Anyone ever towed a Rav4?

I think you are pushing your luck well beyond the envelope. There is almost no chance that a 1982 Skyline Jamme II has a tow capacity of 5000 lbs and you have no data that remotely suggests that it does. There is a very real chance that a 4500+ lb trailer load will break the hitch receiver away from the chassis, or that you will suffer  a transmission or driveshaft/universal failure if towing very far.  In my opinion you are letting your wishes overrule good sense.

For the safety of you and your family please take the advice of the seasoned professional that posted above me.

I still think you may have been misinformed about towing the RAV4.    Remco says all maual transmissions are towable 4 down.    Have you checked with them?

Ok here's the specs. Yes I'm doing my homework.

Canadian built
General Motors
Chevy Truck Incomplete
10000-14000 GVWR
Chevy Van
1 Ton
5.7 L V8
1982
Made in Scarborough ON

Curb weight of a Toyota Rav4 2001 is actually less than I thought, it's 2887. So if you add that to 1500 (tongue weight maximum of 155lbs) it's 4387. Well below 5000 lbs. If a 1 ton pickup truck can't tow that then what's the reason for making them?

I'll look now into the 4 down but I've done a lot of research and found major horror stories of Tranny's going out and not being covered by Toyota. Being my vehicle is no longer under warranty I'd rather not chance it (unless I got them recorded saying that it's fine). I even contacted Remco, la towing experts and they recommended 4 up over 4 down. I also asked them about towing my car behind my motorhome....they said it shouldn't be a problem. I didn't give them GVWR or any of that.

I even know that my motorhome was number 111, 337 in production So I'm learning. And yes I'm listening to all of you...I'm not just discounting your expert seasoned advice.

I called Toyota Directly, and they said NO you cannot tow a 2001 Rav4, it has to have all 4 off the ground. So luckily I still got the car hauler. Now I'm on the phone with Chevy to find out what the towing capacity is to my year make and model.....someone has to give me some correct information. They said I should be fine towing the amount I stated....just now need to make it feasible to work with breaks on the trailer..

Here's some help in calculating your numbers:

CGVWR (combined gross vehicle weight rating)  This is what the motor home weights PLUS what it can tow safely according to the manufacturer.
GVWR  (What the motor home weights by itself, fully loaded with water/propane and all your stuff)  The way to get the true weight is to have it weighted at a scale.

When you subtract the GVWR from the CGVWR that is the true number you are working with and the number you need to find.  As long as that number is greater or equal to what you want to tow, you should be fine.  HOWEVER, many hitches on gas engine motor homes are rated for only 3500-4000 lbs.  If you go over that weight, you will have to replace your hitch with one that can handle more weight.

The reason we (especially the staff here) continually preach checking your numbers is because it does make a difference in how the motor home handles and wears.  If your numbers work out that you can pull a trailer with the RAVA4 on it, you most assuredly need a braking system.  Another reason we are so emphatic on running the numbers is that the lawyers in an accident, whether you are responsible or not, will check to make sure you and all your equipment are correct and did not add to the accident.

FWIW, when I began pulling horse trailers I drove a Ford 150 gas truck and pulled a heavy load of horses, equipment and feed.  Within 2 years, I ran through 2 sets of brakes, and a transmission all because I thought I knew better than all the other horse people telling me I would have trouble.  It cost me 2 trucks, the F150 and the new Chevy 3500 1ton I bought 2 years later.

Run the numbers!
Marsha~

Marsha!!! No one ever mentioned CGVWR to me! I am in love with ya and I don't even know ya .  I've been looking for this information all day. I do know my trailer+car equals 4387, that's below the 5000 lb tow capacity for a Chevy G30. Trust me I don't want to run into trouble at all which is why I'm going over everything I can. Now to get my rig weighed dry. I'm already on top of installing the break stuff that is needed to work the breaks on the trailer. Now I'm off to find the info on CGVWR......that's what I need to find and I think once I get my motorhome back I'll figure it out fast. TY again. Wonderful info!

lvlyfun, just for clarification, that's GCWR. Click the Glossary button above to read an explanation of Gross Combined Weight Rating.

Tom, in the horse world they use CGVWR, so I reverted to my old horse days.  As long as people realize they need to know how to calculate the numbers; and what to calculate.

lvlyfun, Don't weight the motor home "dry", you need to load it up with your stuff, water food etc.  The dry weight that is given by the manufacturers does not reflect what you will have in the motor home.

Have fun!
Marsha~

Thanks for the clarification Marsha. I learned something new again today. Maybe I need to add that one to our Glossary  ???

The standard nomenclature, i.e. as it appears on the federally required weight placard and as defined in federal vehicle regulations, is GCWR.

You have no evidence that the tow capacity is 5000 lbs.  But you will have, yea or nay, after a year of towing. Good luck!

Good advice Marsha! So fill it up with water and propane and gas and then weigh? That way if I'm not over on the weight there then I certainly wouldn't be dry! (and most the places we plan to go will have water and electric). As I said before . . . You Rock! TY

Not just water, propane and gas, but everything that you will be carrying when traveling, including passengers.

Right on Ned. Will you please do some research on a Chevy G30 and the towing capacity? I'm pretty sure it's 5000 lbs, but since I'm getting a few different feedbacks on here I'd like to know what you find. TY in advance...

I have no idea what the towing capacity of your chassis would be.  I know your coach is old, but there still should be a sticker with the relevant weight capacities on it somewhere in the coach.  It's usually up near the driver's position, but may also be inside a cabinet.  The towing capacity may also be limited by the coach manufacturer and not just by the chassis.

I'm gonna check a cabinet that I know has all the manufacturer information.......it has to be in there somewhere.....still can't just up and do that being it's at the RV shop at the moment, but I do recall taking video of it and I think I saw the GVWR somewhere in there, but I didn't just stop and get a good shot at it. (I might drive down there tomorrow just to check that out. TY This is what I found on the Chevy G30 http://www.carmax.com/enus/specifications-equipment/1996-chevrolet-g30-197.html It might be a different year, but everything else is the same......soooo?

Towing capacity more than twice the curb weight? And 10000/0 -- what does that really mean?

If the 3809/0 for payload means the payload is 3809 lbs, then added to the 4791 lbs. curb weight you get 8600 lbs. max vehicle weight. A 10K towing capacity is unreasonable for that total vehicle max weight. I think their figures are way off, or the 10000/0 has a different meaning (but what?)...

Ok I found the placard. The GVWR is 10,500 but it doesn't say what the GCWR is. Where do I find this info? I'm happy to inform everyone as well that yes, my motorhome has a hitch to tow, now it's just a matter determining how much it can tow. (It does have two radiators/fans) as well, so I think that's to cool the tranny. Now off to find the GCWR.

lvlyfun said:

Ok I found the placard. The GVWR is 10,500 but it doesn't say what the GCWR is. Where do I find this info

Click to expand...

It should be on the same placard.  Also, my GVWR is 10,500, same as yours.  My GCWR is 14,000.  Your's may or may not be different, but maybe this gives you a ballpark number.