Towing question

[ccvortex]

06 v6 SR5 4x4

Will be towing a 5x8 UHaul enclosed trailer that weights 900 lbs empty, then adding around another 800 lbs to it, so 1,700 total GVW.

I will be towing it nearly all the way across the country at + 75 MPH so should I tow it in 4Hi and in Drive? 2WD in 4th? What combo is the safest and least stressful on the vehicle?

 

[Elan_]

Across the country at 75+?

4LO definitely.

 

[progress4m]

06 v6 SR5 4x4

Will be towing a 5x8 UHaul enclosed trailer that weights 900 lbs empty, then adding around another 800 lbs to it, so 1,700 total GVW.

I will be towing it nearly all the way across the country at + 75 MPH so should I tow it in 4Hi and in Drive? 2WD in 4th? What combo is the safest and least stressful on the vehicle?

First of all 1,700 is not much for towing, however since you have a V6, I would say 4th gear, unless you are in the part of flat land and no headwind then you can switch to 5th gear and make sure it is not hunting between gears (as it will heat up the transmission very quickly);

IMHO: Using 4hi will provide additional control (as it does in any driving regardless if you tow or not) and it will reduce the stress on the rear deferential and rear tires… as it spreads the load to the front dif and tires…

As a side note: reasons above are possibly part of reasons why Land Cruisers and V8 4x4 models of 4Runners are always in 4Hi;

 

[ccvortex]

First of all 1,700 is not much for towing, however since you have a V6, I would say 4th gear, unless you are in the part of flat land and no headwind then you can switch to 5th gear and make sure it is not hunting between gears (as it will heat up the transmission very quickly);

IMHO: Using 4hi will provide additional control (as it does in any driving regardless if you tow or not) and it will reduce the stress on the rear deferential and rear tires… as it spreads the load to the front dif and tires…

As a side note: reasons above are possibly part of reasons why Land Cruisers and V8 4x4 models of 4Runners are always in 4Hi;

OK to do 70 or 75 MPH in 4th?

 

[Powder_Hound]

OK to do 70 or 75 MPH in 4th?

Absolutely as long as your trailer is loaded properly. If you start to get sway or trailer shimmy slow down. I pull my PUP (2500-3000lbs) up to 75-80 and I'm usually in 4th gear.

 

[progress4m]

OK to do 70 or 75 MPH in 4th?

Yes, it is;

 

[lcbjr77]

IIRC you'll want to limit any 4Hi speed to 60mph

 

[Cory619]

If can jump in on this thread and ask opinions....I have 04 4R LTD V8 with towing package and I live in Orlando. All flat. I've towed a lot of things but never a 24ft center console boat. I'm not worried about pulling power so much as I worried about stopping and the shorter wheel base.

Do I need to think about this or am I good?

Sorry to hijack this thread...didn't want to start another.

 

[Cory619]

I think I'll be good to go.....

Ultra 235 SE

 

[alpinhi]

First of all 1,700 is not much for towing, however since you have a V6, I would say 4th gear, unless you are in the part of flat land and no headwind then you can switch to 5th gear and make sure it is not hunting between gears (as it will heat up the transmission very quickly);

IMHO: Using 4hi will provide additional control (as it does in any driving regardless if you tow or not) and it will reduce the stress on the rear deferential and rear tires… as it spreads the load to the front dif and tires…

As a side note: reasons above are possibly part of reasons why Land Cruisers and V8 4x4 models of 4Runners are always in 4Hi;

DO NOT TOW (or drive) IN 4WD unless you are driving on a slick surface and you need added traction to maintain forward momentum!! If you tow or drive around in 4WD in normal conditions you will be causing alot of unnecessary stress on your drivetrain. Try it and you will notice your steering wheel jumping and hear the drive train binding. The V8 models are fulltime 4WD becasue they have a disconnect (VC) that allows the axles to run independent of each other under normal conditions. Keep your vehicle in 2wd UNLESS you end up on snow packed roads or muddy roads. Refer to your owners manual and it will give you more info.

 

[alpinhi]

If can jump in on this thread and ask opinions....I have 04 4R LTD V8 with towing package and I live in Orlando. All flat. I've towed a lot of things but never a 24ft center console boat. I'm not worried about pulling power so much as I worried about stopping and the shorter wheel base.

Do I need to think about this or am I good?

Sorry to hijack this thread...didn't want to start another.

I pull a 4000 lb 20ft camper with our 05 V8. I have had no issues but I have trailer brakes. I did add a weight distribution with anti-sway becasue the of the tongue weight. The soft rear springs really squatted when loaded. My biggest complaint when towing is my lack of range. I can only go about 175 miles on a tank of fuel. Im trying figure out a way to add auxiliary fuel tank and improve the distance I can drive between stops.

 

[Powder_Hound]

IIRC you'll want to limit any 4Hi speed to 60mph

I'm calling BS and not in a rude way. The 4th gen V8 does not have even have a 2wd option and your implying that I shouldn't exceed 60 MPH?!?!?!?!? If that was the case Toyota would never have sold a V-8 4th gen. The V-6 does have a 2wd option, but if I had a V-6 I'd run in in 4H at any speed without thinking much about it. Granted, I wouldn't need it on dry roads, but wet, slick, or in snow would be a different story. Now...if my center diff was locked on dry roads (shouldn't be done anyway) or if if I had a F or R locker engaged that's an entirely different story.

