Towing question

hbmus027

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Apr 27, 2017
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2
Anyone with some experience, I would love your thoughts.

I am thinking about a new boat. Total package weight (boat, motor, trailer) is 1260, lets round off to 1300 to account for a full tank of gas.

I want to tow with a 2008 Toyota Sienna. For reasons I wont' get into, the 2008 sienna towing capacity is controversial, so I will need to make some judgement calls. It is rated to tow either 1200 pounds, or 3500 pounds, depending on whether it has the to package, which is basically an oil cooler. I bought the van used, and because of the controversy, it seems that no one can give me an educated answer as to whether or not I have the tow package.

The specs on the sienna are: FWD, 3.6L 266HP, and weighs just over 4000 pounds.

This is where the judgement comes in. Do you think I'll be ok to tow my 1300 (gross trailer weight) pound boat behind my Sienna? I'm mostly concerned with how it will do on the boat ramp. Cruising on the hwy, it will be easy to keep an eye on the engine temperature. But I have heard stories about dumb asses trying to pull too much boat that get pulled back at the boat ramp. My logic says I'll be OK, but my experience is limited, so I figured I'd get some second opinions.

Thanks,
Ben
 

Horigan

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Your main concern is your transmission fluid temp, which is what the oil cooler is for. Look for a small heat exchanger (mini radiator) mounted in front of the left front wheel that is plumbed to your transmission. You can see it from the open hood. If you have that, you have the tow package.

You should be OK either way if you're not going over a lot of mountain passes.
 

Alumarine

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Feb 22, 2005
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3,684
Welcome. I googled 2008 Sienna tow capacity and wow, what a schmozzle.
It does seem like it's the engine oil cooler that's needed. The trans cooling probably goes through the rad.

Myself I would do it unless perhaps I was going through the mountains or other steep grades in hot weather.
Even then if you have a good feeling/understanding of your drivetrain then that might not be a problem.
Synthetic oil would help a bit.

The ramp is not going to be the problem. That's a very short term event.

You can get an OBII reader and an app for an android phone for $20 all in that will keep track of both temps.

How much towing do plan on doing?

Good luck!
 

charleso

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Here are two other things to keep in mind. The weight ratings for towing is ALL weight. This would include passengers, fuel, etc. in the vehicle. The other issue is going to be stopping the load. Mini vans are just not the ideal tow vehicle. Consider these issues along with considering the roads you will be towing on and the ramps you will be towing out of. A couple of years ago, I attempted to help a gentleman at a relatively flat boat ramp one evening. Instead of using his pickup, he used his wife's suv. The vehicle rolled back on him when he put it in park on the ramp and locked the transmission. I even tried using the emergency release(the shifter locked out, wouldn't allow trans out of or into any gear). He eventually had to have a tow truck pull him forward enough to get it to release to get it to shift back into drive. Ruined what was supposed to be a afternoon of leisure with his family.
 

Maranvin

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Jan 29, 2017
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How often will u tow? How's the ramp u use, is it in good shape or slimey? I'd personally try it and have another vehicle with tow straps ready if I got stuck. Bring the vehicle a dealer if no one else can help u determine the tow package.
 

bigdee

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Yes you will be fine. No you do not need a transmission cooler. Avoid jack rabbit starts and use a little common sense.
 

Bayou Dave

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Here are two other things to keep in mind. The weight ratings for towing is ALL weight. This would include passengers, fuel, etc. in the vehicle. The other issue is going to be stopping the load. Mini vans are just not the ideal tow vehicle. Consider these issues along with considering the roads you will be towing on and the ramps you will be towing out of. A couple of years ago, I attempted to help a gentleman at a relatively flat boat ramp one evening. Instead of using his pickup, he used his wife's suv. The vehicle rolled back on him when he put it in park on the ramp and locked the transmission. I even tried using the emergency release(the shifter locked out, wouldn't allow trans out of or into any gear). He eventually had to have a tow truck pull him forward enough to get it to release to get it to shift back into drive. Ruined what was supposed to be a afternoon of leisure with his family.


The vehicle rolled back on him when he put it in park on the ramp and locked the transmission.

That is why I always put the emergency brake on first, then put the trans in park. Then put the trans in Drive and release the emergency brake to pull up the ramp. Never got the trans locked doing it that way.
 

charleso

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Nov 13, 2006
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179
Exactly the reason ALWAYS set the e-brake. And put the vehicle in gear before I disengage it.
 

charleso

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Saw someone roll back on a boat ramp on the Suwanee River in Florida, the trailer tires rolled off the end of the ramp, truck was so far in the water, the exhaust was completely underwater. Tow truck had to hook a cable up to trailer, they pulled truck out, then had to use a larger tow truck to lift the trailer out. That guy learned an EXPENSIVE leason.
 

Alumarine

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Here are two other things to keep in mind. The weight ratings for towing is ALL weight. This would include passengers, fuel, etc. in the vehicle.
Not correct. If that were true if you had a 1200 lb tow capacity and hooked up a 1200 lb trailer then you wouldn't be able to get in the vehicle to drive it.

