My experience towing 4200lb RV trailer with. 2020 S AWD

[Captain Gene]

I have a 2021 Telluride SX with Towing Package that includes 7 pin trailer connecter. I read ?? somewhere ?? the Curt Echo brake controller was not compatible but no reason why. Any Experience??

 

[2020Telly]

I have a 2021 Telluride SX with Towing Package that includes 7 pin trailer connecter. I read ?? somewhere ?? the Curt Echo brake controller was not compatible but no reason why. Any Experience??

It is compatible. Works just fine. You just don’t have to use the wire in the cab that came with your 2021 kit. Just plug the Echo in at the hitch.

The main drawback is that there are less expensive wired options to the Echo. One of the benefits of the 2021 harness is that you have everything you need to spend <$80 and install a less expensive wired controller in the cab. But you should have no problem with the Echo.

If you have the tow package you just have to be mindful of the hitch height and the self leveling shocks with a weight distribution system. The shocks will level after you drive but you have to configure the WDS and hitch height parked.

 

[Captain Gene]

Also, any experience with Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch?? Thanks Gene

It is compatible. Works just fine. You just don’t have to use the wire in the cab that came with your 2021 kit. Just plug the Echo in at the hitch.

If you have the tow package you just have to be mindful of the hitch height and the self leveling shocks with a weight distribution system. The shocks will level after you drive but you have to configure the WDS and hitch height parked.

Thanks Gene

 

[2020Telly]

Also, any experience with Andersen Weight Distribution Hitch?? Thanks Gene

Thanks Gene

I have no personal experience with it but everything I’ve read is positive and it looks to be very lightweight. My Dad used one one a travel trailer he recently sold and found it easy to use. I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger as Anderson appears to be a reliable brand for WDH/WDS. This guy offers a good review:

I have also read about this company called LogiBlue - Landing Product Home that offers a device called a LevelMatePro that measures and displays in a phone app while you set up your hitch to be level and the app will also help you find a flat camping parking spot. The time savings alone over using traditional bubble levels and measurements might be worth the small investment.

Amazon.com

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[G-Man]

I am guessing you will have a totally different experience with the weight-distribution hitch. Let us know how it goes. Also, I am assuming you don’t have the tow package

I am guessing you will have a totally different experience with the weight-distribution hitch. Let us know how it goes. Also, I am assuming you don’t have the tow package with the self-leveling suspension?

Alexdrums:
Can you please



Do you have any pics. of your EX inside and out. and your rig as well.
Thanks .

 

[Captain Gene]

Thanks for the reports... I have a 2021 with tow package and a No Bo 19.5 trailer on order. Considering the Andersen WDH. Light weight, easy hitch and disconnect , good reviews... Does anyone have experience with the Andersen. WDH??
Thanks.
Gene

 

[rhouse]

Im in the market as well for a trailer and looking at a 3200lb dry. I have a 2021 with tow package and had dealer installed 7-pin. The dealer for the trailer asked me if the Telluride can handle a weight distribution hitch? Is there a thread for WDH?

 

[2020Telly]

Thanks for the reports... I have a 2021 with tow package and a No Bo 19.5 trailer on order. Considering the Andersen WDH. Light weight, easy hitch and disconnect , good reviews... Does anyone have experience with the Andersen. WDH??
Thanks.
Gene

Here’s someone who posted a pic with the Anderson WDH.
Post in thread 'Towing tongue weight only 350 pounds?'
Towing tongue weight only 350 pounds?

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[Midtown10105]

Since there’s been a lot of discussion on here for towing, I decided to post my update here. Here are the before and after pics. I went with the Husky 32215 WDH and Echo wireless brakes to pull a Forrest River 2021 16BHS. For anyone considering a WDH, I highly recommend it! The drive to and from Uhaul was like night and day- safety should be the #1 concern.

Not sure if I need air lifters for the rear (yet), but will take some time to do more research.

