Towing 5x8 Uhaul trailer full of stuff for 1,700 Miles?

Very Forrest Gump

 

My GEN2 with my 5x8 trailer attached. Light load of baseboard molding and flooring in trailer. View attachment 226933

 

I did it with a Gen 3. I pull a small open trailer around quite often, but I did make 4 700-800 mile trips pulling an aluminum 5X8, and I had to climb mountains with it (i24 and i75 through Tennessee) . All those times were done in August. The vehicle is still alive to this day, with 225K on it. My neighbor now owns it, and he often pulls around a small open Harbor Freight trailer for his business.

It actually pulls well. I kept speed at 62mph max, rolling with the Schneiders. I also did not load up the 5x8, maybe 600 lbs. I was also by myself and wasn't carrying much inside the car- I slept in it on those trips. I averaged 24-27 mpg when on the road. You will be crawling up the mountain, but so is every tractor on the road too. I didn't run out of battery, it was running about 210 degrees (Ultragauge) but never got any warmer. Yes, I was nervous.

Expect to replace CV joints and wheel bearings if they haven't already been replaced.

I have a 2" and a plug in harness on the back of a Prius V that I use as a hauler. The back seats are removed and it has a lithium hybrid battery and a lithium 12V battery, so its close in weight to a Prius sedan- about 65 lbs difference on the scale. It pulls better than the sedan did, but the Prius V also has a lower final drive ratio than the sedans do - I keep it at 55-60 mph max on the road as the engine revs are higher.

Despite that I did it 4 times, I wont pull one anymore if I have to climb mountains. I guess Ill have to use my Geo Metro convertible for those trips.

 

towing with a prius is crazy....... don't even know why I monitor this channel.... I hope they cancel my account....

 

You and I add our experience and knowledge in the hopes it saves someone a life changing wreck towing over mountains with brakes, suspension and transaxles not designed for it. Which applies to all Prii generations.

With others its a heads up before they buy a gen3, the worst generation made from a reliability standpoint. For those with a head gasket fail we try to encourage the correct pathforward without throwing $1k-$2k at the parts cannon first. Regardless of what fanboys who have never seen the problem suggest.

Often non-technical people come asking for advice but are quickly told to breakdown the egr, breakout Techstream or teardown a hybrid battery.

It does not help the moderation is almost non-existent such that bad ideas flourish forever.

 

Yes, Karen.

 

Why did u change your post.... but your a prius expert so you can input all your experience......... I'm sure you have
Installed
traction battery
brake system (accumulator and pump)
inverter
head gasket
water pump
wheel bearings
transmission....
so go ahead and take over for me............. I'm sure you'll have lot's to offer