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Towing with the Toyota Highlander
Does any of you Highlander owners use your rig for towing? If so, how much is the vehicle really able to handle.
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1. Hidden Hitch #87778
2. Hidden Hitch #70778
3. DrawTite #75153
They are about the same price, so I am having hard time to choose one. According to the seller, they are all class 3 hitchs, and can be install by myself in 40 minutes, all easy to install, and no welding needed.
So, anyone has install one of these hitch can help me out that will be great, thank you all.
For reference, check out this site: http://www.hidden-hitch.com/products.asp?category=hitch&year=2006&t1=&make=Toyot- a&model=HIGHLANDER
I have a v6 AWD Kluger (Highlander) and have found it excellent for towing. Rated maximum tow weight here in Australia is 700kg (about 3/4 ton) unbraked and 1500kg (about 1 1/2 ton) for braked trailers. These weights are pretty right. As a general rule, I would aim to keep the totoal braked tow weight below the weight of the vehicle.
Load on drawbar should not exceed 150KG and ideally should be better balanced. Ideally, you are after about 50kg download.
Actual towing behaviour is very good. The short distance between rear wheels and towbar means that tracking is very true with little tendency to sway or jack-knife. Braking is good. If towing anything but a small trailer, use the Overdrive lockout and watch your speed. Never seen any transmaiission overheating whilst towing but you should baby the car a bit when doing so.
Cheers
Graham
Am interested in the Kluger (Highlander) which you found to be excellent for towing, but you did not confirm what size van you tow. Our van weighs 1200kg unladen and I am concerned that with stated tow capacity of 1500kg the Kluger will struggle.I note also that in US they offer tow kit option which is not offered in Aust, ( spoke to Toyota they say not required). Do you think Kluger will be ok for towing this size van or should I look at Terracan, Jeep or other option.
My impression is that the 1500kg rating is a little conservative, if the trailer is fitted with brakes.
The old rule of thumb was that a car could tow up to its own mass. A Kluger is about 1765kg to 1875kg depending on model. It is fitted with a powerful but understressed 3.5l engine and a quite robust transmission with a cooler already fitted (This is usually the "Tow Pak" specified in other countries but routinely fitted here).
The Toyota tow bar is usually a Hayman Reece with a removable hitch. The one problem I have had is that this can shake a little in the reciever, and may need to be packed a little with a soft wedge to prevent juddering.
As always with towing, you need to adjust your driving to accelerate more slowly, allow plenty of braking distance and remember you are not driving a sports car.
You should also remember that this is not a full heavy duty 4wd. Nor are the other vehicles you suggested. I have driven the Jeep and am not impressed. My own perception is that the Kluger probably offers the best compromise as a tow vehicle amongst these three.
However, you may try the simple approach of going to a nearby boat ramp sometime soon on a good fishing day. You should find owners of each of the relevant vehicles who will be towing fairly large loads and should give a good idea of their capacity.
Cheers
Graham
Regards,
bill
Thanks, John
Thanks for the information. I didn't see that in the owner's manual about trailer brakes but will check it out.
Bill
You're welcome. If you look in the back of the manual under 'towing' you'll find the relevant pages - the part that talks about the trailer brakes is in the latter part of the manual (can't recall the exact pages, sorry).
I finally found a local trailer shop who will put the electric brake control on my car. My Highlander came with the factory Tow Package, which may or may not make this whole thing easier - I'll let you know.
Cheers,
John
I found a good installer and they installed new wiring along with a 2-in-1 harness that has both Flat-4 and Round-7 connectors on it. Inside the cabin they installed the Prodigy controller which is a very nice and easy to operate unit. I'll be towing about 3250 lbs total, so the trailer brakes will definitely be a plus.
Thanks for the assist.
My hubby and I are considering buying an 02 6 Cyl HL -- our old 88 Volvo died and we want a mid size SUV as our second car (other is 95 Odyssey). We like the reviews/ratings that HL receives, and love the way it drives (NOT like a truck or SUV) We will need to launch/recover a 24' sailboat(boat and trailer @2900 lbs) on occasion (1-2x year max) We will NOT be towing it on highway and only for about 3 miles on local road - to/from launch site.
Should we buy an 02 with the Tow Prep Package or can we just have our mechanic put a hitch on it? Doubt if there will be a warranty to worry about voiding. If we do buy "after market" - what can we expect to pay - less than $500 or more??
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hot for Highlander
Jane
Have you had any towing experiences with your Highlander?
As a woman, I really appreciate the help you guys offer on these forums! Keep up the good WORK and WORDS!!
Pleased as punch...
As far as the power factor, not a problem at all. Even with all of the above, it kicks up plenty fast for 'oh-crap' passing of slow semis, ol' farts, and farm tractors. Hope this helps. Regards, BGood. :shades:
Forgot to ask you 2 final but important questions before we buy:
For limited towing described, should we stick with 6 CYL instead of 4 and 4WD instead of 2WD?
Thanks again, webgood!
