2018 Tab 400 pulling with 2013 Toyota Highlander FWD V6. No sway issues but the car sags a lot when hitched up. Nothing extra on the tongue and nothing heavy in the back of the car. Sumo coil spring helpers don’t make much difference and there’s no air bags or anything else that can be used with the Highlander’s coil over suspension. Any help appreciated.
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2021 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off Road
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Instagram: new.t@bventure
2020 nuCamp T@B 320S * Jeep Wrangler
I have your setup (2019 400 and 2013 AWD Highlander) and ended up going with a Fastaway E2 weight distribution hitch (Round bar, 6000 lbs). I initially dealt with the sag, as you've done, and even would adjust my headlights down when towing at night. Just did a long trip with the hitch and am really happy with how it rode. Before I felt it rode fine, but it is noticeably better with the hitch.
One reason I went with the hitch is because the owners manual says sway control is required when towing over 2000 lbs, which this hitch provides. The hitch is easy to adjust and the bars and heavy hitch store easily in the front tub.
https://www.fastwaytrailer.com/e2-hitch
2013 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6
The company has a decent install video on their website. It'll give you a good idea of the process...
Install Weight Distribution Hitch (WD) (andersenhitches.com)
Edit to add: Scroll down the page to find the video once you've opened the link in a new tab.
2018 T@B 320 Sold
Racing the Wind and Chasing the Sun
2015 RAM 1500 Outdoorsman Quad Cab
South Jersey
My manual has no mention of not using a WDH. I'm familiar with the engineering competence of Toyota and trust them that it's okay, otherwise they would have mentioned it in the manual. You can make a unibody just as strong, or stronger, than a frame vehicle. It's all in how it's designed and where you put the material.
The sag shown in my picture is close to when the trailer is not attached. That's how they are initially adjusted; load vehicle, measure front fender edge height, attach trailer, adjust WDH bar tension to get the front fender height back down to the untrailered configuration, done. With the trailer attached I'm able to jack up the front of the trailer, using the trailer jack, to raise the hitch high enough to swing the bars into place.
We had a lot of gear in the Highlander, though it was still under the GVWR for the Highlander (8800 lbs verses 9600 lb GVWR).
2013 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6
2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road
@crowsnest, I should have added that since using the WDH I'm no longer blinding oncoming traffic with headlights too high. I also think there is some liability towing without sway control of some sort given that's the instructions in the manual. If you go with Anderson, make sure they provide sway control. I don't believe chain WDHs do.
2013 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6
2018 T@B 320 Sold
Racing the Wind and Chasing the Sun
2013 Toyota Highlander 3.5L V6
Before purchase and use, I was a little intimidated by what some wrote about the steps to hitch and unhitch. Don't be worried. In actuality after hitching and unhitching a half dozen times the steps became very routine.
Tampa FL