Towing with a Sequoia?

[jvk8]

[QUOTE=Alliteration;8502907]
No. Just no.

I don’t care if you’re only hauling one mile once a year on perfectly flat ground. No.

It’s not about whether or not your vehicle can tow/pull the trailer. It’s about controlling that trailer with your horses in it under panic conditions. Like when that distracted soccer mom in her mini-van stops abruptly in front of you because she missed her turn. Or the jerk in his BMW who doesn’t think the law applies to him decides to cut you off. In a panic situation, you and your 4-Runner will become the passengers as the trailer takes over and you wind up on your side in the ditch.

You cannot change the laws of physics. If your tow vehicle does not have the MASS or the wheel base or the brakes to keep the trailer stable and BEHIND you, it is not suitable as a tow vehicle.

It will only take one time in an emergency for your vehicle to fail you. You may not get a second chance.[/QUOTE]

Like x1000. Excellent Post.

[Guilherme]

[QUOTE=Alliteration;8502907]
No. Just no.

I don’t care if you’re only hauling one mile once a year on perfectly flat ground. No.

It’s not about whether or not your vehicle can tow/pull the trailer. It’s about controlling that trailer with your horses in it under panic conditions. Like when that distracted soccer mom in her mini-van stops abruptly in front of you because she missed her turn. Or the jerk in his BMW who doesn’t think the law applies to him decides to cut you off. In a panic situation, you and your 4-Runner will become the passengers as the trailer takes over and you wind up on your side in the ditch.

You cannot change the laws of physics. If your tow vehicle does not have the MASS or the wheel base or the brakes to keep the trailer stable and BEHIND you, it is not suitable as a tow vehicle.

It will only take one time in an emergency for your vehicle to fail you. You may not get a second chance.[/QUOTE]

+1 from a Member of the Chorus.

G.

[chancellor2]

[QUOTE=jvk8;8504859]
Like x1000. Excellent Post.[/QUOTE]

Like X1001.

[Xanthoria]

I have a V8 4Runner that I tow a Brenderup Baron TC with. As you say it pulls 7000# and I’ve hauled a large horse from the Oregon border to the SF bay area with no problems, and many other trips. Prior to that I had a V6 4Runner and used to haul the Brenderup and 2 horses all over.

I probably would not haul a standard heavy steel box American trailer, but the Brenderup has 250# tongue weight (matches 4Runner), weighs 2100# itself and is aerodynamically and brakes-wise optimal for this truck.

I love my 4Runners - I’m on my fourth one, and one went to 180,000 miles, the last one went to 250,000 when I traded it in for the current one. You cannot beat these trucks!

[Jim_in_PA]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;8504851]
Thank you everyone, we will definitely look into all the suggestions/warnings.
I just went back and re-read my post and realized that I wrote one of the models wrong. woops.
We currently have a Tundra. Want to look into a Sequoia (not tacoma) or a 4Runner.[/QUOTE]

The Sequoia and Tundra are “brother/sister” and both are just fine for a 2h BP with factory towing and the larger V8 engine. Please note I’m talking about current generation, not older ones.

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=spacytracy;8502801]

I found lots of people talking about towing with 4Runners but way more people have boats than horse trailers…the weight and length, etc. is far different between boats and horse trailers.[/QUOTE]

I would only tow a very light trailer with the V8. Brenderup with a medium to small horse. The V6 is not for towing horses at all IMHO.

Towing a boat vs. towing a horse is comparable to carrying a backpack vs. carrying a sack full of rocks. The weight is only part of the considerations.

Naturally, you can find anything you want on the internet as “been doing it for years with no problems”. This is probably one of them. But then again teenagers are drinking mtn dew and methanol and they got that from somewhere too.

[Xanthoria]

[QUOTE=DHCarrotfeeder;8505888]
I would only tow a very light trailer with the V8. Brenderup with a medium to small horse. The V6 is not for towing horses at all IMHO.

Towing a boat vs. towing a horse is comparable to carrying a backpack vs. carrying a sack full of rocks. The weight is only part of the considerations.

Naturally, you can find anything you want on the internet as “been doing it for years with no problems”. This is probably one of them. But then again teenagers are drinking mtn dew and methanol and they got that from somewhere too.[/QUOTE]

My question would be show me the accidents that HAVE happened vs all the people like me who have safely towed two horses many miles for many years with a V6 (and now V8) and Brenderup? My Brenderup is an '06 and I bought it new, so that’s 10 years for me, and there are 4 other Brenderups at my barn towed by similar trucks. So far so good. And then there’s Europe… all of it… full of smaller truck/trailer combos. Full of horses - in fact I’d say much horsier than the US - and not many people can afford horse lorries.

