Towing Weight

[pin8246]

Alright guys im in the process of deciding if im going to sell my 4runner or not. The major reason behind this is I dont know if it can tow enough. I run my own landscape buisness and thinking im going to need a bigger vehicle. Question is, how much weight can you pull behind these with little struggle? Its a 98 v6 limited if that matters at all.

 

[pin8246]

Ok lets ask this a different way. I know the weight limit is 5000 lbs, seeing as if you have the right trailer hitch, and trailer brakes. Who on here pulls any thing on a constant basis? How much does your load weight? Highway or city pulling?

 

[rebelbowtie]

i wouldnt pull the max load without a weight distro hitch and sway bars and good trailer brakes with a brake controller int he truck. there is a good rule of thumb of something like 75% of your GVWR so you still have room for error.

 

[CoMarc]

Also depends on what kind of roads and hills you'll have to pull the trailer up. I pull a 2200lb pop-up from time to time in the summer with my truck, and it pulls amazingly well on flat land. I'm sure if that trailer was closer to 3500-4000lbs the 4Runner would still be good at towing, obviously your acceleration would be down to nothing.

However, going up steep, long roads (like driving up into the mountains here in Colorado) is tasking for the truck. It can do it, don't get me wrong, but there will be times I'll slow down to 40mph and in second or third gear to keep moving.

If long steep hills aren't a concern for where you'll be pulling a trailer then the 4Runner can easily pull a weight up to around 4000lb (and probably up to 5000lbs too, but I personally don't like pulling anything that heavy with a V6). If they are or you're worried about the need for speed then you may want to look at a V8. I myself am contemplating a V8 truck myself just because of the mountain driving I need to do to get to some of my favorite off-road camping spots.

...I wonder if a Chevy 350 will fit in our trucks...

 

[pin8246]

Yea I have my 03 Dodge 2500 with the 5.9 cummings diesel im pulling with now. But buisness has really been picking up so Im thinking about doubling up on all my equipment and having 2 crews running at once. Doubling just the mowers will set me back 15,000, so adding the price of another dodge on it will be a little steep, hence why the wanting to pull with the 4runner.

 

[rebelbowtie]

Also depends on what kind of roads and hills you'll have to pull the trailer up. I pull a 2200lb pop-up from time to time in the summer with my truck, and it pulls amazingly well on flat land. I'm sure if that trailer was closer to 3500-4000lbs the 4Runner would still be good at towing, obviously your acceleration would be down to nothing.

However, going up steep, long roads (like driving up into the mountains here in Colorado) is tasking for the truck. It can do it, don't get me wrong, but there will be times I'll slow down to 40mph and in second or third gear to keep moving.

If long steep hills aren't a concern for where you'll be pulling a trailer then the 4Runner can easily pull a weight up to around 4000lb (and probably up to 5000lbs too, but I personally don't like pulling anything that heavy with a V6). If they are or you're worried about the need for speed then you may want to look at a V8. I myself am contemplating a V8 truck myself just because of the mountain driving I need to do to get to some of my favorite off-road camping spots.

...I wonder if a Chevy 350 will fit in our trucks...

they make kits to put a 350 in the hilex and i've seen people stuff an LS7 into a miata…so yes

 

[fun_runner]

How much are you pulling? How hilly is the area? And, does the trailer have brakes? I pull my camper which probably weighs a little under 4,000lbs fully loaded and the 4Runner does just fine. I definitely know the camper is back there on hills but I dont drop below 60mph.

 

[SliderNH]

My 4runner's towing experience is somewhat limited, But heres my .02: I pulled 3000lbs from florida to texas, truck did fine with it, but wasn't happy. Constantly downshifted and struggled to keep 65mph. I love the 4runner, don't get me wrong, its great. But if you're going to be towing on a daily basis, get something that is meant for it. I'm willing to bet you will be disappointed if you keep it for work duty. At the very least you will have to upgrade the rear suspension or add airbags, and the brakes. Then there's the added cost of wearing stuff out from towing every day, is gonna add up quick man. I'm sorry to say it but I think you would be much better off with a real work-duty truck. 4runner is an outstanding weekend warrior, but asking it to do that stuff every day is pushing it.

 

[pin8246]

Thats what I was thinking. Because if I do it, it will be pulling prob 5-6 days a week. The setup up I have now that I would duplicate (rough estimate) Trailer is 1400lbs, dual axles with brakes, one mower is 1200 lbs, The other is 600 lbs. Thats the major weight which is 3200 lbs. This does not include the baskets I had welded up to hold all the gasses and oils for the equipment, or the weedeater racks, 2 weedeaters, 1 edger thats always on there. If I had to take a rough estimate I would say it would be towing 3400 lbs on somewhat curvy and light hills, nothing major like colorado or some other states.

My 4runner's towing experience is somewhat limited, But heres my .02: I pulled 3000lbs from florida to texas, truck did fine with it, but wasn't happy. Constantly downshifted and struggled to keep 65mph. I love the 4runner, don't get me wrong, its great. But if you're going to be towing on a daily basis, get something that is meant for it. I'm willing to bet you will be disappointed if you keep it for work duty. At the very least you will have to upgrade the rear suspension or add airbags, and the brakes. Then there's the added cost of wearing stuff out from towing every day, is gonna add up quick man. I'm sorry to say it but I think you would be much better off with a real work-duty truck. 4runner is an outstanding weekend warrior, but asking it to do that stuff every day is pushing it.

 

[LittleCaesar]

For a landscaping business, I would not.

I'd try and find a pickup Ford pickup with the 300 I-6 in it in decent shape. It will long outlast the body and has some monster torque power. Or look newer to a work truck with the v8 4.6 or 4.2 V6 (2000 on though). I have seen all trucks with less than 100,000 miles on them going for less than $6000 lately. So you would not be making a huge fixed capital investment there. Good luck.

 

[02SE]

My Sister has towed a boat probably twenty times per Summer, for the last eleven years. Combined with the trailer, and a full fuel tank, the towed weight is essentially right at the 5000 lbs. her 4Runner is rated to tow. She has an equalizer hitch, and the boat has trailer brakes.

She has an '01 V6, 4wd, with slightly oversized LT 265/75R16 C tires. No problems at all in those eleven years. Just regular preventive maintenance.

That is at an altitude usually starting at 4300 feet, and on some passes topping out at almost 11,000 feet.

If your 4Runner is in good shape and well maintained, I think it will be fine.

 

[THEREALTOR1]

Yea I have my 03 Dodge 2500 with the 5.9 cummings diesel im pulling with now. But buisness has really been picking up so Im thinking about doubling up on all my equipment and having 2 crews running at once. Doubling just the mowers will set me back 15,000, so adding the price of another dodge on it will be a little steep, hence why the wanting to pull with the 4runner.

As others have said you could look into CL for a used chevy/dodge/ford and probably find plenty of needed HP to get the job done. Alot of people are selling big trucks like that at the moment because of gas prices on the rise. My first thought (outside of buying a new full size PU as indicated above) would be to look into re-gearing. I'm not even sure what something like that would cost. I know several on here have done it, but not sure how much something like that would set you back.