Towing a truck bed trailer or tent trailer

[Wasatch Rebel]

So I had this opportunity to pick up an old truck bed trailer. I'm pretty sure it was from a half ton (and it was a Chev). I was going to get it for free, but when I got there, the woman asked me if I could make an offer on it (that's after it's already hooked up to my 2000 runner with 3.4 engine and standard trans). I offered her $25 and she accepted. "That's grocery money," she said, "that's where I'm at right now." I gave her another fifteen bucks after that and drove away wondering if I should've emptied my wallet. Anyway, I had a five mile drive home and one long hill to drive up. I couldn't get the runner up over 50 on the hill, and that's with an empty trailer. Of course, when I got it home and checked the trailer tires, they were underinflated and worn badly, so I'm sure that contributed to the issue. Anyway, it made me wonder about how hard or smart it would be to pull that thing full, and if the tent trailer we're thinking of getting in the near future would require a vehicle with greater towing capacity. Any thoughts, tips, or pointers would be appreciated.

 

[zgensler31]

Couple things...turn o/d off and ect on. These are options added to aid in pulling trailers.

 

[richmeyer]

Check the bearings too.

 

[shootmymime]

O/d off works wonders! Aided with a tranny cooler and no worries. I tow my heavy jet skis and a 16ft double axle loaded with what ever quite offer. Trailer is heavy but jet skies do fine. If you need new tires try to get some skinny ones to prevent less drag.

You should be fine loaded.

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

Couple things...turn o/d off and ect on. These are options added to aid in pulling trailers.

I'm not sure I even have those on my vehicle. I have a manual transmission...but I guess you can have o/d on a manual tranny. And I'm not sure what ect is. I guess fifth gear is considered overdrive, isn't it?

 

[fun_runner]

How big of a hill are we talking here? How heavy of a trailer? Highway? Back roads? I just pulled 4600lbs for 330 miles on the highway and stayed around 65-70mph the whole time, up hill, down hill, level ground. Keeping your momentum going and getting a little extra speed before you hit the hill is always a big help.

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

How big of a hill are we talking here? How heavy of a trailer? Highway? Back roads? I just pulled 4600lbs for 330 miles on the highway and stayed around 65-70mph the whole time, up hill, down hill, level ground. Keeping your momentum going and getting a little extra speed before you hit the hill is always a big help.

The hill I was pulling the trailer up was probably about 3 miles long--highway. I think part of the problem was that from where I picked up the trailer and started on this section of road, I was starting out on an uphill where the speed limit graduated from 35, then to 45, and then to 60. Just before it graduated to 60 there was a red light and the hill gets steeper right after that. So I had no momentum going into the hill. I'm not really sure how heavy this trailer is...I said it was a Chev before, but it's actually a Ford full-sized bed. It was real heavy to push across the back yard (on grass) to get it to where I could hook up, but a lot of that was probably the tires with low pressure. I've heard estimates on those truck bed trailers of 1000-1200 pounds empty, so I'm assuming 1200.

 

[shootmymime]

Overdrive and ect are both with automatic transmissions So you don't have those on your truck. 3000 RPM is about average for hauling on normal roads
Few months ago I went up Teton pass from idaho to Wyoming crammed loaded but no trailer, 3 people, stuck behind someone and I couldn't make it past them before the end of passing lane. We were doing 30-35 mph up the mountain and I was floored at 4000 rpm. So I kinda get what you mean by hauling that trailer.
I think is also has to do with just pushing the 3.4 to the limits.

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

Well, really, the only place I'm probably going with this trailer is to the dump, but from my house, there are several low rises along the highway, like the one described in my previous posts. I can generally fit all my camping stuff in the back of the vehicle itself.

On the other hand, once we get that tent trailer, we'll be using it a lot on steep mountain roads...probably not a lot of dirt roads, but roads more similar to the road you described going over Teton Pass. That's what I'm mostly worried about and the experience with towing this trailer is really my first experience trying to tow anything with this rig.

 

[jtdunc]

On the tent trailer question, most are still under 2,000 lbs loaded with gear.

People carefully tow twice that here and there.

My 95 Ford Windstar V6 easily towed our tent trailer with FWD and only a U-Haul tranny cooler installed.

Should be no problem for a 3.4L V6 T4R - no doubt. But if you are going to do regular towing, tranny cooler and upgrade your brake rotors and pads.

You're good on the tent trailer or a shorter trailer too.

 

[A.Wilson013]

I have towed a Coleman E3 with not a single hiccup. That's with the trailer, cargo on the trailer full of gear, a bike rack with 4 heavy MTB's on the trailer rack, and the 4Runner carrying myself, wife, dog, and supplies. I plan on buying a Coleman/Fleetwood E1 some day.

Granted that was with Overdrive Off (on hills), and ECT off the whole time. I also have the Tundra Brakes, and Supercharger.

Here's a picture of an E3 (not my photo... some lucky guy on Tacomaworld).

