CL21BHS and Highlander

[leslie]

I will double-check, but a mechanic who worked on it - changed oil, etc. told me it was 3.9L V-8. What do I know about this stuff? Nothing

[dontaknow]

We tow a 14DB with a '14 Highlander that has an overly optimistic 5,000 lb tow rating.  The highlander is a very comfortable family truckster when not towing the trailer.  And it is adequate for towing the 14DB, but I will soon be looking for something a little bigger like the new Ford Ranger, GM/C Canyon/Colorado, or Tacoma.  The highlander could probably tow an unloaded CL21; but you won't enjoy the drive, and the smart drivers on the road will be rushing to get away from you.  When shopping for a trailer last spring,  I calculated that a 3400 lb trailer weight/400 lb tongue weight was the maximum I would consider towing with a highlander carrying three passengers.  That criteria narrowed my search to either an rpod or small pre-2016 model camplite. 

[david]

Whipfinisher:

Good advice. I consider my 2013 Pathfinder (same size and specs as the Highlander) to be maxed out pulling a 16TBS.

David

[djsamuel]

[quote timestamp="1469529297" source="/post/23383/thread" author="@gbpack"]Leslie - No offense, but I think you have a V-6. I don't think FCA ever offered a V-8 under 5 liters, but I could be wrong. Check under the hood. If it is a V-8 then it will say so (in big writing) on top of the manifold.  [/quote]The only V8 Chrysler recently offered below 5L is the 4.7L V-8.  That is in my 2009 Ram and is a great engine.  However, once the Pentastar V6 came out, they dropped the 4.7L to concentrate on the Hemis.

[djsamuel]

[quote timestamp="1469552265" source="/post/23406/thread" author="@leslie"]I will double-check, but a mechanic who worked on it - changed oil, etc. told me it was 3.9L V-8. What do I know about this stuff? Nothing[/quote]The Grand Cherokee would be either a 3.6L V-6 or the 5.7L hemi V-8.

[leslie]

I know we have the smaller engine and the smaller limit for towing - 6,500 lbs

[jeanbenjaminl]

Thank you for your input!

The problem I have is that a would like to buy a camplite but I can't find a small one that can be towed by a suv and can accommodate a family of 5... That's why I was looking at the CL21BHS.

Let's hope livinlite bring back the 16bhb or some similar model!

Thanks!

[gnies]

[quote timestamp="1469726404" author="@jeanbenjaminl" source="/post/23478/thread"]Thank you for your input!

The problem I have is that a would like to buy a camplite but I can't find a small one that can be towed by a suv and can accommodate a family of 5... That's why I was looking at the CL21BHS.

Let's hope livinlite bring back the 16bhb or some similar model!

Thanks! [/quote]If you are a family of 5 there are chance you bring a lot of stuff if I were you I would be looking for a truck weight add up quickly!

[fasteddieb]

Since I was mentioned...

We now have about 11,000 miles experience towing a 21BHS behind a similar SUV - our 2011 Ford Flex bought used for use as a tow vehicle.

From a a recent trip south, at a friend's in Tallahassee:


As an aside, our 21BHS is our first travel trailer, so I don't really have any grounds for comparison. Just seemed similar enough to a Highlander to speak up!

[gbpack]

[quote source="/post/23478/thread" timestamp="1469726404" author="@jeanbenjaminl"]Thank you for your input!

The problem I have is that a would like to buy a camplite but I can't find a small one that can be towed by a suv and can accommodate a family of 5... That's why I was looking at the CL21BHS.

Let's hope livinlite bring back the 16bhb or some similar model!

Thanks! [/quote]
 As outlined above, you CAN find an SUV that is capable of pulling a 21' trailer, which is really what your need for a family of 5. The 21BHS would suit you just fine and there are at least 2 medium-sized SUV's that would do the trick (Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford Flex). Get the trailer that is large enough, as the price differential between the 16' and 21' is not that much. Here is a pic of our Jeep and 21BHS. We love them both and they are a great fit together!
[attachment id="1604" thumbnail="1"]

[gnies]

[quote timestamp="1469806972" source="/post/23490/thread" author="@fasteddieb"]Since I was mentioned...

We now have about 11,000 miles experience towing a 21BHS behind a similar SUV - our 2011 Ford Flex bought used for use as a tow vehicle.

