Towing Question

[sportsbriefcase]

I think I blew my rear shocks, but other than that, everything looks fine. I'm prepared to drive 45mph. Think I'll be ok? I've got about 2600 lbs behind me.

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[Inv4drZm]

Any chance you can move any of that 2600lbs back, closer to the axle of the trailer?

Loks like a lot of tongue weight. Then again you are running stock springs.

 

[AuSeeker]

Hard to say if you'll be OK, how far do you have to haul the trailer?

 

[Powder_Hound]

I think I blew my rear shocks, but other than that, everything looks fine. I'm prepared to drive 45mph. Think I'll be ok? I've got about 2600 lbs behind me.

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That doesn't look good. My factory springs and Daystar spacers drooped a bit pulling 3000 lbs, but nothing like that. I'd try to move weight back to lessen tongue load or get a WDH ASAP. The front end will be loose and floaty for sure and if your driving at night people won't be pleased.

Now I'm pulling 5000 lbs with Toytec 2.0 HD springs and even when I'm not connected with my WDH I don't droop anything like that. Time for new springs my friend...

New springs look like they are in order.

 

[sportsbriefcase]

Thank you. I have a 1500 mile journey ahead of me. Can you tell me exactly what to buy?


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[VT245]

Holy crap. I tow my 20' Chris craft on a steel trailer ~4000lbs fully loaded and I'm on stock springs with bilstein 5100s and I don't get anything close to that. If anything, mine levels the truck perfectly when I have the trailer out back. Wish I could take a pic, but my boat is in storage for the winter!

 

[Powder_Hound]

Thank you. I have a 1500 mile journey ahead of me. Can you tell me exactly what to buy?


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1) If your droop fixes itself when you unhook the trailer your simple solution will be to buy a CURT WDH for under $200.
- https://www.amazon.com/17051-Round-...=1-27&keywords=curt+weight+distribution+hitch
-Etrailer has a good selection too. Just make sure you have the appropriate ball for the WDH.
-This is a all good if you have the V-8 Tow Package or the V-8 WD receiver.

2) Otherwise your looking at replacing springs which will prob cost > $200 + time and labor. The WDH should help and can be used down the road as well.

3) Airlift 1000 Airbags - these also help level the load and run about $100 bucks + time and labor to install (pretty straight forward for DIY). A good bandaid for factory springs.

Good luck.

This is How I sit with a 5000 lb travel trailer, a WDH, and Toytec 2.0 RCC HD Springs with OME struts (Full OME 885 in front).


This is how I sat with 3000 lbs and Airlift 1000 air bags.

 

[Elan_]

Holymoly comrade! I just pulled a 6000 lb trailer 350 miles and didn't have any droop like that. Almost none at all actually. I'd say your weight is poorly distributed in the trailer.

 

[AuSeeker]

I see you have V6, so I'm assuming that you have the V6 trailer hitch and not the heavy duty V8 hitch?

What you need to most is a WDH (weight distributing hitch) that's setup properly to transfer some of the weight to the front of your 4 Runner and possibly heavier rear springs.

That being said if you only have the V6 tralier hitch it's not rated by Toyota in your owner's manual for using a WDH because the V6 hitch is only mounted to a cross member and not the main side rails of the frame as the V8 hitch is, the cross member isn't strong enough when using a WDH with the V6 hitch and could possibly cause damage to the cross member and or frame because of the pressure put upon the trailer hitch when using a WDH to transfer weight through the frame to the front of the towing vehicle.

If you have the V8 trailer hitch you will not have any issues using a WDH.

Also as mentioned try re-distributung the weight inside the trailer to reduce the tounge weight, you should not have more than 300 lbs of tongue weight on the V6 hitch and not more than 500 lbs on the V8 hitch.

It looks like you have way more than 500 lbs on the tongue to me.

 

[V8Man]

Any chance you can move any of that 2600lbs back, closer to the axle of the trailer?

Loks like a lot of tongue weight. Then again you are running stock springs.

I agree it's not the weight it is where it's placed. This trailer has the axial toward the rear and it looks like most of the load is foward of this point. You should only have 500 pounds max at the hitch. Move the load in the trailer. Your truck should be at level, no rake, when loaded.

This is a stock V8 with my 64 1/2 Mustang. Notice the trailer is center axle and the T4R is slightly lower in the back. I should have moved the mustang back about 6 inches.

 

[sportsbriefcase]

I assume this is the V6 hitch that I have. I only see one Toyota part number available for the hitch, which is PT228-89460. Is that the V8 hitch I need?

