She looks nice…
Can I tow this travel trailer?
- Thread starter DarthAckbarious
- Start date
We have had a similar experience with a 4500-pound, 20.5-foot loaded trailer. It works well with a WDH, moderate speeds (no more than 65 mph) and frequent fuel stops. For more remote areas out west I carry an extra 2 gallons and a bottle of fuel enrichment when a station does not have premium. I would not want to go with a heavier trailer.
Because not everyone can afford a heavy-duty pickup just for towing a travel trailer on family trips, the LC250 is a reasonable compromise when used moderately. It has its limits though so matching to the right trailer is important. Our LC250 has a GVW of 6725 pounds and a CVWR of 12725 pounds. As measured on truck scales we are at 83% of CVWR loaded which is close to the 80% rule-of-thumb.
I have towed pretty much every type of trailer made, and hold a commercial Class 1 driver's license to drive semis. That said, I would tow a trailer that weighs between 4,000 and 6,000 pounds with the LC on short trips at lower speeds, but only with the right hitch. For longer trips, use a heavier tow vehicle.
This past winter, we drove 13,000 km, from Canada to the southwest USA and back. We pulled a lightweight teardrop trailer, weighing about 3,000 pounds loaded. We drove in 14 states and three provinces. The LC would have pulled that trailer easily, but the F150 eco-boost does it so much more easily. So we took the F150.
The LC fuel mileage isn't great at the best of times. It uses twice as much fuel when towing. That, combined with the small fuel tank, means that you can't go far without looking for fuel. The F150 has a huge tank and gets better mileage than the LC.
When towing a travel trailer, one of the biggest dangers comes from sway. Sway causes many trailers and tow vehicles to end up jackknifed, upside down, or otherwise wrecked.
I have used various makes of sway control/equalization hitches in the past. Most aren't much good, in my opinion. Equalizer brand 4 point may be the best of the traditional systems. But, for a light trailer under 6 000 pounds or so, I prefer the Andersen hitch. It has sway control built into the hitch ball. If properly set up, it controls sway extremely well. It also does load levelling if required. Also, the Andersen hitch does not creak and bang like the Equalizer hitch does; much nicer for sharp turns and when backing up.
We experienced high winds on that recent trip, including towing all day in the wind that hit New Mexico and the Texas panhandle on March 14. The wind, up to 90 mph, was mostly from behind us; otherwise we would not have driven that day. Whenever we had a cross wind, we slowed right down. We had zero sway with the Andersen hitch; the biggest danger came from the possibility that the wind could blow the trailer over. We also had to slow down when dust/sand reduced visibility to zero. We had never seen tumbleweeds as big as those we hit with the F150 that day.
This past winter, we drove 13,000 km, from Canada to the southwest USA and back. We pulled a lightweight teardrop trailer, weighing about 3,000 pounds loaded. We drove in 14 states and three provinces. The LC would have pulled that trailer easily, but the F150 eco-boost does it so much more easily. So we took the F150.
The LC fuel mileage isn't great at the best of times. It uses twice as much fuel when towing. That, combined with the small fuel tank, means that you can't go far without looking for fuel. The F150 has a huge tank and gets better mileage than the LC.
When towing a travel trailer, one of the biggest dangers comes from sway. Sway causes many trailers and tow vehicles to end up jackknifed, upside down, or otherwise wrecked.
I have used various makes of sway control/equalization hitches in the past. Most aren't much good, in my opinion. Equalizer brand 4 point may be the best of the traditional systems. But, for a light trailer under 6 000 pounds or so, I prefer the Andersen hitch. It has sway control built into the hitch ball. If properly set up, it controls sway extremely well. It also does load levelling if required. Also, the Andersen hitch does not creak and bang like the Equalizer hitch does; much nicer for sharp turns and when backing up.
We experienced high winds on that recent trip, including towing all day in the wind that hit New Mexico and the Texas panhandle on March 14. The wind, up to 90 mph, was mostly from behind us; otherwise we would not have driven that day. Whenever we had a cross wind, we slowed right down. We had zero sway with the Andersen hitch; the biggest danger came from the possibility that the wind could blow the trailer over. We also had to slow down when dust/sand reduced visibility to zero. We had never seen tumbleweeds as big as those we hit with the F150 that day.
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We’ve towed a similar sized trailer over 6,000 miles. We have an anderson weight distribution hitch with sway bars and it tows like a dream. Love the LC as a tow vehicle. Best thing is you can run the RV off the inverter too. Makes those hot stops for lunch bearable lol.
