Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

[ricohman]

What do you fellows think of using a Toyota Highlander to tow my 22.5ft Starcraft Islander?
It only dropped the rear of the Toyota 3-4 inches. I am going to save a ton of gas not using my truck.

 

[briangcc]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

To me, that looks like too much boat for your Highlander. I personally wouldn't do it as it appears unsafe.

According to the specs off Toyota's website, the 2012 4WD V6 Highlander can tow 5000lbs IF it has the HD radiator as part of a package (I'm guessing this is a towing/hauling package that includes AC as that usually includes a larger radiator). You don't mention the specs on your Highlander - year, engine, options, etc. Also that drop is fairly significant. Remember, it may drop your rear by 3-4" but your front end is going to go up 3-4" which can affect your steering (or lack there of).

What's the current weight of your 22' boat? I'm guestimating my 19'6" '05 Four Winns at somewhere near 5000 lbs loaded. If yours is anywhere near that, you're at/exceeding your tow limit which isn't advisable.

I'd recommend getting the entire rig, fully loaded - gas, safety gear, etc - to a public scale and get it weighed. Then you will know if you are outside the capabilities of your Highlander.


Also, just because the Highlander gets better mileage than your truck unloaded, your mileage may be same or worse when pulling that load. Due to lower HP/Torque, you may spend more time in the higher RPM range of that engine. Higher RPM's mean higher temps. Higher temps can cause premature engine failure.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

According to nadaguides that boat only weighs 1800lbs? (plus trailer, fuel, etc) Sounds like it is well under 3000lbs total?

 

[JB]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

Make, model and other subjective data are worthless.

You need the numbers: weight of trailer, tow rating of your Toyota as equipped.

 

[ewscroggins]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

The Highlander might have plenty of power to pull it, but what it most likely lacks is stopping power. When it comes down to it, the Highlander just is not meant to pull anything bigger than a small utility trailer.

 

[lrak]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

The Highlander just is not meant to pull anything bigger than a small utility trailer.

Source?

 

[sbbamafan]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

My boat is 20' and weighs +/- 4,200# including trailer, gas, etc. Your boat is likely pushing 5,000# if not more. No offense intended but whoever said your boat is 1800 is waaaaaay off. Plus yours is on a tandem trailer, even much more weight than my single axle.

The Highlander in your picture is 2007 or older. I have a 2006 Highlander. None of the Highlanders of that body style were rated more than 3,500#. Now - I have pulled mine about 1/8 of a mile a few times a year, but never any more and I would not recommend it. Basicly I use mine as a dolly to move to a hose / vacuum to clean it up periodically. Given the size of your boat I would not try to get it on the road at any kind of speed...simply way too much boat.

 

[sbbamafan]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

I just found this:
http://www.stampersboatbarn.com/StarcraftIslander.htm

It shows 'towed weight' with standard power as 3,760#. I assume this is not inclusive of the trailer weight which I would bet is +/- 1500 which puts you at about 5,200#. Add another 100 to 200# if yours has a bigger engine. Agian - no way with a Highlander.

 

[oregoncruiser]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

Biggest question is why? If you have a better tow rig, why chance it trying to save a couple bucks on gas.

 

[CC245]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

I think you will get beter gas mileage with your truck. Don't you have an F-250 or F-350? If the Highlander has a v6 it will be working to hard to get beter gas mileage than your truck.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

I just found this:
http://www.stampersboatbarn.com/StarcraftIslander.htm

It shows 'towed weight' with standard power as 3,760#. I assume this is not inclusive of the trailer weight which I would bet is +/- 1500 which puts you at about 5,200#. Add another 100 to 200# if yours has a bigger engine. Agian - no way with a Highlander.

3760 would be on the trailer with the engine - which is an I/O. The thing you are missing is that it is an aluminum boat, not a fiberglass boat.

 

[ewscroggins]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

Prior experiance. Owned an 06' and I asked the dealership about towing. Was told that while it can, it shouldn't.