[MMavin]

[QUOTE=Xanthoria;8505904]
My question would be show me the accidents that HAVE happened vs all the people like me who have safely towed two horses many miles for many years with a V6 (and now V8) and Brenderup? My Brenderup is an '06 and I bought it new, so that’s 10 years for me, and there are 4 other Brenderups at my barn towed by similar trucks. So far so good. And then there’s Europe… all of it… full of smaller truck/trailer combos. Full of horses - in fact I’d say much horsier than the US - and not many people can afford horse lorries.[/QUOTE]

Um, the only reason I can’t show you a 4Runner accident is because my husband has had professional driver training and there was no oncoming traffic. Agreed, the trailer was not a Brenderup, it was something lighter.

It was my favorite vehicle of all time. I researched extensively the options for putting in trailer brakes, custom suspension, anything to make it work for one horse. None of those change the mass issue.

[dkcbr]

[QUOTE=MMavin;8506022]
Um, the only reason I can’t show you a 4Runner accident is because my husband has had professional driver training and there was no oncoming traffic. Agreed, the trailer was not a Brenderup, it was something lighter.

It was my favorite vehicle of all time. I researched extensively the options for putting in trailer brakes, custom suspension, anything to make it work for one horse. None of those change the mass issue.[/QUOTE]

I’m not sure I understand this post?

[DHCarrotfeeder]

[QUOTE=Xanthoria;8505904]
My question would be show me the accidents that HAVE happened vs all the people like me who have safely towed two horses many miles for many years with a V6 (and now V8) and Brenderup? My Brenderup is an '06 and I bought it new, so that’s 10 years for me, and there are 4 other Brenderups at my barn towed by similar trucks. So far so good. And then there’s Europe… all of it… full of smaller truck/trailer combos. Full of horses - in fact I’d say much horsier than the US - and not many people can afford horse lorries.[/QUOTE]

“Safe” is a subjective thing. The euro trailers do a solid job for their size, but I know of a horse that got killed by tangling itself within those tight confines. Even minor mishaps can go awry when pulling 1000#+ animals with the patience of toddlers. Euro trailers are not my favorite thing. Towing with the minimum is never going to be as stable and comfortable for the horses either. In the US we have wider roads, larger vehicles, and cheaper fuel. Within reason, I say take advantage of it.

I’m not going into the “So far so good” stuff. 30 years after the Challenger accident, we should be reminded that kind of thinking does not maintain safety. “So far so good” did not save the low-lying sections of New Orleans. Good safety is a forward-looking exercise.

[spacytracy]

[QUOTE=Jim_in_PA;8505827]
The Sequoia and Tundra are “brother/sister” and both are just fine for a 2h BP with factory towing and the larger V8 engine. Please note I’m talking about current generation, not older ones.[/QUOTE]

This is what my husband said when I showed him the thread. He was really wondering why people would say the Sequoia would not be able to do the job, because the Sequoia is literally the same frame, engine, and probably weighs the same, if not more, than a Tundra.

With my Tundra, I don’t even feel the trailer. I’ve had to stop short on many occasions, and I also live in PA in a mountainous area. So lots of braking and accelerating.

Thank you all so much for your input. I think its safe to say the 4Runner is out - it was not really a strong consideration, my husband just wanted everyone’s input regarding horse trailers because as smart as he is about cars (we have a shop at our house and he does all the repairs to our cars), he doesn’t know jack about horses.

[spacytracy]

I have edited the title to “Sequoia” to maybe get a few people who have experience with the Sequoias. Thanks all! I really do appreciate the comments, pm’s, and advice!

[Ready_To_Riot]

I towed with my moms 2004 sequoia for 5 years. I have a trailer very similar to yours. It does wonderful. I had a 99 gmc 1500 and would always trade her cars when I wanted to haul. My truck did fine, but her SUV was better!!! I swear that thing will tear a house down.

As far as being harder to park and what not, it’s not. I am small and quite
Honestly a terrible driver. The whole reason she has the sequoia is because 11 days after I got my license, I totaled her suburban. That thing was huge and too big to drive and park!!! I can maneuver the sequoia with ease.

Now I have a ram. And it’s the best thing ever

[Xanthoria]

[QUOTE=MMavin;8506022]
Um, the only reason I can’t show you a 4Runner accident is because my husband has had professional driver training and there was no oncoming traffic. Agreed, the trailer was not a Brenderup, it was something lighter.

It was my favorite vehicle of all time. I researched extensively the options for putting in trailer brakes, custom suspension, anything to make it work for one horse. None of those change the mass issue.[/QUOTE]

I went back an read your prev post and looks like it was a “small tool trailer” and a 4Runner that skidded on ice? Anyway nothing to do with Brenderups. How heavy was the trailer and contents? 4Runners are really effective tow vehicles - sounds like there were other variables that caused the almost accident. Ice is certainly one.

