2005 toyota highlander yes or no?

[War Eagle]

Marshall, I agree with Jon and Carol that, at this point, you would be better served by posting your "what camper to buy" questions onto a more appropriate thread. Perhaps the moderator could go ahead and move this discussion to where they feel it fits best.

[Marshallpianotech]

hi everyone. Thank you for all of the replies. Sorry for getting off topic. This is an exciting adventure even though I'm in the early stages. Now back to towing. I'll check with toyota tomorrow. I'm looking forward to finding out what they have to say. Thank you again.

[War Eagle]

Marshall, If you have a full-service U-Haul trailer rental center/service shop nearby, they can do most anything you need done as far as frame-mount hitches, electrical connections, lighting, electric brake controller, etc. The one near us is great - make an appointment so they can get everything they need in stock, and it's usually half-day service. Worth checking out...

[Mike Magee]

Yup, I should have said "tow PREP package," not tow package.

Which way the seam runs doesn't really matter much; they fiberglass over the seam and the two halves are just about like one whole. Some are single hulled (like Scamp, Casita) while others (like Burro, Escape) are double hulled; both are good designs with minor pluses and minuses. Scamp and Casita use rivets through the hull to attach cabinets and such. Others fiberglass in some attachment points on the interior of the shell. Lil Snoozy's hull is a sort of sandwich design that needs no inner support for stiffening (it is self supporting); most others need the inner cabinetry and stuff to add rigidity and support the roof. So you can see that there are differences, but they all work.

Quality: pretty much all the companies make a good shell and put it on a good frame. From that point, the interior cabinetry can vary (some are molded-in, fiberglass; others are wood, which can vary in workmanship) but the appliances and such are common to the travel trailer industry and carry their own warranties. Any brand can turn out a lemon occasionally.

[Marshallpianotech]

hi Mike Bob Gail and everyone who replied. Thank you again for the great information help & advice. I called Toyota today. She pulled up my vin and our highlander has a tow prep package bigger radiator and I think transmission oil cooler? Toyota recommends a class 2 hitch. Would you have the dealer install it or someone like uhaul? The weight it can pull is 3500 lbs. I assume when the time comes to get a trailer I have to account for more than just the trailers weight tongue weight and trailer weight plus added weight for camping supplies tank fluids correct? How much weight should one add on as an estimate to the dry weight? What does g v r refer to? Do hitch sizes only affect how much wright the hitch can handle or does the size I e class 2 class 3 affect the stability of the trailer that's being towed? I'm excited. I'm on the road to tt ownership!

[Glenn Baglo]

I would go with a Class III hitch receiver, which gives you the option of using a weight distribution hitch or not. That's the set up I have. The Toyota manual says Toyota does not recommend a weight distribution hitch. It doesn't say you must not use one. If you look at your manual, you will see that all the important warnings are in yellow boxes. The sentence about weight distribution is not high-lighted.
I think you will find that, depending on your tongue weight, you might prefer using a WDH for ride and to keep the rear of the Highlander from dropping too much.

[MC1]

Glenn has the good advice. For such a few dollars more Class III is the way to go.

[Bob Miller]

I think that you should confirm the transmission cooler as I believe that is required for the heavier capacity.

Did you happen to also get maximum hitch weight? It's yet another useful number.

And having a dealer (or Camping World) do almost anything is the most expensive way to go. Find a hitch shop and talk to them first.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I think that you should confirm the transmission cooler as I believe that is required for the heavier capacity.

I looked at the manual for this vehicle- those equipped for towing require the bigger radiator, and Marshall has confirmed that his vehicle is so equipped. No need for an add-on.

I would ask Marshall, though:

Is yours the third-row seat model? I ask because my read of the manual is that only that one has 3500 pounds of tow capacity- those without that option are limited to 3,000 pounds. (Probably suspension-related)



[SIZE="4"]

Originally Posted by Marshallpianotech

Toyota recommends a class 2 hitch. Would you have the dealer install it or someone like uhaul? The weight it can pull is 3500 lbs.

I advise you to listen to Toyota with regards to your vehicle, as you appear to be doing so far. Toyota's OEM hitch is far superior to any aftermarket hitch as it attaches both internally and externally to the vehicle body and what passes for the frame. Aftermarket hitches do not.

Weight distributing system is not only against the advice of your vehicle's maker as the vehicle isn't designed to withstand the stresses involved, it adds NOTHING in terms of carrying capacity- so why bother???

The OEM has a two inch receiver, and capacity of 3500 pounds- your vehicle's limit. Going to a receiver that says on the label "OK for W/D" does not supercede Toyota's advisory against such use, or correct any deficiencies in the car that may preclude said use in Toyota's eyes.

[Mike Magee]

I put on an aftermarket receiver because it was much less costly, but I have since wished I'd paid for the OEM receiver because it is positioned higher (closer to the bumper) and I think it attaches somewhat better. However, the DrawTite receiver is working fine. It's your choice.

