Toyota Sienna Hitch Height

[Jajensen]

We are new to towing. Have a 2011 Toyota Sienna and found a 16' SCAMP and are set to buy. The SCAMP website says we need a 21" hitch height but our current van receiver tube is only 10.5" off the ground. Can't seem to find a ball hitch that would give us that much rise - closest I found was 7". Can we say close enough or not worth the risk? Our gut says not worth the risk but I'm so disappointed I maybe need to hear from others their take. Thanks in advance for your 2 cents and/or resources.

[gordon2]

There are a lot of variables so its hard to know what rise you need.. the weight in the Sienna, the degree of wear on the suspension, the weight loading in the trailer, etc. Its often a trial and error procedure.

IIRC your van is the same generation as my 2015 Sienna. I have a Curt hitch receiver which is under the bumper. I use a Reese 21347 draw bar with a 8 inch rise to get the trailer level. That gets me to the spec from Scamp to the top of the ball. The hitch is low and you have to pay attention to sharp inclines (taking them at an angle) but other than that this has worked for me.

I have not seen a drawbar with more than 8 inch rise and frankly I would not want to go more than that anyway.

[Jajensen]

Thanks for your help. I appreciate the link and information. Looks like we might have to re-think our purchase until we have a different car - such a bummer.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jajensen

..Looks like we might have to re-think our purchase until we have a different car - such a bummer.

Well I think it might be doable.. I am happy with my 2015 Sienna and Scamp 16.. Its not ideal but it does work quite well with the 8 inch rise drawbar. We have been from MN to FL, both a few times. I'm in no great hurry to upgrade my vehicle. Keep researching and thinking about it. Of course if you take too long then a good deal might be gone, but you will be more prepared to grab the next one.

[Jajensen]

I also saw in the owners manual: If the gross trailer weight exceeds 1000 lb. (453 kg), trailer brakes are required.

Do you have trailer brakes on yours? Did you have to buy them separate?

I've read a few threads with a variety of answers - just curious your take.



Jill

[gordon2]

Scamp 16 should come with brakes. You still need a brake controller in the tow vehicle, or a trailer mounted controller connected to the tow vehicle with remote device.

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by Jajensen

We are new to towing. Have a 2011 Toyota Sienna and found a 16' SCAMP and are set to buy. The SCAMP website says we need a 21" hitch height but our current van receiver tube is only 10.5" off the ground. Can't seem to find a ball hitch that would give us that much rise - closest I found was 7". Can we say close enough or not worth the risk? Our gut says not worth the risk but I'm so disappointed I maybe need to hear from others their take. Thanks in advance for your 2 cents and/or resources.

The required hitch height, about 21 inches in this case, is measured from the ground to the top of the ball. The Scamp's suspension might be sagging a bit, so it might be a bit less than 21 inches.

The receiver height should be measured from the ground to the top of the receiver tube.

So, you have at least 10-1/2" from the ground to the top of the receiver tube, plus up to 8 inches for the ball mount rise, plus 3/4" for thickness of the ball-mount steel plate, plus 3-1/4" for the height of the ball itself.

It sounds like you're in pretty good shape to set the top of ball at 21", or likely a bit less if you account for the tow vehicle suspension and the trailer suspension squatting a bit.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

...
It sounds like you're in pretty good shape to set the top of ball at 21", or likely a bit less if you account for the tow vehicle suspension and the trailer suspension squatting a bit.

For me the trailer suspension is not really a factor. However the rear of the van squatting IS. I've seen the rear of the van as much as two inches or so lower when towing. And I vaguely recall information that the 2011 Sienna might even have a less stiff rear suspension. So its hard to know precisely what to expect but best guess is that it will work out and the trailer will be level.

Loading the van and trailer is something to consider. With front wheel drive you don't want to take too much weight off the front wheels or you can lose steering control. I even put heavy things on the floor of the van's front passenger area when there is not a passenger present. But you also want 12% of trailer weight on the ball (+/- 2 lbs). If it all looks pretty level when hooked up and drives stable at highway speed then it should be OK. You will still want to get real weights at a truck scale when you can.

[Wayne Collins]

We had 3 Honda Odysseys with the same problem.
That 8 inch rise should be enough, as the trailer can tow nicely with the hitch lower than level.
You can help too, by not loading heavy stuff in the back of the van, and by adding air to the rear tires to reduce the squat.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

...
You can help too, ... by adding air to the rear tires to reduce the squat.

How much can that help, esp without affecting handling or tire performance.?

Air bags are another somewhat popular partial solution. I say partial because they dont stiffen or improve the suspension but help to prevent total bottoming out. Of course a weight distributing hitch is sometimes appropriate but I dont think so in this case.

[Jon in AZ]

Airing up the rear tires will have a negligible affect on squat or front wheel unloading. However, it’s a good idea for the tires themselves if you’re running close to your rear axle weight rating. My Pilot calls for 35 psi. I run 40 psi when towing. I’ve gotten 75K of even tire wear from each of my last two sets of Michelins, so if it’s not helping, at least it’s not hurting.