[campingwhit]

Hello everyone,

Found this forum on Open Roads Forum. Sure is great to find a site that is Outback only . Vern, Great idea.

Anyway, Here is my question/concerns.

I bought a 21RS about 6 months back. I drive a 2002 Toyota Tundra, I looked and research the weight/towing capacity and thought the 21RS was a good choice. We love it and my truck tows it fine.

We took our longest trip so far this past month. Florida to Ky. Gas miliage wasn't very good and speed wasn't great either.

Am I pushing my truck too much?

Here is my numbers

21 RS
Dry weight 3990
LP weight 60
Total weight without extra's 4050
We travel with empty tanks

Tundra
4.7 L 4X2
Towing Capacity 7,100
Truck Weight 6,200
Truck GCWR 11,800

Truck Weight 6,200
+21RS 4,050
Total weight truck engine is pulling 10,250

Does this look right and what do you think?

 

[camping479]

What kind of mileage are you getting and at what speed do you tow? Is your dry weight of the trailer out of the brochure and is the 6200# for your truck actual or the gross vehicle weight? There should be a tag inside one of the cabinet doors which gives the actual weight of the trailer when it left the factory (without battery, lp,dealer installed accessories, etc.).
Our trailer is 4380# dry (according to the sticker) With all of our gear and a little water we are at about 4900-5000# ready to go. Our truck weighs 4800 empty with a tank of gas and weighs just over 6000 hooked up and loaded for a gcw of just over 10000. This is well within our truck's weight limits, we know it's back there and aren't going to win any races though. We tow in 3rd and get 10 mpg. I would suspect you are within your limits too because our tow vehicles have very similar gvw and gcw, ours is 6500 gvw and 12000 gcw. You might want to get actual weights to see how close you are to your limits. That's what I wound up doing.

If your within weight limits, and it tows okay, you're all set. Towing performance is a subjective thing, what I would consider to be good performance, you may think is terrible. I myself am not going out to by a k2500 suburban with an 8.1 vortec just because I slow down a little on hills, but someone else may feel it's a necessity. I'm gonna keep that cash in my pocket and tow slow on the hills.

 

[campingwhit]

Camping479,
Hey, Had to log back on and send a reply. Thanks . I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way. I had to say AMEN about keeping the 4.7L and the cash in my pocket. Can't afford that.

My biggest concern is wear and tear on my truck. I want to take care of it and keep it for a long time. Those numbers were straight out to the brochure on the internet. Couldn't remember whats on my cabinet door. I know its close.

I get about the same gas miliage as you do and drive about 55.

You made me feel better.

Hey, do you have any sway bars. I don't.. I only have a weight distribution hitch. I get a little sway when large trucks pass. Is that a must for a 21RS?

Take care, Thanks and hope to talk to you again..

 

[vern38]

campingwhit,
I use a sway bar on my 25FB and it does really help. I do notice the difference when those big trucks pass...

 

[camping479]

I also use a friction sway control on our 21rs. I get pushed sometimes by big trucks passing, but the whole rig moves a little and there is no sway. If I stay to the right in my lane, there usually is no push at all.

 

[campingwhit]

Hey 479 and Vern,
Thanks for the advice on friction sway control. I'll be honest, I don't know very much about the sway control set-up. This is our first travel trailor. This weight distribution hitch came with the rig. The dealer didn't mention anything about a sway control or how one would hook up to my hitch.

I do have a connection point on the right or left side of the ball. Its a piece of steel that has a connection hole for something. I'm thinking this is where the sway connects. Is this right? If so, Where does it connect to the Trailor?

What is the cost and the brand I need?

Good to hear from you guys? Looks like you own a cabinet shop 479? Thats real neat. I love Yankee Workshop. Your family sounds nice. Twins. Congratulations

Nice to know someone that has the same Trailor.

More to come later. Thanks

Campingwhit

 

[camping479]

Thanks for your service to your country. Those twins....... I'm not sure if I need congratulations or condolences some days

.....just kidding, they're a real blessing.

The connection on the hitch is for a 1 inch ball for a friction sway control. I have a reese brand which comes with a plate with a ball on it that gets bolted to the trailer a-frame. I think it comes with the ball for the hitch too. All the brands work pretty much the same. They come with pretty specific installation instructions. If your into ebay, I've seen them for a lot less than retail, around 50 bucks or so, they're around 80 or 90 retail. Definitely cheap insurance and will do the job for a short trailer like yours.

 

[Herbicidal]

Hey! There is another Tundra owner out there! Last month we picked up our 2004 26RS. We have a weight distributing hitch and the friction anti-sway control. We have not taken it camping yet, but hope to do so soon.

The 26RS weighs in @ 4,800 lbs as shown on the cabinet door for the UVW. The Tundra seems to pull it just fine. I have no idea yet what the gas mileage will be.

One of our favorite areas to go camping is up on the north coast of California amongst the Redwoods. Another favorite is pretty much anywhere on the Oregon coast. There are some pretty good grades heading up I-5 into Oregon. I might be able to report back on that next year.

Take care for now and happy towing!

Herbicidal

PS: Campingwhit, have you found TundraSolutions on the internet? Great site for us Tundra owners.

Same kind of friendly folks like here on Outbackers. I'm on that site as Herbicidal also.