Bigfoot 21

[Governor Bud]

Bigfoot 21 owners Towing question. I have a Toyota 4 Runner with a tow rating of 5000lbs. Since I currently tow a 13' Trillium it seems maxed out, overdrive off. This is in NH without much elevation. Whats been your experience as I am considering moving into this league of trailer. I believe its close to 3500 lbs with a gross of 7500. I will also need to add a brake controller. Would any Bigfoot 21 owners please contact me, thanks.

[btroxell]

My 2018 21RB weighs 6020lb with the fresh water tank full (weighed at a truck scale). I first tried to tow it with a Tacoma but the truck was just to little; under powered and under weight. I now tow it with a F150 and a anti-sway hitch and it pulls fine.

Ben

[ZachO]

If you're asking whether the 4Runner will tow it, the answer is yes. But if you're asking if the 4Runner should tow it, the answer is no. You'd be well past the margin for safety.

I have a Tacoma with the same tow rating. My 17' Bigfoot is too much trailer for it. It's within the tow ratings, and safe, but is maxed out. The tongue weight of a 21 would put you way over your payload limit. I also notice that with any headwind, I might as well be towing a parachute. My Tacoma is a 3.4L V6.

I haven't measured my tongue weight but looking at what similar trailers weigh, I figure 300-350 pounds. There is only one Bigfoot 21 listed in the "trailer weights in the real world" thread, a sticky at the top of the General Chat part of the forum. It's listed tongue weight: 1160 pounds! My guess is that's your entire payload limit. So you could tow this trailer...if your 4Runner can drive without you, without gas, and without a single item of gear.

I think that particular weight is an outlier, though.

[South Coast Stu]

I have a 21 BF. You won't be happy with less than a 1/2 ton PU, IMHO.

[Governor Bud]

Good info. I figured as much. In 2004 when I lived in BC, I had a Tundra V8 and owned a bigfoot 17. Pulled it fine. The 21 is far bigger deal and I agree with all of you, a 1/2 ton or better yet 3/4 ton pickup is the way to safely tow. The 4 Runner is really maxed out with the 3.4L v6.

[ZachO]

It’s a great engine and has good power, but wasn’t built for heavy towing. I’ve got 280,000 miles and counting on mine without a single repair, just basic maintenance. But towing into a headwind yesterday up a pass, I ended up in 2nd gear, 30mph for the last mile to the summit.

Luckily that’s pretty rare.

[Governor Bud]

I will install in the 4 Runner for the Trillium 1300 and do want to test towing the bigfoot, but in a controlled situation, meaning a rural road nearby campground. (I do have to move the 21 but only a few miles) With the Bigfoot 21, what brake controller have you used/installed in the TV?

[ZachO]

It really doesn't matter. They all do the same thing.


It's not that you can't get away with towing the 21 with your 4Runner, it's just that it's going to not-so-slowly kill it, and doesn't have nearly enough mass (in my opinion) to keep that big trailer under control.

Sure, I've seen a late 90s Tacoma hauling a 30' Airstream, with the pickup bed completely loaded with stuff, too. It was doing it. But it sure seemed like a catastrophe waiting to happen.