Is Weight Distribution with Sway Control Recommended for Toyota Highlander with 3,800 Pound Trailer  

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A good general guideline to go by when determining if a weight distribution system will provide benefit is the trailer's weight compared to the weight of the tow vehicle. Whenever the trailer's weight is more than 50 percent of the vehicle's weight, a weight distribution system is recommended.

I looked up the specs for the 2016 Toyota Highlander and it's going to weigh around 4,100 to 4,500 pounds depending on the specific submodel, so a 3,800 pound trailer is going to make a weight distribution system a beneficial and recommended option. A properly rated system will greatly reduce any rear end sag that you would otherwise get on the Highlander when hooked up to the trailer which in turn is going to provide a more comfortable ride and ease up the stress put on its rear suspension components.

I do also recommend going with a system that features integrated sway control because this too is going to create a much smoother ride. With any bumper pull trailer you are going to be prone to side-to-side movement on the highway so it's rarely a bad idea to add sway control if able. Many weight distribution systems won't let you add this feature after the fact so I always recommend getting one that has it integrated into the system.

For your 3,800 pound trailer, if this refers to its loaded weight, I highly recommend the Fastway e2 # FA92-00-0800. When picking out the right system it is important to consider the total tongue weight of your setup, which includes both the loaded tongue weight of the trailer along with any added cargo weight coming from behind the rear axle of your Highlander. Ideally this number falls comfortably within the system's operating range.

We can estimate a tongue weight on your 3,800 pound trailer of around 380 to 570 pounds because a trailer's tongue weight should be 10 to 15 percent of its total weight. The Fastway e2 # FA92-00-0800 matches this range nicely while also giving you some wiggle room to account for rear cargo on the Highlander with its 400 to 800 pound tongue weight capacity.

The Fastway system features integrated 2-Point Sway Control to greatly reduce side-to-side movement and its no-drill, clamp-on brackets will allow you to more easily transfer the system to another trailer if needed. You will just want to make sure the other trailer still falls within the capacity range of this system with its tongue and total weight. If not then the spring bars can simply be replaced with lesser or higher rated units.

The only thing you will need to add is a compatible hitch ball like the 2 inch # EQ91-00-6080 or the 2-5/16 inch # EQ91-00-6100. I have attached a short video demonstration that you can check out as well.

expert reply by: Chris R

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