh #300 and the kids together weigh #200 and the dog #50, amd maybe #100 of cargo, that gives you a total weight of #1300 (with tt tongue weight...
That's coming very close to the payload capacity of #1430... Another thing to consider is that base curb weight figures do NOT include any options you may have ordered on the new vehicle or LT series tires which will be heavier than P-Series tires normally supplied..
Trailer UVW's or empty weight are notoriously inaccurate... Again, a TT's base weight will not include options like A/C, awning. Microwave, propane weight or water weight and must be taken into consideration when selecting a tow vehicle...
While the Sequoia's wheelbase is pretty short at 118", I don't believe it will give you any problems with a 20' trailer assuming you purchase a good antisway w/d hitch...
I do have concerns about being underpowered though... It would appear that all the Sequoia's come with the 4.7L V8 which is supposed to be a very good motor... However I have towed similar and higher weights with a 4.6L V8 motor and found that #4000 was just about the limit for this motor as far as providing good towing performance...
If you decide to go ahead with this I would excersize caution and make sure your weights are within the limits of the vehicles involved...
Best Regards,
Les
2000 Ford F-250SD, XLT, 4X4 Off Road, SuperCab
w/ 6.8L (415 C.I.) V-10/3:73LS/4R100
Banks Power Pack w/Trans Command & OttoMind
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willald
NC
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Joined: 07/15/2002
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Burbahoe,
I'm curious which 20' hybrid trailer you are talking about, that weighs 5000 lbs (that seems awful heavy, for a 20' hybrid)? Is this the max weight, or unloaded weight? Nearly every hybrid trailer we looked at in the 20' size, was much lighter than that.
Our 25' Jayco Kiwi 25E has an unloaded weight of 4300. When we weighed it fully loaded, it was about 5100 lbs. Jayco's Kiwi trailers are known to be some of the heaviest hybrid trailers, also.
5000 lbs does seem like a lot of weight for the Sequoia, but you could probably do it. I wouldn't expect to break any speed records going up inclines, and as others have mentioned, you'll have to watch your weights real closely.
Will & Angela
2 children that love camping, Stephen & Allison
2003 Ford Excursion V10 4x4 ("No Taxpayers were harmed by the makers of this truck")
2003 Thor Citation 33M, Hensley Arrow hitch, Brakesmart Brake Control
Our Rig
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JimWilson
New Jersey
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I agree with LAdams; you're going to be pushing that vehicle to the limit, maybe even going over it. I'd be careful trying that.
Generally speaking, it's wise to stay *under* the GCVW by 10% or so, in order to leave a bit of a safety margin. Remember, a lot of those numbers are for marketing purposes, so they have a tendency to stretch things a bit.
2001 Coleman Caravan 25SL
2002 Chevy 2500HD Silverado CrewCab
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tluxon
Kirkland, WA
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I think you'll be in good shape for the engine and driveline capabilities which are reflected in the GCWR. I would echo what others have said about the GVWR - you're going to be really close on that and it could shorten the life of that nice SUV.
On a personal note, my wife and I have always preferred Japanese vehicles and during our hunt for her SUV, we looked really closely at the Sequoia. We both had a problem with the position of the headrests (I'm 6' and she's 5'4") and they weren't adjustable. Roominess seemed quite good for that size of vehicle, but acceleration was short of spectacular.
We killed two birds with one stone by getting the Suburban in that it's a great tow vehicle and my wife loves it for her SUV. The bird that got away was that it wasn't Japanese built, but overall we couldn't be happier.
Best wishes,
Tim -
wife Beverly & 2 boys who love camping
2002 K2500 Suburban 8.1L 4.10 Prodigy
2005 Sunnybrook 30FKS HP Dual Cam
Replaced 2000 Sunnybrook 26FK on 8/6/04
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Hiking
Tucson, AZ
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Joined: 10/28/2002
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Bubahoe,
My 2 pennies:
The Sequoia will do the job; however, if you are planning more than weekend get-aways you should consider something with better towing ability. The Tundra and the Sequoia use the same chassis and drive train. My current towing experience with the Tundra has been less than satisfactory. I'm pulling around 5K and my Tundra has a 7100lb towing capacity. The acceleration and handling are mediocre and the gas mileage is half of its normal 18mpg (fill the tank every 200 miles...bummer-fyi 26.4 gallons). I am currently in the process of selling the Tundra and purchasing a 3/4 ton Ford Diesel (Overkill, but it will handle anything I want now and in the future).
Happy trails...
Just4fun
2003 Ford 7.3 4x4
2002 Nash 16C
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