A class III receiver is stronger than a II, but if it doesn't attach any more securely, there's not much advantage IMO.

GVWR = gross vehicle weight rating = vehicle weight plus cargo, passengers, and weight on hitch (usually the driver and gasoline are already accounted for and don't need to be added in again).

It depends on how much a person packs in the trailer, but for trailers of this size range (13'-17') I usually figure 500-600 lbs of added weight when one considers the LP, water (very heavy stuff, water!), clothing, cookware, food, etc. Some folks with large stick trailers will add 1000 lbs or more!

[Bob Miller]

The link I saw mentioned a "heavy Duty Transmission Cooler" as a part of the towing prep option.

Transmission coolers come in two flavors. Heat exchange types that are a part of the lower tank of the radiator and Air-exchange coolers that are like additional radiators that only transmission fluid circulates through.

In many Toyota applications both are used on the same vehicles for additional transmission cooling. The additional transmission cooler sit in front of the radiator and a/c condenser.

[War Eagle]

We purchased our 2006 Highlander new (6 cyc., GVWR 4985 lb) with a dealer installed Reese Class III 2" box hitch (rated 350 lb tongue, 3500 lb trailer). If I'm not mistaken, you have to go up to a Class III hitch to get the 2" square receiver - which gives you the most options and availability (and peace of mind). (I believe Class II receivers are the smaller 1.25" square, is that right?). The second "sticky" from the top in this "Towing" forum has all kinds of definitions and methods for calculating various vehicle and trailer weights. I'm pretty sure you'll find the answers to most all of your questions in it. As for where to have work done, I trust national brands (Toyota, U-Haul, etc.) who warranty their work, and having a local dealer can save you a lot of time and hassles going back and forth. It's nice to have a variety of local dealers so you can shop around for the best value. For example, our local Toyota service shop, U-Haul service center and Goodyear/Toyo tire and brake shop all do great work, but the Toyota shop is the priciest of the bunch. Anything to do with the engine, transmission and drive train, I'm willing to pay the higher price at the Toyota shop. Anything else (brakes, wiring, A/C, etc.) I price around and go to wherever they can get me in and out quickly and save me a few bucks, and I've rarely been disappointed. Just my thoughts....

[War Eagle]

My bad! Had a "senior moment." Our Highlander is a 2002, not a 2006. It's our Prius that's a 2006 (not so good at towing, not that we've tried, but great for toting kayaks on the roof rack!). Sorry for any confusion...

[MC1]

No problem War Eagle. We thought we saw you towing your kayaks in the back of a UHaul but since you explained you put them on the roof we can assume it wasn't you.

[War Eagle]

Amazing photo - towing a double axle enclosed U-Haul trailer (10 ft?) with a Prius! If you've never driven a Prius, they are surprisingly spunky when both the engine and the drive battery kick in together, like for passing in a tight spot or going up steep mountain passes. But those guys are probably drawing power from both full time, and I'm not sure how sustainable that is. More power (literally) to them. We've talked about putting a hitch on the back of ours, but just for a bike rack. Thanks for sharing....

[David Tilston]

Looks like the tongue is kinda low on tha Uhaul trailer.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Looks like the tongue is kinda low on tha Uhaul trailer.

I've seen that U-haul-behind-Prius picture before and am skeptical of its authenticity. For one thing, I'd have to hear straight from U-Haul that they rented that trailer to be towed by that car. They don't even bother to look up mfr. ratings, ya know- they've got their own methods of calculating what can tow what. And I'm pret-ty, pretty sure they wouldn't allow a trailer that size behind a Prius.

And let's face it- what Pious owner would even think of breaching the terms of a rental contract by towing with a vehicle other than the one named thereon?

[War Eagle]

But if the photo is legit, then the Prius seems to be holding its own (ie., no sparks flying from the muffler dragging on the pavement)! As narrow as a Prius is, and as wide as that trailer looks, I'm pretty sure the driver has no clue what might be coming up behind him!

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by War Eagle

We purchased our 2006 Highlander new (6 cyc., GVWR 4985 lb) with a dealer installed Reese Class III 2" box hitch (rated 350 lb tongue, 3500 lb trailer). If I'm not mistaken, you have to go up to a Class III hitch to get the 2" square receiver - which gives you the most options and availability (and peace of mind). (I believe Class II receivers are the smaller 1.25" square, is that right?).

That is incorrect- "Class II" is a weight class only- covers hitches between 1,000 and 3500 pounds. There are many such hitches with 2" receivers- the OEM hitch supplied by Toyota being one of them.

Breakpoint for receiver opening within the class is I think 2500 pounds, the usual limit for 1-1/4" ballmounts.

[Glenn Baglo]

If you look at the clearance on the rear wheel wells of the Prius, I think you will come to the conclusion that PhotoShop gets the credit.