 

[rhouse]

Since there’s been a lot of discussion on here for towing, I decided to post my update here. Here are the before and after pics. I went with the Husky 32215 WDH and Echo wireless brakes to pull a Forrest River 2021 16BHS. For anyone considering a WDH, I highly recommend it! The drive to and from Uhaul was like night and day- safety should be the #1 concern.

Not sure if I need air lifters for the rear (yet), but will take some time to do more research.

Thanks for posting! im looking at a nearly identical set up. looks like the WDH does a great job balancing things out. How does it feel when towing? enough power? Does your Telluride have the self levelling suspension?

 

[Midtown10105]

Thanks for posting! im looking at a nearly identical set up. looks like the WDH does a great job balancing things out. How does it feel when towing? enough power? Does your Telluride have the self levelling suspension?

No, I do not have the self leveling suspension. I’ve only driven about 20 miles after the WDH was installed and do not plan on driving it until next year. During the short drive home from Uhaul, the ride was extremely comfortable and I felt I had enough power at 50-55 mph.

Next project will be winterizing the RV and getting space tires for the RV and Telly.

 

[2020Telly]

Since there’s been a lot of discussion on here for towing, I decided to post my update here. Here are the before and after pics. I went with the Husky 32215 WDH and Echo wireless brakes to pull a Forrest River 2021 16BHS. For anyone considering a WDH, I highly recommend it! The drive to and from Uhaul was like night and day- safety should be the #1 concern.

Not sure if I need air lifters for the rear (yet), but will take some time to do more research.

What a difference the WDH properly configured makes! That back end came up and it looks much safer to drive! I can noticeably see a bigger gap from the top of the rear tire to the wheel well. Thanks for posting the pics. This is a great reference for people doubting if they need a WDH.

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[G-659218]

Thank you SOOOOO MUCH Harmoniums!!! I have read and read to the end of the internet about real world experiences on how the Telluride tows. Especially at max rated towing of 5000 lbs. so much hearsay out there and people talking out of their bums about how it should handle. Almost NO real work experiences and honest reviews especially towing in mountainous terrain. I want to buy the Telluride as an occasional tow vehicle to tow the family camper we want to buy along with it. 4 pin connector pissed me off but am most likely gonna get the 7 pin with the 2021. Being in Southern AZ we will be towing up some serious mountains and we’re looking to get a trailer that weighs around 3200 lbs. After people and cargo we would be right around 4000 lbs (right at that magic 80% rule). I was hoping the Telluride would suffice for our occasional outings. Once a month at the most. Any thoughts out there?? More input? Concerns?

Hey there. I've got at 2021 SX with Tow Package and a 4200 pound, single-axle trailer (Airstream Caravel, 22 foot) with hitch system. Towed to Florida and back and other places. Very well paired - the Telluride SX and the 4200 pound trailer did great together. It was probably more like 4500 loaded and the Telluride had two adults and gear. We used and liked and highly recommend the Curt Wireless Brake controller. Would have been cool and nothing extra to buy if Kia had that integrated but they don't. I would find myself going 70 mph + and didn't even realize it. Agreed, the trailer dealer nor the Kia dealer know this stuff nor could advise or answer questions. I was surprised and pleased at how good the Telluride did...enough power to go thru the West Virginia mountains and gas mileage was 12-14 on flat highways. 24 mph on flat highway with Telluride only.

 

[Jrod75]

Hey there. I've got at 2021 SX with Tow Package and a 4200 pound, single-axle trailer (Airstream Caravel, 22 foot) with hitch system. Towed to Florida and back and other places. Very well paired - the Telluride SX and the 4200 pound trailer did great together. It was probably more like 4500 loaded and the Telluride had two adults and gear. We used and liked and highly recommend the Curt Wireless Brake controller. Would have been cool and nothing extra to buy if Kia had that integrated but they don't. I would find myself going 70 mph + and didn't even realize it. Agreed, the trailer dealer nor the Kia dealer know this stuff nor could advise or answer questions. I was surprised and pleased at how good the Telluride did...enough power to go thru the West Virginia mountains and gas mileage was 12-14 on flat highways. 24 mph on flat highway with Telluride only.

