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Tundra towing aluminum enclosed

Discussion in 'General' started by Dano711, May 18, 2019.

  1. Dano711

    Dano711 Well-Known Member

    Looking at a aluminum tandem enclosed race trailer that will be pulled with a new Tundra. Truck is 4x4, 5.7, tow package. Trailer is Haulmark ALX 7x20. I've had steel enclosed trailers or toy haulers from 7x16 up to 40' 5th wheel but haven't pulled with a half ton in years and never with a aluminum trailer. Typical racetrack load out with two sportbikes and a pitbike. Anyone use anything similar?
     
  2. ryoung57

    ryoung57 Off his meds

    Why would aluminum be a concern? It’s all going to be a function of weight and wind resistance vs brakes and towing power.
     
  3. Dano711

    Dano711 Well-Known Member

  4. zertrider

    zertrider Waiting for snow. Or sun.

    Yes it will tow it. Easily.
     
  5. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Have you considered an 8.5’ X 20’? There’s so much more room. You could even shorten the length to 16’ for the amount of extra square footage of floor space gained. However, there’s a bit more wind resistance, especially if you don’t have a truck topper. Also, length has little impact on mpg and whatnot. At the minimum, step inside one with a tape measure and masking tape and mess with layout ideas. All your bikes can be loaded across the rear door opening, which leaves the entire rest of the trailer.

    Definitely consider a V-nose for the extra room, brakes on all wheels touching the ground, ONLY torsion axles, 48” side door for ease of getting crap in/out, and at least 6’6” high rear door opening (7’ ceiling height) so you’re not banging your head.

    Aluminum is the only way to go, IMO. I’m back in a steel-framed trailer and it’s not nearly as nice to pull. In fact, nothing has pulled as nice as the Featherlite I had. But, life events had forced a liquidation.

    I’d suggest shopping Featherlite, ATC, and inTech trailers, as well. By choosing aluminum, you’re not shopping on the cheap, anyway.

    I use an Andersen WD hitch. They don’t squawk and pop, they’re easy to couple, infinitely adjustable, and help to mitigate sway. I have ~45K miles on mine and won’t consider anything else. In addition, I have an Airlift auto-ride height airbag system. No matter, the load on the truck or trailer, the truck always maintains the same attitude and I don’t ever have to mess with WD hitch adjustments. It’s a simple, hook it up, load it up, and flip the switch affair. Lastly, my Silverado has a 4-spd automatic and I always pull in 3rd, so the torque converter isn’t constantly locking/unlocking and the trans isn’t constantly downshifting, both of which cause a lot of heat and kill transmissions.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2019
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  6. MotoGP69

    MotoGP69 Well-Known Member

    I have a similarly sized Pace American all aluminum enclosed that I tow with a 2010 Sequoia (same engine and trans as you). No wd hitch or sway control and it tows like a dream. Yours will be even better with the solid rear axle and longer wheelbase. I usually lock out 6th gear so the trans isn’t shifting all the time.
     
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  7. rd49

    rd49 Well-Known Member

    I pulled my at the time 8.5 x 18, 6.5 ft interior height trailer with my 2012 Tundra. While the truck has plenty of power to pull it, it is woefully inadequate when it comes to torque. Pulling the trailer from Orlando to Barber netted 8mpg. You will need to use tow mode and lockout 6th gear. It hunted incessantly without doing that. The truck felt overwhelmed pulling the trailer. Disclaimer, I had a GMC 2500 DuraMax prior to the Tundra so I was spoiled. The weight really has no bearing, it is the wind resistance and terrain that causes a less than satisfying towing experience. I traded the trailer on a 7x12 Haulmark LowHauler and was much happier towing with the Tundra.
     
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  8. genosr1

    genosr1 Well-Known Member

    I pull a 7x20 6'-6'' tall aluminum v nose with my f-150 5.4 engine just fine, I had a 7x16 steel flat nose 6' tall before this trailer same truck, gas milage droped off 2-3 mpg because of the extra 6 inches of height
     
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  9. Dano711

    Dano711 Well-Known Member

    Yeah my current rig is a F350 diesel with a 40' fifth wheel so I'm spoiled too. Wind and hills suck with a gasser imo, so that's why I posted for real info. I would like to go 8' wide but I know how much the frontal area affects it. I'm hoping the V nose with the sloped front roof on this trailer will help with wind resistance. I've never gotten good fuel mileage out of anything I've driven so I just swipe the card, top it off, and don't look back.
     
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  10. Dano711

    Dano711 Well-Known Member

    I have the Andersen Aluminum Ultimate hitch on my fifth wheel. Good company and great product. I'll definitely check out their setup for this combo.
     
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  11. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    I’ve not pulled anything but 7’ widths (up to 22’) with my 1/2T. I’m thinking of buying a new Featherlite and have been considering a wider trailer to keep my length in check. I’ve done different layouts in my shop and inside different trailers, trying to make a decision.

