12-15-2004, 05:17 PM
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#1
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
Age: 46
Posts: 75
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
Age: 46
Posts: 75
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Towing across the USA with my 04 Sport
I own a 2004 V8 Sport Edition that I got in april, and so far have towed a show car we own over 10,000 miles with it since then. Now I got the ultimate trip for it, across the USA!
I will be using the 4Runner to tow from NY to Las Vegas, where our show vehicle is scheduled to be in a booth at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show (CES - Largest electronics show in the world)
I will be leaving NY on Dec 31st and should arrve in Nevada 3-4 days later.
I have to thank the companies that made this possible for us:
www.polkaudio.com
www.carsound.com
www.theglosser.com
without these sponsors support, none of this would be possible.
Cant wait to live in my SUV for a few days on the road! I towed to Atlanta in 1 day thru Hurricane Ivan and it worked great, but this is a tad further. I cant wait to leave!
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www.eddiehabeck.com
www.teamallstars.com
www.kinderhooktoyota.com/trd.htm
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12-15-2004, 06:11 PM
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#2
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Delaware
Age: 50
Posts: 193
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Delaware
Age: 50
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nice. is that a souped up camry?
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White 2004 4WD v6 Sport Edition
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12-15-2004, 06:13 PM
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#3
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Haledon, NJ
Age: 47
Posts: 76
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Haledon, NJ
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looks nice,
what kinda tow bar u got there? I have sport edition 03 and was wondering if it is sturdy as limited models towing bar...
keep us informed...
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12-15-2004, 06:13 PM
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#4
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Delaware
Age: 50
Posts: 193
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Delaware
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whoa. your wife is hot! lucky bastard. nevermind on the camry; your website explained it all.
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White 2004 4WD v6 Sport Edition
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12-15-2004, 06:19 PM
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#5
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NY
Age: 47
Posts: 738
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NY
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Eddie... I remember you from the camryman.org site. Nice looking 4Runner you got there!!!
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** SOLD ** 04' V6 Galactic Sport Ed. 4WD: Driver Side Grip Handle, HomeLink, Clarion CX609 HU, Titanium Grey Marble Dash Kit, OBX Racing Sports Pedals, Stainless Steel T&H Low Bull Bar & Rear Bar, Wheel Well Plugs, Hilux Rear Bumper Step Guard,Toyota Door Sill Protectors, Rear Reflector LED Mod, Painted Running Boards, 20" TRD Enkei Deep 6 (265/50/20 Hankook Ventus ST RH06 XL), Canadian Bug Shield, 06 LED Tailights, Front Tint 35%, Dueler A/T REVOs, MagnaFlow Cat Back, AFE CAI, KC Slimlite Mod, Breather Mod, Sway Bar Bushing Mod
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12-15-2004, 08:01 PM
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#6
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Member
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
Age: 46
Posts: 75
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
Age: 46
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thanks guys.
its not seen in the pic, but i use a weight distribution hitch (forget the brand name) and got the electronic brake controller hooked up with toyotas little plug under the dash. the set-up works AMAZING. I towed a few trips without the distribution hitch, and i had sag in the back. with this hitch it made a world of difference. i can travel at 75 and feel great and stable.
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12-16-2004, 05:13 AM
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#7
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 903
Real Name: Steven
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Cumming, GA
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Good luck with your travels. Please be safe, there are alot of idiots on the road. I drive my 04 Sport V8 AWD from Atlanta to northern Arizona each winter to visit my dad. I believe I am leaving in January.
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2008 4R LTD V8 4WD, ICON Stage 3, TRD Pro Wheels, GOBI Rack, TRS HID Swap along with too many other mods to list here!
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12-16-2004, 12:47 PM
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#8
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Fenton, MO 63026
Age: 55
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Looks great.
If I might inquire, do you know how much your car and trailer weigh together?
I'm considering towing my Jeep next year, and I'd rather do it on a trailer than flat tow. Just trying to see if the 4Runner can manage it okay. My Jeep is around 4,000 lbs and I would be definitely getting a weight-distributing hitch, trailer brakes, and maybe a sway control.
Thanks,
Mike
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2004 4Runner SR5 4WD V8
Stratosphere Mica
- Canadian hood guard
- Homelink
- Scion/Pioneer CD/MP3 stereo
- AUX-BOX Aux input
- TRD Dual Exhaust
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12-16-2004, 05:43 PM
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#9
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Nothern Cal
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Location: Nothern Cal
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Keep us posted on capabilities.