[Xanthoria]

[QUOTE=DHCarrotfeeder;8506075]
“Safe” is a subjective thing. The euro trailers do a solid job for their size, but I know of a horse that got killed by tangling itself within those tight confines. Even minor mishaps can go awry when pulling 1000#+ animals with the patience of toddlers. Euro trailers are not my favorite thing. Towing with the minimum is never going to be as stable and comfortable for the horses either. In the US we have wider roads, larger vehicles, and cheaper fuel. Within reason, I say take advantage of it.

I’m not going into the “So far so good” stuff. 30 years after the Challenger accident, we should be reminded that kind of thinking does not maintain safety. “So far so good” did not save the low-lying sections of New Orleans. Good safety is a forward-looking exercise.[/QUOTE]

When you grow up in Europe, Anerican trailers and trucks seem like using a 9# hammer to kill a mosquito! But there you go - perspective. When you live with smaller, more thoughtfully designed trailers you love what you know - same as people who have big steel box trailers.

I would love to see some actual safety research. So far all I have ever seen on the forums is conjecture on accident rates and I read of one Brenderup accident. I do see lots of photos of heavyweight horse trailers in accidents but that’s probably because there are many more of them on the road here in the us.

I agree that safety is forward thinking - I know the light European trailers consider it very carefully and have many features to improve towing, stability, aerodynamics, brake function, balance and so on.

I have towed an aluminum Featherlite trailer behind my 4Runner which weighed about the same as a B’rup and would not do it again, so unless the op has a trailer designed for towing with a 4Runner she is right not to consider that. The aluminum trailer had none of the features that make a B’rup good, it felt heavier and bumpier and swayed too. No way.

[stb]

I have a 2014 Sequoia with the bigger engine and the factory tow package. I tow a 2h BP Featherlite with a DR. The Sequoia tows very nicely, in fact, it tows better than my husband’s 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 4WD crew cab.

[enjoytheride]

[QUOTE=ChocoMare;8502874]
I will be the first voice then to say Please Don’t…unless you buy a Brenderup or similar or you can duplicate Anne’s environment.

Yes, the Tundra can tow it… but should your trailer brakes fail, your tow vehicle will have a hard time stopping it safely. The trailer will push the vehicle.

Also in high winds: the tail winds up wagging the dog. Add a semi blowing your doors off, the horse(s) getting agitated & shifting the trailer and you’ll be getting new undies.

Also transmission: it’s very hard on the tranny for hills.

I only speak from experience and what I learned during my research before we bought a trailer. I had an F-250 diesel for my 14 1/2 foot gooseneck, hauling draft-crosses. Empty load, we were fine! Load up those draft-cross mares and I was under-trucked. Hills were a slow, plodding process and the transmission couldn’t handle the load.

Upgraded to a full one-ton 3500 Chevy dually diesel and she barely knows my trailer is there.

No, I’m not saying you have to buy a one-ton truck, but please: do your research and read The Complete Guide to Buying, Maintaining & Servicing a Horse Trailer. You can even call Tom Scheve, the author, at EquiSpirit and talk turkey with him.[/QUOTE]

Do you really mean the Tundra? The Tundra is an excellent TRUCK for towing and can tow about 10,000 with the larger engine.

As for the Sequoia, it sits on the same frame as the Tundra. The extra weight added by making it an SUV does lower its towing capacity to 7,500 pounds but that is still a comfortable towing weight for a small two horse bumper pull.

[tangledweb]

[QUOTE=enjoytheride;8507217]
Do you really mean the Tundra? The Tundra is an excellent TRUCK for towing and can tow about 10,000 with the larger engine. [/QUOTE]

Only in the real world. Here on Chronicle there’s a lot of magical thinking, so you need a 3/4 ton truck to pull a two horse, a one ton to pull a 3 horse and a Freightliner to pull a four horse. Also all SUVs are bad. Magically the shape is a problem, so even if the specs were better than a truck the truck would be a better option.

If somebody said they were going to tow with a 1980 F-250 nobody would bat an eye or ask if the drum brakes on the rear are a good thing or if it still has the full 130 horsepower it left the factory with. It’s a 3/4 ton truck so it’s better than all SUVs.

The word Brenderup is also magical. You might be allowed to tow a Brenderup behind an SUV, but not other light 2 horse trailers. It has to have the magical brand name on the side.

Automotive engineers don’t know what they are doing, and vehicle specifications are made up by the marketing department while snorting pixie dust over lunch.

[enjoytheride]

Now, I do think that when towing behind a smaller tow vehicle you don’t have nearly as many good American options since the tendency is a 40 foot long steel box instead of something made out of lighter weight but safe materials in an aerodynamic fashion.

[Bogie]

I tow with an older Sequoia and an Equalizer hitch (anti sway bars PLUS weight distributing). I would not want to tow without a similar hitch.

I tow frequently but locally. With the hitch, it’s a nice solid connection.

We also have a Tundra and the Sequoia and the truck are almost the same (in terms of wheel base, etc.). Even with the Tundra, we thought we needed the Equilizer Hitch. FWIW, my husband is an engineer and did all the research on the towing package.