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Old 04-08-2013, 09:19 PM   #21
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Jason thats a class 2 hitch, the rav4 for the weight needs a class 3...Interesting look to it though.
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Old 04-09-2013, 08:32 AM   #22
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Alice is yours a front bathroom? If not airbags would be fine but if you are planning on going larger I would just buy the wdh and be all boy scout prepared!
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Yes, mine is a front bathroom. When I get this ABS thing and hitch height worked out, I'll take it on a little road trip to see how it handles before I take it any distance. I hope there will be no regrets getting rid of Subie. It was a nice car and paid for.
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Old 04-09-2013, 08:44 AM   #23
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Jason thats a class 2 hitch, the rav4 for the weight needs a class 3...Interesting look to it though.
I know, hence the reason I said a 2" version. I just copied a link from another forum without digging around for exactly what ya need.

Jason
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Old 04-09-2013, 09:12 AM   #24
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do deryk is this what i need? and then somehow find the right ball to adjust up high enough? none of the others on that page are class 3...kinda overkill on the weight tho

Curt Class III Drawbar - 3/4" Rise, 2" Drop - 10-1/4" Long - 7,500 lbs Curt Ball Mounts C45020
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Old 04-09-2013, 09:34 AM   #25
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Using levels on the trailer to determine if it is in fact level once hitched helps a lot - eyeballing it can be very deceiving - the first ball mount I purchased looked good to the eye but it was actually high. Having the correct hitch height can make a big difference to your towing experience. Normally a trailer that is level or very slightly down on the tongue will result in a more stable tow than a trailer that is sitting higher at the tongue or to far down.
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Old 04-09-2013, 10:23 AM   #26
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Probably something more like this Ball Mount 4-3/4" Rise or 6" Drop, 6,000 lbs Hidden Hitch Ball Mounts 80240


But with as heavy as your trailer is I would definatly look into a weight distribution hitch. Im ordering one on payday. I contemplated a casita 17 and decided against it do to the tongue weight...I wouldn't drive my rav4 around with it 4" from the ground. But to each their own.
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Old 04-09-2013, 03:14 PM   #27
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i am so grateful for all the help i got here and i hope i didnt waste your time. i DID screw up in the beginning when i said the camper was not pushing the car down. it was. quite a bit. i drove it safely to the shop-the guy that was supposed to come here had and emergency and was at the hospital-so i drove slow and had no problems until i turned into the drive at the shop...just touched the ground a little

but when they unhooked it was obvious the ball is almost at the right height for the camper to travel level...and the camper did push the car down a lot.

so...i think i am right that the problem is the tongue weight? i have 2 full propane tanks on there and would prefer not to have them anyway so i hope i can find someone who will use the propane and give me back the tanks to store...in case i change my mind or get a bigger vehicle down the road.

besides that...is this where the levelers would work? or the bags? or someone suggested filling the water tank in the back and that would bring the tongue up.

the black and grey tanks are empty now and in front...so i guess it will be important to empty them often if i use them

i was so happy with my truck...it was so easy and i felt so safe. but i got this arthritis now and just driving was hurting me.

so-lighten up the front of the camper...use levelers? bags? any other tricks to keep the camper from pushing the car down like that? thx so much for all your time with this.
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Old 04-09-2013, 03:54 PM   #28
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Now I wouldn't get rid of both propane tanks I would drop down to 1. I was surprised about how high my tongue weight was butI boondock and need it still for heat...but by next month I'm dropping down to 1 tank and carrying my generator inside myParkLiner right over the axle.

We have 2 members here who tow a 17 foot trailer with a Rav4 so iI'm following them with using a weight distribution hitch because you see how much your Rav4 squats if you look at my pictures there is 1 with myRav4 really squatting down. The airbags make an improvement but I'm betting my steering axle is lighter when the trailer is attached. Also after this weekend with the swaying problem I had from the wind I picked a wdh with anti sway bracket....I think its a smart $265 purchase. Will raise the behind a bit and hopefully improve the towing situation. Its up to you but Jon and Glenn have racked a decent amount of miles towing with their rav4 .
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Old 04-09-2013, 04:14 PM   #29
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thx deryk-but the propane just makes stress for me. i dont use it at all. i have a ball from casita-well...im not sure of the name of the part-but the big black metal thing that fits onto hitch-it has the pulling ball and then another one to ad anti-sway bar. so i have that.

then depending how much removing the propane helps with the way the car is pushed down...i should look into wdh and bags? so levelers are not something that would work here.

also-someone questioned about the bags working well when towing...but when you just drive the car is it less stable?

so many questions. i'm sorry. it will be worth it when i am fixed right i guess. thanks again.
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Old 04-09-2013, 04:42 PM   #30
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I drive Dailey with the airbags with zero problem....they can be deflated to return the cushy rear end if you prefer. I'm on my droid so I can't post links but their is a post here with real trailer weights in the real world and I looked into a Casita 17 but most of the tongue weights were way too heavy for Rav4 so I passed on it. I think with a trailer as tongue heavy as yours needs it but its up to you to decide...its your vehicle.

