Towing 172 with a Toyota Sienna - Event Date: 25 May 2020 |
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PNWcamper81
Newbie Joined: 25 May 2020 Location: WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 4 |
Calendar Event: Towing 172 with a Toyota Sienna Posted: 11 Jun 2020 at 5:48pm |
That’s the conclusion I’ve come to as well. Thought it was worth a shot asking first. Thanks for your advice!
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 11 Jun 2020 at 5:41pm |
Not a direct answer to your question but let’s cut to the chase. Don’t tow an rpod with it. The Sienna has an inadequate tow rating anyway. And FWD is not good for towing. Get a more capable tow vehicle, you’ll be much glad you did.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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Tmitch4
Newbie Joined: 05 Jun 2020 Location: Washington Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
Posted: 11 Jun 2020 at 4:17pm |
Hi All- I’m wondering if anyone can provide insight on why AWD siennas are listed as not capable for towing? I have a 2017 AWD Sienna that I would love to use for towing an r-pod. The 2017 brochure says that it is not set up for towing.
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PNWcamper81
Newbie Joined: 25 May 2020 Location: WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 4 |
Posted: 04 Jun 2020 at 11:35am |
Thanks Dave! Can I ask how often you tow through mountain ranges? Like I stated above, in the NW they are pretty much unavoidable if going to the coast or to lakes. I’m concerned about how taxing it would be on the vehicle pulling a trailer and gear over and over on hills curvy roads.
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dnmeade2@yahoo.com
Newbie Joined: 28 May 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1 |
Posted: 04 Jun 2020 at 10:45am |
hi I tow my 178 with a 2007 sienna with 100k with no complains. take out of over drive in hilly areas because it keeps shifting Dave
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 26 May 2020 at 9:12am |
2WD towing is fine for most folks if the drive wheels are the rears, but FWD not so much. The hitch weight of the trailer pivots the front wheels up and reduces the load on them. Traction is proportional to load. So its self-defeating. If you do want to try it, check to see if Toyota approves use of a weight distribution hitch on the Sienna. If it does then by all means get one, that will move load back to the front wheels.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288 |
Posted: 26 May 2020 at 8:04am |
I originally towed with a Ford Escape with FWD. Even with a weight distribution hitch (Equal-i-zer), traction was a little iffy. It was easy to spin the tires on take-off. I made it a point to not go off-road with it. We now tow with a Nissan Frontier with 4WD. Mostly, it stays in 2WD, but there have been a couple of times I have switched it to 4WD, that being on dirt on a hill and when we had to get into our driveway and it had snowed just before we got home. Both times would have been much more difficult if I were trying with only FWD. You can tow with FWD as long as you know the limitations and are prepared to live with them. However, if you can trade for something more capable, it would be prudent to do so.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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PNWcamper81
Newbie Joined: 25 May 2020 Location: WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 4 |
Posted: 25 May 2020 at 10:31pm |
Very helpful information, thank you all for your feedback. It’s certainly along the lines of what I was thinking. From what I’ve read, those who’ve had success towing with a sienna or other comparable vehicles were in areas outside of my region where, I suppose, the terrain is mostly flat. I’ve also read of individuals who struggled when taking on hills in their sienna. That’s unavoidable where I live for sure.
Offgrid, to answer your question, it is a FWD. |
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Pod People
Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1067 |
Posted: 25 May 2020 at 9:29pm |
We originally owned a r 173 which is similar in size/weight to the 172. We started towing it with a Chevy Astro van-not sure how that compares to your Sienna. the Astro supposedly had a tow package from the manufacturer but we added a transmission cooler. We traveled mostly on the east coast ,but quickly found out that the mountains provided too much challenge for both the brakes, engine and transmission. We ultimately sold the Astro and got a more suitable tow vehicle. Your experiences may vary, but a capable tow vehicle will give you adequate towing features as well as safety and a larger weight capacity. You, your passengers and all of your "stuff" will weigh a lot more than you think. good luck-get a pod and enjoy Vann
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 25 May 2020 at 9:19pm |
What you have to remember is that towing load specs assume that there is no load at all besides a skinny driver in the tow vehicle. So while in theory you should be able to tow a 172 (which has a max gross weight less than 3500) with your Sienna in practice that is going to be really restricting your ability to put any people or gear in the Sienna. Not saying you can’t go it, but I agree with Lostagain that you will be pushing things. If you want to proceed I’d suggest you get actual weights fully loaded for the Sienna and for the trailer and tongue, and be sure those are all within specs.
Also, is your Sienna FWD or AWD? If FWD you will probably not be very happy towing on anything other than pavement , because load and traction on the front axle is reduced when towing. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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