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Old 12-20-2015, 09:20 AM   #1
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Need help with towing setup for 27HFS Hyperlite XLR

I bought a new 2016 Tundra double cab yesterday with tow package. I will be using it to tow a 27'HFS hyperlite XLR toy hauler. Most tows will be around 100-250 miles. The dry weight showa 6300lbs. In the cargo area it will be loaded with 1100 pounds (BBQ smoker, stainless steel sink and generator...using this for doing competiton BBQ's) and another 600 pounds for everything else in the trailer. So I'm figuring about 8000 pounds loaded. Not sure yet of the TW, although it says it is about 800 lbs, so lets say it is 1000. Maybe someone who owns one of these trailers can let me know if this is close. I will not be putting anything in the bed of the truck. So here are a few questions I have.

Will the P series tires be enough for this truck or will I be better off going with a E series tire? Sure seems like it would be a lot safer with the stiffer sidewall and carrying the load. Are they needed?

Also does anyone have any experience with the Anderson WDH pulling a 8000lb TH? I understand some have said it will not transfer enough weight to the front axle. I have been told to put the Firestone Air Bags on it and that will help with the sag. So if I have the air bag can I use the Anderson WDH. I really don't want to unhook when I back up. Some of the BBQ competitions we do is not easy to get into.

Thanks in advance
Mike
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Old 12-20-2015, 09:27 AM   #2
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Welcome!

I will comment on the weight distribution setup. If your front end is lifted, your WDH is not doing its job. Using air bags will just make things look better, but you will not be transferring enough of your tongue weight forward to the front end and your hitch will probably be overloaded. The sole purpose of the WDH is to transfer heavy tongue weight to the front of the tow vehicle and to the trailer axles. If your truck isn't level, you need to adjust or replace components of your WDH.

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Old 12-20-2015, 09:28 AM   #3
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Look's like you put the Horse before the Cart! But if the horse came with P-Tires,I think with This CART you will need a TEAM! Youroo!!
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Old 12-20-2015, 09:42 AM   #4
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Mike you might get more help posting this under the XLR area. Lots of helpful people willing to help on this forum.
Good luck and Congrats on your new truck & trailer ! 🍻


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Old 12-20-2015, 10:20 AM   #5
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Honestly, depending on what setup you have long bed/short bed/ 4.6L/5.7L... you are coming close to what that tundra can do. top tow rating for any Tundra is 10300 lbs The hitch weight for the 27'HFS hyperlite XLR toy hauler is 876 lbs, the idea is to set up your WDH to spread that out between the front and back wheels of your TV, I think..The air bags will take care of the sag but may not transfer as much weight to the front axle because of the lack of hitch counter pressure. So get your WDH set up right, then use your air bags just to reinforce it to smooth the ride out even more. Now that being said I'm not sure pulling 4 tons any distance on the road is a good idea with passenger rated tires. At minimum you need to upgrade to LT tires with at least a C rating, probably need D though. While you're upgrading maybe think about dumping the Andersen WDH and go for a beefier hitch like an Equalizer WDH with solid steel trunnions. They slide on L brackets and do not have to unhook when backing. Alright, good luck with all of that be safe...
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Old 12-20-2015, 10:24 AM   #6
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Your P-metric tires should be fine for a short tow like that.

The Anderson WD hitches are not known for handling a big trailer like yours very well. I would suggest a Reese Straight-Line or an Equalizer. No problem backing either of those.

IMO, air bags are a crutch for a bad setup or a bad match between TV and trailer; with a bumper pull that is.
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Old 12-20-2015, 10:32 AM   #7
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Dont care for towing with "P" tires myself. Would up grade the tires to Lt's , E's would be good.

Personally I would pass on the Anderson WDH, dont think you will get enough weight back to the front axles. Equal-i-zer 12K or 14k. There is also other wdh of better choice for a unit that heavy and long.
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Old 12-20-2015, 10:32 AM   #8
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I, for one would not use the Andersen. It's good for sway but not for weight distribution. It seems to do better with lighter rv's and 1\2 tons or larger rv's like yours and 3\4 T or higher trucks. There are numerous systems that you can back up with Blue Ox is one and about the same price point. Andersen is very convenient though stores in tighter places and no grease to contend with.

I sold my Andersen and went with Blue Ox, just didn't like the ride quality.
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Old 12-20-2015, 10:40 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Homebrew View Post
Mike you might get more help posting this under the XLR area.
This is probably the best forum to ask the questions, as towing related questions cover all trailers.

To answer a couple of the OPs questions:

The Andersen Hitch seems to work OK for heavy duty trucks pulling smaller trailers, but not 1/2 tons pulling heavy trailers. The Andersen has not been proven (at least on this forum) to transfer enough weight to the TV front axle. Consider another WDH with integrated sway control such as anEqual-i-zer 4 pt., Reese Straight Line Dual Cam, or Blue Ox Sway Pro.

