How much have you towed?

[shooter.mcgavin]

I have a 2011 SR5. I am buying a hybrid camper, that weighs almost 4200lbs dry, so with gear I will be 4700lbs or so. I am getting the electric brakes installed, but need to know if I should do anything else, being I will be close to max. The camper does have a swaybar/load distributing hitch. What is the most anyone has towed with there 4Runner?

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

This can help you, an entire thread

Welcome to the Forum

 

[brockeverly]

I have a 2011 SR5. I am buying a hybrid camper, that weighs almost 4200lbs dry, so with gear I will be 4700lbs or so. I am getting the electric brakes installed, but need to know if I should do anything else, being I will be close to max. The camper does have a swaybar/load distributing hitch. What is the most anyone has towed with there 4Runner?

See the thread posted above.

As for the weight, you are being quite conservative. If the dry weight is stamped 4200#, the trailer is most likely around 4400-4700# "dry". Manufacturers notoriously under stamp weights, and a lot are dealer options (i.e. propane tanks, etc) that they do not have to call "dry" weight. Camping gear adds up quite fast. My trailer for example is stamped 1800#, it is actually around 2100# "dry". Once generators, clothes, food, water, propane, etc is onboard I am easily 3000#

 

[JohnJerk]

I tow my 3000 lb boat a short distance almost every weekend. It's hilly over here and high elevation and all combined I find it a little painful. Your hitch and trailer brakes should make what you are doing reasonable, but you won't be winning any drag races and you'll be burning fuel like you have a leak in your gas tank. You'll be happy if you go into your first tow with low expectations. You'll be smiling once settled in camp anyway.

 

[shooter.mcgavin]

Thanks for the info. I pull my boat no problem, but its under 3000#s. I also towed a pop-up camper with slide out, and it was fine. However I am going up at least 1500#s more. I wont be going too far.... local campgrounds, and maybe 50-100 mile trips a couple times a year. Michigan is pretty flat, so luck out in that aspect too.

 

[Biggcrisp]

Thanks for the info. I pull my boat no problem, but its under 3000#s. I also towed a pop-up camper with slide out, and it was fine. However I am going up at least 1500#s more. I wont be going too far.... local campgrounds, and maybe 50-100 mile trips a couple times a year. Michigan is pretty flat, so luck out in that aspect too.

Hello, I was towing a 4000# camper and traded up to a 5000#er last weekend. I have yet to figure out how to post pics. My 2012 4RUNNER is stock. I have CDL experience and no worrys about these weights. For me it's all about engine/tranny strain. I didn't notice any towing difference between the two trailers. I drive 55 mph towing in 4S and get 14.3 mpg here in the Indiana flatlands (cruise control on usually).

 

[shooter.mcgavin]

Hello, I was towing a 4000# camper and traded up to a 5000#er last weekend. I have yet to figure out how to post pics. My 2012 4RUNNER is stock. I have CDL experience and no worrys about these weights. For me it's all about engine/tranny strain. I didn't notice any towing difference between the two trailers. I drive 55 mph towing in 4S and get 14.3 mpg here in the Indiana flatlands (cruise control on usually).

Great info thanks!!! Helps ease my mind a little bit in my camper purchase. Dont want to ruin my 4Runner.

 

[9Hooker]

Hello, I was towing a 4000# camper and traded up to a 5000#er last weekend. I have yet to figure out how to post pics. My 2012 4RUNNER is stock. I have CDL experience and no worrys about these weights. For me it's all about engine/tranny strain. I didn't notice any towing difference between the two trailers. I drive 55 mph towing in 4S and get 14.3 mpg here in the Indiana flatlands (cruise control on usually).

as soon as the T4R starts towing the race car + trailer it's gonna get a tranny cooler, diff cooler, and oil cooler. with those mods, a properly loaded trailer, and trailer brakes, I wouldn't have any qualms towing more than 5000#

 

[Koz]

When fully loaded you WILL be over the OEM tow rating! After one test/trip you will know whether you feel comfortable with your set-up. If not, invest in this system and don't look back (if you get lucky you can find a used one).

The Hensley Cub | Hensley Hitch Towable Products

Koz

 

[shooter.mcgavin]

When fully loaded you WILL be over the OEM tow rating! After one test/trip you will know whether you feel comfortable with your set-up. If not, invest in this system and don't look back (if you get lucky you can find a used one).

The Hensley Cub | Hensley Hitch Towable Products

Koz

Koz,

Thanks for the info, I will know very shortly if I need a system like that.

 

[Zeder]

Don't forget that the tow ratings on vehicle are not really related to what you can pull, its more about what you can STOP!

Manufactures don't care if you burn up your motor/tranny, they are concerned about you wiping out the town at the bottom of that big hill though. IMO of course.

 

[shooter.mcgavin]

Don't forget that the tow ratings on vehicle are not really related to what you can pull, its more about what you can STOP!