 

[RonJR]

DO NOT TOW (or drive) IN 4WD unless you are driving on a slick surface and you need added traction to maintain forward momentum!! If you tow or drive around in 4WD in normal conditions you will be causing alot of unnecessary stress on your drivetrain. Try it and you will notice your steering wheel jumping and hear the drive train binding. The V8 models are fulltime 4WD becasue they have a disconnect (VC) that allows the axles to run independent of each other under normal conditions. Keep your vehicle in 2wd UNLESS you end up on snow packed roads or muddy roads. Refer to your owners manual and it will give you more info.

You need to refer to your owner's manual as well. The V6 has the same center diff as the V8, which allows 4wd operation on hi-friction surfaces as well. Only if you push the center diff lock button do you need to worry about drive train bind-up.

 

[Gdmeadors]

A few thoughts I have. Although I have a 2006 V8 4Runner I ended up leaving it in Oregon and flying to Ann Arbor, Michigan to help my son move back to Oregon. He had my 1996 Honda Odyssey with a four cylinder, 140 hp engine. We loaded up the 5x8 U-Haul and the back of the Honda and drove back across the U.S. in four days in December. I rarely exceeded 60 mph except on downhill stretches and going uphill in third gear was painfully slow and left me wishing I was driving my V8 4Runner! But, we made it. That Odyssey now has 230,000 plus miles on it.

Your V6 will have no problem pulling a 5x8 trailer. If it were me, I would not exceed 65-70 mph when pulling a trailer. You can not stop safely and it is very dangerous to pull a small uhaul trailer that fast. In facf, their rental contracts state that you should not exceed 55. But, that decision is up to you! Be safe and good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[gm350reratliff]

I will also say that is not really a lot of weight so it should be no problem pulling the load or stopping it (most U-Haul trailers have surge brakes anyway). I wouldn't recommend running at 75+ mph as most trailer tires are only rated for 65 mph and U-Haul actually recommends going 55 mph. At 77+ mph, the tires will heat up and come apart, especially if they are old, and no telling how old some of those U-Haul tires are. I would also pay attention how you load the trailer. You want to end up with about 270 lbs of weight on the trailer tongue for that load. Not enough weight will make the trailer squirrely and too much will cause the 4runner to squat too much. Also, make sure all the tires are aired up properly.

As for using 4 wheel drive, there should be no need to use 4hi if the road is dry or even just wet for that matter. However, 4hi can handle 75+ mph speeds (even with the center diff locked) if you feel the need. As stated above, driving on high traction surfaces with the center diff locked is not a good idea.

I would use 4th gear if the transmission is hunting between 5th and 4th gear, most likely it will be needed through hilly country. Keep plenty of distance to the vehicle in front of you and give yourself plenty of room to stop and you should be good to go.

 

[progress4m]

DO NOT TOW (or drive) IN 4WD unless you are driving on a slick surface and you need added traction to maintain forward momentum!! If you tow or drive around in 4WD in normal conditions you will be causing alot of unnecessary stress on your drivetrain. Try it and you will notice your steering wheel jumping and hear the drive train binding. The V8 models are fulltime 4WD becasue they have a disconnect (VC) that allows the axles to run independent of each other under normal conditions. Keep your vehicle in 2wd UNLESS you end up on snow packed roads or muddy roads. Refer to your owners manual and it will give you more info.

You are very wrong… all 4x4 4th gen 4Runners with V6 or V8 (including OP’s 2006 model ) have torsen central differential which enables them to drive (on any surface) in 4hi or (4 low) all the time- this is not “part time” system….
Steering wheel jumping\ drive train binding you are referring to will only happen when you “lock” torsen central differential, but I was not suggesting that in my comment… Read your owners manual...

 

[alpinhi]

You need to refer to your owner's manual as well. The V6 has the same center diff as the V8, which allows 4wd operation on hi-friction surfaces as well. Only if you push the center diff lock button do you need to worry about drive train bind-up.

If that is the case then I stand corrected. Our Sequoia also has 2WD plus a center diff lock to change between full and part time. I don't remember the V6 4R I looked at having a center diff lock.

 

[lcbjr77]

The OP has the V6 like me, I was just referring to the tag on the back of the sun screen shade that had the 4hi/lo instructions

I'm calling BS and not in a rude way. The 4th gen V8 does not have even have a 2wd option and your implying that I shouldn't exceed 60 MPH?!?!?!?!? If that was the case Toyota would never have sold a V-8 4th gen. The V-6 does have a 2wd option, but if I had a V-6 I'd run in in 4H at any speed without thinking much about it. Granted, I wouldn't need it on dry roads, but wet, slick, or in snow would be a different story. Now...if my center diff was locked on dry roads (shouldn't be done anyway) or if if I had a F or R locker engaged that's an entirely different story.