    The only thing I notice with a V-nose over a flat-nose is the V-nose will push the rear of the truck, side to side no matter the trailer length, depending on how the air hits the front. If the air is turbulent, like coming off a passing semi, the rear of the truck wags until the semi gets away. But, I just maintain steering wheel position and the extra space is worth it to me.

    I’ve never pulled a slope-nose and would be curious if it’s worth any mpg improvement. I routinely run ~59mph, trying to stay above 10mpg. :confused:

    Most people balk at the price and resort to looking at the Chinese-made, traditional WD hitches. But, how the Andersen is designed, how it works, and the quality are beyond reproach. I really only use it to mitigate porpoising, since I have the airbag setup.

    You seem knowledgeable and experienced, so you know what you’re doing with all this stuff.
     
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  12. Dano711

    Dano711 Well-Known Member

    Never had a airbag setup. Any recommendations on brands and options?
     
  13. shakazulu12

    shakazulu12 Well-Known Member

    Just my personal opinion and not meant to sound definitive, but these are my thoughts over the years with various size trailers. It's not so much the length or even weight that gets you, it's the width. And I don't like feeling the truck redlined the whole trip if it's going to be a while.

    SUV, small/midsize pickup or anything with a naturally aspirated V6 = 6 or 6.5 feet wide. Feels fine, 7 foot pulls like a parachute
    Half ton - 7 feet feels comfortable. 8 feet gets annoying and it's going to scream everywhere at highway speeds with 8.5
    3/4 above - If it's an 8.1 or 6.8 gasser, then an 8 footer feels fine, if it's diesel get the 8.5

    I wouldn't hesitate to pull the trailer OP is talking about with a Tundra 5.7.
     
    Last edited: May 18, 2019
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  14. obcbr

    obcbr Well-Known Member

    It will tow it. Expect 8 mpg.
     
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  15. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    I went with the Airlift bag kit for my truck. It consists of sleeve-type bags (which is what you want for good ride), brackets you attach (drill and bolt) to the frame rail, lower brackets that affix to the leaf pack, and air lines with Schrader valves. To that, I added their compressor kit and SmartAir ride-height system.

    I mounted my compressor at the back, inside the spare tire and to the spare tire crossmember, for protection and quietness. They direct you to hardwire the air management system to a key-switched source. But, I ran mine off constant power and through a switched relay. That allows me to have a switch on the dash to turn on/off the system when it is/isn’t needed. Otherwise, it’ll constantly be on with the key, constantly adjusting (like filling up with gas, getting in/out of the truck, etc), and adding service hours to the system. Also, I ran mine through 8ga wire, because the compressor is at the rear of the truck and pulls a fair amount of amps. The SmartAir is just a sensor you mount to the frame, with a metal stand-type thing coming up from the leaf spring, with a magnet attached the sensor reads.

    I love the system, for its versatility. Thursday, I cut up a fallen, hardwood tree and tossed it in the bed. The suspension was almost on the bumpstops. I simply hit the switch and the truck aired right up to level. I’ve had a full bed of shredded mulch, with flagstone piled on top of that, a trailer hitched on, and the truck was level. I’ve pulled a dump trailer, scaled out over 21K pounds GCW (3X), and the truck was level. The system is rated at 2K pounds and the system will shutoff at the limit. The valve will blowoff, when exceeding the max pressure (like porpoising over undulations), but, the compressor will kick on and replace that air. Mine has worked flawless, the 6yrs and 65K miles I’ve had it installed.

    Completely agree, with every thought.

    When someone states “It’s rated to pull ‘X’ pounds.”, I always tell them it’s not the weight, but, the wind resistance. My semi truck mileage doesn’t vary all that much with weight differences, on flat land. However, throw in a headwind (wind resistance) and all bets are off. My mileage is far worse in a headwind, because it’s constant resistance, than it is sitting at 80K pounds and pulling through the mountains, up and down grades.
     
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  16. JBraun

    JBraun Well-Known Member

    The Tundra is the best towing half-ton I've ever owned, but it's still a half-ton. I miss my diesel every time I tow.

    Airbags are okay if you never leave the pavement, but they limit the negative travel of your suspension. I'm in the market for a four wheel camper so I went with a helper spring instead. Adds some payload and didn't affect the ride much, if at all.
     
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  17. ducnut

    ducnut Well-Known Member

    Not true. There are long-travel airbags available. They require quite a bit more work to install, though. CJC Offroad in Bellflower, CA, is one shop doing them.
     
  18. MotoGP69

    MotoGP69 Well-Known Member

    0F0275DC-A3E8-4742-A87D-03F1CE023613.jpeg
    Since mpg has been mentioned a couple of times, I usually see 10 or better as long as I don’t drive over 70.
     
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  19. motomadman217

    motomadman217 Well-Known Member

    I am pulling a 7x16 wells cargo steel loaded with a mx bike setup with a 2018 Tundra crewmax 5.7. It pulls very well use your manual shift mode to get a little better gas mpg. You can expect around 8mpg.
     
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  20. JBraun

    JBraun Well-Known Member

    Interesting. Already did the spring but good to know.
     
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