Thank you so much for posting your experience. I have yet to get a camper because the prices almost doubled right after we bought the T-Ride because of Covid. But I am looking forward to renting some campers to try some different models out. I have the Curt wireless controller as well and am looking forward to using it.

I finally got the 7-pin harness installed with power to it. What a pain. I feel Kia should’ve recalled every Telluride sold with a tow package and made them whole. To sell a tow package and not have the vehicle completely ready to tow the max rated tow weight is absolutely unacceptable. Maybe I get it if you didn’t pay for the tow package but it is inexcusable if you actually bought the tow package. still love the car though!

 

[JohnB2021]

New here.... last fall we bought a 2021 S Telluride, no tow package. April we bought our first trailer Forest River Flagstaff E-pro E19BH. Hitch, harness and brake controller installed at the dealer. Towing on the freeway hasn’t been too bad but I don’t care for the rear sag at the hitch. I talked to a hitch company in my area about a WDH and they said with the unibody they aren’t recommended unless they’re stated in the owners manual. I talked to 2 Kia dealers about installing sell-leveling shocks and they said they couldn’t install them on the S model. Presently I’m checking with Les Schwab about airbags or some other solution for the hitch sag. Interesting that all Tellurides have 5000 lb tow capacity yet only the upper 2 models offer the tow package with self-leveling shocks. If Telluride has a 5000 lb capacity they should offer ‘better’ shocks on all models or state in the manual whether weight distribution hitch is safe to use on the Telluride. In a few weeks we are planning on 800 mile road trip, most freeway travel. Any suggestions or tips for the journey?

 

[Bridge4]

New here.... last fall we bought a 2021 S Telluride, no tow package. April we bought our first trailer Forest River Flagstaff E-pro E19BH. Hitch, harness and brake controller installed at the dealer. Towing on the freeway hasn’t been too bad but I don’t care for the rear sag at the hitch. I talked to a hitch company in my area about a WDH and they said with the unibody they aren’t recommended unless they’re stated in the owners manual. I talked to 2 Kia dealers about installing sell-leveling shocks and they said they couldn’t install them on the S model. Presently I’m checking with Les Schwab about airbags or some other solution for the hitch sag. Interesting that all Tellurides have 5000 lb tow capacity yet only the upper 2 models offer the tow package with self-leveling shocks. If Telluride has a 5000 lb capacity they should offer ‘better’ shocks on all models or state in the manual whether weight distribution hitch is safe to use on the Telluride. In a few weeks we are planning on 800 mile road trip, most freeway travel. Any suggestions or tips for the journey?

Get air bags. Cheap and they work. Will do exactly what you want and would be a better solution than the self leveling shocks IMO.

As the rear sag.. well that's gonna happen on almost any vehicle, including big trucks, when you get close to the weight limits, or over load your tongue. Your tongue should be 10-15% or so of the total weight, your trailer is set up with it being 13%, I'm more of a 10% guy myself. Depending on how you load that trailer, you might be able to push some of that weight over the rear axle and remove some sag, but you are starting at a small disadvantage. And what is in the back of your telly, making the situation even worse? While the self leveling shocks help, from what I've seen, they only do so much, but it might have been enough to off set this little bit and solve this problem.

Either way, get air bags, your issues will go away and you can deflate them returning to a normal ride in between and after dropping the trailer off at the site.


Edit: Just a personal experience thing...whenever you are towing with SUV/smaller trucks....well their max tow is the max I'd tow from my house to the end of the driveway and feel safe. They realllly are maxing out what is even remotely safe, especially for someone who doesn't do it alot. I'd estimate, for a super smooth tow experience you don't go over 3000-3500lbs. That's just from what I've seen towing with tacomas, 4 runners and toyota highlander.

AND USE A BRAKE CONTROLLER when near the limits IMO is a big help to actually stop!

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[2020Telly]

I talked to a hitch company in my area about a WDH and they said with the unibody they aren’t recommended unless they’re stated in the owners manual.