 

[AuSeeker]

I assume this is the V6 hitch that I have. I only see one Toyota part number available for the hitch, which is PT228-89460. Is that the V8 hitch I need?

Yes that's a V6 hitch, but it's rated within the weight limits that you say your trailer weights, it's rated up to 300 lbs tongue weight and 5000 lbs total weight, but what your problem seems to be is you have too much tongue weight.

I'm not 100% sure on the part number you posted but I'm almost sure that it is the correct part number for the V8 hitch.

Here a PDF file on the installtion procedure for that part number and it says....
"General Applicability
Note: All V-8 4-Runner vehicles "

Which should be the correct heavy duty hitch.

http://4runnerclub.com/i/4r_files/f...oyfsrm/accessory/installation/T-AI-0403-W.pdf

There's one on eBay but it's in California and after you pay the shipping you might be better off just getting one from a dealer and it should come with all the bolts, etc. need to install it.

2007 4 RUNNER TOWING HITCH PT228-89460 | eBay

 

[VT245]

Found this pic of my setup, only difference now is I have the C rated 265/70 KO2s. Not the greatest angle but as you can see there is basically no sag. The trailer is custom for the boat so it sits just right on there which definitely contributes. I also have Kodiak electric over hydraulic disc brakes on both axles, controlled with a Tekonsha P3 inside. Tows like a dream.

 

[t-man]

I pull an enclosed trailer often and have pulled boom lift trailers that weigh 7k or more without squat like that. You are squatting because of how far the axle is back on that trailer. Very poor setup! Air lift springs will help, as well as a load distribution hitch, but your biggest issue is the crappy location of that trailer axle.
The weight isn't shit for our trucks, but tongue weight is!

 

[Ruthven13]

Definately move the weight around towards the back and see if that fixes the problem. As said before that weight should not be a problem at all for our trucks. Even the V6...

 

[sportsbriefcase]

I really appreciate the input on this. I hit the road first thing this morning on my journey from Dallas to Bozeman.

I reorganized my trailer, moving the weight back.

Installed a heavy duty hitch, (in a pinch on NYE, had to go with aftermarket rather than OEM)

Installed a Curt WDH.

Much better.

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[AuSeeker]

Great, you'll be a happy tower from here on out!!

 

[vanion2]

Just saw this post. Glad you upgraded the receiver and used a WDH. I just have 2 questions. Are you using a brake controller? And have you considered air bags for your rear springs?

With the V6 the air bags will help with the ride quality and help level the rear droop even better. They are no replacement for a WDH but they really do help.

And I hope that trailer has brakes built in or you are putting all the brake load on the 4Runner which is a recipe for disaster. Any trailer over 1k should have brakes integrated so you can use a brake controller to neutralize the trailer's weight.

I pull a 3800# trailer using a WDH, Prodigy P2 brake controller and Firestone air bags. Even with the V8 the brake controller makes a huge difference and is by far the biggest safety feature since the mine came with the tow package (transmission cooler, 7 pin connector, and 7300# receiver).

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[Katie H]

Interesting stuff. I have an 06 V6 SR5 2WD. We are considering getting a 13 or 16 foot Casita or similar hard side camper, but not until we are sure we can pull it (and I get a few other mechanical issues sorted out). I just looked at my Reese Hitch. It has 2 ratings of 6,000 and 7,300 pounds. I was told when I bought that it was a factory tow package. It has the additional mirrors in the cargo area, but I am not sure what I am looking for under the hood to see if it has the coolers.
Any tips or ideas on what our tow capacity would be as it is (providing springs and shocks are all solid)?

 

[Powder_Hound]

Just saw this post. Glad you upgraded the receiver and used a WDH. I just have 2 questions. Are you using a brake controller? And have you considered air bags for your rear springs?

With the V6 the air bags will help with the ride quality and help level the rear droop even better. They are no replacement for a WDH but they really do help.

And I hope that trailer has brakes built in or you are putting all the brake load on the 4Runner which is a recipe for disaster. Any trailer over 1k should have brakes integrated so you can use a brake controller to neutralize the trailer's weight.

I pull a 3800# trailer using a WDH, Prodigy P2 brake controller and Firestone air bags. Even with the V8 the brake controller makes a huge difference and is by far the biggest safety feature since the mine came with the tow package (transmission cooler, 7 pin connector, and 7300# receiver).

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Great point about brake controller. I took that for granted as the owners manual states to use one for towing >1000 lbs. I'm using a Tekonsha Prodigy P2.