towing a tent trailer with RX350
03-28-08, 09:05 PM
#1
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towing a tent trailer with RX350
All opinions are welcome but really prefer those familiar with towing. I am looking at getting a tent trailer and am wondering about some opinions or experiences of towing with a shorter wheel based SUV. Especially in regards to the handling. The unloaded weight of the trailer I would like to purchase is 2,185lbs, we have accessibility to a lot of sites with water so water weight would never be an issue. The trailer is a 12' base.
If your opinion is not an agreeable one, what do you feel is a comfortable size/weight for pulling.
My RX is a 2008 RX350.
Thank you
If your opinion is not an agreeable one, what do you feel is a comfortable size/weight for pulling.
My RX is a 2008 RX350.
Thank you
03-29-08, 06:47 AM
#2
Super Moderator
As long as it's well balanced, you should be fine. The trailer you're interested in is 2/3 of the max towing weight, so you're in the clear there.
The only major issue I've had with towing using a SWB unibody vehicle is if the trailer is too LIGHT--the unibody transmits every single little bump or motion of the trailer right into your soul. For example, towing a car cross-country=fine. Return trip with just the dolly=most miserable drive you can possibly imagine. In hindsight I should have stolen a junker to weigh down the dolly for the return trip.
But seriously, follow the standard loading rules (not too much behind the axle, but not too much on the tongue either), and you'll hardly notice it's back there. And hopefully, any respectable popup manufacturer has already handled that for you. I must admit I'm not all that familiar with camping trailers, so I don't speak from experience there.
The only major issue I've had with towing using a SWB unibody vehicle is if the trailer is too LIGHT--the unibody transmits every single little bump or motion of the trailer right into your soul. For example, towing a car cross-country=fine. Return trip with just the dolly=most miserable drive you can possibly imagine. In hindsight I should have stolen a junker to weigh down the dolly for the return trip.
But seriously, follow the standard loading rules (not too much behind the axle, but not too much on the tongue either), and you'll hardly notice it's back there. And hopefully, any respectable popup manufacturer has already handled that for you. I must admit I'm not all that familiar with camping trailers, so I don't speak from experience there.
03-29-08, 08:23 AM
#3
Out of Warranty
Most tent trailers today are well-balanced and well-behaved. Just be sure to have between 10% and 15% of the trailer weight on the tongue, and opt for trailer brakes if they are available. Even surge brakes help, although they are not quite as smooth and effective as electrics.
Some tent trailers still use tiny (8" - 10") wheels, which are normally OK, but check the bearings regularly. Because they are small, they will turn very fast at highway speed, so it is important that bearings and tires be in good condition.
An additional tip for trailer wheels, or even for the wheels on your tow vehicle. A set of "automatic" wheel balancers (Centramatics) can save a good deal of wear and tear on your trailer. Most of us don't think about balancing trailer wheels because we don't ride back there - but the trailer and its contents do, and vibration can be damaging as well as shorten the life of your tires. Especially if you venture into unimproved areas where you may pick up mud or snow on your rims, once over about 20 mph these devices will balance each wheel within a few rotations - even if that balance changes.
It's interesting to see this process - maybe at closer range than I would have liked. I once was following my Dad towing a boat and trailer that he'd had on a muddy ramp. After about 20 minutes on the highway with me in trail, blocking traffic for lane changes, the left rear tandem threw a baseball-sized clod completely over my car, and the rear axle began to dance and the fender flop viciously - obviously there was a severe imbalance that the Centramatics had damped out. With the loss of that weight, it took less than a second for all of the dramatics to stop, as the wheel returned to a perfectly balanced condition. I was sold.
Similar products have been used on machine tools for many years - where fine balance of the spindle is critical. It's always impressive to see how effective it is. I ran sets of Centramatics on boat trailers and a motor home for years, they install easily and they never wear out. They'd be pretty ugly on an exposed wheel like that on your RX, but they would certainly be useful on that trailer - if they would fit your wheels.
See a video demo here: http://www.centramatic.com/Demo/demo.php
Some tent trailers still use tiny (8" - 10") wheels, which are normally OK, but check the bearings regularly. Because they are small, they will turn very fast at highway speed, so it is important that bearings and tires be in good condition.
An additional tip for trailer wheels, or even for the wheels on your tow vehicle. A set of "automatic" wheel balancers (Centramatics) can save a good deal of wear and tear on your trailer. Most of us don't think about balancing trailer wheels because we don't ride back there - but the trailer and its contents do, and vibration can be damaging as well as shorten the life of your tires. Especially if you venture into unimproved areas where you may pick up mud or snow on your rims, once over about 20 mph these devices will balance each wheel within a few rotations - even if that balance changes.
It's interesting to see this process - maybe at closer range than I would have liked. I once was following my Dad towing a boat and trailer that he'd had on a muddy ramp. After about 20 minutes on the highway with me in trail, blocking traffic for lane changes, the left rear tandem threw a baseball-sized clod completely over my car, and the rear axle began to dance and the fender flop viciously - obviously there was a severe imbalance that the Centramatics had damped out. With the loss of that weight, it took less than a second for all of the dramatics to stop, as the wheel returned to a perfectly balanced condition. I was sold.
Similar products have been used on machine tools for many years - where fine balance of the spindle is critical. It's always impressive to see how effective it is. I ran sets of Centramatics on boat trailers and a motor home for years, they install easily and they never wear out. They'd be pretty ugly on an exposed wheel like that on your RX, but they would certainly be useful on that trailer - if they would fit your wheels.
See a video demo here: http://www.centramatic.com/Demo/demo.php
Last edited by Lil4X; 03-29-08 at 04:33 PM.
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