Please keep us posted on capabiliites; heating issues pulling up and down grades, power issues, passing power, tranny behavior, inclement weather issues, mileage, etc.
The V8 are rated for 7,000 pounds but I am somewhat skeptical.....the 4.7 seems a bit stretched for that high level of load, the oil/tranny coolers looks too small, etc.
Let us know what your extended towing expereince is with this great SUV.
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2004 SR5 V8 4x4, 17" wheels/tires, roof rack, spoiler.
Stratosphere Mica (Why can't they just say Deep Metallic Blue?)
Black Westin Safari Bar with PIAA 580s.
LT 265/70/17 BFG A/T KO
Toyota has so many things in standard that I don't need options.
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12-20-2004, 10:28 AM
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#10
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
Age: 46
Posts: 75
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like I said, I have towed with this 4runner for over 10,000 miles this summer alone. I did NY to Atlanta towing non stop and it worked PERFECT (Even thru Hurricane Ivan!).
I have towed from NY to Toronto, Boston, Phili, Baltimore (Several times), all over the place.
The weight distribution hitch is an absolute MUST. Dont even think of trying to tow a car without it.
The show car weighs around 2900 pounds, The trailors title states it is 1250 pounds.
I dont feel the need to have sway bars installed with the new hitch. I rarely have any sway problems unless its very windy and Im getting passed by tractor trailors. Wind isnt that bad since I have an open trailor, so it doesnt get bullied around by strong gusts of wind.
I feel perfectly comfortable towing 75-80 consistantly. I do not feel unstable at these speeds at all. I normally drive in the range of 70-75 depending on the highway.
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12-20-2004, 06:18 PM
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#11
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Cumming, GA
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What is the difference betwwen a wieght dist hitch and what comes on our cars? I can never remember. BTW your 4runner is just like mine. Gotta love that white color.
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2008 4R LTD V8 4WD, ICON Stage 3, TRD Pro Wheels, GOBI Rack, TRS HID Swap along with too many other mods to list here!
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12-20-2004, 06:39 PM
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#12
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
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Quote:
Originally posted by toyo
What is the difference betwwen a wieght dist hitch and what comes on our cars? I can never remember. BTW your 4runner is just like mine. Gotta love that white color.
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you use it on the stock hitch that comes with our vehicles, but its a new ball mount (height adjustable) and two tension bars that go back to apply weight to the bottom of the front of the trailor, bascially so that there is a force pushing up in the middle where the trailor connects as to stop it from sagging
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01-12-2005, 05:32 PM
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#13
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Albany, NY
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well I just got back from the trip, and the 4runner was simply awesome. I left Dec 31st
Day 1 - Albany, NY to Nashville, TN
very smooth cruising, slept in the the SUV for an hour efore we took off again, celebrated new years twice as we went thru time zones!
Day 2 - Nashville, TN to Amarillo, TX
very flat drive
Day 3 - Amarillo, TX - Las Vegas NV
went thru the hills in Flagstaff AZ (7300 feet) very well, no problems.
RETURN:
Day 1 - Las Vegas, NV (departed Sunday night) - Fort Smith, Arkansas (slept in the car for 1 hour then kept driving
Day 2 - Fort Smith, Arkansas - Albany, NY (drove for 30 hours non-stop, thru very heavy rain.)
averaged aprox 11.4 MPG thu flat areas and 9.4 thru mountains. Thru the flat states we went 85 MPH unless we hit heavy traffic. I didnt puch it too hard up the mountains, but kept it above 60 MPH or so.
what a trip. the car towed perfect, not one problem. It was around 2800 miles each way. I had the oil changed when I left Vegas and had the tires rotated. I will try and post some pics, we had a good trip.
One note: when I got within 2 hours of my home we hit snow, and on back roads I had little to no control of the rig at all. I had to drive 10-15 mph to keep my steering. I believe it had a little to do with the load on the rear of the vehicle for so long, causing the rear springs to sag a bit and lifting the weight off the front wheels. The fact that what I was towing was almost the same weight as the 4Runner probably also played a factor. I would not recommend towing heavy loads with it if it is even remotly slippery (this doesnt really count for rain unless its real heavy, in real heavy rain I loose steering too).
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01-12-2005, 06:46 PM
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#14
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Elite Member
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 5,161
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I'll bet if you had the auto leveling rear air suspension (from the Limited) it would have helped.
Koz
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01-14-2005, 03:59 PM
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#15
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Join Date: Oct 2003
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Age: 46
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