I use a prodigy controller that measures the motion of the car and controls the brakes digitally. It is an electronic version of the older pendulum brake controller.

Your insight about the rear axles may be the key point. What I really need to do is pull out the trailer and see how I could reduce the front tongue load a bit and take say 100 lbs off the front end. Since I tow with a weight distributing hitch and a sway bar I am not too worried about pulling sway so I could take a bit off the front end if I had too.

Why don't I just get another ICE based engine to tow? Reasonably question. In the past 5 years I have towed about 1000 miles a year and I drive around 12,000 miles in my chevy blazer. Thus a 12 to 1 ratio of miles to towing. The Blazer is my third american car in a row and it has hit the nickle and dime me stage just like the last 2. So no more american's.

Given the 11,000 miles of non-towing then the hybrid makes a lot of sense driving too and from the office. It just needs to drag that trailer once in a while. I have driven my wifes 07 HHy and love it, so why not get another 08.


Current update. My dealer is trying to chase down information on the hitch option. The 08 ICE Hy's are getting a 5000lb class 3 hitch with 500 lbs tongue. The question he is trying to find out is the hitch on the hybrid the same hitch so the tongue weight is the same or is it a class 2 hitch with 3500 and 300 lbs tongue like our 07.

 

I talked to Etrailer, who called Valley who actually make the (a) hitch for the 2008 highlander hybrid.

The hitch itself is rated 5000 lbs and 500 lbs tongue weight. Toyota has the limit of 3500 and 350 respectively.

I actually dragged the trailer out and weighted it and checked the manufacturer plate. This taught me to avoid trusting memory. The dry weight is 2780, loaded weight is 3387 max and default weight on the tongue of 236 lbs.

I can make this work with the standard 08 hybrid if I don't haul the trailer full of water (26 gallons) take one propane tank instead of 2 (extra 55 lbs on the tongue) and one battery instead of two (roughly 35 lbs off the tongue).

So, now I need to find out when the 08's will hit the states. I thought I read online in a press release Sept 08th.

 

I can easily tow my 2 ATV's and a dirtbike with my Highlander Hybrid, but when it comes to our boats which are 5,800 pounds sadly I have to use my 04" Chevrolet Tahoe with its gas guzzling V8.

 

Lead time is about 60days after the ICE version. We should see some '08's in late September in the prime markets, October for the rest.

 

Would it make sense to keep the Chevy Blazer for your 1K miles/year of towing, then drive 11K miles/year of non-towing in another vehicle. By limiting mileage driven on the Blazer, that will reduce the frequency of repairs; and you don't have to perform unnatural acts to get the HiHy to tow your desired load.

Patrick Wonng

 

Yeah it would to a certain extent, but I am fighting 2 problems. One is that the chevy blazers are known for killing the tranny's between 100 and 150 k miles. I have had 3 now and my current one is showing the "signs". Also considering the roughtly 900$ a year in insurance then 200$ a year in license fees and other maintenence I would rather just junk it out and have one I can tow with.

I have now been able to verify from my dealer that the hitch on the 08 HHy will be a "class 3" hitch and yes it will be the Valley hitch. Thus I can do what I need it to do without exceeding the hitch or factory rating. While I would not want to top Union Pass in Wyoming, down here in Texas I don't expect any problems with the hybrid towing.

The word I have is that the new 08s will hit the dealer in about a month. I should be able to order one pretty quick, maybe 2 to 3 more weeks.

Having driven my wifes 07 hhy for the last 2 weeks, I can't wait for my own. It was really discouraging to get back into the old Chevy this morning. The only good news is we are dealing with TS Erin so I would rather cross the flooded roads in the beater chevy if needed.

 

Prices are now out and dealers should be getting stock toward the end of next month. As of today no pre-orders yet. Maybe we will know more after mondays nationwide sales meeting.