First time towing...

[Tizzo]

So yesturday was the first time I ever towed this TT. It's 27 feet and my truck is an 05 4runner V-8.

Truck handled the weight well, but problems arose while I was trying to back up. Not "real" problems, I didn't destroy anything, but difficulty probs...

I heard, "If you wanna turn the trailer to the right, lift the stearing wheel to the right etc... But looking in the mirror or trying to turn around to see behind you makes everything discombobulated...

Boy oh boy, I hope I get used to it.

Guess I'll just hafta camp more often than I planned.

[Tizzo]

So yesturday was the first time I ever towed this TT. It's 27 feet and my truck is an 05 4runner V-8.

Truck handled the weight well, but problems arose while I was trying to back up. Not "real" problems, I didn't destroy anything, but difficulty probs...

I heard, "If you wanna turn the trailer to the right, lift the stearing wheel to the right etc... But looking in the mirror or trying to turn around to see behind you makes everything discombobulated...

Boy oh boy, I hope I get used to it.

Guess I'll just hafta camp more often than I planned.

[450Donn]

Ok, as far as backing, put your hand on the bottom of the wheel and turn it in the direction you want the trailer to go. I think thats right. WOW, towing that much trailer with a 4runner is really pushing things. How in the world did you get that combination above 30 MPH?

[K-Star]

first you need to get used to backing up using only your mirrors. go to a parking lot, without the trailer, just your tow vehicle and practice backing up into parking spots using just your mirrors. You need to master that before you add a trailer into the mix.

Once you add your trailer into the foray, the simplest way to backup is to use the method where you put your hand on the bottom of the wheel and move your hand in the direction in which you want the trailer to go.

[mamaloya]

I have to say you will get it. We are still fairly new and still sit in the seat "thinking" for a while before backing, but it does get easier over time. Just be patient and don't worry about other people who may be watching. They were there once too.

[CD]

Tizzo
As mentioned, with a lot of practice you will master the backing. Don't wait until you get to some tight camp spot to practice.
My big concern is the size of trailer to tow rig ratio. The power to tow it is not the big issue. I once saw a video of a pickup pulling a 747 but we all know it couldn't control it. You also need to control it in situations like swerving to miss something in the road, cross winds etc. If you find out you don't have enough rig, it may be too late. If you can, borrow a friends 3/4ton or bigger and try it. My first experience towing an RV was a Ford car towing a 15'TT. I had WD hitch and air bags on the car. It handled well but after 300 miles I was beat. When I got a 1/2ton PU to tow it with I found out why. I was constantly driving the car and couldn't relax for a sec. Each time I have upsized the TT and later upsized the tow rig I realized I should have done the tow rig first.
I wish you well.

[Tizzo]

K star, that's awesome! I will definately do that.

The truck is rated to pull 7300 lbs, the TT is only 4600 (if I remember correctly), we got the weight distributing hitch with sway control and all that. One of these days we will upgrade the truck, but we actually spent a lot more for a lighter trailer so we wouldn't NEED to upgrade the vehicle yet...

Oh well, I hope it'll be OK. I towed it around the highways and even through the city before I put it in storage. I was actually having fun pulling it around. It was much easier than I thought it'd be.

Til I had to back up.

But I will get it.

[george henry]

yes, that is correct about the bottom of yoour steering wheel for direction..Man that brings back lots of memories,

[Randy the sly old fox]

For your own peace of mind take your rigs to a scale and get actual weights. I think you will be suprized at how much more weight you are really carrying - both the truck and TT. More important than "Tow Rating" is the GCWR along with the GVWR and GAWR. The GCWR is the maxmium wt that the drivetrain can handle - it includes the GVWR which is the maximium the truck can weigh and the GAWR is how much the axle can weigh. The trick is to make sure that none of these are exceeded. The GVWR and GAWR are posted on the vehicle - usually around the drivers door. The GVWR is usually found in the owners manual or in the Toyota Towing Guide. I once had a lightweight TT that was only 21' long and actually weighed around 4000lbs - the brochure wt was 3000lbs - I did not even have water in the tank Even my AF weighs more than the brouchure says - but not as much - plus I can account for most the extra wt - LPG, Batteries, hitch, gear etc.

[cwsoules]

We are getting better after towing our 5er for seven years, but there is room for more improvement. My wife uses hand signals to help me put it where we want it to go. We tried hand held radios but I'm just deaf enough that did not work well. I follow her directions and generally ignore other "helpers". I also stop, set the brake, and walk back to see. I use a combination of mirrors and looking over my shoulder. The one lession that I have to relearn is to after the trailer rear end starts in the desired direction it is necesary to reduce the cramp in the truck steering. Sometimes it is necessary to stop the turn and pull forward to adjust the angle of the truck to trailer. Usually I only need to pull about one truck length forward to adjust the angle.