I know your vehicle is fairly young, but have you added some sort of aftermarket tow package to help you tow and save your transmission? My wife and have been researching the 4Runner to buy one and were wondering about the lack of an actual tow package and if it was possible to add that on? How is the towing on that thing anyway? We will be towing ATVs up and down the mountains in western Pennsylvania.
Roof Rack and Hitch Setups HERE!
- Thread starter Quentin
- Start date
I know your vehicle is fairly young, but have you added some sort of aftermarket tow package to help you tow and save your transmission? My wife and have been researching the 4Runner to buy one and were wondering about the lack of an actual tow package and if it was possible to add that on? How is the towing on that thing anyway? We will be towing ATVs up and down the mountains in western Pennsylvania.
westwind77
New member
What kind of tow package are you looking for (tranny cooler, etc?) The 5th comes standard with a 2" receiver and ready to tow up to 5,000lbs 'right out of the box'. I bet the 4R does not even know those jet skis are behind it! I used mine for random towing and had no complaints so far.
Gotcha...the only reason I ask about the extra tranny cooler as on the trucks, is cause my father in law towed dirt bikes for the entire life of his Montero and ran into transmission problems later in the life of the car. I'm not worried about the weight capacity, i'm just worried the SUVs aren't quite as equipped as a truck in towing and wondering if I could take measures up front to add some miles to the 4Runner.
harper7
Senior Member
It comes with a tranny cooler already as I'm trying to figure out how/where to relocate the lines to it now, for another project I'm working on .The lines are right there in front going to the radiator so if your worried it would be easy to put another external one. These same Toyota trannies have been used for years in these trucks and have been proven to be practically bullet proof though.
harper7
Senior Member
Your the first that I heard complain and I doubt they will redesign it because you personally had no foresight. Pretty sure it was like that when you looked at it on the lot to buy it. They didn't take it in the back before you picked it up and redesign it on you did they?
They let me open and close all the doors, test drive it and everything and if putting 6 kayaks on top was high on my priority list ,I would have looked to see if it would work,before I bought it, but that's just me !
Your solution.....Get another aftermarket full rack where you can figure out a way to move the 6 kayaks forward more ........or the spoiler is a bolt on piece and I would figure out a way to remove it if it bothered me that bad. It's in the repair or body shop manual that's on the forum. You can have other high LED brake lights wired if you had too as I'm not sure if they are required as they make add on ones.
Meanwhile ....An alert goes out to all that want to carry 6 kayaks on top of a 5th Gen 4Runner. There's a spoiler on the back lift gate!
You should have bought a GX460 as it has the barn door style that would have worked better for you.
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My point exactly harper7. An alert goes out to those who are on the lookout for new 4Runners that a rocketbox or kayaks (or raft frame for that matter) on top aren't compatible with the spoiler. I didn't bother to bring a kayak or rocket box into the dealership to verify the interference nor will 99% of people who buy one. This is an important point. If you don't carry stuff on top, you won't understand. If you do carry stuff on top, you will understand exactly where I am coming from. BTW, I know that they won't redesign it, but they should 
Thanks for the advice about the body shop manual. From my initial glance at the spoiler, it looks easy to unbolt, but then there is the rear wiper and 3rd brake light to deal with. I think the extra cross bar up front will be easier.
Thanks for the advice about the body shop manual. From my initial glance at the spoiler, it looks easy to unbolt, but then there is the rear wiper and 3rd brake light to deal with. I think the extra cross bar up front will be easier.
thule bars
Hi, just curious as I'm in the market for some bars, what Thule bars did you use? and what size? Thanks.
Just added a Thule Atlantis 1600 cargo box on Thule bars. Shockingly quite at all speeds. 40 miles and I don't see a noticable mpg change. Lift gate opens no problem. Very pleased with my $798 purchase...WTF, it's plastic (included install and tax; 15% off MSRP).
Hi, just curious as I'm in the market for some bars, what Thule bars did you use? and what size? Thanks.
Hi, this is exactly the cargo box I was looking for - wasn't sure it would fit properly without the lift gate hitting it. Glad I did a search
A few questions:
- I just have factory cross bars. Would you think those would work with the 1600? It looks like the Thule cross bars make the box sit up higher - I wonder if the factory ones will clear the satellite antenna?
