Towing

I have a 2007 Tundra V8 5.7 Limited and looking at purchasing a camper it states Dry 8450 GVR 11000 I’ll be towing it from MN to CA and don’t expect to go over 9600 GVR. I'm seeing 10,800 as the max Tow and then 10,100 and a 10,400. I’m confused is it 10,100 suggested not to go over?
I will be taking my time and like I said making sure I’m not over loaded. If someone could please let me know if they’ve towed and what was the max?? TIA

 

There are a lot of opinions and examples of people being overly conservative and overly aggressive. Without looking in to your truck specifically, there are a variety of variables that determine your max towing limit. That said, most do not recommend going over 80% of the max, which you are right out of the gate. The truck will pull it, but the question is will it stop it? Especially in the terrains you will be crossing. High winds, windy roads, and max weight limits....

 

With an estimated 1K lb tongue weight and assuming you'll have min 2 passengers and some gear you'll likely exceed your cargo cap by a few hundred lbs.

Towing & Hauling | Toyota Tundra Forum

 

I definitely wouldn't, but I tend to lean more to the conservative side on towing at (or in this case, probably) over capacities.

Not necessarily because I have doubts about my or the Tundra's abilities, but because towing at or over limits is very fatiguing on driver and truck, and when that guy cuts you off and then brakes hard 'cuz he's about to miss his exit (and they will) things can go really bad really quick if you've got too much trailer.

What does the payload sticker in your driver's door say?

 

Says 10,800 max payload 1900 which is why it’s confusing due to online Toyota site says 10,800 but google and a few other sites says 10,100. It has the tow package and hitch and I’ve towed a 24ft fish house with it with no issues. I’m guessing I’ll be ok as long as I keep it below 10k with the camper and all of my belongings I’ll be at around 9500. My hitch says 10k lbs so I definitely want to be below that. It’ll just be myself and 3 small dogs, small generator, compressor in the truck. I’ll take a week to drive and keep her slow. I put tow mirrors on the truck as well.

 

The yellow sticker in your specific trucks door jamb says 1,900 lbs. of payload?! I've never seen one that high.

Pay no attention to the numbers you see online, they're just advertising and virtually worthless.

It's like when you see a commercial that says the price is "as low as $49.99" but when you go to buy it, it's never $49.99.

The online numbers are cargo capacity "as much as" X,XXX lbs. but none of the trucks actually driving around are ever that high.

Good luck, and safe travels.

 

So… the truck will handle it. They were overbuilt to haul and pull.

But… if you are concerned with meeting payload spec, you might be a little over. However, you will very likely still be under your axle ratings, and probably very close to under payload if packed and setup correctly.

IME, the payload sticker in the door jamb isn’t always accurate - but sometimes for the better. My ‘21 DC says 1500 lbs payload, but the scale says the truck only weighs 5050 lbs with me in it and a tank of gas, giving me 2000 lbs of payload. Your crewmax is heavier. So the only real way to know your payload capacity is to scale the truck. You may be pleasantly surprised.

It is also my experience that the tundra is capable of towing that size trailer, but is more confidence inspiring with a few modifications.

A WD hitch is a must; find one with sway control. I’ve been happy with my Andersen but many prefer a different style, which work just fine, too.

E rated tires help combat sway and the weighted, squishy feeling associated with towing heavy. Air them up appropriately for the load, air them down when not hitched up. They also handle the heat of towing better, combatting blowouts.

Quality suspension parts like new shocks and some suspension enhancement such as airbags, Sumo Springs, RAS, or even an add a leaf go a long way to combat porpoising, and hep to create a more stable, confident ride. I use a custom leaf pack with airbags, but for by just fine with airbags on a factory leaf pack for years. You also don’t need to go crazy in the shock department - stock or Bilstein 5100 work great for a budget. Beyond that, your options are only limited by your wallet..

BUT.. and this is the big but… honestly assess your own towing experience and skill. If this is new to you, perhaps a smaller trailer would be better. It appears that you would be very close to the limits of the trucks ratings; it will do it’s part but you will also have to do yours.

 

I tow the same rated RV, but in a 5th wheel.

I have airbags and a brake controller for adjusting stopping abilities. I tow 900 miles 2x/year thru the Tennessee/north Carolina hills. The camper brakes do most of the slowing down. Check your RV brakes closely every season.

I drain and fill the transmission fluid every other year. I don't do transmission flushes.

I run the entire trip in S4. I rarely see 70 mph unless I'm in Ohio on a straight flat section.

My truck is at 250k miles and I'm going to make the trip again this fall.

 

No it doesn't.

 

I was trying real hard not to be that blunt, but yeah.