Toyota Tundra Question

[Colts]

We are considering buying the Keystone Cougar 27RLS and are concerned about weight. We have 10,000 lbs capability is this trailer going to be to heavy at 6300 dry weight?

[Jim W]

What you need to consider is the GVW of the trailer and then the combine GCVW of truck and trailer. Also you will need to consider the pin weight of the trailer that is on the rear axle along with the following items that the truck will haul. This is you your DW, fuel and the hitch weight this is what the front axle and rear axle will carry in weight. As an example for you to compare to is my truck and camper.

These are scaled weights from a certified scale: front axle 4940 LBS GAWR 5200 LBS, max. Rear axle 5160 LBS GAWR 6010 LBS, max. Combine Gross Weight 18,240 LBS, GCVW 20,000 LBS max.

I hope this will help you in what you can tow and can not tow safely.
Jim

[Flyguy]

When I bought my 2008 Tundra I wanted a TV that would have more than enough power and torque to pull most any TT, ever since 2007 the Tundra was redesigned to do just that. I also thought about pulling a 1/2 ton towable 5ver with my short bed Tundra but didn't know if it could, on another forum we had a discussion about this and I was told that if you would target the rear axle weight rating (RAWR) that is posted on the door jamb of the truck instead of using other posted ratings, that it would pull a 1/2 ton towable 5ver just fine after installing mods to the rear suspension. If you buy a Tundra with the tow package the RAWR is 4150#s (posted on door jamb) and has been tested by Toyota to 5500#s, to safely pull a 1/2 ton towable 5ver with it, the first thing to do is to get rid of the car tires that it comes with and go to something that would cover the RAWR such as a light truck tire, next install either air bags or helper springs to enhance the weight rating of the spring pack (supersprings would increase it to 3000#s), and last but not least buy an autoslider 5th wheel hitch that was designed for the Tundra such as the Superglide 12K hitch (for a discussion on this hitch go to my thread here: http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=518). The only thing that you can't change is the max tow rating which for the "crew-max" is 10,400lbs and for the double cab is 10,600lbs and for the regular cab is 10,800lbs, all of this is for a 5ver and nothing needs to be done for a TT. There's only two things that prevent me from pulling a 5ver, the extra height and having to go to gas pumps to refuel (a diesel would solve both those problems). For more discussion on the Tundra, read my thread on the Tundra in the "towing and tow vehicle" section that you can find here: http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=155

For the 2010 Cougar 27RLS the specs are:

27RLSWE Specifications
Shipping Weight 6381
Carrying Capacity 1419
Hitch 610
Length 30' 6
Width 8'
Height 10' 11
Fresh Water 60
Waste Water 38
Gray Water 76

80% of the Tundra's tow capacity takes you to about 8700#s (depending on model) so you are well within this with the 27RLS and I wouldn't hesitate to pull this TT with my Tundra!

[Bowline]

I have been towing my Keystone Cougar 27RLSWE with my '07 Tundra 5.7L for about a year now, and have had no problems. We have towed thousands of miles, often on steep grades. You are well within the towing capacity of your vehicle, and should have no trouble at all. Go for it!!

PS - we love our 27RLSWE. This is one comfortable trailer.

[Colts]

Thankyou all for the information. Sounds like this trailer is the one for us. We have not purchased one as of yet, still doing our homework. I am sure once we decide to buy we will have several more questions since we have never owned a TT. Thanks

[vjm1639]

Hope you find the one you want! We are still waiting on the 27RLS that we ordered about a month ago and will be pulling it with our '07 Tundra. Can't wait to get it!

[twoclaws]

We had a 2008 265RLSSL Springdale. Dry Wt-6105 lbs. Reese WDS. Pulled it with a 2007 Tundra Crew Cab (5.7 L w/tow package) Pulled it from Indiana to Florida to Yellowstone then around the west to Tx and home across La, Miss, Ala and Florida. NEVER A PROBLEM OR HESITATION in 6000 miles plus. Gas milage was most often 9-10 mpg. Across the gulf states had a couple of 11-12 mpg tanks.
Guess what...Now have a Passport 195RB. Dry weight around 3500 lbs. Brought it home a month ago 200 miles. Traveled through Florida...no hills to speak of....MPG was 10.5. Not much different from the Springdale. I was able to travel a bit faster (65)with the Passport. With the Springdale I averaged 55mph or so. Just my comfort level. I could feel the Springdale but did not feel the Passport during its short trip. The Passport is set up with Blue Ox WDS bars. Difference in WDS bars..(only my opinion).. Blue Ox seems to be easier to set-up and dismantle..don't know what changes Reese has made in 3 years.
Fixing to take a long trip soon...then I'll have a truer picture of MPG w/Passport.
A saleman told me that the weight won't make alot of difference (in mpg) except for starting and stopping and big hills/mountains...the biggest factor affecting a TT's mpg is wind resistance.

