Picked up this Taylor Coach trailer today

[Mavster Mechanic]

How did you drive through all of the Hawaiian islands? Just joking.

Rental cars. With damage waiver.

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[710-oil-614]

^Funny story.

I've towed the steepest grades North America has to offer.

Spent half my life in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah.
Driven through all 50 states.
Two-Thirds of Canada.
One-Tenth of Mexico.
So like the song, I've been everywhere, man!

I gained years of experience in various vehicles before the Maverick came along. But I've towed more than most have with my Maverick.

It's my daily driver so appreciate the MPG. But I take long vacations with my toy hauler behind my Maverick to some of the most remote spots imaginable. Well, no trailblazing. 95% pavement and 5% dirt road.

You have to know your equipment, and your skill level. Take it easy. Don't get over confident.

Yup exactly. I know my equipment, the road, my skill level towing, the road - and I’m not over confident.

The isn’t the truck to bring a 3k lb trailer down that mountain.

 

[Grabber Rick]

Thakks but it really won’t be fine and not by a wide margin.

If you aren’t from the mountains you don’t understand the ass puckering moments these “roads” produce.

Can't you use the low button while decending the mountain?

 

[Grabber Rick]

Happy to say my FWD hybrid Maverick pulled this like a champ. Its a bit over 1,600lbs empty so will be going light on gear and not filling water tank to tow.

What size is your Taylor Coach? I been checking them out on Youtube.

 

[710-oil-614]

Can't you use the low button while decending the mountain?

Sure can. Won’t make a difference.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

You need the truck plus skills.

 

[710-oil-614]

You need the truck plus skills.

More than happy to let you hook the camper up to your Maverick and take it down the mountain.

I bet you'll step aside long before you actually attempt it.

You need the right tool for the job period.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

There are some impossible conditions. No doubt.

A truck and 5k trailer on a 25% grade standing still has zero momentum.
Has potential energy, but zero kinetic energy.

The brakes, firmly applied, will hold the rig stationary, assuming you have traction, IE not on ice, snow, loose gravel, etc.

Let it roll 2 mph and you've got a little kinetic energy. But less than the truck without trailer would have at highway speed. If the empty / light truck can stop at highway speed, it can stop the 5k trailer at 2 mph.

And at 5 mph. And probably 10 mph.

At some speed, the kinetic energy of the truck-trailer combo will match the kinetic energy of an empty / light truck on the highway. Still safe, provided traction is there. It might be 25 MPH. It might be 35 MPH.

But if you have a private or semi-private driveway, a driveway you can keep it at walking speeds going down, it should be very do-able, unless on very low traction conditions.

Can you post some photos of your impossible condition? I'd genuinely like to see what you're talking about.

I've moved a 7xxx lb trailer UP a (guessing) 8% dirt and weed trail with my Hybrid Maverick. At walking speeds. For a quarter mile. Just had to get it out of the way to make room for other stuff.

 

[Derwood]

What size is your Taylor Coach? I been checking them out on Youtube.

16'. My hybrid tows it easily I dont even hit 50 percent power unless going up a very steep hill...then I just back it off and slow down a mite to keep it under that number. I switch out of tow/haul mode for brief periods when on flat terrain too.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

16'. My hybrid tows it easily I dont even hit 50 percent power unless going up a very steep hill...then I just back it off and slow down a mite to keep it under that number. I switch out of tow/haul mode for brief periods when on flat terrain too.

I towed my 3k high profile trailer about 80 miles today.

I can say FOR SURE the FWD is the weakest link.

I was on good asphalt mountain road for part of it that had 1200 foot gain in 1 mile.
I think that's a 22% grade.

FWD hybrid did just fine.
Plenty of HP.
Plenty of torque.
HV battery was 50% SOC and holding steady.

Due to hairpin turns and switchbacks, the road was posted 30 MPH with 15 MPH hairpins.

I got new Hankook Kinergy ST tires only about 4 weeks ago.

But I was getting some wheel chirp coming out of those 15 MPH hairpins trying to accelerate back up to 25 MPH.

Engine RPM was a pretty mild 3000-3200. I have a add on tach.

All I wished for was more tires.

Tow / Haul mode going up and down hills. Normal or Eco on flats nets a little better MPG. I switch too depending on the road.

 

[Mavster Mechanic]

I towed my 3k high profile trailer about 80 miles today.

I can say FOR SURE the FWD is the weakest link.

I was on good asphalt mountain road for part of it that had 1200 foot gain in 1 mile.
I think that's a 22% grade.

FWD hybrid did just fine.
Plenty of HP.
Plenty of torque.
HV battery was 50% SOC and holding steady.

Due to hairpin turns and switchbacks, the road was posted 30 MPH with 15 MPH hairpins.

I got new Hankook Kinergy ST tires only about 4 weeks ago.

But I was getting some wheel chirp coming out of those 15 MPH hairpins trying to accelerate back up to 25 MPH.

Engine RPM was a pretty mild 3000-3200. I have a add on tach.

All I wished for was more tires.

Tow / Haul mode going up and down hills. Normal or Eco on flats nets a little better MPG. I switch too depending on the road.

Coming down the 22% I used tow mode and L and brake pedal and kept it 20MPH and under. Was in full control.

 

[Derwood]

I towed my 3k high profile trailer about 80 miles today.

I can say FOR SURE the FWD is the weakest link.

I was on good asphalt mountain road for part of it that had 1200 foot gain in 1 mile.
I think that's a 22% grade.

FWD hybrid did just fine.
Plenty of HP.
Plenty of torque.
HV battery was 50% SOC and holding steady.

Due to hairpin turns and switchbacks, the road was posted 30 MPH with 15 MPH hairpins.

I got new Hankook Kinergy ST tires only about 4 weeks ago.

But I was getting some wheel chirp coming out of those 15 MPH hairpins trying to accelerate back up to 25 MPH.

Engine RPM was a pretty mild 3000-3200. I have a add on tach.

All I wished for was more tires.

Tow / Haul mode going up and down hills. Normal or Eco on flats nets a little better MPG. I switch too depending on the road.

So you towed 3K with FWD hybrid? Thats impressive. No doubt the "official" towing limit of 2,000lbs is conservative but personal preference made me cautious and I waited for the right trailer to come up for sale since I started looking last summer. Finally found one that checks off all the boxes for my wife and I. We dont go camping, we go glamping. Lol

 

[Escapologist]

Happy to say my FWD hybrid Maverick pulled this like a champ. Its a bit over 1,600lbs empty so will be going light on gear and not filling water tank to tow.

What happened to the last one? Too much of a project? If it was a Sprite, I suspect you found the window seals were bad and unobtanium, and it was hard to get screens in it, and some of the euro fixtures and fittings were a PITA. They are a bit of a challenge to put right even in old Blighty from whence they came.

 

[First Sergeant]

Coming down the 22% I used tow mode and L and brake pedal and kept it 20MPH and under. Was in full control.

You are 100% correct on your advice! You could have worked for the railroad as a locomotive engineer in mountain grade territory! I ran coal trains down the continental divide into Denver for over 22 years. Same exact principle! Speed, weight and grade are critical. Curves and switchbacks in the tracks actually help keep speed down on a train (curve bind). You can hear curve bind if in a vehicle at a crossing. That is the screeching noise from the wheels. The have a solid axle and the wheels all turn the same speed on the curves. The straight areas of a mile or so were difficult at times. Anyway, this is a doable situation for Derwood.

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