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JohnH12 · 12-10-2015, 08:58 AM

We take delivery of the 2012 Bounder 35K tomorrow. It's rated for the normal 5000# max tow weight and a max tounge weight of 500#.
We have a 4 cylinder front wheel drive 2007 Toyota Highlander:
Length 184.6" / 15.38'
Curb weight 3516#
** I'm confused about the curb weight though. The specs show 3516# but the GVWR of 5360# minus the 1159# vehicle capacity would make the car weigh 4201#.
For my question lets assume the curb weight is correct.
We would like to get a tandem tow dolly so we could also bring our golf cart (approx 900 to 1000#).
That brings the total towed weight to 5466# if the dolly weighs 950#.
The 466# over the 5K max doesn't concern me as much as the possible excess tongue weight.
Does anyone have info concerning their tongue weight so I can get a decent estimate for the tongue weight I would have?
My instinct say it'll be way over the 500# max tongue but the wife tends to prefer the word of total strangers over mine.

Gary RVRoamer · 12-10-2015, 04:34 PM

A vanilla dolly has very little tongue weight - typically 100# or less regardless of the car weight. However, adding the golf cart throws everything out the window. Most dollies that have a forward carrying platform put a lot of weight on the tongue, so you have to scale it to find out. And you probably have to buy it to do that, so you can load the golf cart and try it. What sort of dolly are you looking at? Where is this cart gonna ride?

chunker · 12-10-2015, 06:39 PM

If you are talking about the brand Tandemtow by Elite metals, the car plate is adjustable fore and aft with several bolt hole options. I had one for bit to tow a motorcycle but didn't like the car loading part. Ratchets really need improvement. Loading the bike was a breeze though. That said, if you are talking about this dolly, there is a matrix chart in the owner's manual to determine tongue weight. I found the weights to be off though and would suggest a scale to get it closer. Actual weight was higher than the matrix weight. I moved the car plate aft and that got the weight down.

If you are talking about the other tandem tow dolly that does not adjust, then if you figure 1/2 of the weight of the cart on the platform plus the normal tongue weight, you will be close. And way over your 500 pounds

Rockwood27 · 12-10-2015, 07:49 PM

A friend of ours has a 12 35K. It's built on a Ford 22K chassis with a 26K GCWR. If you run near max GVW, like he does, then you only have about a 4K tow limit. I have a 22K Workhorse that I weighed when loaded for snowbirding. The rear axle was right at max limit with the toad on a dolly. If I had any more tongue weight, the rear axle would be way over capacity due to the leverage effect.

BTW, if you really want to know the weight of the Highlander, you should get it weighed ready for travel.

JohnH12 · 12-11-2015, 03:56 AM

Thanks to all.
Looks like we'll just have to take the car or the golf cart but not both.
We can take the car when going to small parks or where relatives can loan us one of theirs. We'll take the golf cart for the trips where it's needed for the large parks and rent a car while we're there.

W3SI · 12-11-2015, 01:30 PM

As stated in post @3 of this thread, there is a matrix in the owners manual of a Tandem Tow trailer which is an approximate tongue weight(TW) using an adjustable dolly cradle. I own a Tandem Tow HDXL with a 8X10' bed and because I want to tow a bike and a very light car (Miata under 2500#) I have a heavy TW but when I tow our Kia van and load one bike I am fine.