# 2005 25Rs With 2005 Tundra



## ~jack (Feb 15, 2011)

Hi all, this is a great site. Im upgrading from a popup to possibly buying a 2005 25rs and Im a little nervous about the size and weight. I'm planning on getting the equalizer hitch, and the gvwr on the 2005 25rs is 6000, AM I good to go with my 2005 Tundra double cab ?
edmunds has it at: * Wheel base: 140.5 in, Maximum towing capacity: 6800 lbs. I have a brake controller too.

THANKS


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## GO WEST (May 25, 2009)

On Outbacker in California (I believe) has an older Tundra with a lift that he tows a camper with. What size motor and what rear axle ratio do you have? What payload will the truck handle?


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

~jack said:


> Hi all, this is a great site. Im upgrading from a popup to possibly buying a 2005 25rs and Im a little nervous about the size and weight. I'm planning on getting the equalizer hitch, and the gvwr on the 2005 25rs is 6000, AM I good to go with my 2005 Tundra double cab ?
> edmunds has it at: * Wheel base: 140.5 in, Maximum towing capacity: 6800 lbs. I have a brake controller too.
> 
> THANKS


Welcome to the site!
I tow a 2005 25RSS with a 3/4 ton E-250 cargo van, has the 5.4L motor. I pull ok when the land is flat. Cranks up to 4000rpm on hills though.
All was well until last year when the trailer sway got out of control on me. The trailer was around 8 o'clock to the truck on a wall clock. I felt the trailer push the van side ways but I was able to re-gain control before the trailers' last swing to the drivers side. IMO, a 1/2 ton would have flipped on me. You appear to exceed the 75% safty margin on weight and capacity. If you NEVER have an emergency like I did, you might be ok. Please be careful. 
PS.I do have weight bars and did add a sway control after the accident/inncident. Hope that never happens again.
Good luck,
crunchman


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## ~jack (Feb 15, 2011)

crunchman12002 said:


> Hi all, this is a great site. Im upgrading from a popup to possibly buying a 2005 25rs and Im a little nervous about the size and weight. I'm planning on getting the equalizer hitch, and the gvwr on the 2005 25rs is 6000, AM I good to go with my 2005 Tundra double cab ?
> edmunds has it at: * Wheel base: 140.5 in, Maximum towing capacity: 6800 lbs. I have a brake controller too.
> 
> THANKS


Welcome to the site!
I tow a 2005 25RSS with a 3/4 ton E-250 cargo van, has the 5.4L motor. I pull ok when the land is flat. Cranks up to 4000rpm on hills though.
All was well until last year when the trailer sway got out of control on me. The trailer was around 8 o'clock to the truck on a wall clock. I felt the trailer push the van side ways but I was able to re-gain control before the trailers' last swing to the drivers side. IMO, a 1/2 ton would have flipped on me. You appear to exceed the 75% safty margin on weight and capacity. If you NEVER have an emergency like I did, you might be ok. Please be careful. 
PS.I do have weight bars and did add a sway control after the accident/inncident. Hope that never happens again.
Good luck,
crunchman
[/quote]

Holy crap!, how did the sway happen ?

My Tundra's specs: 
Maximum payload: 1820 lbs.
Gross weight: 6600 lbs.
Curb weight: 4780 lbs.
Torque: 325 ft-lbs. @ 3400 rpm
Horsepower: 282 hp @ 5400 rpm
Base engine size: 4.7 L

Thanks again everyone.


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

~jack said:


> Hi all, this is a great site. Im upgrading from a popup to possibly buying a 2005 25rs and Im a little nervous about the size and weight. I'm planning on getting the equalizer hitch, and the gvwr on the 2005 25rs is 6000, AM I good to go with my 2005 Tundra double cab ?
> edmunds has it at: * Wheel base: 140.5 in, Maximum towing capacity: 6800 lbs. I have a brake controller too.
> 
> THANKS


Welcome to the site!
I tow a 2005 25RSS with a 3/4 ton E-250 cargo van, has the 5.4L motor. I pull ok when the land is flat. Cranks up to 4000rpm on hills though.
All was well until last year when the trailer sway got out of control on me. The trailer was around 8 o'clock to the truck on a wall clock. I felt the trailer push the van side ways but I was able to re-gain control before the trailers' last swing to the drivers side. IMO, a 1/2 ton would have flipped on me. You appear to exceed the 75% safty margin on weight and capacity. If you NEVER have an emergency like I did, you might be ok. Please be careful. 
PS.I do have weight bars and did add a sway control after the accident/inncident. Hope that never happens again.
Good luck,
crunchman
[/quote]

Holy crap!, how did the sway happen ?