you need to post pictures...I think your talking about an anti sway bar...it is not going to help you with the squatting problem...might be handy when its windy out and you have sway like I did last weekend.

propane...welI i won't say anything on that one...
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Old 04-09-2013, 06:53 PM   #31
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i have a ball from casita-well...im not sure of the name of the part-but the big black metal thing that fits onto hitch-it has the pulling ball and then another one to ad anti-sway bar.
That's a ball mount (lots of examples: eTrailer Ball Mounts), with a tow ball plus a small ball for a friction-type sway control device. The ball mount is the part that everyone is explaining comes in different heights, so you choose the one which is right for your combination of the height of the receiver box (where the ball mount plugs in) and the height of the trailer coupler.

Ball mounts - also call drawbars - are really cheap, so it doesn't matter if you have one: get another one if you need a different height.
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Old 04-09-2013, 07:03 PM   #32
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Thanks Mike and Deryk - I will do the level ground check first and check the trailer hitch/ball. It's only the "big dips" in driveways that it happened, and only twice - I've had it just a few weeks. It traveled home just fine - and must admit, I didn't think when I put the ball on the hitch after I bought it.

Thanks for the advice! Can't wait for the first campout!
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Old 04-09-2013, 07:14 PM   #33
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Might have to wait a bit with the snow thats coming
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Old 04-10-2013, 06:10 AM   #34
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Tongue weight isn't a bad thing if the vehicle can support it. Generally the more tongue weight you can carry the better the trailer will pull.. I'm still a big fan of air bags if you need a little more load carrying capacity.
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:00 AM   #35
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Yes Arlon, if the vehicle can support it and from a little over 2 years of towing with my Rav4, it has a soft rear end even with the airbags in the rear the nose is still pointing up a bit. The Casita 17's are imho too heavy tongue wise for a Rav4 without some assistance. http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...rld-43010.html

Check out the weights and without a wdh a Rav4 is limited to a 350lbs and all the fiberglass trailers with front bathrooms are a little nose heavy.
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:25 AM   #36
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If you're still sagging with air bags, something isn't right. They should be able to lift the rear 2" above level with 1000+ pounds on the tongue (double those numbers on my truck). I have bags on my truck and van. Both will hold any load that doesn't break the hitch well above level. Even 500lbs on the tongue should be nothing to a pair of properly installed and inflated air bags. That 350lb limit goes right out the door with the bags installed, that's why you'd use them. WDH would be nice too..
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:26 AM   #37
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If you're still sagging with air bags, something isn't right. .........
Agree. The OP needs to do some weighing.
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:35 AM   #38
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Right now I'm having trouble with the Rav's braking system. The ABS, brake, idiot lights intermitantly come on, and the cruise control won't work then either. The Toyota disconnected the wiring for the trailer, and everything has been fine. I doubt if Toyota will take care of the problem because U-Haul did the work.
I assume that U-Haul did not just do the work, they provided the improper wiring adapter which is causing the problem. Too much load on the brake light circuit, or applying voltage to it when the brakes are not on, could confuse the car.

A simple wiring adapter gets the power from the trailer lights from the tug's light circuits - that's how mine works and there's no problem with my specific vehicle. A better design uses the tug's light circuits just for information, but has its own power supply from the battery. The RAV-4 may need the better converter, and the one very expensively sold by Toyota (and usually installed by a Toyota dealership) would likely not cause a problem.

Although the are many fans of U-Haul towing equipment and installation, they don't actually make any of it, none of it is specifically endorsed by ant auto manufacturer (to my knowledge), and U-Haul does not ensure that the staff at each location are knowledgeable or competent.

If this is an ongoing issue which needs more discussion, Isuggest a separate thread.
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:47 AM   #39
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...........If this is an ongoing issue which needs more discussion, Isuggest a separate thread.

I'd add that a good resource is a Toyota forum where other owners have likely encountered a similar issue, or etrailer, where the techs will answer specific questions and have an insight into manufacturer's electrical quirks.

Toyota RAV4 Forums : RAV4World.com

Contact etrailer.com - 800-298-8924
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Old 04-10-2013, 07:50 AM   #40
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Agree. The OP needs to do some weighing.
Agreed and post some pictures of it as well.

2" above level? I don't think so, my airbags are probably 2" (could be more, I didnt measure the distance) shorter then the springs so totally full its not going to lift the rear end up higher then without the airbags.

Now I don't buy into that useing the airbags will throw out the 350lb tongue limit...

In 2 weeks or so once I get my wdh installed and get a chance to get it weighed at the CAT scale like George mentioned we will get a chance to see what the front axle weight is without the trailer, with the trailer without wdh, and finally with the wdh...With the even heavier Casita 17 I would like to see those numbers on the other 2 new members Rav4's as well.
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