Can a Toyota FJ Cruiser Tow a 4,875 Pound Wolf Pup Trailer and Recommended Weight Distribution
Updated 01/23/2017 | Published 01/21/2017
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Question:
Im thinking of may upgrading my Rpod to a Wolf Pup 18TO Wife and I would like more space. The Wolf Pup 18TO has a UVW of 2407lbs and GVWR 4875. I plan on not going anywhere near the GVWR, maybe 3200lbs at most. However, the dry tongue weight is 525lbs which is kinda weird for a light weight TT. Most tongue weights this size would be in the 350-400lbs range. If I were to upgrade to a Class IV hitch and get a WDH/Sway system, do you think towing the 18TO would be doable, considering the overall lightness of the trailer? Additionally, would loading payload behind the TT axle help balance and offset the tongue weight?.
asked by: Francis
Expert Reply:
The tongue weight of 525 pounds is likely if the trailer was loaded to its gross capacity of 4,875 pounds because 525 is about 10.75 percent of 4,875 and trailer tongue weight is typically 10 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight. So if you load the trailer to 3,200 pounds then at 10.75 percent the tongue weight would be 345 pounds.
Provided that the hitch and your tow vehicle have the capacity for the gross trailer weight and tongue weight then you would be good to go. Also the hitch and the vehicle both will need to be rated for use with weight distribution.
Loading more weight further back on the trailer will lighten the tongue weight but you really want it to be in that 10 to 15 percent of the gross weight range. With too little tongue weight it makes the trailer more susceptible to sway.
To choose a weight distribution system you will need to go by the total tongue weight of the set up. This is calculated by taking the tongue weight of the trailer, when loaded and ready to tow, and adding to that the weight of anything loaded behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle.
If the total tongue weight still falls between 250 and 400 pounds then I recommend Reese Steadi-Flex system # 66557. But if when loaded and ready to tow the tongue weight is between 400 and 600 pounds I recommend # RP66558.
For either system you can use 2 inch ball # A-90 or 2-5/16 inch ball # 19286.