My Tundra's specs: 
Maximum payload: 1820 lbs.
Gross weight: 6600 lbs.
Curb weight: 4780 lbs.
Torque: 325 ft-lbs. @ 3400 rpm
Horsepower: 282 hp @ 5400 rpm
Base engine size: 4.7 L

Thanks again everyone.
[/quote]
The sway happened when we were going down a hill with a right curve. The freeway was grooved to accept new pavement. I think we hit the edge of the pavement groove and it started to sway.I noticed the trailer in the sideview mirror coming over, first WRONG reation was to hit the brakes on the van, big mistake. The sway went crazy so I went for the "oh crap" buttom on the brake controller, that saved me. Never had a problem before that. I added a sway bar to help prevent the sway from getting away from me again. The trailer inside looked like someone shook it upside down and put everything back where it did not belong. I think the stain is still on the drivers seat. lol
So, like I said, if you NEVER have an emergency, you'll still be border line on weight. That 25RSS is heavy, even for a 3/4 ton

Good luck,
crunchman


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

Hi ~jack,

1st, if you notice, crunchman says the weight distribution and sway control features were added *AFTER* his incident. Crunchman, I/we are VERY glad you and your family came out unscathed but, `jack, w/out those 2 features in place, you'd basically be towing with just a ball hitch. These trailers are far too heavy for that. BE SURE you add these 2 features from the start.

2nd, we started with an '05 25rss and LOVED it!! In fact, so much so that we now have a 28krs which, except for the cargo Bay, is exactly the same layout!! We pulled ours with a Toyota 4-Runner (GVWR 7000) and it did great. We had no problems on hills (we live in New England) and, more importantly, had no issue of any kind when STOPPING (an even more important question than "Can I tow it?"). BUT, we were certainly at the 4-Runner's limit and planned to keep it for awhile. Being concerned about it's longevity if it continued to be tow vehicle, we now have the newly created '07 Tundra (LOL - and then got the bigger camper, too







)

And congratulations! Whether it's this one or another, you'll love an Outback!!

Wolfie


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

There has always been a lot of discussion about "Can I tow this?" "Is this camper/trailer too much for my truck"?

Wolfie and crunchman have both eluded to the issue.

A lot of experienced people will strongly recommend NOT to exceed 80% of your vehicles tow capacity using the campers GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). That rating is the listed maximum weight of the trailer.

This usually leads to..."Well I won't load too much into the camper." Not a good way to go. You're already trying to justify your way out of a safety rule. I can say that because I did it prior to coming here to Outbackers. Here good people took the time to explain a good number of things.

One of them that ended up scaring the heck out of me was the GCVWR (Gross Combinded Vehicle Weight Rating). The GCVWR is the maximum weight limit of the truck and camper combined.

The Curb Weight of your tow vehicle is an empty truck, with a full tank of gas and a driver. This what your tow capacity is rated from. As you add weight into your truck, people, pets etc, that weight is subtracted from the tow capacity. Hence you start with 7000 pounds of tow capacity and the wife, 2 kids a dog, some gear (lets say 750 pounds) now you have a tow capacity of 6250. Of which you do not want to exceed 80% of. To the weight of your loaded truck add the GVWR of the camper. On the drivers door, or in the owners manual the weight ratings, tire inflation etc is listed. Here you will find the GCVWR. It is here the manufacturer lists the maximum safe combined weight your vehicle can tow.

The 80% rule is used by many because it ensures a margin of safety and dependability. Less strain on the engine, less strain on the transmission, and just as important your brakes and ability for your vehicle to handle torsion, pull, push, and sway.

