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Old 06-04-2014, 07:22 AM   #21
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brake controller

Meeks, sorry I can't offer any info on the discussion about the #on the trailer tongue, but I have a question for you. I notice you are pulling the popup with a Toyota 2011 Highlander V-6. My wife has a Toyota 2009 V-4 Highlander with the towing package. My popup is the rockwood 1940 ltd, about 1500#, so much less than yours. Wondering what brake controller you installed on your Toyota? We'll be using my pickup truck next week until I sort out what she needs on her car to pull our popup. I have ordered the 4 flat to seven round connector for the trailer lights from etrailer.com. That comes with additional wires for connecting brake controller. I would appreciate any suggestions! Happy camping1
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Old 06-04-2014, 07:30 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by KDHfan View Post
You're going with a single propane tank instead of two, correct? If so, that's a good move, IMO, to reduce some TW. I see little reason the carry two full propane tanks if a TV is anywhere close to its max TW.
We camped 32 nights last year and didn't go through 2 bottles (limited furnace use, however).
I discovered about the same propane usage!

Thanks!
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2014 Rockwood Premier Pop-Up Tent Trailer 2516G.
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Old 06-05-2014, 12:15 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by Ringbill View Post
Meeks, sorry I can't offer any info on the discussion about the #on the trailer tongue, but I have a question for you. I notice you are pulling the popup with a Toyota 2011 Highlander V-6. My wife has a Toyota 2009 V-4 Highlander with the towing package. My popup is the rockwood 1940 ltd, about 1500#, so much less than yours. Wondering what brake controller you installed on your Toyota? We'll be using my pickup truck next week until I sort out what she needs on her car to pull our popup. I have ordered the 4 flat to seven round connector for the trailer lights from etrailer.com. That comes with additional wires for connecting brake controller. I would appreciate any suggestions! Happy camping1>


Hi Ringbill,
I purchased the Tekonsha-Primus™ IQ Brake Controller. It works wonderfully. $95 and since you mentioned etrailer.com, they sell it.

There are certainly more knowledgable people than me on this forum to ask about brake controllers and how to wire (gauge of wire, etc.). You could search on the forum if you haven't already. One of the great things, which you probably already know, about the seven wire setup is getting charging capability from your tow vehicle alternator to the battery of your pop-up. Since I don't know much about wiring I just brought our trailer and Highlander to a local towing shop and had them install it along with the weight distribution hitch.

Attached is a photo of the installation of the Brake Controller. I wanted it out of the way of my knee and since the Highlander is not very roomy, per se, and given the fact that there is a knee airbag beneath the steering wheel, I asked the installer if he could put it in the "change drawer" cubby. By taking out the "change drawer" he was able to do just a bit of plastic cutting inside/behind the "change drawer" and install the bracket and brake controller in there. When I'm not towing I can easily take the brake controller out of the bracket, store it in the glove compartment, and put the untouched "change drawer" back into place (no longer functional but cosmetically finishes the look back to factory). Kinda slick.
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2014 Rockwood Premier Pop-Up Tent Trailer 2516G.
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Fastway e2 WDH ™ with sway control & Tekonsha-Primus™ IQ Brake Controller.
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Old 06-05-2014, 12:49 AM   #24
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Mileage

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ringbill View Post
Meeks, sorry I can't offer any info on the discussion about the #on the trailer tongue, but I have a question for you. I notice you are pulling the popup with a Toyota 2011 Highlander V-6. My wife has a Toyota 2009 V-4 Highlander with the towing package. My popup is the rockwood 1940 ltd, about 1500#, so much less than yours. Wondering what brake controller you installed on your Toyota? We'll be using my pickup truck next week until I sort out what she needs on her car to pull our popup. I have ordered the 4 flat to seven round connector for the trailer lights from etrailer.com. That comes with additional wires for connecting brake controller. I would appreciate any suggestions! Happy camping1
By the way, Ringbill, if you find the V-4 to be adequate for your towing needs I bet you'll love the mileage! Our V-6 gave us 18 mpg averaging 55-60 mph including most of our driving at elevations of 5,000 - 9,000 feet (we were in Northern CA, Nevada, and Southern Utah). I was amazed!
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2014 Rockwood Premier Pop-Up Tent Trailer 2516G.
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Fastway e2 WDH ™ with sway control & Tekonsha-Primus™ IQ Brake Controller.
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Old 06-05-2014, 04:52 AM   #25
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Toyota

Thank you, Meeks! Great tip on the install of the controller. I will search on this site, but I think I may just take the whole thing to an installer. That is great mileage on mountain terrain...we are just above sea level here, maybe next year tackle the Smokies.
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Old 06-05-2014, 05:17 AM   #26
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Have you weighed your set up on a scale??? Dry weight is not always correct. Weighing it is the only way to know where you truely are. As far as to the tongue weight 50 lbs probably will make no difference as to towing or safety. But some other weight can be shifted to the rear of the trailer to take weight off the tongue.

If you are over weight on your axles there is not a whole lot you can do but remove weight. But when figuring total weight do not forget the weight that is on the tongue is not on the axles.

Just my opinion but if you remove a propane bottle you are very likely to find yourself with an empty tank when camping needing it.

Good Luck!!

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Old 06-05-2014, 01:11 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by Oaklevel View Post
Have you weighed your set up on a scale??? Dry weight is not always correct. Weighing it is the only way to know where you truely are. As far as to the tongue weight 50 lbs probably will make no difference as to towing or safety. But some other weight can be shifted to the rear of the trailer to take weight off the tongue.

If you are over weight on your axles there is not a whole lot you can do but remove weight. But when figuring total weight do not forget the weight that is on the tongue is not on the axles.

Just my opinion but if you remove a propane bottle you are very likely to find yourself with an empty tank when camping needing it.

Good Luck!!

Hi Oaklevel,

Thanks for your feedback.

Here are the actual measurements from the truck scale:
Trailer tongue weight = 550 lbs (rating is 500 lbs).
Trailer axle weight = 3,000 lbs (GAWR = 3,000 lbs).
Trailer weight = 3,400 lbs (GVWR = 3,250 lbs)
Tow vehicle weight = 5,850 lbs (GVWR = 6,000 lbs). This includes tongue weight of trailer, fully loaded trailer, and vehicle with driver and two passengers......our next trip I am adding my two daughters and their gear. So, I'll be a bit above recommended numbers on the tow rig.
Tow vehicle axle weights and combined gross weight rating are both well under maximum permissible.

In terms of tongue weight, I've decided to leave both propane bottles on the tongue and run one mostly to empty to save about 20 lbs but have it for the Fall to fill up when temps are cooler and we might want to run the furnace more.

In terms of trailer axle weight and overall weight, I will simply reduce a bit!

Thanks again for your help, Oaklevel, and everyone!
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2014 Rockwood Premier Pop-Up Tent Trailer 2516G.
2011 Toyota Highlander V-6 with tow package.
Fastway e2 WDH ™ with sway control & Tekonsha-Primus™ IQ Brake Controller.
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