Towing Report: '07 Tundra + 35' 9000 lb trailer

[drewnick]

I finally 'pulled the trigger' on a 9,000 lb Travel Trailer : an '08 Jayco Eagle.

KEY SPECS :

Truck: 07 CrewMax 5.7 TRD 4x2 SR5. 1,680 payload (limiting factor)
Trailer: 08 Jayco Eagle 328 RLS, 34' 11"
Tongue Weight (diminished payload): estimated to be 1200 - 1400 lbs, loaded.

The TT is 7500 unloaded, and we have loaded it up to about 8,500 to 9,000 lbs. We are using an Equal-i-zer brand 4-pt hitch and here's my report:

* Acceleration on hills: pulling hills with no starting momentum is the toughest part. It's here when you remember you have a gas motor. See below for the good parts.
* Acceleration at full speed: very good. Similar to when truck is not towing.
* Maintaining 60-65 on highway: relatively easy. We do hit 4th a good bit, and I think even third on the big hills. Overall, it seems comfortable.
* Truck body: drops about 2-3 or maybe 3-4 inches when we hook up. The hitch distributes the weight well via spring bars, but the rear end does seem stressed a tiny bit more than I hoped.
* Braking: diminished, but good, as you'd expect pulling a house down the road. Feels very safe. Had an emergency stop today and it did well.
* Sway: under control with Equal-i-zer. Not phased by trucks or light winds. You drift into their foredraft and then back out of their backdraft as one solid unit - no sway has been noticed YET, at speeds to 70 MPH.
* Fuel milage: so far, 10 MPG! This is a wonderful welcome for me. If we drive faster, it drops to 9. It feels so much safer at 55-60 than 65-70, so staying at 60 MPH avg speed, and getting 10 MPG, I'm very happy.

Considering this Tundra is also my daily driver, I'm still VERY happy I went with the less expensive gas Tundra over, say, a Duramax. I was extremely impressed with how well it did. So far, I've towed over 500 miles without one white knuckle moment.

Anyone who doubts this "half ton" ability really needs to try it. I honestly think it does better than any 2500 gas product, overall. The powertrain and that 6 speed tranny are the keys.

[Impelled]

Good report on towing some serious weight! I've towed my 23 foot boat to Tenn and Ky three times this year...can't even feel it back there...hard to give a descriptive towing report...other than, I don't even know it's back there (unless I look in the mirror )

[jpnca]

Do we get to see it?

[drewnick]

I'll post some pictures here shortly!

[Kens toy]

Glad to see that someone has done some serious towing with the Tundra. I am getting ours ready to tow a 7600 lb. 5th wheel after Xmas. I have had the bed sprayed with line-X and the Super-slide 5th wheel hitch installed. I now have to adjust the pin box on the 5th wheel down to get the right clearances. The Tundras side rails are a lot taller than my Dodge Hemi. Good to see that you got 10 mpg towing, as this is better than my Hemi towing this trailer. I got between 8.5 and 9.5 average, towing about 3500 miles this year.

[wildbill23c]

I'm loving the towing reviews on these trucks. Sounds like they've outdone Ford with the new Tundra. I can't wait to get mine in January.

[Whitehorse]

I have the 07 DC 5.7 TRD 4x4 with Prodigy controller and Timbren Suspension Enhancement System on the rear. I tow a 34 ft. Travel Trailer that weighs 9400 lbs. with 1400 lb. tounge weight. I also use a 1200lb. weight distribution hitch. I carry a moped, fire wood, and other camping supplies in the bed. My milage is around 9 mpg. The stock tires are my only concern, these trucks should come with "LT" light truck tires. My Tundra with this setup works better than the 04 Ford Crew 4x4 Super Duty Diesel I traded in. That Ford was a piece of junk.

[Jackleg]

I pull a 29' tag along that is 33' from end to end. The tongue weight is 900lbs and the GVW is 11,100. I just got back from a 200 mile trip (each way). On the way there I drove 68-70 mph and averaged 7.2 mpg. On the way back, I drove 60-65 mph and averaged 8.9 mpg. The small difference in speed made a pretty decent change in fuel economy. I also got her up to 80mph for a short distance while passing 18 wheelers without any problems. I also use the equalizer hitch and I am satisfied with the truck's performance. I do wish I could transfer a little more weight toward the front tires. The front still feels a little light at times, even with the equalizer. I may need to verify that the hitch is properly adjusted.

[Cyclone1313]

Are you calculating the gas mileage manually or using the readouts from the odometer. The odometer reads about 8.5 MPG pulling a 29' TT with my 5.7 double cab.

[Thunder and Charger]

I tow a bobcat,breaker,fork attchment and usually 600 punds worth of concrete on the back of my 5.7 trd ive gone to the scales to wight the whole truck and trailer came to 13,600 pounds pretty much stock besides the magnaflow 3" exhaust from the cats back. my limited edition 5.7 just gets to stay and hope it gets a shot some day at towing.

[Z '07 Tundra]

I've got an 07 Tundra CM Ltd 5.7 with the tow package. Question: What receiver hitch "class" does the OEM reciever (part of the frame) equate to? Would it be considered a Class III/IV; a Class IV heavy duty; or a Class V?

[Thunder and Charger]

tow hitch would be under class III/IV

[bigjohncpa]

Originally Posted by Thunder and Charger

I tow a bobcat,breaker,fork attchment and usually 600 punds worth of concrete on the back of my 5.7 trd ive gone to the scales to wight the whole truck and trailer came to 13,600 pounds pretty much stock besides the magnaflow 3" exhaust from the cats back. my limited edition 5.7 just gets to stay and hope it gets a shot some day at towing.

I towed a brand new Cat skid loader with a massive grapple claw and tandem trailer out to our ranch last weekend. Twenty miles on highway, five on unpaved road, 5 more through pasture and a another half mile through pasture and across a creek. Also, very steep hillls and drops. Drug the trailer tounge a couple times. I estimate the load weighed 9,000 lbs. Never a single problem, pulled in 4H and never missed a beat, not even any tire spin pulling it through the creek and out. The weekend before I pulled stumps out of our orchard with it in 4L, but scratched the tailgate (my fault). What a beast!

5.7 double cab with duals.

[Tundrawwjd]

This thread is almost worthless without pics!

[Impelled]

Snow on the ground, freezing my ass off, here's your pics, C'mon summer!