Towing a Travel Trailer with a Outi...
#21
08-04-2012, 09:15 AM
re; air bags for 2007 outlander
I took your advice and just ordered the air bags. I will be towing a 3500 lb boat and hope this will help. do I need any special tools or advice to install these myself. I am not a mechanic but am pretty good with car repairs. done much myself especially brakes. how does this job compare?
#22
03-09-2015, 08:16 PM
My outtie has had the pleasure of towing a few things so far. On the lighter end, it's towed 600-700 pounds in snowmobiles. With this light load, I really didn't notice much of an effect on the Outlander's performance (v6 and I've got the factory set up and so far have been pleased with it.), even in snowy conditions. As far as the heavy stuff goes, I've towed a boat of about 3500-4000 pounds. Power's been good getting up the ramp, but the driving dynamics are obviously affected by the added weight. The rear suspension especially seems to dip under the added weight. Nevertheless, the Outlander is more than capable of towing up to the limit.
Great expériences
#23
03-09-2015, 08:20 PM
The actual weight of the trailer is fine. A couple of thoughts to consider:
-tongue weight: unless you've weighed the tongue to be 310lbs, it'll probably be significantly higher when actually loaded up with battery, water, AC unit and supplies. Published tongue weight is given without those items. The rear springs on the outlander are particularly soft and you'll be dragging the rear end with that weight on there. I would add airbags inside the rear springs and also a weigh distributing hitch. You want to spread the weight to both axles of the outie.
-The outlander has a relatively short wheelbase, so anti-sway equipment would add a degree of safety. The trailer should be fine under normal conditions without it, but in an emergency or heavy winds, it can be very helpful.
-I would tow in 4wd and keep speeds under 60mph. The biggest resistance from the trailer will be from the wind once you are rolling. Lower speeds reduce that somewhat.
We have an 18ft travel trailer (3700lbs GVWR and probably 500lbs tongue when loaded)that we tow with our sienna. I have airbags in the rear springs and use a Reese trunion style WDH with 600lb spring bars. Works very well and the sienna has no sag in the rear with this setup. The sienna also has quite a bit longer wheelbase, but is FWD only. I have only hooked the trailer up to the outlander without the WDH attached to move it around to the front of the house and the rear end sagged a great deal. I'd get bags for it and use the WDH if I were planning on towing with the outie.
I've attached a picture of ours.
-tongue weight: unless you've weighed the tongue to be 310lbs, it'll probably be significantly higher when actually loaded up with battery, water, AC unit and supplies. Published tongue weight is given without those items. The rear springs on the outlander are particularly soft and you'll be dragging the rear end with that weight on there. I would add airbags inside the rear springs and also a weigh distributing hitch. You want to spread the weight to both axles of the outie.
-The outlander has a relatively short wheelbase, so anti-sway equipment would add a degree of safety. The trailer should be fine under normal conditions without it, but in an emergency or heavy winds, it can be very helpful.
-I would tow in 4wd and keep speeds under 60mph. The biggest resistance from the trailer will be from the wind once you are rolling. Lower speeds reduce that somewhat.
We have an 18ft travel trailer (3700lbs GVWR and probably 500lbs tongue when loaded)that we tow with our sienna. I have airbags in the rear springs and use a Reese trunion style WDH with 600lb spring bars. Works very well and the sienna has no sag in the rear with this setup. The sienna also has quite a bit longer wheelbase, but is FWD only. I have only hooked the trailer up to the outlander without the WDH attached to move it around to the front of the house and the rear end sagged a great deal. I'd get bags for it and use the WDH if I were planning on towing with the outie.
I've attached a picture of ours.
My camper look like that, I will tow-it soon when the snow will be melt
Last edited by Mr. Cookie; 03-09-2015 at 08:34 PM.
#24
07-04-2017, 07:53 PM
Towing Jayco Jay Feather X17Z With my 2008 Outlander XLS
This past spring I bought an X17Z from Jayco. (Love this hybrid trailer).
I have installed the airbags in my rear springs and got an 600lb weight distribution bars. The front went back to the original height and the back is only between 1/2 and 3/4 inches lower. This is well within the acceptable margin. I can definitely "feel" the trailer, but with the Hopkins Proportional Brake Controller, I had no problems slowing down or stopping safely. I had NO transmission overheating warning as described by some Outlander owners in other forums. Only downside (as with all TVs I guess) is it went from about 14L/100km to about 21L/100km (Thats roughly from 16MPG to 11MPG for my American friends).
The season is just starting so will update you at it's end.
I have installed the airbags in my rear springs and got an 600lb weight distribution bars. The front went back to the original height and the back is only between 1/2 and 3/4 inches lower. This is well within the acceptable margin. I can definitely "feel" the trailer, but with the Hopkins Proportional Brake Controller, I had no problems slowing down or stopping safely. I had NO transmission overheating warning as described by some Outlander owners in other forums. Only downside (as with all TVs I guess) is it went from about 14L/100km to about 21L/100km (Thats roughly from 16MPG to 11MPG for my American friends).
The season is just starting so will update you at it's end.
Last edited by chylins; 07-05-2017 at 11:42 AM.
#25
07-22-2017, 03:22 PM
Towing with Outlander Sport
Has anyone towed much with an Outlander Sport? I see the photo's on this thread with a Outlander but not the Sport.I've been looking at those little teardrop campers and wonder how well they would tow.How much would towing effect the mpg?and handling aspects.I'm also a little concerned about how the CVT transmission would hold up if towing in the mountains and such.Do I need a vehicle with a v6?
Last edited by Hodado; 07-22-2017 at 03:40 PM.
#26
09-20-2017, 05:13 PM
2012 RVR trailer
I had the same question about towing with an RVR with a CVT tranny well because I hadn't much choice I put class 2 hitch on had a 5 x 8 open trailer with about 800 pounds in it. I went from Niagara falls Ontario all the way to yorkton Saskatchewan in 2 days and I took the longer way through the mountains in northern Ontario. The only thing I say is make sure you know how to manually shift the CVT even though it does work on it's own but it's a little better to help it when you manually select. It pulled it no problem. What a machine.
#27
02-15-2018, 01:41 PM
I had the same question about towing with an RVR with a CVT tranny well because I hadn't much choice I put class 2 hitch on had a 5 x 8 open trailer with about 800 pounds in it. I went from Niagara falls Ontario all the way to yorkton Saskatchewan in 2 days and I took the longer way through the mountains in northern Ontario. The only thing I say is make sure you know how to manually shift the CVT even though it does work on it's own but it's a little better to help it when you manually select. It pulled it no problem. What a machine.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
carid
Vendor Group And Special Buys
0
04-14-2015 08:23 AM