A couple of years ago, I attempted to help a gentleman at a relatively flat boat ramp one evening. Instead of using his pickup, he used his wife's suv. The vehicle rolled back on him when he put it in park on the ramp and locked the transmission.
This can happen to any vehicle with an automatic, which is why you should set the ebrake first.
It has nothing to do with suv's or vans, it has to do with the load on the parking pawl.
 

fhhuber

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There's a simple "redneck" way to get the boat trailer up when it drops off the lip of a concrete boat ramp....

Put some weights on a rope and toss it back off the boat. Pull one end of the rope up on each side of the boat just behind of where you expect the back of the tires to be. You should now be able to haul the trailer up using the boat to lift it.

Small, light trailers this is obviously easier than larger heavy ones... but it usually doesn't take much lift to get the tires where they can roll up and over the lip of the concrete.
 

bigdee

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There's a simple "redneck" way to get the boat trailer up when it drops off the lip of a concrete boat ramp....

Put some weights on a rope and toss it back off the boat. Pull one end of the rope up on each side of the boat just behind of where you expect the back of the tires to be. You should now be able to haul the trailer up using the boat to lift it.

Small, light trailers this is obviously easier than larger heavy ones... but it usually doesn't take much lift to get the tires where they can roll up and over the lip of the concrete.

x2^^^^ 2" ratchet straps work good for this.....lift the trailer up easy using ratchet.
 

muskyfins

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1300 pounds is a small fishing rig. I wouldn't hesitate assuming the van is in good mechanical condition. The main points are using the e-brake on the ramp and driving with some common sense. Take it a little easy. Keep to 55 on the highway.
 

bruceb58

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Get an OBD2 reader and read transmission temps to see if you want to add an additional transmission cooler. Personally, I would add one anyway. I have a friend who tows with his Honda Odyssey. He added a transmission cooler even though it came with one in the radiator. The ones in the radiator are fine if you never plan to tow.
 

bruceb58

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Not correct. If that were true if you had a 1200 lb tow capacity and hooked up a 1200 lb trailer then you wouldn't be able to get in the vehicle to drive it.
That's how Toyota specs the vehicle. The 1200 comes out after the GCVW is used after subtracting a normal load inside the vehicle.
 

Leardriver

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Remember those 16 foot Bayliners in the 80's with the 85 HP Force engine? About 1500 total weight with trailer. After 5 years of towing it with an '86 Honda Accord carb model with 98 hp, up and down the mountains of Colorado, I got a 1993 Altima with 150 hp. It towed it even more beautifully.

A dirt bike three rail trailer with three bikes on it is 1200 pounds, and you could tow that with a Geo Metro.
 

H20Rat

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Here are two other things to keep in mind. The weight ratings for towing is ALL weight. This would include passengers, fuel, etc. in the vehicle.


Full size trucks are usually rated like this. Smaller passenger vehicles are almost never rated like that, and include an allowance for passengers. (since that the vehicles primary purpose.)
 

bruceb58

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Full size trucks are usually rated like this. Smaller passenger vehicles are almost never rated like that, and include an allowance for passengers. (since that the vehicles primary purpose.)
charleso is correct.

My suggestion is actually READ the owners manual for the vehicle in question.

Start reading at page 210
https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/docu...f/OM08007U.pdf

example:
Confirm that the gross trailer weight, gross combination weight, gross
vehicle weight, gross axle weight and tongue weight are all within the
limits.

GCWR

2WD models: 8900 lb. (4037 kg)
AWD models: 8990 lb. (4078 kg
 

Alumarine

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charleso is correct.

My suggestion is actually READ the owners manual for the vehicle in question.

Start reading at page 210
https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/docu...f/OM08007U.pdf

example:
That pdf manual looks like it's for the 2017 sienna,

This is the 2008 manual https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/docu...f/OM45455U.pdf


On page 446 it says
Towing capacity:
Without towing package
544 kg (1200 Ib.)
With towing package
1587 kg (3500 Ib.)
Towing capacity means the maximum
gross trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo weight) that your vehicle is
able to tow.
 
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bruceb58

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That pdf manual looks like it's for the 2017 sienna,

This is the 2008 manual https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/docu...f/OM45455U.pdf


On page 446 it says
Towing capacity:
Without towing package
544 kg (1200 Ib.)
With towing package
1587 kg (3500 Ib.)
Towing capacity means the maximum
gross trailer weight (trailer weight plus
its cargo weight) that your vehicle is
able to tow.
Yes, they changed the ratings. However, If you have no cargo, the trailer weight is AS specified. You said in your other post that you had to subtract the weight of the occupants which is NOT true. In 2008, they have a seating capacity as well which is equal to 150lbs times then number of seats.

Read starting page 446 of the owners manual.

Page 458 has the gross combined vehicle weight which is slightly less than the 2017 model. The difference in curb weight of the two model years is the difference.
 
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