Both pictures were taken with the cayman in the trailer and the track wheels and tires loaded on the overhead rack up front. Also in the first picture I had mounted a four drawer tool box in the left front door and there was an alum small floor jack mounted inside the right front door next to the trailer spare tire. There were also odd and ends loaded throughout the trailer. I had tied down the cayman with the engine basically over the axles. Sounds good and we towed that way from San Antonio to Savannah and back for parade last year. You can notice that the Cayenne is really down in the back with the suspension somewhat compressed. Basically it towed great, complement to the 2011 Cayenne S. Bad news is this last week I borrowed a tongue weight scale and was surprised to see I was caring a tongue weight of over 700 lbs. Porsche states max of 620 on the receiver for the Cayenne.

Today I loaded the car, removed the four drawer tool box up front and put all the tools in a steel totable tool box and put it in the far rear. I also moved cayman about 10 inches aft ( about as far aft as I can move it and the tongue weight is now 500lbs ( plus or minus the scale error) AND THE CAYENNE SITS LEVEL. I will get a Pit Pal wall mounted tool box and mount it on the wall in the rear.

I figured the total towing weight ( Cayman, spare wheels , tools and odds and end plus the trailer to be right at 5400 lbs) If I substitute the 911 Sc and its track tires I am almost 500 lbs lighter ( weight of the Sc is classified)

Bottom line to all this is if you tow , get a tongue weight scale and adjust your tongue weight to the proper weight not only is it safer but towing will be better. Learned a good lesson

PS the trailer is a Trailex and weighs out a 1950 with nothing in it other than the winch and its battery , both mounted at the front

 

Well done!
Thanks for sharing

 

+1, towing in style.

 

Thanks, f4 plt. Great looking rig.

BTW, I can't remember; do you have AS?

 

I though the air suspension would have levelled it out. I had a few range rovers with air suspension, no matter what I towed and loaded in the truck, the suspension would level itself perfectly .
I always put the heaviest weight right on top of the trailer axles. BTW, beautiful trailer and Cayenne .

 

No AS just PASM. Had AS on my '08 Cayenne and it was OK

I am really impressed with the new Cayenne as even with way too much tongue weight and stuff in the pig, towing at 70 (ish) was no issue . The rig was stable, good acceleration and solid braking.


Mike, while your question of As was good, AS would have only masked the problem not solved it. I was still initially having a tongue weight not only much more than the 10% of the trailer weight rule of thumb, but more importantly I was exceeding the max tongue weight recommended by PORSCHE for the Cayenne receiver hitch.

Bottom line remains, to be safe, weigh the trailer tongue after you have loaded the trailer and make the necessary adjustments.

 

Very well done & great contribution...

Quick question - it's hard to tell in the pic but is that trailer shaped like a brick in front, i.e. no pointed front end for aerodynamics? Looks like it would be pushing allot of wind and render terrible gas mileage. I wouldn't think a trailer that size would be designed like that but perhaps I'm just not seeing it due to the angle of the pic.

 

It's pointed in front.

 

Great advice!

I would have still expected for the air suspension to level the car, ever with the higher tongue weight.

 

What fuel mileage do you get towing? At what speed do you pull the trailer?

I am curious because I used to tow with a 2008 GTS and it got 9.5 mpg towing a Featherlite open weighing ~4200 lbs with P-car on it at 65 mph. ! I loved the ride but 9 mpg of premium fuel, ouch!

I switched to a 2003 Dodge 2500 Cummins HO 6-speed and it legitimately returns 19-20 mpg hand calculated towing the same load at 65mph. I was thrilled to make the switch but it was much cooler towing a P-car with a P-car...

 

I got 14 - 15 mpg with Aluma open 4,100 lbs total weight on a '10 GTS. No tire rack.

 

Didn't think AS would resolve the issue of tongue weight, was just curious if it might have masked the problem to some degree if you had it....

 

To the question of fuel mileage, when towing at 70 ish even when I had to much tongue weight I was getting just under 13 mpg. At 65 I would get almost 14. I tow in 7th not 8th gear ( more efficient RPM range). When not towing I get 23 plus at 75 ( love the new Texas speed limit)

Yes the trailer has a aero pointed nose. Great trailer an fantastic tow vehicle

 

Wow, didn't realize that a 3/4 ton pickup could do so well on gas mileage. What kind of mileage do you get when not towing a load?

My Touareg V10 TDI gets about 14-16mpg pulling my 5000lb Airstream at 65mph. Around 24-27mpg with no load, depending on wind conditions.

 

IIRC my enclosed trailex only weighed 1300#. why is yours 600# heavier? Thats a chunk of a difference.