Looking to purchase a 2720SL-Tongue Wt

I'm looking to purchase a used late model 2720SL. My tow vehicle is an "07" Toyota Highlander SUV, 6 cyl, 4X4, tow package. The max tongue wt. calls for 350# and the 2720SL tongue wt is 395. Will the WDH take care of this difference. Thank you. Gator64

Originally Posted by gator64

I'm looking to purchase a used late model 2720SL. My tow vehicle is an "07" Toyota Highlander SUV, 6 cyl, 4X4, tow package. The max tongue wt. calls for 350# and the 2720SL tongue wt is 395. Will the WDH take care of this difference. Thank you. Gator64

Gator64,

You might want to check with Toyota on this question. The Highlander is built with unibody construction instead of a body on frame design, and I think I remember reading somewhere on this forum that some manufacturers don't recommend a WDH for that type of construction.

Chap

Chap- Thank you. Will contact Toyota. Ro

[CAmark]

Gator,
First let me say that you are the one that has to be happy/comfortable with whatever conclusion you reach, that said, your Toyota dealer will likely tell you "no way, no how" on the WDH...to keep their "liability deniability". You will find many discussions and points of view on this forum if you search "unibody" and WDH. I happen to use on 04 Pilot (unibody) as a TV for a 2720SL and use a WDH even though Honda officially recommends against it. My reasoning (a lot of factors went into this decision) is contained in some of the threads you likely find in the search. Buckled unibody...is it urban legend or reality? I recall a while back someone here asked if anybody had actual personal knowledge of a unibody car that "crumpled" due to a WDH...I don't recall any affirmative responses to that question...again, make the decision that meets your comfort level.
Cheers,
Mark

[grill-n-go]

Do a search for "Highlander", there are plenty of threads on the subject.

Anybody here tow with a Cherokee? They are unibody. The Cayenne / Touregs are unibody and can two over 6000 lb. Then again, a Samuri has a frame and can barely go down the freeway straight on it's own, much less tow anything.

As discussed previously, it's not just the frame but the other running gear as well. A truck is a made for towing, a car isn't. A car will likely wear out faster IMO but life is short anyway so be happy.

[irenepl]

I tow with an 04 grand cherokee with a 6500# tow limit and a unibody construction. I use a wdh with no problems. Here is a statment from a jeep site with tons of info on jeep. "The Grand Cherokee WJ uses Class III and Class IV, which can carry heavier loads with the use of a weight-distributing hitch assembly that distributes the weight to all trailer and vehicle axles."
I have towed for many years with jeep and a WDH.

[Bill]

Irene's post demonstates that unibody construction isn't an automatic kiss of death - and I am as guilty as anyone of this assumption. If the vehicle designers specifically built the unibody to handle a WDH, then all is well.

BUT

Many unibody vehicles are not built with a WDH in mind. If your prospective vehicle has a unibody, that should be an automatic reason to dig deeper - much deeper. So many manufacturers of unibody vehicles say "NO" that it would be unwise to assume that the answer is "YES" unless the vehicle mfr specifically confirms it.

By the way, Irene, the "jeep site with tons of info on jeep" apparently is not the Jeep manufacturer's web site, right? In this case it is probably accurate, since Jeep does list a Class IV receiver as an option. But in general I am leery of relying solely on a website whose theme seems to be "This truck rocks!"

Bill