Met guy today who hauls his race car in a 3200# enclosed 25ft trailer race car weighs 3500# and he says 7k # all loaded up and he had a supercharger and a shift kit with a couple of big coolers which I know he has been doing this for years so my? is how many people go over the recommended towing capacity like this?
3rd gen towing capacity overload?
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hearno
Senior Member
Yeah the power isn't the issue. It's the towing of something that significantly outweighs the tow vehicle that becomes the issue. Trying to stop it all, maintaining control in strong cross winds etc.
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KidVermicious
New member
I just hauled my 4000 pound 1st gen 4runner across town with my 4000 pound 3rd gen. Trans got hottish, braking was sketchy, and the 1st gen shifted my rear around badly. I won't do that again, it was foolish.
That was about 5400 lbs. A bit over the max towing capacity per the door sticker. It felt pretty ponderous. It's a 5 speed manual, and it accelerated pretty slowly. Had no issues going 65 mph over modest hills though. Braking was obviously affected as well, I have the 231mm Tundra brakes as well.
7000 lbs is well over the rated capacity, it's probably not entirely 'safe' in the nanny state definition of the word, but you should def. take extra care and precautions. Drive very gently, keep speeds down as much as possible, watch tire pressures very carefully (and if you don't have some sturdy, stiff E load tires on it, maybe you should).
When I rented the U-Haul carrier to bring my daughter's busted Taurus home (totally dead trans, it ended up getting sold to a junkyard) I had to lie to them and say I was hauling a much smaller car, or they wouldn't rent it to me.
vanion2
New member
I see a lot of "he said" in there. If he's doing it here in the US and a DOT cop pulls him over it won't matter what he said when they fine him for exceeding the vehicle's towing rating. And the first time his trailer has a blow out if he lives through the ordeal then you can listen to what he said then too.
It's your truck so do what you want. I have towed enough to know that even with all the right equipment pulling something heavier than your tow vehicle is rated for by the manufacturer is gambling. Man up, buy a truck rated for the load, and do it right.
Can it be done? Sure. Should you do it? That's up to you to decide. All I ask is when you do make sure I am not around your neck of the woods because I don't want to be involved when something goes wrong.
I would not reccomend trying to tow that much with a 3rd gen. I have towed my flatbed trailer with my class 1600 race buggy. Total weight was close to the 5000lb limit and I would not have felt comfortable with much more even with tundra brakes, supercharger, ome 890's etc. It stopped fine with the tbu and trailer brakes and I had plenty of power to get moving but the weight of the trailer starts to try to push and pull the back of the truck over bumps etc. 7000lbs is just asking for a crash imho.
jgue467
Senior Member
So this tow job is happening in flatish floriday? I'd like to see it tackle the rockies between steamboat and denver, hehe....
