Toyota Sequoia - tow vehicle for Mallard M245?

I have a 2012 Toyota Sequoia which is rated to pull 7300 GVWR and a hitch rating of 910 lbs. I’m looking at buying my first travel trailer and not trying to push the boundaries at all. The trailer I’m looking at is a Heartland Mallard M245 with a dry weight of 5470 and GVWR of 6900lbs with a hitch weight of 610lbs. I can’t see there being any way my family can put in 1400lbs of cargo in the trailer and I’m planning on getting a Hensley or other weight distribution hitch. Any thoughts on if this would be tolerable to pull for my truck and if it the weight might stress it at all? Thanks

You'd be surprised as to how much "stuff" weighs when all is said and done. As it was said to me once, "A can of beans is a can of beans and still weighs the same regardless of where it's placed in the RV". We have roughly 2,000 pounds of "stuff" in our coach and we actually have more that we took out of last coach. "Stuff" is the whole enchilada (clothes, food, linens, kitchen items, paper products, grills, chairs----you name it and get the idea). Have heard some folks say they will weigh everything they want to load into the RV and add everything up, then decide what they really want to take. Keep in mind too the GVW of your truck loaded up w/ gas, family, extra cargo, pets. This GVW is bumper to bumper WITHOUT the trailer attached. So if your truck weighs say 4500 pounds by itself full of gas and has a GVW of 7000, that gives you 2500 pounds to add "stuff" in it. Hope the TT folks chime in, but want to say as well that you'll have to add in the hitch/tongue weight as well. If that's the case, you won't have as much room for "stuff" to toss into cab of truck. Many folks travel kinda light in the food dep't and once at their destination, they hit up local food store. Stinkin' beans! LOL

The numbers look like you are within your limits, but be aware that we Sequoia is not a truck. It's an SUV, which means it has a much shorter distance from the back wheel of the vehicle to the tow vehicle. There's a possibility that the tail can wag the dog. I good WDH like the Hensley Is a very smart investment, but be aware that towing with the Sequoia may not be the ideal setup.

Do the math with a good calculator to make sure also you are not overloading your axle ratings and GCWR.

A Heartland Owner developed this great tool, you might want to investigate. Www.rvtowcheck.com


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