VIN lookup/Highlander towing

bubbles

Hey Y'All. Considering a 2018 NuCamp 400.
I have 2 issues:

NTSB VIN lookup says to doublecheck 9th digit (evidently a munched math calculation of other #s). I did get company of purchase info.
They confirm purchase but have no other info.
Carfax doesnt do campers.
My research shows other sites- but many are listed as not very reliable.
Suggestions?

Next: The BASE wt of this one is 2690 (yes I know loaded it will be different)
I have a 2024 Highlander Hybrid that can tow up to 3500 lbs.  
I know it's cutting it quite close, BUT Im told by several (including NuCamp owner friends), it's doable if Im cautious abt how much/how I load/tongue wt etc 

Do any of you have experience towing one abt this wt w a similar Highlander Hybrid rated for 3500?

Huge Thanks! 

TresK3

Our 400 is a 2019, built in late 2018, so it’s a close cousin.

We tow with a 2017 Dodge Durango, which has a rated capacity of 6500 lbs. I figure that the Full-up weight on the T@B is close to 5000. Not sure where I got that number from, but it’s always stuck in my mind. What all that means is that in practice you may want more towing capacity than the Highlander can provide. At least that was our conclusion when we started shopping for tow vehicles. The Durango does great for us.

Bill&Suze

Typical loaded weight may well be 3300-3400 pounds (full propane, fresh water tanks, refrigerator loaded, all your gear, etc.) Hence, the tongue weight would be 330-340 pounds. What is the Highlander's tongue load limit? Is it equipped with a factory tow package and therefore beefier suspension, brakes and transmission? The 3500 pound towing limit would seem to put it in the iffy category.

Horigan

The hybrid will be more limited by the 350lb tongue load limit.  The older 2018/2019 400s have high tongue loads.  Mine is typically 420lbs (2019).  The hybrid likely doesn't have the larger radiator, transmission cooler, and higher output alternator that a V6 tow package Highlander has.

NorthIsUp

Agree with @Horigan. In spite of the advertised tongue weight in 2017-2018 of around 290#, it was in fact, much heavier per owner reports. In 2019, this excess weight became more apparent as the number of customers increased and more weight checks were done and posted here. I think that it was actually in the neighborhood of 400#. Horigan has his exact number.
In 2020 in an attempt to reduce the weight, nuCamp switched to the Elwell Air8 air conditioner in the rear under bed, replacing the Dometic CoolCat A/C, among other fixes. Unfortunately, the Elwell was a problem in performance, and nuCamp went back to the CoolCat in 2021 and made other structural changes to reduce the tongue weight.
What I'm trying to say is that your vehicle would have a problem with a 2018 Tab 400 specifically due to tongue weight, but will probably also have problems with any year 400 due to the tow vehicle's 3,500# weight restriction. Once the vehicle and trailer are loaded, you exceed your max limit.