Recent content by Catchlight

4Runner AT cooler standard in Canada Monty876, your 4Runner might already have a factory transmission fluid cooler, like the ones sold in Canada do. We have a travel trailer on order which will weigh 4300 pounds wet and ready to camp, and plan to tow it with my 2011 Trail Edition. I'm assured...

Thanks for the links Useful info on monitoring and controlling AT temperature in both of those links, 1Engineer. Thanks. None of those posters mention first-hand experience with synthetic AT fluid, though. Surely someone has made the switch.

I'm about to start towing a 21' travel trailer with my 2011 Trail Edition. The trailer's weight, wet and fully loaded, is 4300 pounds, fairly close to the 4Runner's rated towing capacity of 5000 pounds. Here in Canada (and maybe everywhere) 4Runners come with a factory transmission cooler, but...

S-Mode When Trailer Towing We have a travel trailer on order, and on the advice of experienced RVers I plan to use S-Mode exclusively when towing to prevent the transmission from searching for gears, which causes heat buildup, and to stay out of overdrive (5th), which is not recommended when...

Not all of Canada is cold. Here on Vancouver Island it's 40F and cloudy, and we don't even have enough snow in the mountains for our ski resort to open.

3rd Gen warmed up faster My 2011 Trail takes longer to produce heat than my old 'SR5. So I plug in the block heater for a few hours before starting the Trail when the outside temp is below freezing, and once underway it warms the cabin faster.

Transmission cooler standard in Canada Canadians pay more for 4Runners than US buyers, but sometimes actually get something for the extra money. Among the items included as standard equipment on my 2011 Trail is this package: "All models feature a Towing Package – with a heavy duty tow-hitch...

TE seats, plus Obus Forme I've done a few 10 hour days at the wheel of my '11 TE and find the driver's seat comfortable, and better than most other vehicles I've owned. Because of a low back problem, though, I have to use one of these lumbar backrests (with the extra cushion shown in the...

Brakes and Brake Controller? OP, take a look at this summary of each state's requirements regarding trailer brakes. It could have implications for whether you install a controller and use a trailer with brakes, or whether you choose your route to avoid states like Idaho where brakes are...

I just ordered a 19-foot travel trailer which I will tow with my 2011 Trail. The experienced people who tow with 4Runners cruise in 4H, and let the tachometer, crosswinds, speed limits, and road conditions tell them the maximum advisable speed. They say that towing in 5th gear (overdrive)...

Andersen hitches This hitch is getting positive comments from users online, and is apparently silent: Andersen 'No-Sway' Weight Distribution Hitch It's the frontrunner in our search for a hitch.

As others have stated, installing and learning to use a high-quality brake controller like a Tekonsha Prodigy is essential before towing a trailer even half the size and weight of yours. I'm just about to start towing a 19-foot travel trailer with my 2011 Trail Edition. This trailer weighs in...

Thanks for the suggestions. The centre location looks handy and visible, Jeremy556, but I'd rather not give up the sunglasses, etc. storage spot. Like QJake and G8RB8 125R5, I'm thinking the lower left corner of the dash is a viable location, as long as I remember not to hit it when getting in...

I'm about to start towing with my 2011 Trail, and am wondering where the best spot is to install my Prodigy P2 brake controller so I can see the LED and monitor brake connection status while I'm driving. I also want to be able to reach the manual trailer brake control at any time (although I...

In real estate it's location, location, location . . . . . . and in vehicle selection it's quality in three areas: design, assembly, and performance. I haven't read this entire thread, so pardon me if it's redundant to state that one of my motivations in buying a 2011 Trail Edition is that it...