towing beast

[seans4R]

Hi everyone... i'm looking at buying a boat next spring. It's a good sized boat and im guessing with boat, trailer, gas, and gear to be around 4000 lbs.

I have a 2006 4x4 V6 Sport Edition with towing package. I remember the sales guys saying this thing is ready to tow.. I have a larger sized radiator (not sure if he was just blowing smoke up my ass) compared to other 4runners without the towing package that just throw the hitch on. sounds full of BS to me.

My question is: what upgrades would I need to make to the 4 runner to tow that load?

-I'm thinking bigger tires with stronger sidewall ( i want bigger tires anyway )
-Transmission cooler (unless it already has one... can't remember)
-Daystar leveling kit
-Air shocks

Thanks in advance!!!


Sean

 

[Will_4R]

I think bigger tires would make it harder to tow.

 

[strike3]

You should be fine stock towing 4,000lb. I have 4,700 lb boat with I think 1,200 lb dual axle trailer I pulled with my 03 V8. Trailer may have weighed more I can't remember. Boat also holds 180 gallons of fuel. I stopped towing the boat though cause the 4runner is too light imo and I don't really need to tow it anywhere cause boat sits on a lift. Towing the boat into a 20 mph head wind I used a full tank of gas in a 100 miles.

 

[jgb152]

i dont think you would need to do anything honestly.. i pull my 24' baystealth with a 96 taco 4x4 with the v6.. boat weights about 4200lbs on a tandem axle trailer.. just be careful going down the interstate when it comes to distance and stopping quickly.. t4r are a little heavier so you'll have a little more stopping power than a tacoma

 

[CJ3Flyr]

Hi everyone... i'm looking at buying a boat next spring. It's a good sized boat and im guessing with boat, trailer, gas, and gear to be around 4000 lbs.

I have a 2006 4x4 V6 Sport Edition with towing package. I remember the sales guys saying this thing is ready to tow.. I have a larger sized radiator (not sure if he was just blowing smoke up my ass) compared to other 4runners without the towing package that just throw the hitch on. sounds full of BS to me.

My question is: what upgrades would I need to make to the 4 runner to tow that load?

-I'm thinking bigger tires with stronger sidewall ( i want bigger tires anyway )
-Transmission cooler (unless it already has one... can't remember)
-Daystar leveling kit
-Air shocks

Thanks in advance!!!


Sean

Sean,
I'd stay away from true 'air shocks'. Consider airbags like in this thread and the link in my signature.

Your T4R has an in-tank style trans cooler. Many of us upgraded to an additional, external cooler. Link in my sig.

I wouldn't go larger than a 265/70/17 for towing with the V6. IMHO it would be too much of a hit in the gearing department. My V6 tows fine when I tow the weights you're talking about. There isn't enough reserve power to waste on huge tires though...
:cheers:

:cheers:

 

[mndanielsncsu]

I tow a '93 Sport Nautique (21' 6" in length) with my stock 2007 T4R V6 SR5 with a trailer hitch that I added. I have never had any issues with it not having enough power or spinning any tires. Only thing that I'd recommend is a tranny cooler, but otherwise I think you'll probably be alright.

 

[seans4R]

awesome thanks guys!! i'm at work right now but i'll look through the links on your sig later CJ3Flyr!!

:banana:

 

[boston_kevin]

Hi everyone... i'm looking at buying a boat next spring. It's a good sized boat and im guessing with boat, trailer, gas, and gear to be around 4000 lbs.

You'll be fine towing this combination with the V6 engine

I have a 2006 4x4 V6 Sport Edition with towing package. I remember the sales guys saying this thing is ready to tow.. I have a larger sized radiator (not sure if he was just blowing smoke up my ass) compared to other 4runners without the towing package that just throw the hitch on. sounds full of BS to me.

Yes he is BS'ing you... V6 has the stock radiator which has a small internal transmission cooler. Engine cooling shouldn't be a problem, transmission cooling might or might not be an issue. I installed an external transmission cooler (like the V8's) in front of my radiator. Cheap insurance for towing.

My question is: what upgrades would I need to make to the 4 runner to tow that load?

-I'm thinking bigger tires with stronger sidewall ( i want bigger tires anyway )
-Transmission cooler (unless it already has one... can't remember)
-Daystar leveling kit
-Air shocks

Bigger tires won't make it easier to tow, nor will the lift. Air bags in the back springs will help offset the load. The leveling kit works great without a load, but when the boat is hooked up, you will be nose-high instead of level. Overall you have a maximum load capacity (GVR) that included the towed weight and the weight of the vehicle - bigger tires weigh more and take away some of the amount you can tow. The transmission cooler is the best thing you can do if you plan to tow regularly. I tow my boat (roughly 4200-4500 lbs) 10+ times per year and have done this for 5 years now with a V6 - no issues whatsoever. With 70k miles on my truck, more than 10k are purely towing.

Also, highly recommended would be to upgrade the tow hitch. The stock V6 hitch is only rated for 5000 lbs where the V8 hitch is rated for 6700 lbs on the V6 engine.

 

[4ll4boutda4play]

Towing ?

I have the SE V8 model and it tows like a beast.. I had a tandem axel trailer loaded with wood in a sandy creekbed.. the trailer sunk down to the frame in the sand and the runner pulled it like cake "at one point a dog ran out infront of me and I had to lock up the brakes..so as you can guess I burried it up to the axel in sand" I think that you should be good as you sit with your stock set up .. the only thing that might do is get a tire with more plys.. IMO