1100 mile road trip with 10k trailer AMA

New to the forums, but wanted to answer any questions people had about either my first 1500 miles in the truck or my experience towing across I-80 over the past couple of days.

Defected from my 2015 F-150 platinum after some issues that I could never get resolved around 105K miles. Scared I would end up Found On Road Dead again and wanted a much more reliable truck.

 

First off welcome to the forum. Do you have any general insight? What did you own prior to compare it to?

 

I would say first things first this truck is an animal. It had zero complaints the entire time towing. I think that all the negativity about it being the first year of a new gen is overblown. Yeah there could be some issues but I haven’t seen anything yet. The stability of towing my 24’ enclosed trailer even with a 20 mph crosswind was incredible and definitely a lot more stable than my old F-150 without wind and just being passed by semi trucks.

I wouldn’t have thought it would have been as different vs my eco boost Ford but I couldn’t have been more wrong. What Toyota did with the engine and tuning as well as mating the engine with the 10 speed is like magic.

 

That’s really good to hear. Most of the negativity is from the old Gen owners who haven’t even driven one. Much less seen one in the wild. To each their own and thanks for the update.

 

Picture attached is fully loaded just before the trip.

Trailer weighs 3990 unloaded and with my wife’s Stinger and some of our furniture in the trailer with it we were right about 10,000 fully loaded.

Haven’t weighed my truck yet but may in the future. I’ll get a picture of my payload sticker as well later today and post that here and in the payload sticker thread.

I didn’t use a WDH, I personally will probably get one when I move in another 6 months because I want to be as safe as possible. However, I didn’t feel nervous at all without it.

Fuel economy was about 10, sorry I don’t have exact numbers, before I hit the continental divide (headed uphill). But the next day with a 20mph crosswind I averaged near 8.5 which was about the same as my Ford with 2000 lbs less load.

For this trip I stuck in Tow + since I was always over 5000 but it worked really well and the pedal was really responsive to what I needed

 

If your truck handled that well while squatting that much it's a winner. Or maybe it's just the picture.

Welcome to the forum.

 

Picture might not do it justice and sadly I don’t remember if I added air to the back end after. Either way it really wasn’t that much squat. Add to it that the chains are way longer than needed so after doing those up it looked way less squatted.

 

Comfortable towing on a 10k pound, 24' box trailer with no WDH or suspension/tire mods is impressive. I bet the curb weight and wheelbase of the Crewmax + 6.5' bed is working in your favor.

What was the cab and bed configuration of your 2015 F-150?

 

What's the trailer tongue weight? Those MPGs don't seem that far off from the previous engine configuration. It looks like a three inch squat at minimum.

 

SuperCrew (CrewMax equivalent) with 5.5ft bed

 

Didn’t have a chance to weigh but I loaded it quite well. I’d say between 1100 and 1300 tongue weight.

 

Did you calculate what was the limit?

A towing primer: GCWR, GVWR, tongue weight explained (pickuptrucktalk.com)

 

Any transmission temps to report???

 

I have a 22' enclosed trailer that will run around 7,500lbs loaded. I currently pull it with my 17 Tundra and it handles the weight great but wants to run at 3200rpms for most of the trip. One thing I love about my current Tundra is that my trailer doesn't squat it a whole lot and when other larger vehicles pass me it doesn't sway me around. We pulled my trailer with my friends 6.2 Trail Boss and even cars would move you on the road as they passed and the truck squatted a bunch. I was hoping the 22 (when it gets here) will be as stable as my 17. Thanks for the report.

 

Before you tow again without a WDH it might be prudent to get a loaded weight on your trucks rear axle and make sure it's below the rating. I thought someone here posted the rear axle rating on the 3rd gen is less than the 2.5 gen but I don't know that for a fact.

 

Does your Tundra have the load-leveling airbags or standard suspension? To the best of my knowledge there's no way to "add air" as its automatic leveling. You can adjust the sensor arm though.

 

It’s got the load leveling airbags but they have the ability to change ride height manually in cab. I just pumped it up to the high setting.

