Rav Towing A Prius?

[Cynthia Race]

I have a 2000 Rav4, 2wd, 4cyl with ~165k miles on it (love it btw). I recently purchased a 2011 Prius and am going to be moving from San Jose, CA to Phoenix, AZ. I would like to save hassle and money by towing the Prius behind the Rav, but I am not entirely sure it is a good idea.

I have mapped out a route where I don't have to go over the larger mountain passes, but I do have some hills to go over (but nice easy grades, nothing steep). I also know that I need some sort of trailer for the Prius but haven't gotten a definitive answer on dolly vs flatbed. If the Rav can handle the extra weight of the flatbed, I think I would rather do that route as it saves on wear and tear of the brand spanking new Prius as well as most likely easier to tow a regular trailer rather than a car on a dolly (my guess anyway from rudimentary understanding of physics). Plus I can probably rent a trailer which has braking capabilities, making it easier on the Rav for the down hill portions.

Does anyone here tow boats or other larger items (besides dirt bikes) using their Rav? Any issues I should be aware of? I have seen photos of people towing with a 6cyl Rav, but I haven't heard or seen anything about towing using a 4cyl 2wd one.

Any help would be appreciated as my departure date is 16 May 2012.

Thanks!

[anchorman]

Hello Cynthia and welcome to the club.

Although you are welcome on the UK forum, we don't have much experience of US methods of using dollies or towing regulations. We do have a regular US visitor called Junebug (James) but you could find him and lots of other experienced people directly on the US site here;

http://www.rav4world.com/index.php

You have to be very careful with some transmissions and I personally would put it on a trailer but one of the US guys will tell you better.

All the best.

[DjRav]

Personally I'd start with "what's the car weigh" and what's the official towing weight for your Rav. You will find you can tow much heavier weights on a braked trailer.

Dave

[Joylove]

And also find out about the towing of the car. Some hybrids cannot be towed on a dolly, although the Prius is FWD so may be OK to drag the rear wheels. A Prius is rather heavy, possibly heavier than the RAV.

[dwilson]

I would recommend posting your question on the Prius forum. I previously owned a Prius and they are a good bunch on that forum as well as this!

I suspect those that know about the Prius will caution against you towing it but I will leave that discussion to those with the technical reasons why.

David

[Gods_gift]

I think a 2009 Prius is 1320kg so your well below the 85% rule we have here in the UK. I 'think' a prius is front wheel drive so you should be alright with a towing dolly and lift the front wheels (check on prius forum). I tow a caravan that weights in at 1420kg easily with my 2.2 diesel ravand I've also towed a 1500kg car trailer (with car on). As mines a manual I get it into 5th (not 6th) and set cruise control on no problems at 60mph. Get a car trailer if you can for long journeys you can hire them here in the UK maybe Uhaul do them in the US?

[Ex Tiff]

Hi Cynthia,

Probably a no go.

UK figures would be

RAV 2WD max towing weight 3300lbs

Prius kerb weight 3042lbs

To keep within the makers towing limit any trailer or dolly would have to weigh less than 258lbs.

You would need to check the towing weights for the USA, figures should be in your handbook.

overloading could result in a joyless meeting with the local law enforcers

[DjRav]

Hi Cynthia,

Probably a no go.

UK figures would be

RAV 2WD max towing weight 3300lbs

Prius kerb weight 3042lbs

To keep within the makers towing limit any trailer or dolly would have to weigh less than 258lbs.

You would need to check the towing weights for the USA, figures should be in your handbook.

overloading could result in a joyless meeting with the local law enforcers

Or fill the Prius with helium baloons!

Dave

[Cynthia Race]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I had already checked about the Prius being towed and the recommendation is to remove the back bumper because of low clearance. Or use a flatbed trailer. :) Definitely no tow bars and no sling type tow trucks.

According to my service guy (at the dealer who has been taking care of me through several Toyotas), I should be able to tow the Prius provided I route around the large mountain passes and don't load up either vehicle. Also be careful on the downhill stints and watch the brakes (unless I rent a trailer which has braking capability).

I was chatting with a mate at lunch today and he might be nice and drive my Rav to Arizona for me and then just take a flight back to San Francisco.

If I do decide to tow the Prius, I will post an update back here and let everyone know how it went and if there were any issues that others should be aware of.

Hi Cynthia,

Probably a no go.

UK figures would be

RAV 2WD max towing weight 3300lbs

Prius kerb weight 3042lbs

To keep within the makers towing limit any trailer or dolly would have to weigh less than 258lbs.

You would need to check the towing weights for the USA, figures should be in your handbook.

overloading could result in a joyless meeting with the local law enforcers

Or fill the Prius with helium baloons!

Dave

[junebug1701]

Cynthia, I don't think it would be a good idea to try towing the Prius with your RAV. You will surely be over the towing weight limit and risk damaging both vehicles. If you can get your friend to drive the RAV while you drive the Prius, that would be the ideal solution. Please visit us at http://www.rav4world.com and you will find a lot of helpful towing experts that know a lot more about the subject than I do!