And here's an E1 (what I plan to buy, some day... again, not my photo. Some lucky Canadian on FJCRUISERFORUMS)

 

[spoiler900]

I just finished a camping trip with my tent trailer! Because the tires are so small they need to be inflated to the max PSI so they dont blow! Mine has new tires and just finished my 700 mile road trip and thats after my 600 mile straight road trip from Arizona to LA going 75 cruise control with no issues!

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

Good to know that tent trailer isn't going to be a problem. Thanks for all the good information!

 

[Nunyabiz]

Well I just hauled at least 800lbs inside my 4Runner for 7770 miles.
Up to Grand Canyon which is over 7400 feet, through the Mojave Desert, up and down the Continental Divide which is around 8300+ feet in Yellowstone.
Most of that time could do it with ECT and OD on without any problems.

I am pretty sure that towing a trailer is much easier than hauling weight in the back. So a tent trailer should be no problem at all.

After this trip my wife and I are planning to get a Tent trailer, we are getting to be old fogies and setting up a tent is starting to get to be a chore.
Would be nice to just pull up , pop up and be good to go with a bit more comfort.

We saw someone in Yellowstone with one of those Fleetwood trailers, looked really nice, much better than others I have seen. We didn't get to see inside it though.

My old Ford Bronco II which was a 6 cylinder hauled my 19' Boston Whaler on twin axle trailer with brakes, that was a VERY heavy boat and it did it without much problem even surf launching in the sand. So I know a 4Runner can do it if that old Bronco could.

 

[Wasatch Rebel]

Well I just hauled at least 800lbs inside my 4Runner for 7770 miles.

I just hauled about 1000 lbs of flooring a couple of days ago and I was getting a good jolt with every bump.

After this trip my wife and I are planning to get a Tent trailer, we are getting to be old fogies and setting up a tent is starting to get to be a chore.
Would be nice to just pull up , pop up and be good to go with a bit more comfort.

We saw someone in Yellowstone with one of those Fleetwood trailers, looked really nice, much better than others I have seen. We didn't get to see inside it though.

We're the same way. We need to get a trailer of some type because with my wife's illness, camping in tents is becoming too difficult. So we need to do the research to find one that is easier to get into, and also has easy access to things inside, like the beds. No climbing on stools, if you know what I mean. Just hope you never get rheumatoid arthritis. That's what my wife has and it has made life very challenging. Maybe we'll look into one of those Fleetwoods as well.

 

[Nunyabiz]

I just hauled about 1000 lbs of flooring a couple of days ago and I was getting a good jolt with every bump.
=================

We're the same way. We need to get a trailer of some type because with my wife's illness, camping in tents is becoming too difficult. So we need to do the research to find one that is easier to get into, and also has easy access to things inside, like the beds. No climbing on stools, if you know what I mean. Just hope you never get rheumatoid arthritis. That's what my wife has and it has made life very challenging. Maybe we'll look into one of those Fleetwoods as well.

Our 4Runner still rode smooth as always, it is not stock shocks/springs etc though. It is lifted 3", OME springs and Rancho shocks. Was riding a bit lower than normal but still rode surprisingly good with all that weight.

I was just today looking at trailers etc because of this thread actually.
About the best thing I have seen so far that would fit our needs well is one of those Teardrop Campers.

The Tent Trailers we would have to get used, actually ANY of them we will have to get used. But the Tent trailers seem to have a tendency to get mildew and rot in the corners, have issues with the snaps and fasteners somewhat high maintenance.
Another I looked at was the "Aliner" type which are a neat idea, takes 60 seconds or less to set up, hard sided, Aframe, so big headroom in the middle.
Those also had issues, frame bending, condensation and leaking in the middle seam, few other odds and ends.

The Teardrop trailers however are just small, solid, well insulated, virtually no maintenance, well built little trailers.
Only drawback is just 2 things.
Headroom is 5'9" and limited space inside, perfect for 2 people though.
Large Queen+ size bed, 2-3 Burner stove, Fridge, TV, Stereo, AC/Heater, lots of storage and has lots of accessories.
Fully loaded is under 1700# and I think is 180# tongue weight so easy tow with probably very little loss in gas mileage.
I am thinking this is probably what we are going to be looking for at this point unless something better pops up.

- T@B Camper Trailers

 

[Robb235]

I haven't really been impressed with towing capabilities of the 3rd gen 4Runners. I figured that out a couple years ago when I had my '97. I was pulling a Yamaha jetboat (1,700 lbs) and trailer (800 lbs? 1,000lbs?) over a steep mountain pass, and I almost didn't make it to the top. Had it floored, but the RPMs and speed kept dropping. I almost thought I was going to have to stop and put it in 4LO, but luckily I barely crested the hill.

I've pulled this same boat and trailer over the same pass with my dad's Infiniti I35 no sweat. That four door mid size sedan pulls better than my mid size SUV. Go figure.