The 22 tundra ran right in the power band so around 2600 the whole time. Up steeper hills I’d hit 35-3800. The stability was really really good. I’d get pulled moved slightly since vehicles were passing on the cross wind side but with a head or tailwind there wouldn’t have been anything. I would expect the same stability or more. And the rear suspension felt extremely confident.

Wish I had data for you but I never smelled anything lol. It honestly wasn’t working too hard even over and down mountain passes so I doubt temperatures would’ve risen all that much.

 

Welcome from NC! Great feedback!

 

I didn't know that, good to know! Thanks for the feedback and observations!

Reason I asked is I'm currently on the list for an allocation with my local dealer and I've really been on the fence about the airbags. I really want them, but they are not an option when you have the TRD Sport package. So I either have to give up the TRD Sport package, or the airbags. Can't have both, damn Toyota! Truck will be used to tow a travel trailer so that's why I'd prefer to have the airbags. Your report of how fantastic it tows makes me wonder if your experience would not have been as great with the standard suspension. I expect not as most other towing feedback I have seen says it's great even with standard suspension.

Decisions, decisions.....

 

I have my doubts to be honest. I own a 2022 limited WITHOUT the self leveling option and if your truck looks like this with the suspension fully "inflated"? I am toast towing my 22' trailer and a car until someone offers an air solution via the aftermarket. I am glad you had success and thanks for the review!

 

You quoted the wrong post methinks.
@Defector7

 

FYI..as an owner of a plat that tows..I can confirm you can NOT “inflate” air bags to tow! Look again after you supposedly raised your rear and are going down the highway. Take a look at the manual but the rear is only raised for speeds up to 18 I beleive and when lowering it stays lowered til you hit 8 mph.
I still like the feature as great for once you hit bad or uneven ground and need it higher. Lowering was great for unhitching and to once use to load a motorcycle via ramps. But it is not like a set of Firestone airbags.

 

No I quoted you because you also noticed the squat. Apparently nobody else thinks a foot of squat is bad when towing a 10K lb trailer through mountains.

 

So it self levels upwards up to 18mph and then goes back to default position? And it will lower when parked but then reset to default once you hit 8mph?

 

it will look to go to level which is when setting says “N”. When stopped and hitting manual adjust switch up it slowly raises about 1 1/2” I believe (don’t have manual in front of me) and it will stay there to the prescribed speed and then it settles back to neutral. Same when using manual to lower but goes back to neutral at the slower speed.

 

IMO, he should be utilizing a weight distribution hitch. Period. I'm amazed the steering was not squirrelly with the front axle weight unloaded that much.

 

I thought the whole point of the load leveling suspension was that it keeps it level when in N position.

I have a speculative idea

toyota has set the trucks with air suspension lower than they should be, this is why they are almost at the bump stops stock. They should be up some more and thats why it looks to be swatting so much since its starting from too low of a point.

see my test drive pic, this was level in my garage, no load, its almost on the bump stops.

one guy actually adjusted it up and it was better, I mean changed the setting under the truck, not in the cab which resets after 18 mph

 

Driving on 80 across Wyoming is a really good test. I am all to familiar with that drive (spent a LOT of time out there with the railroad). The Sisters are a really good test for towing. I haven't been able to tow yet due to break in, but my camper is 6200 lbs dry, so seeing stuff like this makes me feel a lot better.

 

I agree, a WDH would be the best idea for long trips like that. But the longer wheelbase and higher curb weight of that Crewmax + 6.5' bed lets you get away with more.

99% of people tow with with Crewmax + 5.5' beds or Doublecab + 6.5' beds (same wheelbase). Almost nobody owns double cab long beds (longest wheelbase available in the Tundra) - you think your half ton pulls weight well, just wait until you try one of those land yachts.

I think with the new gen offering Crewmax + 6.5' bed, we'll see a lot more of those around and people will be very happy with the towing performance.

The OP had a SCrew + 5.5' bed F150 previously, which was a much lighter and shorter wheelbase truck than his current rig. The front axle may still be lighter than optimal with a WDH, but not surprised he's happier now.

 

No to mention over 1k on the tongue. Does anybody exceed payload when towing? | Page 2 | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)