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Towing with the Highlander Hybrid
99 messages, Last post on Apr 22, 2011 at 5:05 PM
You are in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Forum.- Your Host is pf_flyer
What is this discussion about? Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Towing, SUV
#96 of 99 Buying a Highlander to Tow Camper - Hybrid? by pesto1
Apr 21, 2011 (6:05 pm)
Hello. I am about to buy a Highlander for the family. I have a medium sized camper that, honestly, has a fair amount of tongue weight since it has a storage compartment up front. I am interested in the hybrid, but am concerned about its capacity to tow and about reliability - I can't say I've knowingly ever seen one here in SW Michigan. I'd sure appreciate any advice. Thanks.Dave
- wwest (Apr 22, 2011 8:42 am)
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#97 of 99 Re: Buying a Highlander to Tow Camper - Hybrid? [pesto1] by wwest
Apr 22, 2011 (8:42 am)
Replying to: pesto1 (Apr 21, 2011 6:05 pm)
FWD vehicles, or even F/awd vehicles, are quite bad enough insofar as driving dynamics, driveability, are concerned. But a "high" tow tongue weight might well make matters much worse. And remember that without self-braking of the tow during braking the torque "weight" will increase and lighten the front even moreso.
- casita (Apr 22, 2011 9:06 am)
Replies to this message:
#98 of 99 Re: Buying a Highlander to Tow Camper - Hybrid? [wwest] by casita
Apr 22, 2011 (9:06 am)
Replying to: wwest (Apr 22, 2011 8:42 am)
what does "quite bad enough insorfar as driving dynamics" mean?
- wwest (Apr 22, 2011 5:05 pm)
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#99 of 99 Re: Buying a Highlander to Tow Camper - Hybrid? [casita] by wwest
Apr 22, 2011 (5:05 pm)
Replying to: casita (Apr 22, 2011 9:06 am)
With FWD you're relying on ONLY the traction of the front tires for both directional control, steering, and engine drive torque or compression braking. That's why when things get dicey, icy, a FWD has such a strong tendency to plow, understear. The only known correction for that situation is to quickly slow the vehicle and thereby reduce the momentum that wants to take the weight of the vehicle in the direction it was just previously traveling. In the olden days a light touch on the e-brake would help to do that. Nowadays VSC, if you have it, automatically takes over the task of braking both rear wheels or braking only the rear wheel that "swings" the pendulum in the direction you wish to go.
Load up the rear of a FWD and you have effectively reduced front tire traction. That situation gets even worse during braking when the "weight" on the trailer hitch increases. That's why I would ALWAYS advise have some sort of braking on the vehicle/trailer you are towing, RWD or FWD.
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