Thanks guys. I am not comfortable using an aftermarket hitch either that doesn't attach at the rear crossmember, especially with the amount of weight I'm pulling.

My wife and I are planning to tour the country next year towing a small travel trailer behind a 4runner (which I am shopping for now). I have been searching for V8 models but they are much less common than V6. Came on here to find out if the 8 is really the way to go for towing and this thread confirms what I thought. Thanks for all the good info.

It sounds like the V8 had an optional upgraded towing package with the trans cooler, WDH hitch, etc. Do I have that right, or was it standard? When looking at vehicles should I look for the the trans cooler to confirm the upgraded tow package? What does that look like?

the v8's trans cooler/tow package is standard.

V6 is 5k, v8 is 7k with towing packages. The v8 came standard with towing.

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Early 2003 T4Rs V8s didn't have the towing package or the HD hitch as standard equipment, the HD duty hitch and towing package came later on that year model, so many 2003 V8s have the same hitch and no cooler like the V6s, if the hitch only attaches to the center of the rear frame cross member and doesn't extend outwards and also attaches to the main frame rails it's not a V8 HD hitch, very easy to tell the difference once you see both hitches in person.

The OEM transmission cooler is a small radiator looking device mounting behind the front grill attached to the main radiator on the driver's side.

The early 2003 V8's did come a "towing package" which included a transmission cooler but minus the frame mounted/WD hitch

Been researching this topic a bunch, looks like my V6 runner won’t get it done. I am looking to tow a 26’ Toy hauler with a tare weight of 6100lbs from Dallas to Nashville. I have a frame mounted hitch (rather than the crossmember) but that is too close to the limit for my sake.

We regularly tow a 4000lb travel trailer up & down I-17 with a V8 4runner. The transmision & frame are identical to the V6. If you add a good transmission cooler, WDH, brake controller and drive reasonably the V6 should handle that trip fine.

I have a v8 and towed most anything I wanted. The 2wd has better numbers than the 4x4. I have beat a Ford diesel, both of us with boats. I passed him at 65+mph but he had me up to 50 mph. Not bad at all for a 4.7L minor exhaust work and k&n intake. I love my 4runner

V6 with tow package is 6,400lbs.

Auseeker had a good quote and proof on the previous page. The 5k rating is without the tow package.

If you are planning to tow horses, get a bigger truck. The narrow wheel base and light weight will put you in jeopardy if you need to maneuver are higher speeds. I have towed a two horse trailer years back with a 1982 chevy blazer. Those were big trucks and felt stable. In my 99 4runner, I pulled a dual axle cargo trailer from uhaul. The trailer almost killed me on the highway above 65mph. It cant control a heavy trailer during deceleration. If you have a trailer fishtailing behind you and add in two horses trying to stay standing, you are asking for trouble. Get a Tundra.

Reviving this thread to note an interesting change. I saw the info above, which is from the 2005 book, in a 2006 manual as well, but the higher V6 capacity when properly equipped disappeared from the ‘07 manual. Did Toyota stop offering a V6 tow package after 2006?



Here’s the ‘06 manual screenshot I saw (thanks @LV4R) and also very important the increase of the V6 GVWR to 11,100 lbs when appropriately equipped.



In any case, I’m grateful yet again to this forum because I eventually plan to buy a travel trailer and have been operating under the 5K max assumption. Since it’s reasonable to assume that nothing substantive about the 4Runner itself changed between those model years, I plan to adopt the 6,400 pound max as my guide (with a transmission cooler, brake controller, WDH, & rear airbags of course). That opens up the possibility of some trailers I didn’t think I would be able to consider.

I have a 2006 V6 and a 2008 V8. Towing two quads (1800 lbs), Single axle trailer (800 lbs) with sprung 3500 lb Standon axle, not torsion bar, additional items on trailer being spare gas cans, chains, jack all (hi lift jack), spare tires etc. with average total weight of towed unit being 3300 lbs on 15 inch rims and tires.

I only burn premium fuel as coming from the age of muscle cars of the mid 1960 to mid 1970 any motor with a 10 to 1 compression or greater required premium and I continue the process.

The V6 is capable BUT a real strain on the drive line to maintain highway speed towing the trailer. I will state though the 2006 dragged this unit through 20 miles of gumbo, locked in LOW that required two winch pulls through bogs. Dragged because the mud jammed the tires in the fenders of the trailer. It was a cold raining day and the driveline performed very well! I now carry mud chucking tires for the trailer and setup the fenders for removal.

The V8 burns fuel but has no problem with high way speed on any terrain. Just keep adequate weight on the tongue. I use the MAX coupler hitch.

As others have said, the V8 its a much better towing machine. I personally still don't like going over 5K MAX or anything too long. In fact, 4K was my preferred max but I do tow in the mountains and at altitude. The makes a huge difference over towing on flat land and low altitude.

If towing more weight than that or anything over 16-18 feet, get a full-size pickup. It is MUCH safer. It is the wheelbase that makes a difference in that case.