These are all things that dealers, sellers etc very rarely will discuss with a potential buyer. Should they? I think the vast majority of people on this site would say YES! But in the real world it seldom happens.

Coupled with the understanding of the weight ratings is having the correct hitch for the job. There are many factors that determine what hitch is right for you. Weight Distribution with add on Anti-Sway Bars (which are near useless on anything over 28') Weight Distribution with integral sway control (built in sway control), Camflex Trunnions, Straight Trunnion or perhaps even a Hensley or Pro-ride hitch. they vary in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. And to work properly need to be installed correctly. The directions to do that are on the site as well.

Sway can be caused by large vehicles passing, cross winds, overloaded camper, or over loaded tow vehicle, or a combination there of. If it is understood and measures are taken to mitigate it you may never experience it or have to deal with it. Crunchmans depressing the brake controller "Panic Button" clamps the brakes on the camper and stops the side to side motion... in an emergency. That is what that button is for.

All this information is at the tip of your fingers here on Outbackers, just for the looking or the asking.

I am not familiar with the truck that you are mentioning. But I can tell you some short research and adding of some numbers will probably give you the answer you are looking for in short order. This is a good place to start. As you have more questions..fire away!

I wish you luck!

Eric


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## muttbike (Apr 27, 2009)

I had almost the same setup with my 230RS, an 06 Tundra DC. It worked....but I never felt like it was working well. I did tow it over a year and almost 8K miles that way. But I just couldn't get that warm-fuzzy about it.

I eventually went to a 2008 Tundra and it's night and day with the seat of the pants feel. Is it perfect for the 230RS? I don't know, but it's got another 7K on it and I like it better. More HP, more torque, and I usually average 8-11mpg (10 is the sweet spot) with this setup. With the 06, mpg usually stayed around 8.

We did tow my 230 behind my bud's F350 PS. It was better with the big oil burner, but I just couldn't get used to not having that deadman footrest on the left side. Funny what you miss.

Sad part tho, I'd have that 06 paid for this year, and it got better mileage around town....

JR


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## navycranes (May 29, 2008)

One thing to remember curb weights and trailer "dry" weights are what these things way on a blueprint. It isn't always reality. They only thing that doesn't lie is the scale.

I'd take your truck to a local scale loaded the way you would go on a campout then add the max GVW of the trailer to that. If you are not over your may combined GVW then you are in a pretty safe area.

I don't agree with people who use the 80% rule. Any automotive engineer will tell you that 80% has already been factored in to your ratings. It's legal "CYA" for the auto makers because let's be honest, who weighs everything right before every trip.

Some have reported the older Tundra's 4.7 being a little underpowered, especially in the mountains. But if you are satisfied with not being able to blast up a 6% grade at 65 MPH then you'll be just fine.

Outbacks fall into the light weight class of travel trailer and are, for the most part, designed to be towed by half ton trucks. I towed my 28RSS for 3 years with a Dodge Ram 1500 and loved it. But my family outgrew the truck cab so I had to move up to an SUV and in the process went diesel. But it definitely WASN'T due to lack of towing power.

Talk to wolfwod, they tow a slightly heavier trailer with their Tundra and love it. They've been all over the US and Canada with it and have no complaints. I've personally seen their set up and it's one of the safest half-ton set ups I've seen.


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## wolfwood (Sep 19, 2005)

navycranes said:


> Talk to wolfwod, they tow a slightly heavier trailer with their Tundra and love it. They've been all over the US and Canada with it and have no complaints. I've personally seen their set up and it's one of the safest half-ton set ups I've seen.


Thanks Rob. I appreciate that vote of confidence but I do need to clarify that our Tundra is a 2007 - the 1st year of the recreated Tundra. It really is a VERY different beast from the pre-2007 Tundra. Not only does it have a 10,000# towing capacity (we've never come close to that) but, other than payload (which is what makes it a "1/2 ton"), it is otherwise built like a 3/4 ton (brakes, etc.). And - then there's the Hensley ....