Anything loaded in the cargo area of a toy hauler takes weight off of the tongue. That is why many toyhaulers have a heavy unloaded tongue weight......once cargo is loaded, the tongue weight comes down. Loading up 1100 lbs. of cooking supplies in the cargo area could take several hundred lbs. off of the tongue weight. The OP may need to tweak the placement of the cargo to get a good tongue weight of 12-15%. Of course, anything loaded in front of the axles (camping gear, clothes, food, etc) will add to the tongue weight.

If someone is exceeding the P series tire ratings, then they will also be exceeding axle ratings, as the tires should always be rated more than then the axles.

With a properly setup WDH, air bags should not be needed, and IMHO they should not be used on a 1/2 ton truck......to easy to give you a false sense of safety when the truck doesn't settle. Air bags do nothing to distribute the trailer tongue weight to the TV front axle.
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Old 12-20-2015, 11:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
With a properly setup WDH, air bags should not be needed, and IMHO they should not be used on a 1/2 ton truck......to easy to give you a false sense of safety when the truck doesn't settle. Air bags do nothing to distribute the trailer tongue weight to the TV front axle.
Yup!!


Toyota owners manual explains a lot. States the front end should be at same height loaded and unloaded.
My Tundra - ground to inside frt fender is 36 1/2 inch no trailer
37 inch with trailer no WDH
36 1/2 inch with WDH
I dont have the weights but I tow a 19rr with a Honda Gold wing in the back and tows great. Youll get 8 - 10 mpg these campers mover alot of air so weight comes in 2nd vs aerodynamics for fuel economy.
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Old 12-20-2015, 12:52 PM   #11
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Ken K thanks for your input. It has the 5.7L engine with the 6.5' bed. The tires I will put on the truck are the Michelin LT Defenders E rated tires. Can you recommend me a WDH that will work with my setup that I can back up with it still being attached? I see some have said with the right WDH that I don't need the air bags, so I will do that last

Also looks like my hitch will need to be raised about 8" so the trailer will not sit to low. So need a WHD that will be raised up 8"

Thanks again,
Mike
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Old 12-20-2015, 12:59 PM   #12
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the Andersen works great . i have the 29 xlr and sit at about 9000 loaded and it a breeze to tow with the andersen . i have a 2500hd a bit more then the tundra but my tow specs are very close so it should work well for you
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Old 12-20-2015, 01:06 PM   #13
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OK then lets clear this up a little...

Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnGuy View Post
This is probably the best forum to ask the questions, as towing related questions cover all trailers.

To answer a couple of the OPs questions:

The Andersen Hitch seems to work OK for heavy duty trucks pulling smaller trailers, but not 1/2 tons pulling heavy trailers. The Andersen has not been proven (at least on this forum) to transfer enough weight to the TV front axle. Consider another WDH with integrated sway control such as anEqual-i-zer 4 pt., Reese Straight Line Dual Cam, or Blue Ox Sway Pro.

Anything loaded in the cargo area of a toy hauler takes weight off of the tongue. That is why many toyhaulers have a heavy unloaded tongue weight......once cargo is loaded, the tongue weight comes down. Loading up 1100 lbs. of cooking supplies in the cargo area could take several hundred lbs. off of the tongue weight. The OP may need to tweak the placement of the cargo to get a good tongue weight of 12-15%. Of course, anything loaded in front of the axles (camping gear, clothes, food, etc) will add to the tongue weight.

If someone is exceeding the P series tire ratings, then they will also be exceeding axle ratings, as the tires should always be rated more than then the axles.

With a properly setup WDH, air bags should not be needed, and IMHO they should not be used on a 1/2 ton truck......to easy to give you a false sense of safety when the truck doesn't settle. Air bags do nothing to distribute the trailer tongue weight to the TV front axle.


