Sagging tow vehicle

crowsnest · May 2023

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.

Maple_Geek · May 2023

Different tow vehicle and trailer but I changed the rear coils on my RAV4 to stiffer ones. Not to increase capacity but to reduce sagging. It's not as comfortable to drive when not towing, which is most of the time, but I don't have to deal with airbags or make any adjustment when I want to tow.

AnOldUR · May 2023

What is your tongue weight? A block under the ball connection on a bathroom scale will work for measuring this. If that weight is too much for your tow vehicle and you can't lower it by redistributing what's loaded in the trailer, a weight distribution hitch is probably your only option.

crowsnest · May 2023

The RAV 4 has different suspension. The separate shocks and springs are not the same as the coil over shocks on Highlander. What weight WDH is suitable for the Tab 400? Thanks

Horigan · May 2023

@crowsnest
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

crowsnest · May 2023

We even have the same color scheme on the trailer! Does anyone have experience with the Andersen hitch? It is lightweight and really easy to hook up.

RTWCTS · May 2023

@crowsnest We are using an Andersen WD hitch. The only caveat we've found is that everything must be straight in line before tightening the chains. We are pleased with the purchase. It took our hitch rating from 500 to 700 lbs. on our Chevy Colorado. The 2023 400 has quite a bit of tongue weight and we were concerned about creeping up on design capacity without the WD hitch.
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.

subkron · May 2023

@crowsnest I have a new E2 6k square bar (trunnion) WD hitch plus link plates + ball that was never used for sale, DM if interested. I am in South Jersey. You can hit the same link that @Horigan provided.

crowsnest · May 2023

How do you reply with the “@“ and member name?

Horigon: there is endless discussion online about using/not using a WDH on a unibody tow vehicle. Did you get any feedback from Toyota on this? Also: did the WDH help with sagging? From your photo it looks like the rear is still a little dropped.

Horigan · May 2023

Just put an "@" in front of the name and member names will pop up to select.

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).

manyman297 · May 2023

What version of sumo springs do you have? They come in three stiffnesses. I have the medium duty (black) ones on my Tacoma and it took the squat out.

Horigan · May 2023

I tried black Sumo springs and it didn't make much difference for me.

@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.

RTWCTS · May 2023

Horigan said:

… If you go with Anderson, make sure they provide sway control. I don't believe chain WDHs do.

They are literally advertised as “Andersen No-Sway Weight Distribution Hitch”

Horigan · May 2023

Got it. When I read chain I was thinking of the versions that have horizontal bars with a vertical chain attached to the trailer frame.

PamandJohnUpNorth2 · May 2023

The2018 T@B400 has a heavier tongue weight than the later 400 models. We have scaled ours (CAT Scale) a number of times and come in at 430-460 lbs tongue weight. The tongue weight that nuCamp published at the time was incorrect and we did not find out until after delivery. Finding that the back end of the truck dropped quite a bit with the trailer hitched we installed the Andersen Hitch and got the trailer and truck back to 100% level. We consulted with Andersen on the install and learned we could shorten the chains which made install a breeze. A picture of the attachment follows:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021717/uploads/editor/n6/ldm8e3vu2d70.jpg

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.

Tampakayaker · May 2023

My RAM1500 was sagging a little when the 320 was hooked up.

I replaced the stock shocks with a pair that had helper springs on them.

Now the front of the T@B rides a little high.

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