toyota sienna TV

[joycehelen]

This is my first post. Hope I'm doing it right....
I am hoping to tow a 17'Escape trailer with my 2004 Toyota Sienna.
It looks like the hitch will be installed on my van with the arms extending out from underneath the rear bumper. The Sienna bumper is already pretty low, about 11" from the ground. If the clearance is reduced another 2 or 3 inches by the arms of the hitch, won't I be "bottoming out" a lot when I go over dips or into and out of parking areas?
How has the hitch worked for other Sienna owners? Is there a modification that can be made to the bumper so that the hitch doesn't hang down so low? Thanks for your replies.

[Ellen Smith]

We towed our 17 footer with an 05 Sienna with the tow package and a WD hitch. We had no problems, even on the very rough and washboard roads in Alaska and the Yukon.

[Donna D.]

Hi Joyce, welcome to FiberglassRV I can't offer any help, I have neither a Bigfoot nor a Sienna, I just wanted to welcome you to a forum full of kind and helpful molded owners.

[Mike Magee]

Hi Joyce! I have a Highlander, not Sienna, but I would occasionally go thru a severe dip and scrape the foot of my jack. No big deal. Of course when dips are that deep, you're generally going very slow anyway; such dips are not normally found in the middle of a highway, but rather going through a 25 mph street intersection, turning up a hill into a gas station, etc. I've never hit the actual hitch on the ground. If you're worried about scraping the jack foot, they do make side mount swing-away jacks, and that takes care of that.

[Tom Trostel]

I tow a 1980 Bigfoot 15B17G with a 2006 Toyota Sienna. Prior to the present tow vehicle I towed a 1973 Compact Jr with a 2003 Toyota Sienna. Yes, you will occasionaly scrape the road due to the low hitch. I've found that a single arm weight distributing hitch and Airlift 1000 rear spring helper bags (inflated to 30 psi) help a great deal. Just take dips slowly and at an angle.

1980 Bigfoot :: Lake Bardwell, TX picture by tomNjo - Photobucket

http://s293.photobucket.com/albums/m...t=DSCF2040.jpg

[Michael Pupeza]

I tow a 'big' Bigfoot 17 1993 with a 2011 Sienna and find it works well, better than my previous 2004 Honda Odyssey, mainly because of the automatic transmission shifting.
BUT, I also have installed the Airlift 1000 helper airbags in the rear coil springs and I do have to be careful on slopes and driveway ramps. Coming in at an angle cuts down on the scraping. FYI, I installed the Airlift 1000 airbags ($87 from Amazon) using ramp stands without removing the wheels in about 2 hours myself (I'm 70 and too heavy!). Some cursing and sore muscles but not a very difficult job. I used a hemostat (Spring loaded needle nosed pliers would work) to slide the clips up the hoses to the airlift bag inlet barbs - that's a bit tricky. No drilling, cutting, bending or 'real' work is involved. See:<http://www.airliftcompany.com/manuals/MN-445_60723.pdf>
I used a Tee joining the 2 hoses and fill to about 30 PSI.
The Bigfoot is pretty square fronted and my highway mileage, depending on the wind, drops from 23 MPG (27 MPG-US) to about 12 MPG (14 MPG-US).
I'm running pretty close to the maximum weight recommended so I make sure tanks are empty and I'm not overloaded. Haven't had any problems yet, knock on wood!
Good luck.
Mike .....>

[Michael Pupeza]

From the previous message, I see that a misunderstanding has taken place. Under NO conditions should you pull your Casita 17 with a Toyota Sienna WITHOUT a Weight Distribution Hitch!
A proper WDH will allow you to adjust the ball height to allow the Casita to ride level and the chains with the bars will allow you to balance the weight load onto the 4 wheels. Front wheel drive needs that balance, as does the overall suspension.
Your Sienna Manual does make that clear.
Mike .....>