Manufactures don't care if you burn up your motor/tranny, they are concerned about you wiping out the town at the bottom of that big hill though. IMO of course.

So...good trailer brakes, and I am good to go! :trophy:

 

[Zeder]

A few tips for you..

I did a 2200 mile round trip with 3800lb tent trailer (FULLY LOADED) up and down 6000ft vertical.(prairies-mountains-ocean and back). Wife, kids, dog, bikes, food, beer, propane(2x35lb), dual 12V deep cycles, etc, and found I got approx 5 mpg better when I left it in 4S(manual) than when I left in 5S(manual). Revs went from 2100rpm to 2700rpm and the MPG got BETTER! Yes, I tested this out 5 or 6 times. I had a lot of seat time to try this. Just reset your MPG gauge on the center consol for each mode and see what happens.

Also, transmission temps (via scan gauge) where 30-70 deg F lower when in 4(manual). They were lower in 5(manual) compared to full auto as well. Torque converter lockup engages when you use the manual mode, thus, less heat.

So bottom line, when you do the towing you should do the shifting too. You get to control when the trans shifts and work around the goofy cruise control that will downshift under full load like when you are in the middle of a hill and peg the RPM's to the roof. It was MUCH less dramatic for me to downshift into third before a big hill and much easier on the transmission too!

Read this http://www.toyota-4runner.org/towing/117854-transmission-temps-observations-revelation.html
Look here too! http://www.toyota-4runner.org/towing/

Good luck!
Z

I would highly recommend you get a $150 scan Gauge II so that you can monitor all you 4R's vitals while you are towing.

 

[Glock_19]

as soon as the T4R starts towing the race car + trailer it's gonna get a tranny cooler, diff cooler, and oil cooler. with those mods, a properly loaded trailer, and trailer brakes, I wouldn't have any qualms towing more than 5000#

+1

If I were going to tow anything remotely heavy I would want coolers and trailer brakes so you don't fry the truck.

 

[shooter.mcgavin]

hatsoff：

Gus what was your pic of?

 

[Hambone]

What I tow.

This is the camper that I tow with my 2011 SR5 4wd with only an electronic brake controller installed. All drivetrain components are stock and no additional sensors have been added. I have towed it from Tampa to western Colorado through the Rockies and back with no problems. I have put about 10,000 of the 32,000 miles on my T4R just towing this camper. It weighed #4300 dry and sits right around #5000 +/- #200 loaded.

 

[mallory25]

Nice rig hambone! Curious did you add a tranny cooler or anything. Another thread on here went on and on about that and the heaviest load was 5500. Out of curiosity what kinda mpg you get hauling that?
I've done about 4400# back and forth through mountains east Tn. Best was 17.4 I think. That was on an 18' flatbed trailer.

 

[diverscale]

Nice rig hambone! Curious did you add a tranny cooler or anything. Another thread on here went on and on about that and the heaviest load was 5500. Out of curiosity what kinda mpg you get hauling that?
I've done about 4400# back and forth through mountains east Tn. Best was 17.4 I think. That was on an 18' flatbed trailer.

Wanted to ask the same thing. How is the tranny temp holding up without an aux tranny cooler?

I know that on my tacoma TRD with tow package, towing 5000, the aux tranny cooler did a very good job at letting tranny temps lower than 160 if I was easy with it. I wonder how high it would have gotten without it...

 

[mallory25]

Wanted to ask the same thing. How is the tranny temp holding up without an aux tranny cooler?

I know that on my tacoma TRD with tow package, towing 5000, the aux tranny cooler did a very good job at letting tranny temps lower than 160 if I was easy with it. I wonder how high it would have gotten without it...

Yeah I think the thread was tcalled transmission coolers. Someone had a scan gauge II while towing (new update checks trans temp now) and said at full payload you could get it near tov240 pretty fast in uphill or steep grade pretty quick. His point was torque converter being locked up Helps slow temp going up unlocked he said temp soared quick. Apparently TQ lockup is only in 4 &5 gear. So recommends dropping to fourth early to keep it locked.

 

[Hambone]

Thanks Mallory, I get a lot of use out of it and enjoy it immensely. I have not installed an aftermarket tranny cooler or any gauges so I cannot say what the transmission temperature was running. Prior to leaving Tampa I had a 30,000 mile service done and was told that transmission, rear diff and transfer case fluids were all in great condition. Upon returning after a month and 5,000 miles later through steep grades I had all fluids checked again and none needed replacing.
For peace of mind I will be getting the ScangaugeII soon, my fuel mileage was less then stellar as I average anywhere from 10-12mpg overall while towing. Ive kept MPH anywhere from 60-75 and the T4R tows and handles great.

Correction to my first post, I have a a load leveling hitch with sway control but nothing to the T4R itself.