- How sturdy are the clamps?
- Any thoughts on this vs. the Yakima rocketbox (if you took a look at that)?
- Any more pics you can share?
Thanks!
A few questions:
- I just have factory cross bars. Would you think those would work with the 1600? It looks like the Thule cross bars make the box sit up higher - I wonder if the factory ones will clear the satellite antenna?
- How sturdy are the clamps?
- Any thoughts on this vs. the Yakima rocketbox (if you took a look at that)?
- Any more pics you can share?
Thanks!
Just added a Thule Atlantis 1600 cargo box on Thule bars. Shockingly quite at all speeds. 40 miles and I don't see a noticable mpg change. Lift gate opens no problem. Very pleased with my $798 purchase...WTF, it's plastic (included install and tax; 15% off MSRP).
9Hooker
New member
Standard 2" ball hitch. No sway control or trailer brakes. Boat's going 1100 miles from Virginia to Key West. My wife (best wife 2011 winner) is towing it down over the next couple of days. She says it tows pretty well but has sensed the increased drag.
We'll see how gas mileage takes a hit on the freeway.
SeattleMike
New member
My wife says: "That's not fair, she's setting the bar too high. How can other wives compete with that?"
9Hooker
New member
It looks great, I like the fact that it folds down so you can keep it on there all season long.
potts.mike
New member
Has anyone used a thule or yakima ski/snowboard racks or a cargo box with the GOBI Stealth rack?
I emailed them and they said that the cross bars were spaced and sized so they would fit but I would love to hear some real world experience.
I emailed them and they said that the cross bars were spaced and sized so they would fit but I would love to hear some real world experience.
I went with a ROLA hitch cargo basket because it was the most heavy duty one I could find and I like the factory 3" raise on the tongue. I've got a cage kennel that takes up my cargo space... all of it... So I've been really happy so far. Fits nice and snug and this thing isn't one of those cheap ones that I've been looking at for the last few months. I also mounted a thule fork block for a bike when I need that option and the rack has space to mount another if I want in the future. I cut some aluminum plates to mount the fork block to the mesh and I throw a small strap over the back rim to keep it from bouncing. Just another option for people like me that have to give up cargo space or haul dead bodies around. ummm.. like deer and stuff.
Attachments
TOYSTRY
New member
What did you pay and where did you purchase from? The quality looks real nice. I too have the same problem with the dog kennel.....i loose all cargo space with it in the back.
I bought it from Realtruck.com for $189 with free shipping. Did lots of research and even tested some racks on my runner with some floor models on cheaper ones. Most of them are cheap painted metal and don't give you the added clearance or gap between the bumper and rack. This one is perfect as I can open the lift gate with a bike/coolers/gear on it and still get in the back. This thing is heavy duty. Probably 60lbs. It has a durable finish and came in a flat box. You have to bolt together a few pieces that takes about 15mins. Like I said, it's the best one out there in my opinion. You can buy some lights for it too, but I just stuck two reflectors on it and called it a day. Here's the link:
http://www.realtruck.com/rola-hitch-carrier/R141925P1C1T.html
http://www.realtruck.com/rola-hitch-carrier/R141925P1C1T.html
TOYSTRY
New member
Thanks.....what are those two chrome bars in the center for?
Man that set up looks tough. I like it, and when I get my truck I may get this set up.
Nesting Yakima X-bars between factor rails/ rack
I would like to connect Yakima X-bars (round) between the factory rails without increasing the height of the vehicle.
I would need four plugs that press fit into the end of the X-bars that are tapped. I also need backing plates that would fit inside the rails. Anyone have an interest in building these parts? See attached drawing. Thanks.
I am not to sure about the design. 1 the crimp affect on the rails if you tighten to much. 2 How much they will hold.
I would maybe try to use like a t-nut in the rail and have the part that bolts to the rail on the side kinda like the stock ones
I would like to connect Yakima X-bars (round) between the factory rails without increasing the height of the vehicle.
I would need four plugs that press fit into the end of the X-bars that are tapped. I also need backing plates that would fit inside the rails. Anyone have an interest in building these parts? See attached drawing. Thanks.