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## crunchman12002 (Jul 26, 2009)

[quote name='wolfwood' date='16 February 2011 - 03:16 PM' timestamp='1297883776' post='403737']
Hi ~jack,

"1st, if you notice, crunchman says the weight distribution and sway control features were added *AFTER* his incident. Crunchman, I/we are VERY glad you and your family came out unscathed"

Thank you wolfwood, it was scary to say the least. 
Note: I did already have the weight distribution bars installed properly but added the sway bar after the incident. Dealer said I would not need the sway bar during the sale. Imagine that, he talked me out of it.
crunchman


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

navycranes said:


> One thing to remember curb weights and trailer "dry" weights are what these things way on a blueprint. It isn't always reality. They only thing that doesn't lie is the scale.
> 
> I'd take your truck to a local scale loaded the way you would go on a campout then add the max GVW of the trailer to that. If you are not over your may combined GVW then you are in a pretty safe area.
> 
> ...


 I understand what you are saying, and with that I towed our 31RQS with a Chevy Silverado 1500HD for a short while. By everything I had learned from reading and talking to a number of people it was clear that the 1500HD was out classed by the 31RQS. It towed fine as far as I was concerned and I had not experienced any issues until a trip we took from NH to Washington DC. Once getting close to our first stop in Connecticut for an overnight, I found myself on a secondary road, that was wet, on a curve, jack knifed. No damage to the vehicle or camper but it was scary. Wolfwood and I were talking about this last night when I stopped over to take some pictures of the Rolling Suite. KB Judi and I related several of these incidents. It was a few years of experience towing that camper and others that allowed me to react and save the situation.

Having towed with a variety of vehicles (Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Expedition, Chevy Silverado 1500HD, F-250 V-10, and now the F-350 PSD) and using several types of hitches with those vehicles I have had the pleasure (Or Displeasure) of experiencing the difference in perfomance of those vehicles and equipment. As Wolfwood mentioned the Tundra has a 10K towing capacity with 3/4 suspension and brakes. The GVWR of the 28KRS she has is 7.6K and the are using a Hensley Hitch. She is just slightly above the 80% rule of all of the ratings for her combination.

The advice I give is for safetys sake and especially in the case of a family moving up from a pop-up to a Travel Trailer the experience is completely different and there are factors that have to be considered. Not to scare them, or change thier decision, but rather to help make an educated decision. Knowing what the vehicle is designed to do by what is published for it is important. So erring to the side of caution (80%) especially in the case of some one just getting into towing a travel trailer, I think is pretty sound advice. I did not have the same benefit when we got our first trailer.

As I said this has been a subject that has been a topic for debate. The 80% rule is not gospel, it is a recommendation. There are plenty of people riding at or over thier limits. They do so at thier own peril and at the peril of those around them.

Just my personal opinion.

Eric


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## ~jack (Feb 15, 2011)

Thank you all for your wonderful commentary, I ended up buying a 2005 21RS today! *very excited*, I also bought an equalizer hitch today. pickup on monday. Thanks everyone.


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

crunchman12002 said:


> Dealer said I would not need the sway bar during the sale. Imagine that, he talked me out of it.
> crunchman


I had just the opposite experience when we got our 21' SOB. The dealer was trying to sell me a 10,000 lb. equal-i-zer for $1000.00 installed. I had a full size Chev Express van, and insisted it didn't need a $1000.00 hitch to pull a 21' trailer. He insisted the trailer wasn't leaving the lot without some kind of sway control. In the end, we settled on a friction sway control, which worked just fine. We towed it for two seasons with no sweat.

When we got the 250RS we also got the Equal-i-zer. And yes, it tows great!


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## duggy (Mar 17, 2010)

~jack said:


> Thank you all for your wonderful commentary, I ended up buying a 2005 21RS today! *very excited*, I also bought an equalizer hitch today. pickup on monday. Thanks everyone.


Congratulations on your new purchase! You're going to love it!!


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## egregg57 (Feb 13, 2006)

Congratulations! Good unit! Let the fun begin!


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## john7349 (Jan 13, 2008)

duggy said:


> Thank you all for your wonderful commentary, I ended up buying a 2005 21RS today! *very excited*, I also bought an equalizer hitch today. pickup on monday. Thanks everyone.


Congratulations on your new purchase! You're going to love it!!
[/quote]

That will be a sweet setup. It will tow just fine


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