Anyone Tow a Tear Drop with their 3rd Gen?

[Topgun15v]

I am looking at towing a ~1,000lb tear drop trailer with my 3rd gen. I have the stock 4:30 rear elocker gears and upgraded the radiator and have the largest bdm cooler. Anyone have any experience or feedback? I mainly drive forest service roads, but I am more worried about highway driving around 65-70mph.
Thanks in advance.

 

[alumarine]

Are you asking if your truck, as equipped, can tow the trailer well?
Yes, all day long.

 

[TRD 4RNR]

I am looking at towing a ~1,000lb tear drop trailer with my 3rd gen.

:worthless

What does your Teardrop look like?

 

[wtmtnrunner]

Not exactly the same...

I think my trailer is a little heavier and I have a 4th gen, my biggest issue is sway on the highway. Between the short wheelbase and taller height, I find that I need to stay between 60 and 65 tops on the highway. Rest of the time it tows like a breeze.

 

[Topgun15v]

Are you asking if your truck, as equipped, can tow the trailer well?
Yes, all day long.

And do you have first hand experience with this or are you just speculating? If so please share details. Thanks

 

[Topgun15v]

:worthless

What does your Teardrop look like?

I don't own one yet. That's why I was asking if anyone has any experience bc if real world users said it was horrible to tow with then I was going to pass on a camper and go RTT route.

 

[TRD 4RNR]

I don't own one yet. That's why I was asking if anyone has any experience bc if real world users said it was horrible to tow with then I was going to pass on a camper and go RTT route.

I've been looking at these:
https://m.facebook.com/TreelineTeardrops

 

[gamefreakgc]

I've towed trailers around that weighed roughly 2,000 lbs and it drove great. Make sure your shocks, coils, and sway bar bushings are in good shape or replaced and you'll have no trouble.

 

[Topgun15v]

I've been looking at these:
https://m.facebook.com/TreelineTeardrops

Nice, like the way they look, how much roughly? I had been looking at these. I just want something "bare-bones" that's cheap which I can customize over time myself. wilderness explorer

Thats good to know about the 2k lbs. I figured it would tow fine especially given the 5k tow rating (even though I would never attempt anything near 5k on these little engines) especially with 330k miles on mine! haha

Thanks everyone for all of the help.

 

[aykalper]

Nice, like the way they look, how much roughly? I had been looking at these. I just want something "bare-bones" that's cheap which I can customize over time myself. wilderness explorer

Thats good to know about the 2k lbs. I figured it would tow fine especially given the 5k tow rating (even though I would never attempt anything near 5k on these little engines) especially with 330k miles on mine! haha

Thanks everyone for all of the help.

Haha, I can't help at all with the topic, but I just towed 4900 lbs today from Pittsburgh to Columbus Oh. No problem at all, albeit a bit slow on some hills...sitting at about 5000 rpm haha.

Water and Oil temps were good!

 

[alumarine]

And do you have first hand experience with this or are you just speculating? If so please share details. Thanks

I'm speculating. There's lots of different teardrop trailers.

If some don't tow well it's not because they are teardrop.

Usually it is how they are loaded.

 

[SLEEPR]

I tow a Little Guy Silver Shadow 8x5 on service roads all spring, summer and fall.

Truck hardly notices the trailer. The only issues I've had have been with the trailer, not truck. Vibrations are shaking my trailer apart. Need to upgrade the torsion suspension to leaf springs. I'll get a pic up tomorrow.

 

[Topgun15v]

I tow a Little Guy Silver Shadow 8x5 on service roads all spring, summer and fall.

Truck hardly notices the trailer. The only issues I've had have been with the trailer, not truck. Vibrations are shaking my trailer apart. Need to upgrade the torsion suspension to leaf springs. I'll get a pic up tomorrow.

I was looking at the rough rider ones, but there like $12k new....

I also thought that Torsion Axles were better than leaf springs for offroading?

 

[TrexRunnerGirl]

Interesting thread.
I don't have a trailer yet, but love the teardrops and the Shastas.
I'd rather have an old Airstream but yea, good luck with that.

There are several kits you could build one if you wanted. I like the ones with the kitchen in the back but only seem practical in good weather.

I'll follow along with this one.

My ultimate goal is to retire (hahahaaa) with my truck and trailer and go where the sun shines alot and probably Southwest/West. :cowboy:

 

[SLEEPR]

I was looking at the rough rider ones, but there like $12k new....

I also thought that Torsion Axles were better than leaf springs for offroading?

On the highway, the towing experience is just fine. No problems at all. I get up to 140 km/hr and it's a non-issue (usually in a rush to get to the bush and crack beer #1)

However, once I hit service/forestry roads it's a different story. Washboard gravel road and the vibrations have shaken a lot of screws in my trailer loose. Broken glassware etc from vibration as well. Going slow when wheeling into really gross spots is fine.

 

[Topgun15v]

On the highway, the towing experience is just fine. No problems at all. I get up to 140 km/hr and it's a non-issue (usually in a rush to get to the bush and crack beer #1)

However, once I hit service/forestry roads it's a different story. Washboard gravel road and the vibrations have shaken a lot of screws in my trailer loose. Broken glassware etc from vibration as well. Going slow when wheeling into really gross spots is fine.

Nice setup man! Thanks for sharing. Have any pics of the side of the trailer? Does yours have the "offroad" package? One of my main concerns was also vibrating the trailer to pieces, but I am also looking at just a box on wheels basically (not getting the kitchen, etc).

My idea is to have the back of the 4runner my kitchen, this way if I leave the trailer at camp and go exploring, I can have all my lunch/snacks with me.

 

[Dezerts10]

No clue what my trailer weighs its home built but I've carried a yard of gravel, fire wood filled to the top and multiple trips to the local dezert with it

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SLEEPR]

Including a partial side view, plus a side view after I had it vinyl wrapped. Also a pic of the boy and dog - exhausted after camping.

No offroad package here. I bought it used at a very good price, so I cant complain. I had 3" blocks welded to raise it up enough that I can now get a 3500# axle on with Toyota hubs and leaf springs. That's about it for mods so far.