Towing experiences with your 5th Generation

[Titanpat57]

I recently picked up a 2015 Solaris Custom toy hauler. #2340 dry weight. Loaded with 2 motorcycles (Honda CRF250Ls), 20 gallons of fresh water and misc. (propane, battery and RV stuff), it's about #3,700.

No WDH, but a brake controller.

4Runner tows it just fine...not fast (I keep maximum speed to 65mph), and fuel economy ranged from 13-9mpg, depending upon headwinds and altitude gain.

I'm running Toytec's 2" TRD Pro springs in the rear, and will likely uprate those to an Old Man Emu heavy spring (#330 to GVW), as I get a little sag.

-H-

I think if you install Airlift 1000 bags that will eliminate 95% of your sag

 

[Hltoppr]

Sweet! finally picked up my trailer a while back as well. I would have stopped by but was under time constraints.

What happened to the front bumper or is that just the lighting?

You're right! Lighting makes the bumper look like it's crumpled!

What trailer did you go with? (I may have missed it if you posted here.)

As for airbags, I'm looking into them, but even without the trailer I could use more spring on the rear; we'll see....

-H-

 

[greatape]

You're right! Lighting makes the bumper look like it's crumpled!

What trailer did you go with? (I may have missed it if you posted here.)

As for airbags, I'm looking into them, but even without the trailer I could use more spring on the rear; we'll see....

-H-

Some 895s will probably do the trick or dobinsons has some nice options as well.

The trailer, I went with an XV-3 from Schutt Industries Xventure line.

 

[Hltoppr]

Some 895s will probably do the trick or dobinsons has some nice options as well.

The trailer, I went with an XV-3 from Schutt Industries Xventure line.

Those are great! Bombproof trailers!

I'm seriously thinking the OME BP-51 system, medium front; heavy rear, is in the near future...solve a few things all at once.

-H-

 

[WVhillbilly]

Guess we'll just let the spammers have the place.

 

[Tiki Joe]

I've been pulling my boat to the ramp regularly. It's only a few miles and 35 mph speed limit. Weighs roughly 4500 lbs. You can tell it's back there!
I wouldn't want to go very far distances towing with the 4Runner....I'm taking it to Lake of the Ozarks in a few weeks about 145 miles away, but I'll be borrowing a truck to go that far.

 

[WVhillbilly]

Most likely buying a pop up camper in the next couple weeks.
Found the airbags I want. What is the best place to get a Tekonsha brake controller?

 

[Drizzie]

Most likely buying a pop up camper in the next couple weeks.
Found the airbags I want. What is the best place to get a Tekonsha brake controller?

I bought the P3 controller from Amazon and the vehicle specific harness from Etrailer (didn't feel like splicing the harness that came with the truck). It was $11 and worth it. But holy damn was the female end of the truck harness hard to find. Was fully taped up and taped to another harness. I had to cut it out.

How heavy is the trailer you were looking at? I haven't found that I needed air bags for mine, just shy of 2000lbs fully loaded.

 

[WVhillbilly]

It's 2200 lbs, hitch weight of 250.

 

[WVhillbilly]

Etrailer has the P3/wiring harness combo for a couple bucks less than Amazon.

 

[WallyT4R]

Etrailer has the P3/wiring harness combo for a couple bucks less than Amazon.

That's who I bought mine from and they have good customer service.

 

[Robertw]

Still towing the race car with my 5th gen. P3 controller, and airlift bags.

 

[WVhillbilly]

Picked this up Saturday. Towed it home with the work truck as I didn't have the brake controller in yet.
Hope to get out in it this weekend.
It looks like it's sitting a big down in the rear in this picture, but when out on level ground it's fine.
Need to tow it before I decide on airbags or not, right now I don't think I'll need them.

 

[WVhillbilly]

Has anyone found a decent add on towing mirror that will fit the 4Runner?
I'm running across a bunch of ugly ones that look like they won't work very well and will scratch the shit out of my 4Runner

 

[IslandJim]

No, have only seen the kind that strap to the oems which shake while you are driving...almost worthless.

Am surprised they aren't available as the flip up ones are available for the Tacomas.

Good luck with your search.

 

[T5RUNNER]

After dragging my small toy hauler all around the western US, I would say that if you tow a lot you should not get a 4runner. It doesn't handle tongue weight very well, but it is really let down by the lack of a tow mode on the transmission. To make it worse you must use the manual shift mode to keep it from trying to upshift all the time and that means you CAN NOT use cruise control. It is really the worst modern truck I have driven for towing. It is totally puzzling for a truck that comes standard with a hitch and brake wiring.

 

[Gyprat]

After dragging my small toy hauler all around the western US, I would say that if you tow a lot you should not get a 4runner. It doesn't handle tongue weight very well, but it is really let down by the lack of a tow mode on the transmission. To make it worse you must use the manual shift mode to keep it from trying to upshift all the time and that means you CAN NOT use cruise control. It is really the worst modern truck I have driven for towing. It is totally puzzling for a truck that comes standard with a hitch and brake wiring.

You know, I have been thinking the same way. I have a 2,500 travel trailer. My 1998 6 cylinder 4.0L Grand Cherokee tows it a LOT easier than my 2016 4Runner. The 4Runner is a lot heavier than the Jeep. The Jeep seems to have a lot more torque. I used to tow a 5,000 lbs travel trailer with my Jeep when i lived in the South West. No problems at lower elevations, even when climbing very steep hills in the mountains. Very capable, tough and reliable vehicle. I still have it. Hope the 4Runner keeps running as good as the Jeep.

So far the 4Runner has been doing very well. It drives very well. Obviously it's not the best vehicle for towing but I knew it when I bought it. A Tundra would be a lot better choice but when I bought the 4Runner I was commuting to work 80 miles daily. LOL. I wish the Tundras or even 4Runners were available with a diesel engine. For some reason it's very hard to find a diesel option here in the US. I would buy it in a heart beat.

 

[WVhillbilly]

No, have only seen the kind that strap to the oems which shake while you are driving...almost worthless.

Am surprised they aren't available as the flip up ones are available for the Tacomas.

Good luck with your search.

That's what I was afraid of.
I'd done some looking around, didn't find anything I was going to spend my money on.
Thought maybe I'd missed one.

 

[Hltoppr]

I just installed the Airlift 1000 bags on my 2016 Pro. (2" Toytec lift)

They work great! Easily leveled out my sag, with the #3300 toy hauler attached (loaded with #800 of motorcycles).

4Runner tows it just fine, IMO, but I'm not going anywhere fast and mileage is 10-11mpg on average.

-H-

 

[Off2Mtns]

That's what I was afraid of.
I'd done some looking around, didn't find anything I was going to spend my money on.
Thought maybe I'd missed one.

I got a set from Advance Auto Parts years ago. They are the slip on type but have a ratchet mechanism to wrench em down good and tight. They fit the contoured mirrors a little funny but work GREAT! Solid, no vibes. $30 a piece, highly recommend!

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...-3891/6210202-P?searchTerm=Towing+Mirror+3891