Mellow in Maryland
I would get the 4wd, as you never know which boat ramp you'll be on. I've been on some that are very slippery (or steep), and you'll need every bit of traction you can get. If you are in Maryland you really don't get that bad weather, but it would be nice to have anyhow for those time you do get dumped with snow.
Either engine would be fine. If you were doing mileage towing I'd definitely get the bigger engine, but for the minimal towing you are doing either engine will be be okay.
CampToy
The manual mentioned about two towing eyelets but I found only 1 in the same place with other tools. How many eyelet do you have with your highlander?
I'm looking for a bike rack that can carry up to 4 bikes. Do you have any recommendation?
Thanks.
Going with Highlander, his MPG during non-towing will be excellent compared to rails-based SUVs. He is excited about that, but looking for more information on 2008 model, thanks
Thanks for any help you can give! It's been really tough to find a quality SUV that is fuel efficient and good for use as an everyday city vehicle, but can also pull a trailer on the occasional weekend.
Thanks!
I think that the reference to a maximum tow speed of 72kmh is probably the maximum speed that a Kluger (Highlander) can be towed by a recovery vehicle with wheels on road, not trailer towing speed.
The Kluger is an excellent tow vehicle, well able to tow boats, caravans and trailers. I have been towing a 6x4 trailer this afternoon with my 2004 Kluger, comfortably at 110kmh. I think the previous generation Kluger (ie 20007 and earlier) had slightly lower tow ratings so check the manual or call Toyota for details. In Australia, the specifications say maximum trailer weight of 1,500kg and drawbar download of 9-11%. The maximum wight of the laden car, (excluding trailer but including the download on the hitch) is limited at 2,380kg.
On the latest model Kluger in Australia, maximum braked trailer weight is 2000kg or 4400 lb (750kg or 1650lb unbraked) and I think draw bar weight of 200kg or 440lb.
However, do not put too much weight too far away from centre of moment of the trailer. Toyota Australia suggests 60% forward of axle and 40% behind.
You may also need to adjust tire pressures to maximum specified on the tire placard
The usual issue with trailer towing is to remember that the constraint is not getting the thing up to speed, but stopping it. Taking about 10-15kmh off normal cruising speed is a good practice. Also use the gear shift mounted overdrive lockout, particularly in hilly areas. If these steps are followed, fuel economy remains good (I have achieved 11.5l/100km today) and you do not strain engine or transmission.
If towing for lengthy stretches, talk to a good towbar installer about additional transmission cooling and other necessary items.
Have a service before setting out on a long trip and when you return, getting engine oil replaced, and possibly transmission fluid checked.
Remember that the engine is hauling twice the normal weight around and all other parts of the vehicle are similarly stressed.
Do make sure that your brakes and tires are in top notch condition because a blow out or brake failure is catastrophic when towing.
Periodically check tire temperature of the car and trailer (tires on same axles should feel similarly hot when you pull up) and also check the bearing caps on the trailer for overheating (a frequent problem).
If anything feels funny or is loose, stop immediately and seek assistance from a competent mechanic,
Cheers
Graham
If I had to do it all over again, I'd put on a weight-distributing hitch as there's a fair amount a sag as it is, but if you're not carrying all the extra stuff like us, you should be fine. There's plenty of power and, yes the gas mileage is really good, we average 22+ on our roadtrips. Regards, BGood
I do recommend a model with electric brakes and most state laws have them as a requirement for trailers over a certain GVWR, in the range of many pop-ups. It makes for much more controllable stops particularly on wet/slippery pavement...the trailer essentially brakes or helps "drag" your tow vehicle down rather than it continuing to shove you along as your HL slows. Hope this helps.
Reagrds, BGood
http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Hitch/Toyota/Highlander/2009/V81312.html?vehicle- id=20099870
Note that I removed all stickers from the hitch - at a glance can't tell the hitch is there
I ordered my hitch and harness from Toyota Parts Delivered. The hitch, cover, wiring harness and shipping cost $509.
http://toyotapartsdelivered.com/index.cfm
I would appreciate any help or information anyone has. Thank you in advance...
Julie
I also have a 2003 Nissan murano and installed my own hitch and used the Nissan wiring kit. It didn't include a fifth blue wire for the lock out. I had to tap off the 12v. line to the converter and use a toggle switch to back up. very inconvenient.
I am now considering a 2011 hl. do all v6 come with trailer tow cooling etc.? I don't mind installing my own hitch and I don't really care what it looks like. I also don't mind installing my own wiring kit, but once again, what about the fifth (blue) lock out line?
any tips, suggestions or advice. thanks, rr70
I'm just waiting for our new Highlander (3 weeks). In meantime, I have to make some decisions. Help??
We also just bought a travel trailer (hence the need for the highlander).
Toyota's dealer-installed tow package comes with a 4-pin.
We are told that we will need a 7-pin/plug hock, a break controller and a weight distribution hitch.
My question: Since Toyota can't install the 7-pin, is there anything in their towing package that I need?
I'm afraid that I might be wasting my money if I get the dealer's tow package then have to take it somewhere else to have additional work done. Would I be better off finding a good hitch installer and have them do the whole job?
Hoping that those with experience will chime in.
Many thanks, in advance.
Natasha