I am thinking about getting a utility trailer to haul around an ATV (sometimes 2 ATVs) on a few trips per year (approx 5 trips).
I am wondering if the 2012 Toyota RAV4 (2WD, 4 cylinder) is capable? Is this safe? Will this cause damage?
Approximate weight of (1) ATV, gear, misc: 1,000 lbs
Approximate weight of (2) ATVs, gear, misc: 2,000lbs
Vehicle specs per Toyota:
Max tow capacity: 1,500 lbs
Max tongue weight: 150 lbs
Aftermarket Hitch kit specs per manufacturer:
Max gross trailer wight: 4,500 lbs
Max tongue weight: 675 lbs
Trailer specs per manufacturer:
Size: 6'x12'
Load capacity: 2,010 lbs
Axle: 3,500 lbs
Coupler: 2"
Ball: 2"
Weight rating: 2,990 lbs
Thank you in advance for your insight.
RAV4 Towing Questions
- Thread starter lancerplayer
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Get a Toyota pickup if you are really thinking of much towing. A Rav4 is nice but its a Mom's car not a towing rig.
Its geared awfully tall for towing. It has a hard time getting to 60 in two gears unladen.
How far are you going?
Any big hills or mountains?
What altitude?
As I look out at a pile of rusted Taco frames up the roof at Hurlburt Toyota.
Taco = toy truck. Maybe appropriate for Thom Thumb.
Sorry Owned a couple - Hated 'em.
Now go and trash me.
Only decent small truck was the early 80's S-10 and The Ranger.
Originally Posted by ARCOgraphite
Its geared awfully tall for towing. It has a hard time getting to 60 in two gears unladen.
How far are you going?
Any big hills or mountains?
What altitude?
You can tow one ATV with a very light(Aluminum) 500 lb trailer.
I think you needed the V6 RAV4 with towing package to safely tow a pair of ATV's. I know these can tow likely 3500 lbs given the trailer I borrow from a V6 RAV4 owner.
Wow . I dont know man.
I thought towing a small boat 100 miles up to the lakes was a big deal.
Out of my league.
I would demur ....
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I don't have any experience but my engineer logic say it is not good.
It is probably can be done but it will probably cause a lot of wear and tear to the car especially it is only a 4 cylinder and 2WD vehicle.
Looking at the spec for Toyota, Max is 1500lbs.
Keyword "Max", so as a general rule of thumb, you need to divide that by 2 to get average of 750 lbs.
So, the 750 lbs is really your limit which is still well below 1000 lbs just for the ATV.
You said the ATV is 1000 lbs for 1 of them not including the trailer.
I suppose you can put the ATV on top of the trailer and put it on a scale and see how much they weigh together.
As I said, I can be wrong but this is just a simple engineering reasoning.
Originally Posted by JMJNet
I don't have any experience but my engineer logic say it is not good.
It is probably can be done but it will probably cause a lot of wear and tear to the car especially it is only a 4 cylinder and 2WD vehicle.
Looking at the spec for Toyota, Max is 1500lbs.
Keyword "Max", so as a general rule of thumb, you need to divide that by 2 to get average of 750 lbs.
So, the 750 lbs is really your limit which is still well below 1000 lbs just for the ATV.
You said the ATV is 1000 lbs for 1 of them not including the trailer.
I suppose you can put the ATV on top of the trailer and put it on a scale and see how much they weigh together.
As I said, I can be wrong but this is just a simple engineering reasoning.
What is the tow rating overseas? I bet it's high enough "over there". But "over there" towing speeds are lower, and they run lower tongue weight. Both work hand in hand to lead to sketchiness, but technically it can be done.
5 trips a year? Every other month? What kind of miles are driving outside of that? I feel like this is on the edge of "just buy a bigger/better vehicle and eat the mpg the rest of the time". Something with 3,500lb towing.
Now if this is something you already own, well I'd try at least once. Leave it out of overdrive, and drop it into 2nd on hills. High rpm isn't evil. It's good for the trans if anything, keeps the TC in a low slippage region. If you don't have a trans cooler then I'd definitely add one though. I'm going to guess the rear is going to squat with any amount of weight, so airbags would probably be a second mod. The I4's had a different trans than the V6's, and they all had different coil springs in the suspension--but "frame" etc are all the same, and the V6 was rated to 3,500. I think they all had the same brakes... which is the third point. If you were doing just 1 ATV, you would probably be fine without trailer brakes. IIRC the manual says to use trailer brakes above 1,500lb across Toyota's manuals (might 1,000lb). But with all these miles you probably should be looking at trailer brakes.
As always, speed is your friend. Err, lack thereof I should say.
No way I would tow 3,000lbs with a 4cy 2012 Rav 4.
Have done a lot of towing of various weights and vehicles, and we had one of those in the family (mom's company car a while). It was a marginal performer with two adults in it. The braking and frame dynamics would make me scared of its stability when towing something approaching its own curb weight.
A word of warning-WV has MANDATORY trailer brakes, so you'll need a controller & trailer equipped with electric brakes (guessing no surge brake trailers with 3500 axles).
Originally Posted by lancerplayer
I am wondering if the 2012 Toyota RAV4 (2WD, 4 cylinder) is capable? Is this safe? Will this cause damage?
![[Linked Image]](http://www.fototime.com/E47BC52B0E64709/large.jpg)
I suggest renting a pickup truck for the 5 trips.
I would not be comfortable towing that weight with the RAV4.
No, two ATVs is too heavy, and really the RAV4 no matter the engine is too short and light to put weight on the back half of a 12' trailer and use it on hilly (and thus twisty) routes.
I too would rent a pickup truck.
FWIW,
You can read it yourself.
https://chuxtrux.com/n-101-towing-104-determining-towing-capacity-needed.html
If you insist, you can try hooking the trailer and see if the RAV4 can even stay flat?
If not, then the trailer is too heavy.
Be careful to not tip the RAV4, LOL!!!
I'd probably be dumb enough to do it. If it's on a trailer the affect of the weight on the rear suspension is that of a few hefty friends. I think those had a 4AT, just lock out OD and call it a day.
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