GEE, I've got more questions on which one to get?

[agpilot]

I am also looking at the same trailers with a tacoma. The hitch weight might be 640 lbs with the 6400 tow capacity. My experience is that most tow capacities are wishful thinking by the manufacturers. I also live in north ga and I would not want to pull more than 4500 with the tacoma. The last Chevy I had had a 7500 tow capacity and it really struggled with a 5000 lb trailer in the mountains. I like the toy hauler model but am worried about the tongue weight with a tacoma.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by agpilot

I am also looking at the same trailers with a tacoma. The hitch weight might be 640 lbs with the 6400 tow capacity. My experience is that most tow capacities are wishful thinking by the manufacturers. I also live in north ga and I would not want to pull more than 4500 with the tacoma. The last Chevy I had had a 7500 tow capacity and it really struggled with a 5000 lb trailer in the mountains. I like the toy hauler model but am worried about the tongue weight with a tacoma.

Your cargo carrying capacity is what you should be the most concerned with.

[agpilot]

Ok. 1200 lbs CCC -
300 passengers
75 personal gear
100 firewood
150 generator,chairs,misc
25 ball hitch
260 dry hitch weight - T12BH
100 added hitch weight after lp tanks, battery

1,010 total only leaves 190 for anything else.

Does that look right?

Thanks.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by agpilot

Ok. 1200 lbs CCC -
300 passengers
75 personal gear
100 firewood
150 generator,chairs,misc
25 ball hitch
260 dry hitch weight - T12BH
100 added hitch weight after lp tanks, battery

1,010 total only leaves 190 for anything else.

Does that look right?

Thanks.

Looks close but believe it or not average user item are about 1000lbs

Dishes pots pans silverware glass plates food coolers ice beverages sheets blankets pillows clothes tools toiletries towels awning mat water heater full of water
Dual 30lb propane tanks full are 100lbs
Battery is 100lbs


Just an fyi

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by agpilot

Ok. 1200 lbs CCC -
300 passengers
75 personal gear
100 firewood
150 generator,chairs,misc
25 ball hitch
260 dry hitch weight - T12BH
100 added hitch weight after lp tanks, battery

1,010 total only leaves 190 for anything else.

Does that look right?

Thanks.

Sounds fair. If you have everything but the camper, you can load up the truck like you were going camping and taking it to get weighed. Take that number and then subtract it from your GVWR to find out what's available for tongue weight. You might be surprised at how much things actually weigh, BUT, your numbers seem fairly right.

[agpilot]

GT40 I do not mean to hijack your thread. I am thinking about going with the T12Bh with the front rack for the tacoma.

[gt40]

Now that I have been reading on other Forums my Tacoma is supposed to have a max. tongue weight of 650 lbs. not 350 lbs. I think the 350 lbs. is the tongue weight of the A-Frames unloaded (dry). Does this sound more accurate?

[gt40]

Originally Posted by agpilot

GT40 I do not mean to hijack your thread. I am thinking about going with the T12Bh with the front rack for the tacoma.

No problem. I'm considering the one you are also.

PS: My hunting buddy bought the one with the front rack and has a Tacoma 4X4 V6 with access cab. He does not have a weight distribution hitch and says that it sways going around corners even when it is unloaded (dry). He hasn't even used it yet.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by gt40

No problem. I'm considering the one you are also.

PS: My hunting buddy bought the one with the front rack and has a Tacoma 4X4 V6 with access cab. He does not have a weight distribution hitch and says that it sways going around corners even when it is unloaded (dry). He hasn't even used it yet.

I wouldn't be surprised with the sway when empty given that it is likely to the light without anything on the platform. If he weighs things out, he may see that he is significantly low % on tongue weight.

[Pooneil]

Originally Posted by gt40

Now that I have been reading on other Forums my Tacoma is supposed to have a max. tongue weight of 650 lbs. not 350 lbs. I think the 350 lbs. is the tongue weight of the A-Frames unloaded (dry). Does this sound more accurate?

The factory Dry Hitch Weight on an a122S is 283 lbs and on a T12BH it is 292 lbs.

Originally Posted by gt40

PS: My hunting buddy bought the one with the front rack and has a Tacoma 4X4 V6 with access cab. He does not have a weight distribution hitch and says that it sways going around corners even when it is unloaded (dry). He hasn't even used it yet.

I am surprised by this. The factory weights balance of 15% is quite good because the axle is fairly far back. The dealer prep of adding propane and a battery should make it relatively tongue heavy. My A122S towed wonderfully with an empty trunk.

You need to look at the GCWR for your Tacoma and subtract the GWR for the trailer for a first approximation of the residual capacity you have. A frames have a relativity high CCC, so you have some room to be flexible. But there is no substitute for understanding your vehicles and actual weights if you are close to your limits and towing on difficult roads.

[Wojo]

Ours also towed extremely well unloaded, during the 1 1/2 hour drive home from the dealer. She tracked straight as an arrow whether at speed on the freeway or on county two lanes, even when large semis were blowing by.

The front storage trunk has a label on the door, limiting the amount of weight to be stowed there to 150 pounds. I weighed each item I'll be putting in there individually (used a bathroom scale with me and the item on it, then deducted my weight), and I'm coming in at 140 pounds. The front is lightened a little with the items we have stowed in the rear dinette storage...but not that much because the majority of the fulcrum is in front of the axle. To add a bit more to the rear of the fulcrum, I will stow my EZ Up canopy inside the camper, positioned so that more of it is behind the axle than in front. That gets my tongue weight right about where I need it.

I'm going to take the loaded camper out for a test drive this weekend, in preparation for the 5 hour drive for the Labor Day weekend.

I'm not sure any of that helps, but there it is.

[gt40]

Thanks Wojo that helps me a lot. I have to thank everyone else that has been posting all this helpful info. I wish the dealer here had at least one of each version to compare. I'd rather buy the one I "really" want instead of buying the one I think I want and then find out later I should have gotten a different one.

[Wojo]

I know what you mean. I looked for a long time for a dealer that had one with the front deck...or any at all for that matter. It wasn't until I extended my search to include both Rockwood and Flagstaff that I found a relatively close dealer with any in stock.

[handbuilder]

Even tho I have a front deck, I always carry the ez up canopy inside the trailer, against the fridge. Its my insurance to keep the door from accidentally opening while enroute. Lee's & Dan's experience of spilled contents was all I needed to hear. When my best friend bought her TH, I told her about the door opening but she wasnt worried. We caravaned to the show & when she opened her trailer, her fridge contents were all over the floor. She's tightened the screw & its stayed closed, but I dont mind carrying the canopy in for travel.