 

[ewscroggins]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

I think you will get beter gas mileage with your truck. Don't you have an F-250 or F-350? If the Highlander has a v6 it will be working to had to get beter gas mileage than your truck.

Exactly, my boat is only a 15' Fiberglass and im sure my wife's Xterra can pull it just fine, at 10mpg down the highway. But I can pull it with my F-250 and not even make it work and get a steady 12mpg at highway speed. It seems that to often people try and haul with their small SUV simply because it can, but if one were to take a step back and really look at it, they would see that its costly to the vehicle in the long run. They are just not meant to tow heavy loads for very long or very often.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

What a coincidence when I saw this thread. As I was reading the thread I was laughing with posters giving their opinions without knowing that the Islander is aluminum!

I 've been towing my 1000 lb rig for past 5 seasons with my 4 cylinder Saab with no issues. But I'm always aware that it's not the pulling it's the stopping! so I leave plenty of room between me and the car in front of me.

Your tandem trailer I'm sure has it's own braking system (mine does not). But as others have said if you have a truck anyway why would you ever opt for the Highlander. Could also be a liabillity issue if you were invloved in a traffic accident and the other insurance company claims you're tow vechicle was inadequate. It will probably get worse mileage as its going to struggle pulling 3500 plus pounds. As others have said, probably closer to 5000 with weight of the trailer.

I say coinciidence because I have been in the market for a 22 Starcraft Islander with O/B bracket model, which I'll probably mount the 200 Verado. I like the reliability and low maintenance of an O/B. This set up might be lighter than the I/O as Im not willing to give up the deck space either. And I'm buying my Son's 2010 Highlander 6 cyl with tow package when his lease is up next year.

I'm going to keep the Islander in a marina each season on a different waterway. So the only towing will be a few times a season back and forth to the marina with the Highlander.

I'll still keep the Lund for trailering to farther out lakes. I have no interest in ever owning a truck, so this is why I like the Islander and it's 3500 lb weight

Here is a quote off another forum where a poster was pondering the same thing as I was regarding towing an Islander.

"Anyway I have my eye on a Starcraft Islander 221 BRKT fishing boat. It's quite long 24.5 feet but according to my calculations ought to weigh in at about 3777 lbs trailered. That includes a 150 Merc OB Engine and a full 52 gal tank of gas and as far as I can surmise a 4 wheel dual axel trailer. It is an all aluminum boat. If it was fiberglass and that long we'd be talking 5000-6000 lbs towing weight".

 

[ricohman]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

When I posted this thread I was sure I'd get a few responses, but I was joking, sort of.
I was using the Highlander to move the Islander around as my F350 was hitched up to my flat deck with an FJ40 in tow for a trip to the Black Hills of S.D.
I was gone for the week and I had a great trip. But I did take that little Highlander and the Islander in tow to the local scale and on a highway run. This little thing has more than enough power to move the Islander and the trailer brakes are more than adequate for stopping. The thing that concerns me is the transmission, or the heat generated even with a cooler. I am going to use my truck but if push came to shove I think this little suv could get the job done in a pinch, but it is obviously not suited to towing such a large boat. The mirrors are too small and there is sway in the wind. And I would definately have to use my weight distributing hitch to put some of the weight on the front axle, but the hitch alone is another 120lbs.
The scale was closed so I don't know what the Islander weighs. And I don't know if the Highlander could drag the boat out of a slippery launch even in 4wd.
Has anyone actually weighed one similar to mine?
Pics of my adventure with my son.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Toyota Highlander and 22.5 ft boat?

Even if it could pull it, the problem with SUVs like the Highlander is that the rear suspension is not designed to deal with the tongue weight of the trailer. You will have a more or less heavy level of sag and a continuous bounding motion from the trailer. In SUVs with coil springs and a rear live axle you can add airbags which help level the rear end. With a strut suspension such as the Highlander and Pilot use, there is nothing you can do but use a WD hitch.