From a a recent trip south, at a friend's in Tallahassee:


[img style="max-width:100%;" src="https://c3.staticflickr.com/2/1466/24577053802_4e8972eea4_z.jpg"]

So far, no apparent ill effects on the Flex. As David pointed out, we did have the receiver reinforced to up the 450 lb limit that Ford gives for the Flex.

With the EcoBoost V6 we supposedly have 365 hp available and 350 ft/lbs of torque @ 3,500 rpm. Towing some pretty steep grades in and around the Smokies, power has never been an issue. Similarly, no scary moments with the EAZLift hitch and Husky sway control combo.

As an aside, our 21BHS is our first travel trailer, so I don't really have any grounds for comparison. Just seemed similar enough to a Highlander to speak up![/quote]
According to the 2011 Ford Flex manual the Frontal Area of the trailer should not exceed 35 square foot . I am pretty sure your 21BHS exceed that. Maybe 60-70 SQ foot

[david]

Paul points out the dichotomy between horsepower and displacement. The Flex has loads of horsepower- 350 created by heavy turbo charging vs having enough displacement to tow decent frontal area without harming the engine. Obviously if Ford specifies only 35 square feet of trailer frontal area (roughly equivalent to a pop up trailer) then they don't think their 3.5 liter Eco Boost can last while towing a full size camping trailer such as the CL 21BHS.

Like I have said before on this forum- I would want a minimum of 4.0 liters to tow a 21. The only solution to the 35 sq foot limitation is to slow down while towing to take some of the load off of the engine. But if Ford knew you were towing at double their spec, they would deny any drive train warranty claims.

David

[thedusty]

I had a 2001 Toyota Sequoia with a 4.7L V8 that towed our 21BHS pretty well.  I put on more robust rear shocks and added some airbags to help with squat. All in all, it wasn't a bad combination at all.

However, our Sequoia was getting long in the tooth and we decided we wanted something newer for longer trips, just in case.  So I just bought a new 2016 Toyota Tundra 4x4 with a 5.7L V8.  Now, I barely noticed the 21BHS when accelerating.  My Tundra is now overkill for a 21BHS but the entire setup feels even safer than before.

We also own a 2011 Lexus RX350 that uses a V6 that is probably almost identical to the Highlander you want to purchase.  There is no way I would want to try towing the 21BHS with that vehicle (the Highlander is a little longer, but that wouldn't change my opinion).  I'm pretty sure I'd end up having to change my underwear after every attempt at trying to accelerate onto the highway.  

[fasteddieb]

According to the 2011 Ford Flex manual the Frontal Area of the trailer should not exceed 35 square foot . I am pretty sure your 21BHS exceed that. Maybe 60-70 SQ foot

I was aware of that limit and posted about it earlier.

My test pilot solution is to generally set my cruise control at 55 mph. That should have substantially less drag than 65 or 70 mph, since drag increases as the square of the increase in velocity.
 
But I'm aware we're pushing limits, and we're out of warranty anyway. If we push the Flex over the edge, so be it and lesson learned.

[gnies]

[quote source="/post/23623/thread" timestamp="1470272294" author="@fasteddieb"][quote source="/post/23603/thread" timestamp="1470247232" author="@paul"]According to the 2011 Ford Flex manual the Frontal Area of the trailer should not exceed 35 square foot . I am pretty sure your 21BHS exceed that. Maybe 60-70 SQ foot



[/quote]I was aware of that limit and posted about it earlier.

My test pilot solution is to generally set my cruise control at 55 mph. That should have substantially less drag than 65 or 70 mph, since drag increases as the square of the increase in velocity.
 
But I'm aware we're pushing limits, and we're out of warranty anyway. If we push the Flex over the edge, so be it and lesson learned.



[/quote]As long as you only break your Flex and you're not involved into an accident...

I was exceeding the limit too before with my Ford Escape that only had 30 sq ft of frontal area, once I was made aware of this that I was pushing the limit (wasn't aware before) I was scare of the idea of having an accident and harm someone because I was pushing the limit, this is one of the reason I decided to upgrade to a pickup truck. Just for the piece of mind. It is more stable, less stressful when you tow, I don't regret at all.