Towing an Imagine XLS 17MKE with an SUV

**RV Sailor** · 04-14-2021, 06:19 AM

Lexus PAYLOAD CAPACITY is 1525
Tongue weights are usually low. Take 12% of maximum loaded trailer is .12 times 6325 is approx 750 lbs. subtracted from Payload capacity is 775 which is what you have to play with in the Lexus weight load.

Two adults (300 lbs), WDH (75 lbs) , chairs , grill , generator, clothes, food , liquids can’t exceed 400 lbs to be at you maximum payload capacity.

The Lexus IS a luxury SUV. A very nice one. However it’s transmission, rear axle, brakes, are not set up for it to be a tow vehicle. It’s a nice people mover. As far a tow perfectly without sway , just taking down the road in perfect conditions is not really a good estimator or how it would perform in challenging conditions such as a blowout, cross winds, accident avoidance. Vehicles at the top of PAYLOAD CAPACITY are not as adept as ones under it. Towing capacity means nothing . They all have it.

Take this combo up some hills, or foothills, I think you’ll see it struggles. Then come down the hill with a vehicle
Set up for people moving. I believe it will struggle. I know this won’t be a popular opinion, others will say they’ve done similar for years. But that isn’t a predictor for the one time you must call on the rig in an emergency.

Your fine, in optimum conditions, though you’ll wear the Lexus out, but personally I would not have piece of mind in the emergency situation,

**rmaly76** · 04-14-2021, 05:02 PM

towing over a vehicles stated capacity is always more risky than towing at the upper end of vehichle stated capactity is always more riskey than towing well under the vehicle stated capacity is always more risky than towing nothing is always more risky than not driving at all. being within the stated limits will at least check off one thing a lawyer can pin to you in an accident but even that, a good lawyer will pin you as at fault or not depending on which side you are on and which lawyer you have. stated limits of all you equipment is really the only objective information to base a decision on, everything else is just subjective opinion. I will indeed value those opinions that come from more experience but always end up making my own risk assessment in the end. welcome to the forum and your introduction to the number one hot button issue that will always elicit the most responses. ask about your tire trailers next. Haha.

**rmaly76** · 04-14-2021, 05:08 PM

Also, I can assure you that if you are truly driving 61 mph, you are giving yourself a margin of safety that I have not seen in more than 90% of the travel trailers on the road. I know this towing my camper at 60-65mph, being passed by everyone and passing no one.

**M&Lcamping** · 04-25-2021, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by NB Canada

Yes you are correct. The TW is added to the tow vehicle but the gvwr of the trailer is the complete weight of the unhooked trailer

2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

Agree!! @NB Canada

**GaryS1964** · 04-25-2021, 06:27 PM

Since I have a 17MKE I'll add my two cents worth. I noticed in a couple of threads the TW was listed using the factory brochure weight of 480 lbs. So I would ask if you have weighed it with a TW scale? I did and fully loaded for a trip it was 960 lbs. I have since moved a couple of items to the truck bed to lower the TW. My truck has a cargo capacity of 1741 lbs per the door sticker. Subtract 960 lbs TW and that leaves 781 lbs for the wife and I and anything else we want to carry in the truck.

Point is don't assume you know your TW unless you have weighed it with a TW scale. The other point I would make is you are towing very close to your max capacity. There is a lot of opinions on this subject but from what I've read it is best to tow at 80% or less of tow capacity. I'm not familiar with the east living out here in California where steep grades are common. Being able to pull a trailer up a steep hill is one thing but being able to safely take it down a steep hill is another. Trucks generally have larger brakes and Tow/Haul mode which assists in descending a steep hill. I would suggest you take your unloaded trailer to the longest steepest grade you can find even if it means driving 50 or 100 miles and see how it handles going up and down. If it struggles at all it will only get worse when you are loaded for a trip with your family onboard. If it struggles going downhill I wouldn't even consider towing with it.

Other considerations are added engine oil and transmission fluid cooling capacity. There are after market units that can be added to many vehicles but I don't know if a Lexus is one of them.

That's my two cents worth and it's worth exactly what you paid for it.

So good luck and have fun.

**NB Canada** · 04-25-2021, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by GaryS1964

Since I have a 17MKE I'll add my two cents worth. I noticed in a couple of threads the TW was listed using the factory brochure weight of 480 lbs. So I would ask if you have weighed it with a TW scale? I did and fully loaded for a trip it was 960 lbs. I have since moved a couple of items to the truck bed to lower the TW. My truck has a cargo capacity of 1741 lbs per the door sticker. Subtract 960 lbs TW and that leaves 781 lbs for the wife and I and anything else we want to carry in the truck.

Point is don't assume you know your TW unless you have weighed it with a TW scale. The other point I would make is you are towing very close to your max capacity. There is a lot of opinions on this subject but from what I've read it is best to tow at 80% or less of tow capacity. I'm not familiar with the east living out here in California where steep grades are common. Being able to pull a trailer up a steep hill is one thing but being able to safely take it down a steep hill is another. Trucks generally have larger brakes and Tow/Haul mode which assists in descending a steep hill. I would suggest you take your unloaded trailer to the longest steepest grade you can find even if it means driving 50 or 100 miles and see how it handles going up and down. If it struggles at all it will only get worse when you are loaded for a trip with your family onboard. If it struggles going downhill I wouldn't even consider towing with it.

Other considerations are added engine oil and transmission fluid cooling capacity. There are after market units that can be added to many vehicles but I don't know if a Lexus is one of them.

That's my two cents worth and it's worth exactly what you paid for it.

So good luck and have fun.

Why would you remove gear to lighten the TW just to put that stuff in the TV?
That doesn’t change your payload issues
Heavy TW is a good thing

And I don’t why people keep using this random 80 percent margin???
Where did that come from?
Manufacturers do extensive towing tests on vehicles in all driving conditions
There would be plenty 3/4 tons and big 3500s that are not using “80 percent margins”

2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew

**GaryS1964** · 04-26-2021, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by NB Canada

Why would you remove gear to lighten the TW just to put that stuff in the TV?
That doesn’t change your payload issues
Heavy TW is a good thing

It was my understanding that tongue weight was supposed to be between 10% and 15% of trailer weight. At 960 lbs tongue weight I would be at 15% of my trailers GVWR. However the actual weight of my trailer when loaded is less than the GVWR which means my tongue weight actually exceeds 15% of my trailer weight. I don't have a payload problem with my truck so by moving a couple of heavy items from the pass through to the truck bed I get my tongue weight back in the 10% to 15% of trailer weight range and I'm still under my trucks payload capacity.

As far as towing at or below 80% of towing capacity it's just a number that seems to get repeated most often. Some consider it a safety margin. Personally I decided that my Tacoma would not safely handle the 17MKE even though it's tow capacity was 6400 lbs so I bought the F150. Provides me with peace of mind. Everyone has to make that decision for themselves.

**NB Canada** · 04-26-2021, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by GaryS1964

As far as towing at or below 80% of towing capacity it's just a number that seems to get repeated most often. Some consider it a safety margin.

So there isn’t an article just what roams the inter webs
I feel manufacturer’s already consider a “safety margin” in their capacities since posting a rating that is a “breaking point” would likely lead to litigation

2021 Imagine 2400 BH
2018 GMC Sierra 4x4 crew