Towing Jayco Octane 222

About to trigger Jayco Octane 222GL…
TT:
UVW 6,486/GVWR 8,200
Tongue Weight 907 w/o WDH

TV:
2020 1794, 5.7l, CMX, Tow pkg. 38 gal.
Add ons: TRD Dual Ex, TRD CAI, 2” lift (f&r), Larger Duratracks, Warn Winch mount bumper insert, 12k winch, Leer 700 tonno, TRD Rr sway bar, New Brakes w/cross drilled rotors
CAT Scale weight: w/ Me, Dog and full tank of gas - 6,740
GVWR-TV 7,200
Max Tow weight: 8,800
Payload: 1,185
WDH: R6/800

I’ll be driving from CA to MT to pick it up in 2 weeks. Then off to Bozeman, Jackson Wyo and then back to CA.

• Has anyone in the community pulled a 26’/ 7500 lb trailer behind a Tundra?
• Has anyone done this in the Winter?

Knowing that I am approaching the “Ragged-Edge” of the Truck’s capabilities from a payload limit, Any advice or suggestions welcome…other that buy a 3/4T.

Thanks,

FRS

 

Get yourself a Roadmaster Active Suspension HD kit at the very least.

 

I have a 31' Dutchman Astoria .7500 dry and 1000 pound tongue weight.Tundra did fantastic but not great gas mileage but it towed it like a beast.I have a 2wd 2017 crew max 5.7. Tundra is amazing

 

Bought mine in Grand Junction Colorado ,drove from Las Vegas to pick it up then drove back over many hills.Added air bags after this picture

 

This is a great example of what is too big. Weight is fine, eventually a gust of wind will win due to the size and shape.

 

And so everyone knows what are you towing with your Tundra

 

20' 7k Toy hauler here is my largest load by size. Weight 9k Mini excavator and trailer.

 

Sorry but my Tundra tows it great FRS hope this info helps you .

 

Got nothing to compare it to.I have had much bigger trailers that I towed behind a 7.3 Power stroke diesel that was chipped and bigger turbo and exhaust.All I am saying is the Tundra does better then expected.I know if I went any bigger then a 3/4 ton/diesel would be in order .

 

Thats a good looking trailer CJ

 

Thanks for your responses…

THE net-net, I gather is that I will be about 400lbs over payload weight. So I will now look toward strategies to reduce squat and support that increased payload. My short list is as follows:

• Sumo Springs
• Super Springs
• Roadmaster Active Suspension
• Hellwig
• Firestone “Airbags

Knowing that there is no free lunch…I’ll need to balance between a ride that won’t beat my rig to death vs properly abating the additional weight put upon the rear springs…which means sizing correctly.

TIA,

FRS

 

RAS is the best bang for the buck. I have sumo springs, hd leaf packs, and RAS on my truck.

 

I think that 400 over was before gear, food, water, clothes, passengers. You’ll probably be a lot more over. Anything you add to help will only reduce your payload. Air bags will only transfer more weight to your rear axle causing more wear and tear or premature failure.

 

You cannot increase payload. Anything you add is still reducing it.

 

True, you can't change the numbers. However, the numbers are dust in the wind here. This guy needs suspension enhancements. E rated tires would be ideal too.

 

Or a lighter trailer. Any addons will further reduce his payload. Looks like he might already have E rated tires with duratracs. I think most of those are E rated unless I missed him saying they weren’t.

 

He could have the tounge lengthened, use a TOAD, reduce truck weight, etc. and maybe squeeze by too. Sounds to me like OP is not looking for a different trailer, but help with making the best of the situation.

 

Yeah he can do what he wants. My advice or suggestion was a lighter trailer. He will probably be over 8k when loaded. Any suspension enhancements won’t eliminate the trucks weak points, just put more stress on them.

 

One of the weak points happens to be the suspension and it can be beneficial to upgrade and remove that weakpoint to achieve far better handling. Especially with a heavy load and long distance.

 

Yeah no and if or buts about it that truck will probably be in the 8,200 range or 1,000 over, if not possibly more.

The tongue weight listed is a bone dry trailer with nothing in it. By the one you add batteries, propane, anything else, I guaranteed that trailer will be 1,100 to 1,200 tongue weight. Or about 15% of total weight.

Add in the WDH and suspension mods and you are putting another 300 pounds in the truck.

 

The bigger problem with this whole plan is the size of the sail. Should the wind gust in a bad way. Good Luck!!

 

Thanks Gents,

I realize that short of tying helium balloons to my bumper, nothing will reduce the weight. My goal is to redistribute the weight (Aka : R6 WDH) and fortify the obvious vulnerabilities. (Cross drilled rotors all the way around to manage brake-fade and to manage the effects of gravity over the rear axle without beating it to death)…and there-in lies the question….to fortify the rear springs, with the understanding that I will be dropping a max hitch that weighs some where between 900 and 1100 lbs

What products listed have members of the community used? What were the results? What weights/sized product did you select?


Cheers,

-FRS

 

Look in to slotted rotors, specifically cryo slotted rotors. While cross drilled does help with brake fade by dissipating the gases, they are known to crack or warp easier. I’ve had powerstop cross drilled and now stoptech cryo slotted, and the stoptech were a huge difference for the better.

 

In all honesty OP I understand your trying to distribute the weight best as possible but no matter how you slice it, you really are PUSHING the Tundra to the max and possibly past. Towing aids and suspension upgrades included… No one wants to see yourself or anyone else hurt because of it.

But I digress…

I have used airbags, Sumos, and Timbrens in previous trucks. They all achieved keeping the truck level with varying degrees of comfort. Unloaded airbags and Sumos made for a bumpy ride and Timbrens had this odd rebound. For their intended purposes they all worked well. But like others have said when overloaded they don’t work as well. I had to move my FIL’s 6k boat about ten blocks because his hitch snapped with my 03 Tacoma (rated for 5k). It did have HD leafs springs and Timbrens installed but it really wasn’t safe…

 

I used Dobinson's 5+2 HD leaf packs, RAS HD kit, yellow Sumo springs Bilstein 5160 shocks w/res. and BDS traction bars to minimize axle wrap. Truck drives great loaded with 2300 pounds in the bed, 1200 on the ball, empty, and anything in between.

 

This is mostly what I've gleaned from my years browsing and reading on the forum here. This is not first hand info.

• I know you can get add a leaf stuff like ColoradoTJ had on his, but he said it sucked, so...
• Others use Sumo Springs or some other kind of helper spring. I've not seen anyone be particularly unhappy with them, but some have raised concerns that you are pinpointing the weight and possibly leveraging on components in the suspension.
• Airbags are popular, but they can cause setting issued when used with a WDH. Same potential for leveraging on the suspension as Sumos.
• The Roadmaster Active Suspension gets suggested a lot, but I've not seen a ton of documentation on results. @2mchfun has them, I think.
• IIRC, some especially ambitious members out in California actually put in wider leaf spring mounts so a heavier duty set could be used. I want to say @fisherman951 was involved?
• Sway bars are good for adding some stability to the truck.

With your truck being a 2020, have you added a transmission cooler?

 

I wish I had enough money to hire Michael J. Fox as my truck photographer.