I plan to tow a boat, its about 6000 pounds wet and loaded. Anyone see any issues with that? Would there be a difference towing with a Premium + Vs. an Overtrail +? I am leaning towards the Premium + model and thought maybe the Overtrail may be better for towing with all the additional mechanical features. Thoughts?
Towing a Boat?
- Thread starter Sixgun95
- Start date
That's a good question. I would think the premium + would be better for towing. I figured the suspension would be softer with the Overtrail models making it better for off-road use.
We know the Luxury trims will be heavier from the start reducing trailer load capacity. IMO, towing comes down to 3 key areas: 1/Drivetrain 2/Chassis 3/Suspension. Let's assume for now the drivetrain is identical including all engine and transmission cooling, etc. We also suspect the Chassis itself is identical. Although this is not a foregone conclusion! According to sources, there is a combination of welded plate reinforcements, braces, and structural adhesives used to tune the TNGA-F frame and GX body. These "could" vary, but let's assume they are the same for a minute. That leaves the suspension. The suspension also needs to include the wheels, tires, and brakes. I have not seen a peep about the brake sizes yet. I will say I would rather be able to stop a 6k load than start one! We DO know that Luxury trims have 22" wheels and low profile rubber. Often this play a role in how manufactures rate tow capacity. For example, a tire for the 22" might lose as much as ~300lbs of load rating each, so there is 1200lbs. Now the Premium and Overtrail have an 8k rating, so tires are not an issue. Now, we KNOW the suspension is different on Overtrails. Using e-KDSS is a BIG benefit, not only off road, but overall for design and performance. I swear I saw or read somewhere (for the life of me I cannot find the source now!) that the Overtrails have larger anti-roll bars than other models. (If someone can validate or correct me, please do!) That would make a lot of sense since you can improve on-road manners without having to sacrifice as much off road capability. That said...I do not think we can judge yet! I have towed my 6000lb boat with a Ford F-150 ecoboost and with a Cayenne GTS which both have V-6 turbo engines, and actually the Porsche felt better, even with low profile tires and a shorter wheelbase!! It even got 1 mpg better fuel economy over the same trip. Long winded way to say until someone actually tows with it, we will have NO idea 
Hey, but fun to speculate until we get our hands on them!!
Hey, but fun to speculate until we get our hands on them!!
Hey Gnoel! I dug a bit further on tires. The OT is using Toyo Open Country A/T III 265/70r18 tires and they have a load rating of at least 2756lbs. (Open Country A/T III | The All-Terrain Tires for Trucks, SUVs and CUVs). IF I try to compare the comparable Toyo Highway Tire (Highway All-season Tire for Light Truck and SUV | Open Country H/T II) for a 22" wheel with similar wheel width, load rating drops to 2403 lbs. Now, I do NOT know the exact tires and wheel widths for the Luxury trims, but such a tire change alone could justify the difference easily. The price you pay for those high end luxury looks!
I will also be towing a 6k setup (boat+trailer). I would consider waiting for the hybrid version but not if it diminishes tow capacity meaningfully. Although no one outside of Toyota knows with certainly what hybrid engine will end up in the GX550, I’m curious if one should expect a lower tow capacity in a hybrid setup?
I'm expecting a lower tow rating if it's the turbo 4 hybrid motor similar to the new Land Cruiser. Now if it's the hybrid V6 TT which I doubt, it should tow easily with the 9k+ lbs rating similar to the Sequoia and Tundra.
I pick up my Overtrail GX550 this Saturday. Anyone know the max tongue wt. these will handle? I put a 33 gallon fuel tank on the front of my Oliver Elite II travel trailer so I can have around a 550 mile range pulling it.
Good luck tomorrow getting your GX.
