Issues Towing a Salem Lite RBXL171

[Weberpa]

I'm nervous to post any questions about tow capacity and tongue weight, but better safe than sorry!

I'm driving a 2010 Toyota Highlander, with tow kit, and addd stabilizer/weight distribution system. We're towing a Salem Lite RBXL171 (Dual axel, dry weight 4082)

A recent 7 hour highway road trip went well. Just had to keep it is under 100 KPH. No brake issues, no wobble.

I estimate we carry couple hundred pounds of stuff and don't travel with anything in the water tanks.

1. I'd like to measure the tongue weight. I'm looking for recommendations on the best way or product to do this?

2. I'm thinking of going to a roadside weigh scale to verify weight with our stuff in it. Anything else I should be thinking of?

Please feel free to forward me to existing relevant posts I may have missed.

Thanks!
Paul
Salem Lite RBXL171

[bikendan]

Well, unfortunately like many, you don't appear to be looking at the high dry tongue weight, instead of the UVW number. Especially with a mid-sized SUV.
From what I found on Google, a 2010 Highlander's max towing capacity is 5000lbs, which means a max hitch weight of 500lbs.
Your trailer has a fictional dry tongue weight of 521lbs, which already exceeds your car's max and that's before adding the weights of batteries, water, dealer add-ons, factory options and trailer cargo.
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/trave...e/171RBXL/2402

Many, like myself, own a Sherline tongue weight scale. Don't know if there are CAT scales near you.
You didn't mention what your tow package consists of. Do you have a brake controller?

[Weberpa]

Thanks for your reply. I will look into the Sherline. I do have a break controller. the tow package was the standard one that comes with the car. So I don't know it's exact elements.

[Weberpa]

And my newbie understanding was that the stabilizers redistributed some weight onto the trailer and off the hitch. I guess the Sherline would make that clear.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Weberpa

And my newbie understanding was that the stabilizers redistributed some weight onto the trailer and off the hitch. I guess the Sherline would make that clear.

A WDH doesn't lower the tongue weight, it distributes it. So it doesn't change your car's max hitch weight.

[Palinduff]

Originally Posted by bikendan

A WDH doesn't lower the tongue weight, it distributes it. So it doesn't change your car's max hitch weight.

A WD hitch lowers the non distributed tongue weight by distributing it.

[boogiejack75]

Originally Posted by Weberpa

I'm nervous to post any questions about tow capacity and tongue weight, but better safe than sorry!

I'm driving a 2010 Toyota Highlander, with tow kit, and addd stabilizer/weight distribution system. We're towing a Salem Lite RBXL171 (Dual axel, dry weight 4082)

A recent 7 hour highway road trip went well. Just had to keep it is under 100 KPH. No brake issues, no wobble.

I estimate we carry couple hundred pounds of stuff and don't travel with anything in the water tanks.

1. I'd like to measure the tongue weight. I'm looking for recommendations on the best way or product to do this?

2. I'm thinking of going to a roadside weigh scale to verify weight with our stuff in it. Anything else I should be thinking of?

Please feel free to forward me to existing relevant posts I may have missed.

Thanks!
Paul
Salem Lite RBXL171

Go to Towingplanner.com

All of your answers will be there.

[JDR76]

I've read conflicting information on whether or not you should use a WDH on a unibody vehicle such as the Highlander.


As for the tongue weight, like others, I use a Sherline Scale. Easy to get (I think I bought mine on Amazon) and I use it frequently when loading my trailer. It's a very useful tool.

[pgandw]

Originally Posted by JDR76

I've read conflicting information on whether or not you should use a WDH on a unibody vehicle such as the Highlander.

As for the tongue weight, like others, I use a Sherline Scale.

Agree with the Sherline Scale. I use it to know where I'm actually at on tongue weight.

When unibody vehicles first came out in the 1970s, some were certainly under-engineered for hard use in the US. But 50 years later, the engineering has more than caught up. The handbook for a 2020 Toyota Sienna specifically wanted use of a WDH for trailers over 2200 lbs. I have towed my A-frame campers using a WDH on a 2008 Hyundai Entourage (re-badged Kia Sedona), a 2022 Kia Carnival, and a 2022 Hyundai Palisade with no ill effects to vehicle. In all cases, the WDH made the tow much nicer by distributing tongue weight to the front wheels. The tow is much nicer than pulling my 2000lb boat and trailer, which has no WDH.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2022 Hyundai Palisade