I am stuck between a rock and hard place with my 4Runner. My wife and I have worked very hard and saved to be able to retire early. Now we want to travel the country by RV. I would like to be able to explore the backcountry of the places we visit, thus I need a capable off road vehicle. I absolutely love my 4Runner over the Jeep’s I have had in the past, however I will not be able to dingy tow the 4Runner nor will my RV pull be able to pull it on a trailer as the combined weight will be about 7000#.
I have done my homework and there doesn’t seem to be a way to dingy tow these without disconnecting the driveshaft. The company that made the driveshaft disconnect no longer makes them as they have had too many vibration issues.

So here is my dilemma. I don’t want to go back to a Jeep. Now I am eyeing the Colorado with the Bison ZR2 package. I hate to get rid of my beloved 4Runner but alas I must make a choice.

I’m reaching out to see if there is an way to tow a 4Runner without damaging the transmission or transfer case. I’m all ears as they say.

Put transfer case in neutral and tow it. No, don't do that. Here's why:

Horrible advice!! 4runner transfer case oil pumps are driven by the input shaft and with it in neutral you might bounce enough fluid around to lubricate everything but you might also destroy the transfer case.


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I have done the research and this is what seems to be the consensus. Im just hoping there is an easy way that I am missing.

Another possible option is to get a side by side ATV, and haul it behind your motor home on a utility trailer. The ATVs can go almost anywhere the 4Runner can go -- almost.

You see them all over in Utah and western Colorado. Letter: ATV tourism has damaged Moab’s reputation -- but there’s a middle ground

The biggest down side is they are not nearly as comfortable as the 4Runner, especially when it is cold or dusty.

bad advice...

It is an expensive fix

you are on the right track, unless the owner's manual says you are good to go (pretty sure it doesn't)

Sounds like you need a bigger tow Motor home

I checked my owners manual and it specifically says NOT to tow with ANY wheel on the ground.

@SilverFox2020 Get an old FJ40 and put it on a dolly or trailer. FJ40 only weighs about 3200lbs and would definitely be one of the most fun vehicles to explore the Backcountry in retirement...(at least that's what I would do). I hope to have the same plan when I retire...Congrats on the early release!

Here is a discussion on Mud about it.

Best way to tow my 1980 fj40 behind my motorhome? | IH8MUD Forum

Disconnecting the front and rear drive shafts completely from the the TC and the rear and front diff's is your only option.

• more capable totter
• Aluminum trailer
• Side by Side

Well problem solved. I stumbled on a pretty nice 98 TJ that was set up to tow for pretty cheap. It’s a win/win as I get a beater Jeep and I get to keep the 4Runner.m

The front can stay in. It doesn't spin in 2wd due to the ADD.

TJ's have been rising in price lately. Congrats.

sorta what I figured but without access to a 5th gen owner's manual

nice score, keeping the 4runner means you only sorta went to the darkside

Hope the jeep being 23 years old won't take a ton of maintenance to make a reliable vehicle.. My 94 4Runner being 27 brings somes challenges

Yeah riding around int the TJ reminds me of how much I love the 4Runner. Good thing about that old Jeep, it’s not to hard to work on. Besides, I gotta have something to do as my 4Runner is built like a brick chit house.