Towing a 16ft Airstream with a 4runner? Other alternatives?

[Porkchopexpress]

Look at your door sticker for Payload, you don't get to calculate it - from what I've seen most 5th gen 4runners are ~900 - 1200, what does yours say, lets clear that up.

The Airstreams are TW heavy, throw out 10%, they are closer to 15%.

So do the math
+1200
-500 TW
-200 adult
-200 adult
-200 truck accessories
-75 weight dist. hitch
-100 gear

that is -75 or 75lb over payload.

If you have the option of a tow rig, per OP, no a 4runner is not best option.....100% can do it, but there are rigs that are better suited. My 2019 Ranger towed our 20' airstream but it also had a ~1500 lb payload capacity but I never maxed out the trailer, never towed with full tanks, didn't have a ton of gear and it was marginal.

There is a passenger and cargo limit of 900 lbs. That does not change your max GVWR or limit tongue weight. If you add 900 lbs to 15% of a 5000 lbs trailer, you get 1650 which puts you at max GVWR. I doubt that is coincidence. You are basically saying a body on frame 4runner can't tow 3500 lbs. From experience, I can affirm that it can without tail squat and with good acceleration.

Also, weight distribution hitch on a 3500 lb trailer?

 

[nickw]

There is a passenger and cargo limit of 900 lbs. That does not change your max GVWR or limit tongue weight. If you add 900 lbs to 15% of a 5000 lbs trailer, you get 1650 which puts you at max GVWR. I doubt that is coincidence. You are basically saying a body on frame 4runner can't tow 3500 lbs. From experience, I can affirm that it can without tail squat and with good acceleration.

Also, weight distribution hitch on a 3500 lb trailer?

WD hitch - absolutely, especially on a rig like a 4runner....it has more to do with the truck than the trailer.

I don't follow your math - what is the weight of you vehicle, actual weight, not online calculated weight? You'll need that to do the math you are doing.

The manuf. put those stickers on for a reason - we can debate if they are accurate, conservative, low, etc. but that sticker is what Toyota has deemed appropriate for your rig and yes, tongue weight eats into that.

 

[calicamper]

My TRD off road has a curb weight of about 4675 and GVWR of 6300 lbs, 1625 lb payload. Airstream website reads 3500 lb max GVWR for the 16' Bambi. That is 350 lbs on the hitch. That leaves 1275 lbs of capacity inside the 4runner for people and cargo. That is 1500 lbs under the 4runner max tow capacity.
The Bambi was literally designed to be towed by smaller vehicles. A 4runner would tow it just fine.

Every airstream owner will tell you add 100-200lbs to your tongue weight once loaded with propane, batteries and stuff. Its well known they run heavy

 

[bkg]

There is a passenger and cargo limit of 900 lbs. That does not change your max GVWR or limit tongue weight. If you add 900 lbs to 15% of a 5000 lbs trailer, you get 1650 which puts you at max GVWR. I doubt that is coincidence. You are basically saying a body on frame 4runner can't tow 3500 lbs. From experience, I can affirm that it can without tail squat and with good acceleration.

Also, weight distribution hitch on a 3500 lb trailer?

sounds like you haven't read the owners manual for the 4Runner... dollars to doughnuts it probably states WD hitch over 3-3500 lbs.

And you've deviated from your fact-based approach claimed earlier...

 

[Porkchopexpress]

sounds like you haven't read the owners manual for the 4Runner... dollars to doughnuts it probably states WD hitch over 3-3500 lbs.

And you've deviated from your fact-based approach claimed earlier...View attachment 749259

There was a question mark on my wd hitch comment. I concede that it is recommended by the manufacturer and I did not memorize the owners manual. That does not negate the 3500 lb trailer is well within tow limits.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

WD hitch - absolutely, especially on a rig like a 4runner....it has more to do with the truck than the trailer.

I don't follow your math - what is the weight of you vehicle, actual weight, not online calculated weight? You'll need that to do the math you are doing.

The manuf. put those stickers on for a reason - we can debate if they are accurate, conservative, low, etc. but that sticker is what Toyota has deemed appropriate for your rig and yes, tongue weight eats into that.

My trim level is 4675, max gvwr is 6300, max tow is 5000, max CGVWR is 11300.

Toyota doesn't expect the average consumer to do gvwr calculations so they made this chart. As long as you stay under vehicle capacity, 835, you can tow up to 5k and still be under max GVWR
4675+835+(5000×.15)=6260 which is less than 6300




Also, tongue weight does not eat into passenger and cargo weight, (defined as occupants + luggage). The section of the owners manual referencing tongue weight only references GVWR and CGWR and trailer weight.

 

[calicamper]

Let's make it easy. Toyota doesn't expect the average consumer to do gvwr calculations so they made this chart.

And you definitely have zero Airstream experience or you wouldn’t be making the classic rookie assumptions about 10% minimum tongue weight

 

[Porkchopexpress]

And you definitely have zero Airstream experience or you wouldn’t be making the classic rookie assumptions about 10% minimum tongue weight

I calculated 15% at 5000 lbs, which is conservative because the 16' bambi is 3500 max. And no, I don't have airstream experience.

 

[nickw]

My trim level is 4675, max gvwr is 6300, max tow is 5000, max CGVWR is 11300.

Toyota doesn't expect the average consumer to do gvwr calculations so they made this chart. As long as you stay under vehicle capacity, 835, you can tow up to 5k and still be under max GVWR
4675+835+(5000×.15)=6260 which is less than 6300
View attachment 749260

Go weigh your rig, I bet it weighs more than you think.....but regardless, payload #'s as provided by Toyota are official....your math doesn't count. I don't even know if the numbers in the manual count - they may be the same as shown online which are generic spec rigs, the door sticker is the actual as-built (base rig + options) payload capacity and it's hard to know how they factor in occupants, fuel, accessories and hitches in their calcs.

