Lightweight that sleeps 7?

[acommonsoul]

Hello everyone! I'm looking to buy a TT in the next year or so and will only have a Toyota Sequoia as the tow vehicle. Does anyone have suggestion of a rig they like that will sleep 7 people (5 adults/2 kids)? I know I will most likely need to have some guests come in another vehicle to keep the payload down. The TV can tow up to 7400lbs, with 1400lbs of CCC. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Desert Flyer]

Your limit generally will not be the towing capacity; it will probably be your rear axle capacity. Large SUVs are heavy in the rear. Plus your Sequoia is already a heavy vehicle. You and your passenger will load the front and rear axle about 50/50. But all rear passengers, bikes on the roof, coolers and cargo in the “way back”, and your Golden Retrievers will load the rear axle. Plus you need a heavy weight-distributing WD hitch that will weigh upwards of 80-100 lbs.

To find out what your capabilities are to tow a Travel Trailer TT, you first must know the capacities and weights on your Tow Vehicle TV. Fill up with gas and get it weighed, including front and rear axle weights. If possible, add your family plus all expected camping gear. Subtract actual weights from the Gross weight ratings listed on your driver door sticker and that will tell you how much capacity you have to spare for a TT loaded hitch weight.

[mrjohns2]

We are getting a Starcraft 239TBS and will tow it with a Sequoia. The sequoia can do 7100 tow and 960 on the tongue. The 239 is 5140 with a max weight of 6500 and a dry hitch weight of 641. Add a couple of batteries(42# each) and propane (20# each) and we should be under the 960. We will eventually get a Tundra, but for now, we should be good. I don’t buy in as much to the 20% rule. I heard that years ago. The new SAE standard dropped the Sequoia’s capacity down from 9100 with no change to the vehicle. Seems like the 20% standard is “built in” now.

[Desert Flyer]

Sorry for repeating myself, but you really need to first know the capacity of your tow vehicle before thinking about what TT you want. Your ‘tow’ing capacity will not limit you. However, your ‘haul’ing capacity will. I recommend you peruse the Travel Trailers and the Towing section on this Forum. Then also download one of the towing calculators to help in your quest. Note that the payload capacity on your door label can be optimistic depending on your vehicle trim and options. Your vehicle is heavy and you probably have less capacity than you think, especially loaded up with passengers and stuff. You really need to get weighed, fully loaded. Also, BTW, the 20% rule is for fifth wheels. For travel trailers, your tongue weight should be about 12.5% of total TT weight for stable towing. Once you determine your available hitch load capacity, simply divide by 0.125 (same as multiply by 8) to arrive at maximum allowable total TT weight. Your fully loaded and wet TT cannot exceed this weight, that is why many users here will use GVWR of the TT when researching (vs not trying to determine actual weight by starting with so-called “dry” weight and estimating weight of cargo).

[mrjohns2]

Originally Posted by Desert Flyer

Your vehicle is heavy and you probably have less capacity than you think, especially loaded up with passengers and stuff.

Not true.

You keep posting the same thing. I left off 2 values that will help the OP vs you just repeating. The GCVW is 13,000. The weight of the vehicle is 5985.

So, that leaves 7015 for trailer, humans, and trailer stuff (water and gear).

So, it isn’t as bad as you keep telling people. In fact, besides the weight of the humans, it is only 85 pounds less than the tow limit.

I think you need to adjust your cliche post.

[325BH]

Originally Posted by mrjohns2

Not true.

You keep posting the same thing. I left off 2 values that will help the OP vs you just repeating. The GCVW is 13,000. The weight of the vehicle is 5985.

So, that leaves 7015 for trailer, humans, and trailer stuff (water and gear).

So, it isn’t as bad as you keep telling people. In fact, besides the weight of the humans, it is only 85 pounds less than the tow limit.

I think you need to adjust your cliche post.

It appears you are ignoring what people are saying about payload. The GCWR doesn’t matter. What is the GVWR of your truck? Subtract the actual weight of your truck from your truck’s GVWR and that is your payload.

Until you post your payload number from the door sticker, the rest of the numbers don’t matter. Even then, that payload number is probably higher than actual, depending on anything you have added to the truck.

If your GVWR is 7,100 lbs and the truck weighs 6,000 lbs, you have 1,100 lbs available... for people, gear and TT tongue weight. If you have 600 lbs of people, you have 500 lbs left for gear and tongue weight.

500 lbs of tongue weight would be for a 3,500 lbs trailer.

[mrjohns2]

Payload capacity is 1350. That ends up being ok for us, but I do agree with your point. Depending on how large the 5 adults are, it could be over for the OP. Most Sequoias don’t have modifications like a pickup.