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New Member with towing questions

4K views 11 replies 8 participants last post by  elcam84 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone. While I have been reading previous posts on the forum for a couple of weeks this is my first time posting questions. We just bought a 2019 Sorento LX with the V6, AWD and 16,500 miles. It is a big step up from my old 2002 Ford Explorer Sport TRAC and I'm really enjoying the new features and comfort of the car.

One of the reasons we decided on the Sorento was its ability to tow a smaller travel trailer. I am looking at the Forest River 176. It has a hitch weight of 280 pounds and with what we would load on a GVWR of about 3200 pounds. I was wondering if any one actually pulls a similar trailer and what your experience has been? I would also appreciate and suggestions for a trailer hitch. Thanks for your input.
 
#2 ·
I tow a boat that weighs less than 3200, but I would say get a class 3 hitch with an adjustable-height mount like this:

https://www.etrailer.com/Ball-Mounts/MaxxTow/MT70067.html

The reason is because the hitch will sit pretty low, and this mount allows you to raise the ball mount to a reasonable height. My white Sorento is in the customer pics section. It's rated for 5000 lbs.
 
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#3 ·
Assume the trailer has brakes but if it doesn't, I wouldn't tow it with a Sorento. Even with brakes, it's at the upper limit of a "comfortable" towing weight IMO. Wind resistance, which increases exponentially with speed, can add a lot of load to the trailer.
 
#5 ·
Hello, having towed with my Sorento for a few years now, I would also say it could be done but you would be closer to the upper limit of the Sorento. Weight distribution with sway control and an after market transmission cooler if you tow in the mountains would be my recommendation.
 
#6 ·
1) I definitely agree with the trailer absolutely has to have brakes. The Brakes on the Sorento are Ok but even without a trailer they are on the small side. I have been thinking of upgrading the brakes on our 2017 as they are just not up to my standards.

2) Transmission cooler is a definite do if towing regularly regardless of trailer size. And in mountains or hot climates like here in TX where it doesn't get below 80* at night it should be on every vehicle. Another upgrade I need to do.

3) Weight distributing hitches are great to have but I haven't found anything that will fit the Sorento without dragging the ground. As it is the bottom of the ball threads will scrape the ground going in and out of parking lots. (they don't know how to properly pave roads in TX they put big dips everywhere as they don't know how to feather intersections)

4) Some sort of rear spring support is needed as well. The rear springs are very soft so airbags or the solid rubber ones( very pricey) make towing much easier.

I usually tow a utility trailer with ours in fact I picked up a pallett of drywall today. Even with all that weight I am still pulling away from everyone else at intersections without pushing the car hard.

The issue is when it comes to wind resistance. On a trip from FT Worth to Wichita,ks to go to Menards I was getting right at 30mpg with the trailer cruising at 75-80. Coming back I had to put the ramp up vertically due to what we bought and mileage dropped to 16mpg doing 60-65mph drafting most of the way. That ramp is a parachute and you can feel it pull the trailer and car around. If I had a cordless grinder I would have cut that ramp off and left it on the side of the freeway as it cost more in gas to take it home than a new ramp...


My neighbor tows a slightly larger trailer than that R-pod with his Toyota which has less power and a lower towing rating and it pulls it very well. The benefit is that it is a tandem axle so tongue weight is much less of an issue.

Oh and 26K on a 2019... Our 2017 just broke 18K but it isn't a daily driver.
 
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#7 ·
We have a 2016 Sorento LX AWD, rated to tow 5K and I bought it to be able to tow a small travel trailer.

I had a Curt hitch installed, as well as a Tekonsha brake controller. I tow in sport mode.

We started with a 16 ft Scamp that we bought empty (long story), and after we made it into a mobile bedroom and dinette, it weighed 1650 lbs. Sold the Scamp and bought a Coachmen Clipper 14R which had a dry weight of 2400 lbs, and recently sold that and bought a 2015 Clipper 17FQ which has a dry weight of 2700 pounds.

I've read conflicting info about using a weight distribution hitch, but since most things say no, I don't use one. (And I haven't installed springs on the car which some people say is a good thing.) I do highly recommend a sway bar--we have a Husky brand just on one side and I'd like to put one on the other side, too, even though one is usually adequate for trailers under 24 ft. I've never felt any "sway," but sometimes it feels like a "shimmy," if that makes sense. (Tightened up the sway bar some and that's been better on our recent trips.)

We just got back from our most distant trip (to a campground just 100 miles away), mainly interstate travel. Due to the rating on trailer tires (most say not to exceed 65 mph), my target speed was 63.

If anyone tells you they don't know a trailer is behind them when towing with a Sorento, they must be traveling on consistently flat roads. I'm definitely aware of the added weight/strain on the car. Even slight hills will cause it to rev, and each time it does, I picture it chugging gasoline. I got 13 mpg on our most recent trip and only 11.5 on the last one (which had more hills). (Normal mpg is 20-23, up to just under 30 on interstate, not towing.)

I truly love this car--but I also love, love, love our trailer. If we were thinking about longer trips through a lot of mountains, I'd definitely be thinking about a truck instead of the Kia, though. While it gets the job done--and it can rev up with enough power to GET over mountains--I think I'd be more comfortable towing with something that's better geared towards towing.

I've blogged about our camping/towing experiences so you can check out this page if you're interested. (Currently editing pictures to update again.)
Simply Art-Rageous! | Associated with art-rageous.net
 
#8 ·
Good point I forgot to mention towing in sport mode. It is much easier on the transmission that way.

I fully agree about knowing if the trailer is back there. Even my small 5x10 utility trailer that weighs around 800 pounds... You know its back there pretty much all the time, it's only the odd time when you are going a steady speed on flat smooth ground that you don't really notice it.

I will say one of my problems with my small trailer is backing up. I can't see the trailer in the mirrors until it's way off from where I think it is... I often end up opening the sunroof and sticking my head out some so I can see the trailer out the rear window. I can barely see the edge of the fenders of my trailer in the mirror when driving. So I may not see my trailer but I know it's there... I really need to have the tires balanced and get a hitch tightener to stop the slop of the reciever hitch.
 
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#10 · (Edited)
Geeze happy now There is your location and vehicle info and thanks for deleting my response I posted. A PM asking me to update the info again would have been adequate. It was filled in when I joined the board and was removed somehow.
 
#10 ·
Thank you all for your comments; they are very helpful. The R-POD 176 is kinda of rare out here in the West so that gives me time to continue researching the best hitch and brake controller options as well as a reliable place to install them. Again, I appreciate the input!
 
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