Anyone towing 6,500 lbs or more with any regularity?

[wolfsbane]

the bending over pic was not necessary

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[TheIglu]

I regularly tow a toy hauler that comes in at 9500 fully loaded, 12-15 times a year.

It'll do it fine, just be aware that you really should run your suspension on firm at all times. And yes, range takes a big hit, especially above 50mph. I get about 1mi/kwh unless I'm pushing air on the highway, where it drops below that.

 

[Flyedouglas]

I really appreciate all the responses/insight. Every bit is helpful.

I’m looking seriously at getting a travel trailer. I have it narrowed down to a few models. Where I’m stuck is how much the length and weight will affect the towability, since they are otherwise essentially aerodynamically Equal.
-Option A (not my 1st choice but would work): 25 ft / 6,000 lbs fully loaded / hitch weight 600 lbs.
-Option B (what I REALLY want): 30 ft / 7,000 lbs fully loaded / hitch weight 660 lbs.

For reference I have an R1S Dual Motor Max Pack with performance upgrade.

Next week I’m renting a very similar model to both above (25 ft / 5,500 lbs fully loaded) for a 3 day camping trip 200 miles away to see how it does towing. All 3 models are the same manufacturer and lines, just different models. I understand what I’m getting into as far as the range cut. The main thing I’m struggling with… if it does well towing the 5,500 lb 25 ft trailer is it safe to assume that it can also handle a trailer of the same aerodynamic shape that is 5 ft longer and 1,500 lbs heavier and without a huge range difference? For what it’s worth I live in the Midwest, so no major elevation changes, and I have no intentions of taking it outside a few hundred mile radius.

 

[MikeWilliams_R1T]

Wheelbase is important… just because a vehicle can tow a certain weight doesn’t mean you should.
There is a rule of thumb that every 4 inches of wheelbase you have equals one foot of trailer you can safely tow.
I tow a 32’ pretty regularly with my R1T and I can see the logic if it’s windy. The longer the wheelbase, the more stable the tow and less likely you will sway. Technically, I am pulling a trailer a little longer than I should with the T.
I think with an S, anything up to 25 or 26 feet is probably fine…. Not that you couldn’t also go longer. You are just more prone to sway in some conditions.

 

[rhumbliner]

Add me to this list.

 

[VandalSibs]

you really should run your suspension on firm at all times

I tow in "Soft" - what is the reasoning for putting it in "Firm"? (My trailer isn't as big as being discussed here, but I've been wondering about this for a while now whenever I see the comment....)

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I tow in "Soft" - what is the reasoning for putting it in "Firm"? (My trailer isn't as big as being discussed here, but I've been wondering about this for a while now whenever I see the comment....)

Probably to help mitigate trailer sway.

 

[Flyedouglas]

Wheelbase is important… just because a vehicle can tow a certain weight doesn’t mean you should.
There is a rule of thumb that every 4 inches of wheelbase you have equals one foot of trailer you can safely tow.
I tow a 32’ pretty regularly with my R1T and I can see the logic if it’s windy. The longer the wheelbase, the more stable the tow and less likely you will sway. Technically, I am pulling a trailer a little longer than I should with the T.
I think with an S, anything up to 25 or 26 feet is probably fine…. Not that you couldn’t also go longer. You are just more prone to sway in some conditions.

This is interesting. I hadn’t heard that rule of thumb. After putting my math glasses on that works out to be 35ft for the R1T and 30ft for the R1S. Does that sound about right?

 

[TheIglu]

I tow in "Soft" - what is the reasoning for putting it in "Firm"? (My trailer isn't as big as being discussed here, but I've been wondering about this for a while now whenever I see the comment....)

With the weights up there on a trailer, having it in soft means you're tail will be oscillating bit on bumps.

 

[MikeWilliams_R1T]

This is interesting. I hadn’t heard that rule of thumb. After putting my math glasses on that works out to be 35ft for the R1T and 30ft for the R1S. Does that sound about right?

That's accurate. You probably should not go over 35' with a T. I would say that the 32' is probably as long as I feel comfortable with personally in that setup. I learned that going down I-40 with it on a gusty day here in TN. I never felt unsafe but I now have an appreciation for why most of the hot shot drivers out there are in extended cab long bed pickups when they pull their trailers.

I've never pulled anything with a S but the math checks... shorter wheelbase could mean less physical sway control.

All I am saying is wheelbase should be considered.

 

[babock]

We tow a 6500lb boat when it’s fully loaded and fueled; the truck doesn’t even know it’s there and range is cut almost exactly in half with aero as mentioned being the biggest hit… 150-160 miles QMG1

My friend has that exact boat. He weighed it at a CAT scale and it was mid 4K# plus whatever the tongue weight is. Probably 4700# or so total.

 

[babock]

I have a 26' Cobalt which weighs empty at around 6500# with trailer. I only tow a couple times a year and less than 50 miles each time. I get on average around 1.2M/KWH.

I use an Anderson WDH and I have EOH brakes.

Tows awesome but I would not want to have to charge while towing it on a trip.

 

[VandalSibs]

Probably to help mitigate trailer sway.

With the weights up there on a trailer, having it in soft means you're tail will be oscillating bit on bumps.

Gotcha - so with my trailer being roughly half the weight of my truck (and only 16 feet long), I shouldn't be terribly concerned then, right?

 

[Donald Stanfield]

Gotcha - so with my trailer being roughly half the weight of my truck (and only 16 feet long), I shouldn't be terribly concerned then, right?

Probably not, as it's a travel trailer with even weight distribution. Make all the weight of the trailer go to the rear or the rear axle and it would weave bad at highway speeds. Learned that lesson the hard way with bags of concrete by the back door of an enclosed trailer.

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