[Big Kev]

Cynthia, I don't think it would be a good idea to try towing the Prius with your RAV. You will surely be over the towing weight limit and risk damaging both vehicles. If you can get your friend to drive the RAV while you drive the Prius, that would be the ideal solution. Please visit us at http://www.rav4world.com and you will find a lot of helpful towing experts that know a lot more about the subject than I do!

Only as a special favour to you, Cynthia, I will let you pay my fare from Scottishland and I will drive the Prius for you.....cannot think why none of my fellow members have offered this facility....very remiss of them....!!!!

Big Kev

[Tony Barnsley]

cannot think why none of my fellow members have offered this facility

I'd rather push a Landrover than drive a prius

[firemac]

cannot think why none of my fellow members have offered this facility

I'd rather push a Landrover than drive a prius

"I'd rather push a Landrover" - nothing new there then.........

[webleymk3]

cannot think why none of my fellow members have offered this facility

I'd rather push a Landrover than drive a prius

Could be arranged!!

[webleymk3]

Check your manual as to what the braked trailer and unbraked trailer limits are. I am sure they are vastly different.

I drive a diesel 4.3 and I know the braked trailer limit is 2 tonnes. I think the unbraked is less than a tonne but I'm not 100% on that one.

[Gods_gift]

Unbraked for UK is 750kg and braked 2000kg

[Joylove]

Can the supplying dealer be any help by delivering it to a sister dealership closer to Phoenix?

[webleymk3]

Unbraked for UK is 750kg and braked 2000kg

I though it was 750kg for unbraked. As far as I am aware this is not so much a UK reg but the limit placed on the car by the manufacture.

[Gods_gift]

I think UK towing requirements are (for new type license) the trailer plus load cant exceed the cars kerb weight plus tow capacity or 3500kg. So a Rav 4.3 2.2 diesel is 1620kg and tow capacity is plated 2000kg so added together they equal 3620kg (120kg over max for grand father licensed so 3500kg).

If you follow the 85% of kerb weight rule that means a trailer plus load limit of 1377kg but thats a guide not a law, max trailer and load weight is 3500kg - kerb weight = 1880kg.

[Ex Tiff]

Just had a look on the Toyota USA site for the two wheel drive RAV the towing limit is shown as 1500lbs with no option of towing prep to increase this. All American RAV's are petrol either 2.5ltr 4-cyl or 3.5ltr 6-cyl. My own 4.3 diesel automatic has a limit of 750Kg unbraked and 1800Kg braked, personally I wouldn't tow anything much bigger than a wheelbarrow without brakes.

[Cynthia Race]

Cynthia, I don't think it would be a good idea to try towing the Prius with your RAV. You will surely be over the towing weight limit and risk damaging both vehicles. If you can get your friend to drive the RAV while you drive the Prius, that would be the ideal solution. Please visit us at http://www.rav4world.com and you will find a lot of helpful towing experts that know a lot more about the subject than I do!

Only as a special favour to you, Cynthia, I will let you pay my fare from Scottishland and I will drive the Prius for you.....cannot think why none of my fellow members have offered this facility....very remiss of them....!!!!

Big Kev

Since I just bought the Prius, you would be stuck driving a fully loaded Rav and have the company of many boxes. :) But if you happened to be in the States on vacation, I certainly would be happy to let you drive the Rav for me and we could make a mini vacation of it by stopping at Disneyland along the way, and then parking one of the vehicles in Scottsdale and then driving up to the Grand Canyon. Sorry I can't pay for your flight here (am on disability and therefore limited income) but would be happy to pay entrance to Disneyland and the Grand Canyon for you.

If you ever have need of me driving a vehicle for you (and can pay my plane fare) I would be only to happy to hop across the pond as I have never been. We can round up the clan and have a party (I am a Mitchell but our line left the homeland in the lat 1700s). :D

[Cynthia Race]

Can the supplying dealer be any help by delivering it to a sister dealership closer to Phoenix?

Good question. I can't get the Rav sent that way, but since I just bought the Prius, I might be able to beg the dealer here to see if there is space on a truck going to the Phoenix area. I don't need door to door service as I can have someone I know at the Phoenix end pick me up at my flat and take me to wherever the car ends up.

Fantastic suggestion!!!! Thanks for thinking outside the box on that one. Am calling the dealer right now.

[Cynthia Race]

Can the supplying dealer be any help by delivering it to a sister dealership closer to Phoenix?

Good question. I can't get the Rav sent that way, but since I just bought the Prius, I might be able to beg the dealer here to see if there is space on a truck going to the Phoenix area. I don't need door to door service as I can have someone I know at the Phoenix end pick me up at my flat and take me to wherever the car ends up.

Fantastic suggestion!!!! Thanks for thinking outside the box on that one. Am calling the dealer right now.