OK folks there's more to consider with LT tires than just their weight capacity. As you press your foot on the accelerator you generate torque (hopefully) in the drive train, and those forces are then transferred to the ground via the drive axle, and then finally the tires. I think Mtn Guy, along with several other opinions of Rated LT tires demonstrate a gross misunderstanding of the whole scope of LT rated truck tires use/benefits in Hauling. The tires have a different rubber compounds made to resist heat build up, and then dissipate the heat better once it does build up much better than any P metric passenger tires. Other considerations in this case are that the rolling friction is reduced because of the increased sidewall ply count, and higher tire pressure this will translate to less drive train stress; this may also result in a slightly improved gas mileage. He will be hauling 4 to 5 tons with what is arguably a mid range truck, going in to curves, starting and stopping, and those 4 to 5 tons will want to keep on going in the direction they were traveling. This will put a lot of friction and lateral torque on his P metric plyless side walls(a nylon casing doesn't count as a rated ply) that his current tires just aren't designed to handle. In my opinion weight carried on the axle is the least of his worries. You need to consider that those sidewalls are made to handle the forces that the load gives back as you transport it down the road and react to conditions. So it's not just weight management but the overall safety and well being as well. It's always good when you Arrive Alive. If it were a smaller load I think I would have a different opinion, but he is nearly maxing out his trucks capacity, and needs to have the right equipment to make sure he makes it to those BBQ competitions. Also if something does happen and he hurts someone other than himself, and he was under equipped for the load he was carrying because some one on the internet said it was OK, someone could end up paying out of pocket, I don't know if you have paid for a couple of months in the ICU, but it's a hell of a lot more expensive than a set of tires.

Buy the tires...
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Old 12-20-2015, 01:14 PM   #14
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the Andersen works great . i have the 29 xlr and sit at about 9000 loaded and it a breeze to tow with the andersen . i have a 2500hd a bit more then the tundra but my tow specs are very close so it should work well for you
Besides you having a (2500HD) you failed to also tell him you installed Air Bags on your truck,and you say your Tow Specs are Very close! Youroo!!
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Old 12-20-2015, 01:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by in6seczone View Post
I bought a new 2016 Tundra double cab yesterday with tow package. I will be using it to tow a 27'HFS hyperlite XLR toy hauler. Most tows will be around 100-250 miles. The dry weight showa 6300lbs. In the cargo area it will be loaded with 1100 pounds (BBQ smoker, stainless steel sink and generator...using this for doing competiton BBQ's) and another 600 pounds for everything else in the trailer. So I'm figuring about 8000 pounds loaded. Not sure yet of the TW, although it says it is about 800 lbs, so lets say it is 1000. Maybe someone who owns one of these trailers can let me know if this is close. I will not be putting anything in the bed of the truck. So here are a few questions I have.

Will the P series tires be enough for this truck or will I be better off going with a E series tire? Sure seems like it would be a lot safer with the stiffer sidewall and carrying the load. Are they needed?

Also does anyone have any experience with the Anderson WDH pulling a 8000lb TH? I understand some have said it will not transfer enough weight to the front axle. I have been told to put the Firestone Air Bags on it and that will help with the sag. So if I have the air bag can I use the Anderson WDH. I really don't want to unhook when I back up. Some of the BBQ competitions we do is not easy to get into.

Thanks in advance
Mike
Did your truck come OEM with "P" or "LT" tires? Every truck I've owned came with LTs. Just curious. Seems like if the truck has the towpack, it would have LTs.
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Old 12-20-2015, 02:06 PM   #16
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Blackhat it came with the P series tires. I just thought it would be way better to put the Michelins LT Defenders on the truck. My salesman said he would give me $400 for the tires I'm taking off so it was a no brainer.

Mike
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Old 12-20-2015, 02:22 PM   #17
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Thanks for all the replies. Well no doubt I'm getting the LT 10 ply tires.

But I really need some help with the hitch. Seems like I have read the Anderson WDH does work ok with all the trucks bigger then the 1/2 and on lighter trailers. But not so much on the 1/2 ton trucks pulling 8000 pounds.

So what would everyone recommend for pulling my 27' HFS weighing 7800-8000 pounds, with my Tundra. I will need the hitch raised about 8" to keep the truck and trailer close to being level. I really want and need a WDH that I can back up my trailer without unhooking it. When we go to these BBQ competition we are sometimes in tight areas and I don't want to have to unhook to back up.

I will put air bags on later if needed.

Thanks in advance
Mike
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Old 12-20-2015, 03:11 PM   #18
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MTNGUY you posted this:
Consider another WDH with integrated sway control such as anEqual-i-zer 4 pt., Reese Straight Line Dual Cam, or Blue Ox Sway Pro.
Which of these hitches would you recommend?
Please consider I need a hitch that I don't have to unhook to back up. Trailer will weight about 7800-8000 pounds. Guessing TW will be about 800-1000 pounds. Hopefully the one you recommend does not have to have a lot of grease on it to keep it quite.

Thanks
Mike
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Old 12-20-2015, 04:36 PM   #19
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I believe they answered that last question earlier when they said they could back up without unhooking. I know, a lot of information at once.
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Old 12-20-2015, 04:37 PM   #20
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I was pulling about 8000# with a 1/2 ton for a short time a couple months ago. Bought what I believe was the safest to do the job. The Equalizer (TM) WD with sway control. Only used it twice and it now sits in my garage. It is rated 1000TW and 10,000 tow weight ~~ I tow a 5er and doubt will have use for it again.
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