Doesn't the 4runner also have a 500 lb max TW rating?

As you can see, your are bumping up against recommended capacities, I am sure it "will", but as I and others have said, it's not the best tool for the job, especially in the mountains for a long period of time when he can pick a rig that can easily handle it.

All the old timers I've come across say the same thing when towing, try to stick to ~50% of rated capacity....lots of room for safety, way better to have more rig than you need.

But I've seen Tacomas on this website that weigh 7k+ so to each their own.

 

[nickw]

I calculated 15% at 5000 lbs, which is conservative because the 16' bambi is 3500 max. And no, I don't have airstream experience.

Don't be conservative, use "base" weight of 2900 lbs then....

Hitch setup = 60-70 lbs (mine is probably more than that)
2900 * 15% = 435 lbs (they trend a bit higher from what I have seen)
Total = ~500 lbs

You are already maxed out on TW which I do believe is 500 lbs on a 4runner?

 

[Porkchopexpress]

Go weigh your rig, I bet it weighs more than you think.....but regardless, payload #'s as provided by Toyota are official....your math doesn't count. I don't even know if the numbers in the manual count - they may be the same as shown online which are generic spec rigs, the door sticker is the actual as-built (base rig + options) payload capacity and it's hard to know how they factor in occupants, fuel, accessories and hitches in their calcs.

Doesn't the 4runner also have a 500 lb max TW rating?

As you can see, your are bumping up against recommended capacities, I am sure it "will", but as I and others have said, it's not the best tool for the job, especially in the mountains for a long period of time when he can pick a rig that can easily handle it.

All the old timers I've come across say the same thing when towing, try to stick to ~50% of rated capacity....lots of room for safety, way better to have more rig than you need.

But I've seen Tacomas on this website that weigh 7k+ so to each their own.

The actual weight of my truck is irrelevant because it isn't stock. The published weights are what matter and that is what I referenced. 4runner has a 5000 lb tow rating which you can read off the picture from my owners manual above. My calculations push up against the max capacity because I used max capacity of 5k in my calculations. The Bambi at it's max capacity is 1500 lbs less so it is well within practical limits.

 

[calicamper]

Don't be conservative, use "base" weight of 2900 lbs then....

Hitch setup = 60-70 lbs (mine is probably more than that)
2900 * 15% = 435 lbs (they trend a bit higher from what I have seen)
Total = ~500 lbs

You are already maxed out on TW which I do believe is 500 lbs on a 4runner?

And thats nothing behind the back seat!

I don’t know anyone who lives out of a vehicle who has zero stuff in the trunk of their tow rig.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

Don't be conservative, use "base" weight of 2900 lbs then....

Hitch setup = 60-70 lbs (mine is probably more than that)
2900 * 15% = 435 lbs (they trend a bit higher from what I have seen)
Total = ~500 lbs

You are already maxed out on TW which I do believe is 500 lbs on a 4runner?

Are you referring to hitch weight? My actual hitch is like 30 lbs. If you have a wd setup, that would reduce tongue weight not add to it.

Edit: I think that I understand your post now. You are probably correct about 500 lbs max tongue weight and that is probably why Toyota recommends a WD hitch. So I may have over loaded my receiver and or rear axle by a few pounds by not using one.

Second Edit: wd hitch does not reduce tongue weight, it shifts weight off the rear axle and distributes it to the front. My mistake.

 

[Porkchopexpress]

And thats nothing behind the back seat!

I don’t know anyone who lives out of a vehicle who has zero stuff in the trunk of their tow rig.

Tongue weight has nothing to do with the back seat. You guys are really reaching now.

Did you even read the owners manual I posted? It shows everything plain as day. It even gives a luggage compartment capacity of 970 lbs if you are worried about behind the seat.

 

[calicamper]

Hitch weight has nothing to do with the back seat. You guys are really reaching now.

Did you even read the owners manual I posted? It shows everything plain as day. It even gives a luggage compartment capacity of 970 lbs if you are worried about behind the seat.

Umm again your inexperience with axle loads and trailers shows.

All SUVs especially reach max rear axle loads before they reach max pay load numbers. Unless!!! The Tow vehicle is typically empty then max trailer numbers typically fall within axle ratings. All passenger weights and gear weights especially behind the second row most definitely impact rear axle loading.

A buddy has a nice setup in his 4runner the rear equipment, organizer etc when pulled out and run over a scale so he could order custom made springs was 250lbs behind the 2nd row seat. That 250lbs gets pulled off his max rear axle weight meaning in real life with his use he can only run 200-230lbs trailer tongue weight. And since he is trailer skilled he also knows that the type of trailer he likes (typically runs 18% ish tongue weigh) means realistically his max trailer weight is 1800-2000lbs. Not to mention the last trip I did with him. He was banging up against his cooling limits in hot 105 degree temps in an area we were going through and called me to say he’d see us in a bit that he could only run 60mph or he was getting heat spikes on his cooling that couldn’t keep up.

So you can preach basic, basic very generic example numbers while the rest of us with real experience will stick to the well known 50/80 rule. Max dry weight 50% or Less your max. And when loaded 80% or less your max is what experienced people especially RV types shoot for. You either start off that way because you valued the suggestions from experienced people or you eventually end up there after learning it your self by discovering reality doesn’t match basic general bare minimum 10% tongue weight figures. No one runs 10% by the way. No one!!!