There is the problem. The Kia manual says consult with them on page 5-155. I wonder if the manual says "Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch dealer about sway control" but maybe Kia actually meant: "Consider using a Weight Distribution Hitch with sway control system." I've often seen that some WDH systems are sold with sway control included. I would try a different hitch company or camper dealer that has experience with modern unibodies and a WDH and see what they think about that page in the manual.

Here’s my thinking, air bags will fix sag but just like the self leveling shocks in the towing package they don’t fix sag by distributing weight off the rear axle back to the trailer axle(s) or the front axle. Instead a system that raises the rear off the axle just hides weight issues by lifting to level side to side but then your front brakes and trailer brakes aren’t working better for you. A proper weight distribution system with sway control fixes the rear sag to help with sway control and takes load off the rear axle. The manual does mention to consider sway control which is a concern with any FWD or FWD-biased AWD. I’m all for better shocks and adjustable suspension for the rear but remember leveling is not load distribution. Leveling can fix sway issues, but it won't improve braking. The guidance about no WDH with unibody may be based on older guidance when unibodies couldn’t tow up to 5,000 and made with lighter steel to save on gas. Newer unibodies are made using stronger steel. I see it this way, if you don’t use a WDH for fear of frame damage but instead break an axle or ruin a suspension that is a problem and could result in a dangerous road condition. But if you use a WDH and distribute weight back to the trailer you are less likely to damage the frame over the axle breaking because you will be taking weight off the axle and leveling the ride for sway as well as headlight angle is improved on top of helping all your brakes work better. I just wish Kia put out some clearer guidance on this for the Telluride.

I found this comparison video really informative on this subject. I acknowledge that the video is with a truck that has a different style frame. But you will see in the video that when adding air to the vehicle air bags it actually took on more weight over the rear but using a WDH put some tongue weight back on the trailer which is what you need with a camper.

If you still want to abide by the manual exactly as written, then you can get an air bag system added to help with the rear sag and Curt and Reese do make friction based Sway Control arms that aren't a WDH system but do help with trailer sway. I would suggest looking into that with the air bag upgrade.

As you can see from these posts on eTrailer, it's still a point of confusion for many owners:

https://www.etrailer.com/answers.aspx?ProductGroup=Weight%20Distribution%20Hitch&answerMake=Kia&answerModel=Telluride

 

[Midtown10105]

I’m no expert and have taken a lot of feedback from everyone on this site. In my opinion, I felt getting a WDH and wireless brake controller worked best for me. First trip scheduled in two weeks- driving over 200 miles.

 

[PeteB]

Thank you so much for posting your experience. I have yet to get a camper because the prices almost doubled right after we bought the T-Ride because of Covid. But I am looking forward to renting some campers to try some different models out. I have the Curt wireless controller as well and am looking forward to using it.

I finally got the 7-pin harness installed with power to it. What a pain. I feel Kia should’ve recalled every Telluride sold with a tow package and made them whole. To sell a tow package and not have the vehicle completely ready to tow the max rated tow weight is absolutely unacceptable. Maybe I get it if you didn’t pay for the tow package but it is inexcusable if you actually bought the tow package. still love the car though!

I completely agree, their marketing was very deceiving regarding the towing capability. Thanks to these forums I can figure out a good way to get my towing rig set up but the Kia dealerships were no help at all when it came to this topic.

 

[Midtown10105]

Update on two camping trips- Montauk and Wildwood LI. Comfortable drive with the wireless brake controller, WDH, and TPMS setup.

Drove 3.5 hours to Montauk in early June and the drive was great. Stayed under 60 mph middle lane on the LIE occasional move to the left lane to pass and felt good pulling the RV while passing cars. I didn’t feel any sway- there were some big trucks just zooming by several times.

2nd trip was just under 2 hours and the ride/route was similar to the first trip.

3rd trip TBD- not ready for a long haul yet. May look into a Lake George trip in Aug to get some more reps in before traveling out further.

The camping journey will get posted on the Forrest river site