Just finished reading all the replies. Man lots of arm chair quarter backs in here. How many of you have actually towed with the LC with a properly set-up hitch and properly balanced trailer? According to most of you we should just all buy an F250 lol. I’ve been towing trailers over 30 years, from small pickups and SUV’s to quarter ton trucks. I’d say a properly set up rig within the manufacturers recommendation is just fine. Other than the small fuel range when towing I’d take the LC with a proper WDH over our Suburban with just the bumper pull all day long.
Towing w/ an F250?! Maybe if you have a pop-up. but if you have an actual camper you need an F350 with the 8ft bed and 4wd in case one of the wheels drift off the campsite pad as your wife is helping you back the rig up. We bought the LC specifically for towing. When I need to drive around town I am getting 22mpg and it is a great tow vehicle assuming you use a weight distribution hitch. A little longer wheelbase would not hurt, but unless you are trying to pull a 30ft camper (likely weighs well over 6k), I think you are safe.
The Honda forum for my Ridgeline had a similar commentary around towing. It is more than capable for a small camper; The V6 struggles on big hill climbs due to all the power coming at 5k+ rpm.
My biggest complaint about the Land Cruiser as a tow vehicle is that I have to press the tow mode button every time I fill up; and that is pretty frequent. The Honda was also much easier to get in/out of; but I do not see a unibody Land Cruiser coming anytime soon.
That and not having any reasonable option for towing mirrors. I do not understand why the tow/haul mode and standard cruise control are not the defaults when a trailer is detected. For rear visibility I have had to go with a wireless camera on the back of the trailer.
Plus there are all the warning messages about driving systems that are off when towing that I have to dismiss every time. Do I need to know the parking assist doesn't work at 60 mph?
We also bought the LC specifically for towing. I agree about the wheelbase but I’ll take the improved maneuverability all day long. Our TT is a 19ft dual axle GVWR 5,000lbs and we fit in back to back parking spaces which is what we were going for. We towed with a 2006 Honda pilot for awhile because that’s what we had. Was it perfect? No, but we travelled all over the country just fine. Appreciate your comments.
OP
OP
- Thread starter
- #32
Appreciate all the responses. I should note we wouldn't be planning on driving more than 3 hours on any given trip. We live in WA state and there's plenty to see nearby.
I'm thinking JAYCO JAY FLIGHT SLX 175BHW may be the better option. Dry weight 3,150 lb, GVWR 4,600 lb.
I'm thinking JAYCO JAY FLIGHT SLX 175BHW may be the better option. Dry weight 3,150 lb, GVWR 4,600 lb.
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Jayco makes decent trailers. We owned a Jayco with a small slide and pop outs on both ends - didn't like the end pop outs much. Then a larger Whitehawk - nice but heavier. Both gone.
Some top quality options also available that use better quality materials than the typical Elkhart products. We currently have a Little Guy Mini Max that we want to sell - dry weight of about 2200 lbs. Incredible for towing, but a little small; the Max has more room. Tab 400s are also nice, but I don't like their heating system, etc. Just bought a new Intech Sol Dusk - a little heavier but still easily towable by a LC if we don't want to use the F150.
Some top quality options also available that use better quality materials than the typical Elkhart products. We currently have a Little Guy Mini Max that we want to sell - dry weight of about 2200 lbs. Incredible for towing, but a little small; the Max has more room. Tab 400s are also nice, but I don't like their heating system, etc. Just bought a new Intech Sol Dusk - a little heavier but still easily towable by a LC if we don't want to use the F150.
I’m jonesing for a Lance.
How about towing the vehicle backwards something like this?
Wow! That is some special level of stupid. LMAO
How about towing the vehicle backwards something like this?
They live and walk amongst us.
People Are Stupid.Wow! That is some special level of stupid. LMAO
Smart move going lighter for a better safety margin—you never know when wind, ice, mountains, or storms will factor in, and things can get sketchy fast.
So far towed ~6,500 miles with an 18.3’ off-road trailer (~4,500 lbs loaded—75% of my 6,000 lb tow rating) using an articulating hitch, electric brakes, stability control, and off-road suspension. Been through mountains, snow, tornado storm cells, trails, and rush hour city traffic. Never felt unsafe (except driving through Dalllas…crazy) —but I wouldn’t go heavier.
The LC tows better than expected in my case, but quality gear definitely helps it perform at its best and helps mitigate risk.
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