First Time Towing with a 4Runner

[CLewis]

First opportunity to tow with a 4Runner.

 

[Neech]

Wow. What's the total weight of all that?

 

[CLewis]

Just shy of 6,000 lbs.

I was extremely surprised at how easy the 4Runner handled it. You certainly felt the weight in the back, but it pulled off the line without any problems. I even had to drive on the highway and it was very stable at 45 -55 MPH.

 

[TranceKrayz]

wow, that looks cool but i'd be afraid to pull that thing at 55mph on the highway with stock brakes.

 

[toybox]

I'm betting that the trailer has its own set of brakes to help out.

 

[TranceKrayz]

i would hope so!

 

[Mark86]

That is very impressive. I usually see dump trucks haul those type of trailers. Looks great on a 4Runner!

 

[Brewster]

CLewis:

I will soon be towing my tractor (New Holland TC30). The total rig weight will be approximately the same. Did you use a weight distributing hitch, or just go with the ball mount that Toyota supplied? If you used the Toyota mount, did you mount the ball in the drop position or the rise position?

I've got a weight distributing hitch I could use, but it's a lot more hassle to set up, especially since I will need to connect and disconnect frequently from the 4Runner.

 

[CLewis]

I have the weight distributing hitch with the ball mount in the rise position. I had to do a little research to make sure it was correct and it was.

I did down-shift and use the engine for some braking, but the stock brake seemed more than adequate.

 

[BKSinAZ]

What size engine is in your 4Runner?

What size engine is in your 4Runner?

 

[CLewis]

V8. The trailer and ball-hitch were rated up to 6,000 lbs.

 

[bluewolf]

No electric brakes on the trailer?

 

[darktiger]

Wow, I though I was something when I towed a 2100 lbs corolla last week.

 

[CLewis]

No, it did not have electric brakes.

 

[bluewolf]

No, it did not have electric brakes.

Wow! That's a lot of weight pushing you along. Good thing you didn't have to make a sudden stop. You must have balls of steel!

 

[CLewis]

It really wasn't that bad. You certainly know you are pulling something though. My brother has a 93 - F350 and his brakes are smaller than the 4Runner and he only has 40 lbs feet of torque more than the 4Runner.

Also the trailer didn't have electric brakes.

 

[SteveM]

It had to have had surge brakes then! There's no way you could have safely towed that load without trailer brakes of some sort!
In California, any trailer over 2,000 pounds is required to have trailer brakes.

 

[bluewolf]

It really wasn't that bad. You certainly know you are pulling something though. My brother has a 93 - F350 and his brakes are smaller than the 4Runner and he only has 40 lbs feet of torque more than the 4Runner.

Also the trailer didn't have electric brakes.

Hmmm... at 6000 lbs that trailer has 35% more weight than your rig. It's not the size of your brakes I'd be worried about, my friend... it's the laws of physics.

 

[Coolhand]

Hehehe.

I would bet any large dual axle trailer like that has surge brakes if it didn't have electronic brakes as he mentioned...

Still, I'd prefer electronic brakes even when pulling my ~ 2,500lb boat but I'm making due with surge brakes. Pain in the butt to back up, as the surge brake lockout keeps popping up...

 

[Kanab]

First opportunity to tow with a 4Runner.

CLewis good looking dog.