[SDB]

Originally Posted by Colts

Thankyou all for the information. Sounds like this trailer is the one for us. We have not purchased one as of yet, still doing our homework. I am sure once we decide to buy we will have several more questions since we have never owned a TT. Thanks

What price range are you finding I am looking at the same model. Thx

[frano]

I'm towing a Vantage 32FLS with a 2012 Tundra 5.7 with tow package. I'm using a Reese Dual Cam 1200 # hitch with sway control. The factory dry weight of the Vantage is about 6800 and the Tundra pulls it around New England hills with ease. I can get 13 MPG when towing 55 MPH and under but mileage drops after that. Normal turnpike driving between 62-65 gets me 10 MPG. I upgraded the Toyota stock mirrors to Toyota OEM towing mirrors and would recommend their tow mirrors. Other than the mirrors, my Toyota DC TRD is box stock and needed no modifications.

[Festus2]

SDB -
Trying doing a Google search for prices on that model. That will give you a pretty good idea of what you should expect to pay.

[fla-gypsy]

There is a lot more to towing than the trucks tow capacity. Be sure you understand GVWR and payload as well as RAWR to be certain you have covered all of your bases

[tundraman67]

I tow my 29RES 5th wheel but have not left flat Florida - like Flyguy I installed LT tires and airbags - mainly for the little bit of sag. I am right at capacity on my weights so I watch what I load and who travels with me, but the Tundra doesn't seem to feel it too much. There are some better discussions on capability and capacity on the Tundra forums with a lot of people towing some really crazy stuff, if you can make it through some of it there are some real people with realistic posts and pictures.

[fla-gypsy]

Originally Posted by Colts

We are considering buying the Keystone Cougar 27RLS and are concerned about weight. We have 10,000 lbs capability is this trailer going to be to heavy at 6300 dry weight?

Just a note, you do not have 10k capability, you have a 10k "tow rating" but likely not the payload to support that in a TT. A 6300# dry weight will likely be 7500 ready to roll with a tongue weight of 1000 lbs. Check your payload rating on the door jamb against this number and know that anything you add to the empty truck counts including passengers. You will most likely be close but find it acceptable. If you indeed load the TT to 10k (and 13-1500 lbs TW) you will most likely exceed one or more of the different maximums for your truck which I never recommend. Good luck and make an informed decision.

[davcur]

We just got back from a 13000 mile trip with our 2007 TT with a tow package. The truck did fine. Keep the speed below 60 and you'll get anywhere from 10-13 miles. The truck dislikes hills and the hillier the terrain the worse the milage. Our 5th wheel weighs 6500 hundred pounds (Cougar roughly 28 feet long), (rated at 24). The only problem we had was a blown turn signal. Get good mirrors and I find a louvered tailgate helps when not towing with milage. We often get over 21 mpg.

Good luck

[aehjr]

I just upgraded from my Tundra because I did not have the needed payload for an upgrade of our travel trailer. My 2008 double cab limited 4X4 had a payload of 1430 lb. With DW, me and the dogs, we had used 500 lb of the payload. Add my toolbox and some luggage and we were at 600 lb used. That left only 830 lb for tongue weight, so as fla-gypsy said, make sure you look at axle ratings and payload as you consider your purchase.

[danimal]

I agree with "aehjr". I have read so many posts where folks think they have the full 1500# payload available for cargo on the 1/2 pickup or 3300# available in a 3/4 ton truck like ours. For us, 2 people alone equal 400# (I'm a big man) , gas in truck is another 180# and 5th wheel hitch is 150#. That totals 730# which would leave only 770# for dry tounge or pin weight in the 1/2 ton or 2570# with a 3/4 ton. The calculations are BEFORE loading up the camper and truck for travelling.

[Nailz]

Originally Posted by danimal

I agree with "aehjr". I have read so many posts where folks think they have the full 1500# payload available for cargo on the 1/2 pickup or 3300# available in a 3/4 ton truck like ours. For us, 2 people alone equal 400# (I'm a big man) , gas in truck is another 180# and 5th wheel hitch is 150#. That totals 730# which would leave only 770# for dry tounge or pin weight in the 1/2 ton or 2570# with a 3/4 ton. The calculations are BEFORE loading up the camper and truck for travelling.

For the Tundra gas/fuel is accounted for in the curb weight and not a part of the cargo/payload weight.